Chapter 27: Two Self-Righteous Fools

“Heir, please calm your anger. Mu Yuanshan, and even Mu Xian, are nothing but lowly ants. They are not worth you getting so angry and harming your health. The reason Prince intervened in our operation this time might be because we directly targeted Mu Yuanshan. In fact, we didn’t need to act directly ourselves. When we used others to do our dirty work before, the Prince never interfered.”

Although the black shadow was bleeding from a head wound, he stood still without moving. Only after the handsome young man had vented most of his anger did he wipe the blood from his forehead and softly make his suggestion.

“Uncle Tian, I’m sorry. I couldn’t control my temper just now. I made you suffer.” After his furious outburst, the handsome young man suddenly calmed down. It was only then that he noticed he had broken the skin on the black shadow’s head. Hesitating for a moment, he offered a light apology.

Hearing this, a look of fear flashed across the black shadow’s face, and he immediately lowered his head, repeatedly saying he dared not accept the apology.

The handsome young man, Tantai Yanjun, saw the black shadow’s reaction and nodded in satisfaction. Then he asked with concern, “Uncle Tian, I remember before we left the academy, we told Zhong Xiuyun to find an opportunity to deal with that waste, Mu Xian. Has any news come back?”

Hearing this, the black shadow’s expression froze. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, “Zhong Xiuyun did hire a team of adventurers. They ambushed Mu Xian and his servant on his way back to the family. However, that adventurer team’s strength was average. And there was one person in the Mu family’s escort whose combat power was exceptionally terrifying, and he feared no death. So, that adventurer team was completely wiped out. Even Zhong Xiuyun was exposed.”

“Useless! Truly useless! He couldn’t even handle such a small task. I’ll kick him out of the Heavenly Realm when we get back.” Seeing the black shadow’s silence, Tantai Yanjun already had a bad feeling. When he heard that Zhong Xiuyun had indeed failed his task, he flew into a rage.

The Heavenly Realm that Tantai Yanjun mentioned was a student organization in Yunyang Academy where he was the leader. Because Yunyang Academy had many students, students naturally formed groups. To make it easier to refer to them, everyone gave their groups impressive names. In Qian Tian Wang’s Territory, the Heavenly Realm led by Tantai Yanjun was naturally the largest student organization in Yunyang Academy. Almost every student desperately tried to squeeze their way into the Heavenly Realm.

“Uncle Tian, for this trip out, didn’t you bring back any good news?” After cursing for a while, Tantai Yanjun asked casually.

The black shadow naturally knew what Tantai Yanjun meant by ‘good news.’ Weighing his words carefully, he said softly, “The news gathered this time isn’t all bad. There are two pieces of news the Young Master might be happy to hear. The first is that although Mu Yuanshan was saved by the Prince, he was poisoned by the Withered Touch Beast’s Withered Green Poison. So, Mu Yuanshan has essentially become a cripple. Him being alive might not be any happier than him being dead. The second piece of news is that the Mu family’s two long-time enemies in Shitang Town, the Wang Family and the Li Family, took the opportunity to raid them. They almost destroyed Mu Manor. It’s just that the Prince happened to be there and intimidated those two families.”

Hearing the black shadow’s words, Tantai Yanjun was first stunned, then a bright smile spread across his face. “Uncle Tian, you’re really something. You know I’m impatient, yet you always deliver the bad news first and the good news later.”

“Since Mu Yuanshan has become a cripple, your operation this time can be considered a success. The Mu family was almost single-handedly supported by Mu Yuanshan. Without him, the Mu family will soon collapse. And Mu Xian’s supply of Spiritual Medicine has been cut off. He’s doomed sooner or later. Uncle Tian, I’ll trouble you to make another trip to Shitang Town. Make the Wang Family and the Li Family understand one fact: the Mu family has no relationship whatsoever with Qiantian Prince Manor. The Prince’s appearance at Mu Manor was purely coincidental.”

Speaking with excitement, Tantai Yanjun’s face flushed red, and his eyes shone with a brilliant light. Yet, his twisted expression gave people a frightening feeling.

The black shadow nodded upon hearing this, then his body vanished into thin air as if he had never been in the tent.

“Mu Xian, oh Mu Xian, don’t blame me for being cruel and ruthless. Blame yourself for not knowing your place, for being a toad lusting after swan meat, for causing trouble in this Heir’s heart.” Thinking that Mu Xian would soon have his family broken and people dead, and that Mu Xian himself would die a painful death from lacking Spiritual Medicine, a ferocious smile involuntarily flashed in Tantai Yanjun’s eyes.

In the Mu Manor in Shitang Town, after organizing his thoughts for most of the night, Mu Xian had already sorted out everything that had happened to him and his family. He connected it all into one line and understood who was pulling the strings.

Although he now knew who the mastermind behind it was, Mu Xian had no immediate plan for revenge.

A gentleman takes his time to seek revenge. With insufficient strength, Mu Xian wouldn’t be so foolish as to go settle scores with Tantai Yanjun. That wouldn’t be revenge; that would be asking for abuse.

Mu Xian knew that given Tantai Yanjun’s strength, he probably wouldn’t even have a chance to get close to him. In fact, if it weren’t for Xiao Yuerou, the two of them would have almost no intersection at all.

