Chapter 200: Startled Retreat

Clink clink clink clink…

A series of sharp, clear sounds rang out from the mountaintop.

Blinded and bleeding heavily, Ghost Mother went berserk, launching a frantic assault on the Hemp-robed Old Taoist without any regard for her own safety. Each of her nails shimmered with a dark glow, piercing like swords or spikes, leaving deep gashes in the ground. With a fierce swipe, she even managed to put several terrifying notches in Daoist Mayi’s sword several times.

Ghost Mother had dreamed of breaking through to the True Human Realm Late Stage and comprehending the fifth level of the Yinwind Great Art. She’d also hoped to invade Mu Feng’s memories, steal his Innate Divine Ability, build up her power, and break through the bottleneck in one go. Little did she expect that after all her efforts, not only were her wishes unfulfilled, she also lost her eyesight—driving her to madness!

She understood the might of the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada better than anyone. She was also well aware of the schemes of Murong Bi, leader of the Poison Sect. But she never imagined that this very cicada she held in such high hopes would backfire. The price of a moment’s negligence was her eyes!

“Mu Feng, come out, come out now…”

While attacking the Hemp-robed Old Taoist wildly, Ghost Mother screamed hysterically, tilting her head from time to time to listen carefully.

Unfortunately, after being poisoned by the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada, her eyes were the first to fail, her ears started ringing, and even her consciousness gradually blurred, plagued by hallucinations and imagined sounds. In her desperation, she couldn’t sense Mu Feng’s location at all—forget tearing him to pieces, she couldn’t even touch the hem of his clothes.

Heaven’s wrongs can still be forgiven; one’s own wrongs are unforgivable!

Mu Feng sat cross-legged motionless at the edge of the cliff, calm and composed, suppressing his internal energy fluctuations, watching Ghost Mother’s frenzy coldly.

Several times, the wildly attacking Ghost Mother came within a single step of him, her terrifying claws grazing his scalp. Just a little closer, and she would have found him. But blinded as she was, she missed her chance time and again.

“Li Feifei, oh Li Feifei, as the Yinfeng Holy Maiden of your generation, you are at least someone of note. Yet even now you remain stubborn, insisting on a fight to the death—why must it be so? Do you truly wish to die here today?” Daoist Mayi parried Ghost Mother’s claws with his sword.

“Hahaha, stubborn?”

Ghost Mother’s face twisted, her usually grim and terrifying visage growing even more sinister, “Stinky old Taoist, you talk so lightly. Why don’t you gouge out your own eyes and become blind? Death—today, both you and that brat Mu Feng will die! Since you took my eyes, I’ll tear out your hearts!”

Blinded and frenzied, Ghost Mother was about to charge once more at the murderous Hemp-robed Old Taoist. Suddenly, her ears twitched, and she halted.

“When I face heaven, there shall be no more evil in the world!”

“When I face heaven, heaven and earth shall crumble no more!”

“When I face heaven, heaven and earth shall be pure, with no darkness or evil!”

…

Faint, ethereal chanting drifted up from the foot of the mountain, along with a sacred and majestic power.

The chanting drew closer, and soon, a woman in white leaped up gracefully. With a delicate face and eyebrows like moth antennae, her white robes fluttered as she calmly ascended with a single step from the foot of the mountain, looking like an otherworldly fairy. Turning around, Mu Feng saw it was none other than Mu Qingling, the talented disciple renowned alongside the Chief Transmission Disciple Mu Tie!

“Mu Wuyan?”

Ghost Mother’s face paled in alarm—another powerful enemy had arrived. No sooner had the words left her mouth than she abruptly turned, her still-bleeding eyes fixed in Mu Feng’s direction. Sensing the shift in his focus, she finally pinpointed his position, “Cackle cackle, boy, so you were hiding here all along! This time, let’s see where you run!”

Ghost Mother cackled wildly, her murderous aura intensifying as she locked onto Mu Feng.

But just as she stepped forward, before she could strike, Mu Qingling in her white robes sidestepped to block her path.

Without a word, she erupted with an even more immense surge of power. From afar, she resembled a celestial being about to ascend, radiating a pure Immortal Spirit Qi specifically designed to counter all darkness and evil in the mortal world. With the Hemp-robed Old Taoist in front and her behind, they trapped the sinister Ghost Mother between them, poised for battle.

“Real Person Wuyan, long time no see. Though years have passed, your Smokeless Grotto-Heaven remains vivid in my memory. When you see the master of your manor, Mu Zhenren, please convey my greetings!”

The Hemp-robed Old Taoist discreetly signaled with his eyes, while pretending to bow slightly to the white-robed Mu Qingling.

Mu Wuyan and her disciple Mu Qingling spent years in secluded cultivation. Both dressed in flowing white robes, both cold and aloof. To the blind Ghost Mother, the two seemed almost identical—without careful sensing, they were indistinguishable!

Though usually cold and seemingly unapproachable, Mu Qingling was sharp. Seeing the Hemp-robed Old Taoist’s signal, she immediately grasped his intent. Imitating her master’s voice, she spoke coolly, “Very well, welcome to our Mu Manor. Let’s destroy this Devil Leader, then you can accompany me down the mountain to my Smokeless Grotto-Heaven and taste the Smokeless Spring!”

“Hahaha, excellent! The flowerless tea brewed with Smokeless Spring water is a unique specialty of Mu Manor. Thinking of it makes my mouth water!” The Hemp-robed Old Taoist laughed heartily.

The two played off each other, seemingly paying no heed to the injured Ghost Mother.

Recalling the Hemp-robed Old Taoist’s prowess and sensing the sacred aura of the Heaven-facing Art from Mu Qingling, the vicious Ghost Mother dared not act recklessly. Her expression shifted repeatedly. Stamping her foot in frustration, she abruptly turned and fled, leaping straight off the cliff into the darkness, vanishing in an instant. Only her shrill voice echoed from afar, “I, Li Feifei, swear… I will… not… rest until this debt is repaid. Mu Feng, you brat, one day I will tear out your heart! One day… I… will… be… back!”

Facing two lifelong rivals, blinded and unaware of the truth, Ghost Mother had no choice but to retreat.

Daoist Mayi alone already pressured her greatly; adding the unfathomable Mu Wuyan made defeat certain. If other top experts like Mu Zhenren from Mu Manor below heard of this and arrived, she might not leave alive today!

Watching the frenzied Ghost Mother finally depart, both Mu Qingling and Mu Feng secretly sighed in relief. Mu Feng stood up, about to voice his thanks, when the Hemp-robed Old Taoist raised a hand to stop him.

Cough…

The Hemp-robed Old Taoist coughed, looking at Mu Feng as he said slowly, “Mu Feng, your master has traveled far and long. Show me how your training has progressed—demonstrate the simplest Mu Family Fist for me!”

“Yes!”

Understanding the cue, Mu Feng nodded and began practicing the widely known, most basic Mu Family Fist right there on the spot. His punches and kicks cut through the air, precise and powerful, fully displaying the potency of this foundational fist technique.

A long while later, after listening for any movement on the mountaintop, a cold snort echoed from the darkness. Ghost Mother, who had secretly sneaked back, finally lost all hope. Under the cover of night, she fled far away, leaving behind the Stone Mountain and Yinfeng Cave she had occupied for many years.