After the New Year, a bounty notice shocked the entire imperial capital!
[Bounty Notice: A reward of one hundred thousand taels of silver for the head of the Star Snatcher! Capture him alive, and the reward is three hundred thousand taels of silver! Those who provide valid clues can claim one hundred taels of silver at the Prince's Mansion!]
At the same time, this bounty notice specifically stated that anyone could take on this bounty task, even those wanted for death sentences. The Prince's Mansion was willing to offer the reward without making things difficult for them.
Crazy! Completely crazy!
This was the first reaction of everyone in the imperial capital upon seeing this bounty notice, with many even doubting its authenticity. However, the notice continued to be posted and spread throughout the entire Maple Kingdom.
Li Qing, who was preparing to go up the mountain to hunt tigers, was also taken aback upon seeing this bounty notice.
"What exactly did the Star Snatcher do to anger the Prince to such an extent?"
When spring arrived, Li Qing only knew that the Star Snatcher had stolen a several-hundred-year-old mountain ginseng that the Prince's Mansion had specifically requested. However, at that time, the Prince's Mansion did not react strongly, merely allowing the Quanshan Medicine Hall to pursue the thief and provide some assistance in secret.
Unexpectedly, just a few months later, the Prince's Mansion actually offered a bounty of hundreds of thousands of taels of silver for the Star Snatcher, seemingly determined to deal with this mysterious thief at all costs.
Suddenly, the entire imperial capital was in an uproar.
Wealth stirs the heart, especially when the amount is so exaggerated that it is shocking, which would undoubtedly drive people mad. Many speculated that even the Star Snatcher himself might consider turning himself in to claim the reward.
Though the spring was still chilly, it could not freeze the fervent hearts of the people. With the release of the enormous bounty notice, countless individuals in the imperial capital sprang into action, as if intending to turn the city upside down.
In recent days, even Li Qing's blacksmith shop had seen many individuals come to inquire, asking various questions. From these signs, one could see how resolute the Prince's Mansion was in their determination.
Days passed swiftly, and the fervor for finding the Star Snatcher in the imperial capital had not yet diminished when the Prince's Mansion stirred up more commotion.
At the execution ground in the imperial capital, a well-known landscape painter was brought to the guillotine and publicly beheaded. The elderly painter wept bitterly, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
"I am wronged! I am wronged!"
Unfortunately, the executioner had heard the word "wronged" countless times, and his heart had long since grown cold and indifferent.
With a snap of the blade!
The painter's head rolled to the ground, blood splattering everywhere.
The most crucial point was that the crimes committed by this man were not publicly disclosed by the authorities, remaining a secret.
In an instant, a mystery enveloped the entire imperial capital like a fog.
With the old painter's execution, the Prince's Mansion once again released a bombshell piece of information.
The portrait of the Star Snatcher!
This was like a deep-water bomb, shaking the citizens of the entire imperial capital.
After being wanted for so long, the Star Snatcher finally had a real face today.
It should be noted that prior to this, no one even knew what this person looked like. Even if someone wanted to track down the Star Snatcher, it would feel nearly impossible.
"Interesting, I want to see what this Star Snatcher looks like."
Even Li Qing couldn't help but feel a bit of interest, wanting to see what kind of person could provoke the Prince's Mansion to such a degree.
On the streets of Chiming Street, many neighbors gathered, all curious about the newly posted portrait bounty notice.
This portrait clearly came from a master’s hand, with hard lines and realistic details, capturing the likeness perfectly.
On the bounty notice was a handsome man, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, often wearing a carefree smile.
At the first glance of this painting, Li Qing's eyes narrowed slightly. It looked somewhat familiar!
Soon, someone exclaimed.
"I've seen him! I've seen him!"
With a whoosh, the crowd parted, revealing an excited man whose appearance clearly indicated he was a wanderer.
"I saw this person at the tavern on the next street!"
Indeed, it was him.
Li Qing confirmed that the man on the bounty notice was the same one he had often seen drinking at the tavern not long ago, who preferred drinking from a pot rather than a cup. Moreover, he had seen this man in the tavern more than once, and it was certain that he was a person who loved alcohol.
"Hahaha! I'm going to the Prince's Mansion to claim my reward!" The man who recognized the bounty notice laughed heartily as he rushed toward the inner city of the imperial capital.
Everyone looked at the man's back with envy, thinking that just by having seen the Star Snatcher, he could probably claim fifty taels of silver.
Although Li Qing had also seen the Star Snatcher, he had no intention of competing for this small amount of silver, preferring to avoid unnecessary trouble.
He didn’t lack this little money, and since the Star Snatcher had been wanted for so long, the Prince's Mansion had not revealed his martial arts realm.
What if he was a master of inner strength, especially one skilled in lightness skills? That would be troublesome.
Unwilling to get involved in the Star Snatcher's bounty, Li Qing stayed in his blacksmith shop, beginning to forge a new piece of armor for himself.
"The armor should have steel spikes; after all, it’s for dealing with the tigers in the mountains."
"Besides that, it’s best to have a sharp weapon. Using the Wushuang Hammer to hunt tigers is a bit too heavy and may not be effective."
Yes, Li Qing had already begun preparing for hunting tigers.
In recent days, his martial arts progress had slowed down, and he could not see any signs of stepping into the realm of inner strength.
With no other choice, he decided to set his sights on the tigers at Xiao Cuiling.
Though he had a long lifespan and could afford to wait and slowly refine his skills, he was confident that with time, he would definitely enter the realm of inner strength.
However, recently, due to the turmoil caused by the Star Snatcher, the imperial capital had become increasingly chaotic, with martial artists from all over gathering here, hoping to earn that enormous bounty.
Originally, outside of the major Martial Halls, it was rare to see external strength masters, but in recent days, Li Qing had spotted more than one in the tavern.
"Collect tiger bones, brew medicinal wine, and when summer arrives, brew the Five Poisons Wine."
"Mm! The martial path is promising!"
Just as Li Qing was satisfied with his musings, an unexpected visitor arrived outside the blacksmith shop.
"Li Qing, are you the blacksmith here?"
Several constables, dressed in identical uniforms and carrying standard long knives, walked in.
Seeing these individuals, his heart tightened slightly, and he instinctively restrained his qi and blood, not wanting to expose his martial arts cultivation.
"Yes, gentlemen, what can I do for you?" Li Qing asked with a forced smile.
"No need to panic, we just have a few questions for you." The constable said coldly.
(End of Chapter)