According to Mu Yun's current pace, it would take at least two days to reach Qingchuan City from his home. Having passed through the dense forest and entered the official road, Mu Yun walked at a leisurely pace, stopping occasionally. When a few galloping carriages passed by, Mu Yun would steer clear to avoid getting splashed with mud.
Another half an hour passed, and dusk fell. Mu Yun noticed an inn by the roadside of the official road, its oil lamps lit and highly visible in the night. He quickly headed towards it. Mu Yun intended to stay here for the night, rest, and set off early tomorrow morning, hoping to reach Qingchuan City by tomorrow evening. As for this inn, it was not unfamiliar; in previous years, when Mu Yun accompanied Elder Zhu to Qingchuan City, they occasionally stopped or stayed here.
Humming a little tune, Mu Yun entered the inn. Greeted by a waiter, he sat down by the window. The boy paid some money, and the waiter brought him water and food. After eating his fill, Mu Yun gazed blankly out the window.
The dark wilderness, the dense forest rustling in the wind, and the swaying tree shadows resembled ghosts. Mu Yun couldn't help but recall the scene of the immortal duel in the purple bamboo forest. Although he hadn't witnessed it firsthand, the piercing screams echoing in his ears were hard to dispel. And the sight of the green-robed man's sudden death hung over his heart like a persistent shadow. The boy had no idea that his originally peaceful life had already been prematurely shattered by this unexpected battle.
"Young brother," the waiter approached Mu Yun, seeing him sitting alone. "Things haven't been peaceful lately. You absolutely shouldn't walk alone in this desolate mountain wilderness at night."
Mu Yun collected his thoughts, glanced at the waiter, and said, "A single room, just for one night." Then he paid the waiter some more money.
The waiter, seeing that the boy had guessed his thoughts, chuckled and said, "Young brother, you're not very old, but your mind is quite sharp. But what I said earlier about things not being peaceful lately is true." He then lowered his voice and leaned closer to Mu Yun's ear, saying, "Our manager says that many bodies have been found in the wild woods near the official road lately, some of them even skilled martial artists. The manager told us to pack up and close the shop the day after tomorrow, to take shelter in the city."
Seeing Mu Yun not respond, thinking he didn't believe him, he winked at Mu Yun and whispered, "See? That table by the door, those are government officials. They're here on a case."
Mu Yun followed his gaze and saw five people at the table by the door. All of them looked serious, eating quietly. Only when the leader spoke did they stop and nod in agreement. The metal identity token revealed when one of them adjusted his clothes also confirmed the waiter's words. However, because they were too far away and several other tables were drinking heartily, making a lot of noise, Mu Yun couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Young man, it seems you know something. Why don't you tell me?" Mu Yun looked away, smiling at the waiter. This waiter looked older than Mu Yun, but he was probably only fifteen or sixteen. Mu Yun hadn't seen him in his previous visits with his grandfather; he must have been a new recruit.
"That's all. How would I know the details? It's something even the officials can't figure out. I just occasionally hear the manager talk about it, so I only know a little."
Hearing this, Mu Yun smiled faintly and said no more, thinking that the waiter was just making up stories to get him to stay for the night.
At that moment, one of the five people at the table by the door suddenly called out, "Waiter, come here and get some more wine." The waiter immediately straightened his face and hurried over.
Just then, a "creak" sounded as the inn's main door opened from outside, and a gust of strong wind immediately swept into the room. The waiter was already near the door. After greeting the five people at the table by the door, he walked towards the door, thinking it was just the wind outside that had blown it open.
As the waiter was closing the door, he saw an even greater force suddenly push the door open. The waiter couldn't dodge in time and was pushed to the ground. The two large doors slammed against the side walls with a "thud." After this scene, the previously noisy inn instantly fell silent.
Like most people in the room, Mu Yun looked towards the door.
Two men in green martial attire were the first to step into the room. After surveying the room, one of them locked onto the table with the five officials by the door, while the other walked outside. Soon after, more than ten people entered, walking straight into the room without bothering to find a table to sit at.
After everyone had entered, a tall man standing in the middle of the group said coldly, "Gentlemen, my lord is passing through here and requests to use this inn for one night. Everyone except the inn manager, kitchen staff, and waiters has half an incense stick's time to leave, otherwise, you will bear the consequences."
Then the man spoke to a young boy beside him, "Young Master, please wait. We will clear the place immediately." The boy's eyelids barely lifted. He glanced around and said unhurriedly, "Good."
Before his words had fully fallen, a loud "thwack" was heard. At a table about ten paces away from the boy, deeper inside the hall, sat five burly men. All of them glared angrily. One of them, perhaps having drunk too much, sat bare-chested. Under his broad palm, a saucer lay shattered.
The burly man lifted his palm, patting away the powdered saucer. "I am Du Laosan of Shadiao Bay. May I ask which heroic figure dares to utter such arrogant words!"
At these words, a murmur spread through the inn. The hands of the several government officials at the table by the door quietly moved to their scabbards.
Shadiao Bay: In earlier years, the three Du brothers gathered a motley crew and settled here, making their fortune by highway robbery. Later, they went into business, presumably having bribed the authorities, who did not pursue their past deeds and even offered some protection. After becoming wealthy, the three Du brothers kept a low profile and successfully whitewashed their image. Their stronghold, Shadiao Bay, also became one of the major forces in Qingchuan City.