“The most important thing right now is for me to improve my strength. Without sufficient strength, talking about anything else is futile.” Murmuring to himself, Mu Xian pushed thoughts of Tantai Yanjun aside. Mu Xian knew that with Qian Tian Wang watching from the sidelines, Tantai Yanjun shouldn’t personally act against him or his family in the coming time. As long as Tantai Yanjun didn’t act personally, Mu Xian had enough confidence to handle various crises.

Soon, Mu Xian thought of the black shadow in the study.

Mu Xian throwing the paper into the wastebasket and then picking it up again wasn’t due to carelessness; it was intentional.

Although Mu Xian’s cultivation level was low, his Spiritual Sense was exceptionally powerful. So, the moment he entered the study, he detected Xiao Yuerou hiding there and immediately recognized her identity.

The reason Mu Xian pretended not to have discovered Xiao Yuerou was partly because he wasn’t ready to meet her, and partly because he didn’t want to reveal the secret of his powerful Spiritual Sense.

Mu Xian basically guessed the reason for Xiao Yuerou’s visit to Mu Manor. Feeling secretly grateful to her, he couldn’t help but intentionally draw a complete map of the Poison Mist Swamp. Then he wrote a long list of names on it. Pretending to be careless, he threw the map into the wastebasket, giving Xiao Yuerou a chance to see it. Through the map, he hinted to Xiao Yuerou that he already knew everything, telling her not to worry about his safety.

“Maybe Xiao Yuerou is full of questions right now. Have to admit, the way she frowned in thought was really charming. Her innocence and kindness are also very moving. A fiancée like this can’t be touched by others. She can only be mine.” Remembering how Xiao Yuerou looked in the study, completely puzzled, a smile involuntarily appeared on Mu Xian’s face.

Mu Xian quite enjoyed this ambiguous, on-and-off relationship with Xiao Yuerou. In his previous life, Mu Xian felt that romance was a waste of time. He never properly spent time with any woman. Until his death, he never married. In this life, however, Mu Xian felt a strange expectation for romance.

Scenes of his interactions with Xiao Yuerou floated in his mind, and Mu Xian slowly fell into a deep sleep.

When Mu Manor was completely silent and fully asleep, the Wang Family and the Li Family were still brightly lit.

For the Wang and Li families, this was a sleepless night.

They had waited for over a decade and prepared for over a decade. Finally, they seized the opportunity when Mu Yuanshan was not home and the Mu family Elders rebelled. The two families didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the situation. They originally thought capturing the Mu family was as easy as picking up a snail with ten fingers—a sure thing. Who knew Qian Tian Wang would descend from the sky and completely shatter their beautiful dream?

Although Qian Tian Wang didn’t scold them harshly or attack them at the time, for them, it still felt like the sky had fallen.

After all, they had once been disrespectful to Qian Tian Wang. Who knew if he would remember this and settle accounts with them later?

After leaving the Mu family, Wang Xiangnan and Li Qingyu had a tacit understanding not to return to their own families immediately. At the crossroads, they looked at each other for a while, both seeing the worry and concern in the other’s eyes.

Then Wang Xiangnan invited Li Qingyu to Wang Manor as a guest. Almost as soon as Wang Xiangnan extended the invitation, Li Qingyu eagerly agreed.

Li Qingyu sat in Wang Manor for three full hours.

During this time, Wang Xiangnan and Li Qingyu speculated on the various possibilities for Qian Tian Wang’s appearance at Mu Manor and analyzed the possible fate awaiting the Wang and Li families next.

Before analyzing carefully, it was fine. The more Wang Xiangnan and Li Qingyu speculated, the more frightened they became. In the end, they even considered the idea of abandoning their families and fleeing.

“Old Wang, our families have developed in Shitang Town for generations. Do we really have to leave our hometown this time? Is there no other choice?” After sitting for most of the night, Li Qingyu’s address for Wang Xiangnan changed from ‘Family Head Wang’ to ‘Old Wang.’

Hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Wang Xiangnan’s face. “Who would have thought the Mu family was related to Qian Tian Wang? Who let us get carried away and accidentally offend Qian Tian Wang? In Qian Tian Wang’s Territory, Qian Tian Wang holds absolute power over life and death. At this point, we not only have to leave Shitang Town, but we also have to leave Qian Tian Wang’s Territory. Even the Sheng Zhou Dynasty might not tolerate us…”

As he said this, Wang Xiangnan’s heart was filled with nothing but regret. If he hadn’t become greedy and tried to seize the Mu family’s resources, how could he have ended up in such a miserable state?

“Let’s go, let’s go. Leaving our hometown is better than losing our lives!” Seeing the look of despair in Wang Xiangnan’s eyes and his complete loss of fighting spirit, Li Qingyu knew it was about time for him to leave.

“Two self-righteous fools. If I didn’t know you two were family heads, I’d think you were two cowards chatting here. Who told you Mu Manor was related to the Prince? If you two fools hadn’t offended the Prince with your words, he wouldn’t have even bothered with you. Since the Prince didn’t punish you in Mu Manor, he won’t settle accounts later. You should handle your relationship with the Mu family as you always have. The Prince definitely won’t interfere.”

As soon as Li Qingyu’s words fell, a cold voice rang out in the room. At the same time, an icy aura rapidly spread through the room. The temperature in the room dropped by dozens of degrees instantly. Already feeling guilty, Wang Xiangnan and Li Qingyu were so startled that they fell over, chairs and all.