Chapter 155: The Little Beggar

Chapter 155: The Little Beggar

“Row the boat, quickly!”

Watching the Nine-Fingered Black Demon race toward them with shocking speed, almost like lightning skimming across the water, Mu Feng was greatly startled. He wished he could snatch the bamboo pole from Old Man Li’s hands and send the wooden boat flying far away.

Compared to when his sneak attack failed, the Nine-Fingered Black Demon was now shrouded in churning black energy. His chest, abdomen, and right thigh were all dripping with blood, each bearing deep, bone-revealing wounds. It seemed that although he had torn many Immortal Sword Sect disciples to pieces, he had also been severely injured by their Sword Formation. Yet, despite his injuries, instead of hiding to recover, he fought even more fiercely. Covered in blood, he looked even more ferocious. After hearing the news, he had swiftly pursued them like a streak of black light.

“Young brat, where do you think you’re running?”

The Nine-Fingered Black Demon pressed his toes against the water’s surface, abruptly accelerating as he lunged at Mu Feng, his teeth gritted tightly.

When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with fury!

Seeing Mu Feng’s true face and realizing his true identity made the Nine-Fingered Black Demon’s rage burn even hotter. How could he face the Devil Leader Blind Master Bi Luotian if Mu Feng escaped easily by boat, slipping right through their tight encirclement?

Boom… whoosh, whoosh…

Beneath Mu Feng’s feet, a huge blood-red wheel rapidly appeared. On his body, a set of terrifying, blood-red armor manifested. At this critical moment, he prepared to withstand the Nine-Fingered Black Demon’s attack, aiming to seize the chance for a desperate counterattack. Unexpectedly, the fiercely charging Nine-Fingered Black Demon suddenly stumbled. Instead of reaching out a claw to grab Mu Feng’s chest, he snatched the Misty Rain Sword Manual from Mu Feng’s hands. He flipped through the pages with a rustle, laughed loudly when he saw the blurry sword-dance illustrations dampened by mist and water.

“A sword manual, it really is a sword manual, hahaha!”

The Nine-Fingered Black Demon laughed heartily, then his expression turned cold. He closed in on Mu Feng again. His inky-black iron claw shot straight for Mu Feng’s throat in a vicious attack.

“Mu Feng, go! Leave this devil to me!”

Just as Mu Feng was preparing to recklessly summon the blood-radiance tainted by dark energy once more, a cold gust of wind blew past. The icy-cold Yanyulou suddenly stepped in front, blocking the way. With a sharp clang, she parried the Nine-Fingered Black Demon’s terrifying iron claw with a single sword stroke.

“Go!”

Mu Feng had no time to thank her. He snatched the bamboo pole from Old Man Li’s hands, pushed hard against the water, and the small wooden boat swiftly sped downstream. Behind them, a thick fog once again blanketed the river surface, sealing off the waterway. With both wind and current in their favor, they soon passed beyond the many mountains, leaving the ferry port far behind.

Blocked by Yanyulou, the Nine-Fingered Black Demon did not pursue them further. In the cold wind, only faint, distant shouts of anger and sounds of fighting could be heard.

“Cloud Mist Mountain, Misty Rain Pavilion, Misty Rain Bell, Yanyulou… what kind of person is she? What task does she want me to help her with in the future?”

After breaking through the Immortal Sword Sect and Blind Master’s trap, the world was finally quiet. Sitting cross-legged inside the boat cabin, Mu Feng finally let out a deep sigh of relief. However, thinking about Yanyulou, who had unexpectedly given them a way out and even assisted them, filled his mind with countless questions.

She was a person as elusive as mist!

Always cold and distant, Yanyulou was like smoke, like fog, impossible to figure out. But one thing Mu Feng was sure of: without her help, both he and Jing Wushuang would have ended up as fish food!

The small wooden boat traveled downstream even faster than expected. By evening of the next day, the three of them smoothly arrived at Jianshui City. The journey had been peaceful and smooth, with favorable winds and currents. They encountered no assassins from the Immortal Sword Sect, nor any devil followers of the Blind Master. The whole trip had been unusually calm.