Just as they were at their peak, Eldest Brother Du and Second Brother Du met tragic deaths. Third Brother Du took over the gang's power, acting domineering and preying on men and women, making Shadiao Bay's notoriety worse than ever. Rumors in the marketplace said that Eldest Brother Du and Second Brother Du were indeed harmed by this Third Brother Du. Mu Yun had heard these tales of the martial world from his grandfather. At the time, he only thought that this Third Brother Du had truly harmed his own brothers, possessing a truly vicious heart.
"One of Qingchuan City's influential figures, I finally get to see him in person," Mu Yun murmured, his eyes fixed on the powdered saucer scattered by Third Brother Du's palm. "The force of that palm strike shattered the saucer without damaging the wooden table. That level of force control is probably above mine."
Seeing someone taking the lead, and a well-known formidable figure from Qingchuan City at that, the crowd immediately chimed in, and curses erupted. Some, emboldened by alcohol, even tried to rush forward but were stopped by their tablemates.
"Does an ant even deserve to announce its name?" the tall man scoffed softly, yet his words reached Third Brother Du's ears.
"Damn it." The burly man cursed loudly and immediately slammed the table. The dishes on the table were sent flying by the force of his palm. The burly man instantly threw several palm strikes at the airborne dishes like a spinning top, and several bowls and dishes shot at high speed towards the tall man and his companions.
"Peak of Body Tempering? Or a Qi Condensation expert?" Mu Yun stared intently at the burly man's movements, keenly aware of the gap between them.
The peak of Body Tempering was considered a second-rate expert among mortal martial artists. Reaching the Qi Condensation stage, however, placed one among the ranks of first-rate masters.
In the mortal world, the Qi Condensation stage was further divided into four levels: the first level was "Awakened Eyes and Clear Ears" (醒目,清耳), the second level "Minute Realm" (极小境), the third level "Object Manipulation Realm" (驱物境), and the last level "Kaiyang Realm" (开阳境). Of course, it was also because Qi Condensation was the ultimate realm most mortals could reach in their lifetime, so these top martial cultivators refined this realm quite meticulously.
However, in the cultivation world, the Qi Condensation stage was merely fleeting, so it only had levels: from one to nine. After reaching the ninth level of Qi Condensation, one would prepare to break through to Foundation Establishment. The final stage before Foundation Establishment was the Kaiyang Realm in the mortal world.
A Qi Condensation Object Manipulation Realm expert was already extremely rare in the mortal world, holding a high status, either as a city lord or a martial arts grandmaster. As for Kaiyang Realm experts, they basically dedicated themselves to pursuing the path of Foundation Establishment and immortality, generally not interfering in mortal affairs. If the other "Mu Yun" were to see this, he would certainly recall a famous wuxia novel from Earth's past, "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," where the protagonist Qiao Feng should be in the Qi Condensation Object Manipulation Realm.
With such power, this Third Brother Du indeed had the ability to stir up trouble in Qingchuan City.
Just as everyone cheered, the dishes that had been launched stopped in mid-air in front of the tall man. It was as if an invisible wall stood before them. The tall man casually waved his hand, and in an instant, the rapidly spinning dishes slowly came to a halt and fell to the ground.
"Half the time has passed," the man slowly retracted his hand and spoke again.
"Object... Object Manipulation!" Someone exclaimed in disbelief and shock.
"Sir, we were ignorant, please excuse us," seeing this, several tables of drinkers got up and fled as if escaping. In a few breaths, only two or three tables remained.
Third Brother Du and his group, seeing the situation, also intended to slip away.
"Others can leave, but you cannot," the tall man said indifferently, as if passing a judgment of life and death on Third Brother Du and his men.
Third Brother Du's face was filled with terror. He dropped to his knees with a thud. "Sir, we were blind and disturbed you all. We beg you to let us go."
"Acting against us is already a capital offense. Dispose of yourselves, and you shall keep your complete corpses," the tall man said coldly, scanning Third Brother Du with a gaze as if looking at a dead object.
"Sir!" Third Brother Du was drenched in cold sweat, his body trembling like a sieve. Seeing the tall man utterly unmoved, he crawled on his knees towards the leading boy. "Sir, I beg you to spare us. We are willing to serve you as oxen and horses."
The boy frowned, impatiently saying, "Noisy! Zhong Wu, grind them into meat paste and feed them to the dogs."
So the tall man's name was Zhong Wu. At this command, he moved to act. Third Brother Du and his group seemed to have been prepared. Before the boy's words had even fully fallen, he was the first to surge forth. Third Brother Du bent forward from in front of the boy, a cold, shimmering dagger appearing in his hand at some unknown point, and he stabbed straight towards the boy's chest.
To kill the chief, first kill the king!
This Third Brother Du was indeed adaptable and decisive. Seeing that retreat was impossible, he feigned weakness, then suddenly erupted, seizing the initiative.
"Seeking death!" Zhong Wu snorted coldly, striking first despite reacting later. He swept his leg in a fierce kick at Third Brother Du's waist, moving with blinding speed. The force of this kick was immense; Third Brother Du was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing through several tables and chairs before finally stopping.
In contrast, the main target of Third Brother Du's sudden assassination attempt showed no change in expression, and a hint of a playful yet cruel smile could even be vaguely seen.
...