Compared to Jianning City, Jianshui City was located in a more remote area with a smaller population. Young and old combined, it probably did not exceed two hundred thousand people. The entire town nestled against mountains and water, surrounded by hills on three sides. Looking up, one could see endless rolling mountains. The Shigeng River flowed from here into the largest river in the Southern Borderlands, the Jianshui River, continuing west until it emptied into the distant Western Sea.

To avoid attracting attention, Mu Feng and his two companions did not disembark at the ferry port outside Jianshui City’s gates. Instead, they quietly went ashore at a small hillside about one li away from the city.

“Young Master Mu, my distant relative lives in a small village outside the city. I cannot accompany you any further.”

Old Man Li bowed with his hands clasped, coughed a few times, paused, and then continued, “Throughout this journey, I truly relied on your care, Young Master Mu. Otherwise, these old bones of mine might have been left to rot in the wilderness. Young Master Mu, you are brave, resourceful, and exceptionally talented. Surely, you will become a great figure in our Tongtian Dynasty. Unfortunately, this old body simply cannot endure any longer. I am sorry I cannot personally escort you into the city.”

Mu Feng helped Old Man Li to his feet, took several silver ingots from his robe, and pressed them into the old man’s palm. “Old Man Li, you speak too highly of me. Without your help, the two of us wouldn’t even know where we’d be now. When traveling far from home, it’s best to have plenty of funds. Please accept this silver. If you cannot find your relative, or if you have any troubles in the future, you can come find me at the Jianning Mu Family Manor!”

Watching Old Man Li, weathered by the journey, about to drag his weary body away, Mu Feng felt quite moved.

In this world, people’s hearts can be treacherous, and society’s morals may decline. But there are still good people.

Back at Hewei Village, when Old Man Li suddenly showed up in the middle of the night and boarded the wooden boat with them, Mu Feng had been somewhat suspicious. Along the way, he had remained outwardly calm but secretly vigilant. Later, as they spent more time together, he gradually relaxed a little, but he never let his guard down completely, suspecting Old Man Li might have ulterior motives. Only now, seeing the old man about to leave just like this, without making any suspicious moves or probing into his and Jing Wushuang’s whereabouts, did Mu Feng finally set his mind completely at ease.

“Alright, it’s a deal then. Next time I pass through Jianning City, I will definitely come find you. Please don’t look down on this old man when that time comes. Young Master Mu, take care!”

Old Man Li clasped his fists in salute, turned, and walked away. Under the gaze of Mu Feng and Jing Wushuang, he strode off along the main road, gradually disappearing into the distant dust.

“Shuang’er, let’s go.”

After piercing the moored wooden boat with his sword and watching it sink into the water, Mu Feng and Jing Wushuang also turned and left, heading straight for the distantly visible Jianshui City.

The walls were mottled, revealing large, bluish-black stones covered in moss. Above the city gate, the two ancient characters ‘Jianshui’ were faintly carved. Outside the gate stood a stone tablet recording the history of this border city…

As they approached, Mu Feng waited in line to enter the city while looking around with interest at this ancient town before him.

Although it wasn’t large and there weren’t many traveling merchants, by historical accounts, Jianshui City was already over a thousand years old. The ancient city walls had endured wind and rain, bearing the marks of time. Compared to the prosperous and developed Central Plains, there were few educated scholars here; most passersby were commoners. Yet, the farmers and laborers coming and going carried a sense of ancient customs that the Central Plains people lacked. The local dialect also had a unique charm to it.

“Brother Mu Feng, there’s someone behind us who seems to have been secretly watching us. Wherever we go, he follows.” Not long after entering the city, Jing Wushuang quietly warned Mu Feng in a low voice near his ear. She looked nervous, afraid they had encountered spies from the Immortal Sword Sect or the Blind Master again.

“Mmm, I noticed a while ago. Don’t be nervous, and don’t turn around frequently!” Mu Feng replied calmly, lowering his voice. “We’re inside the city now; it’s fine. No one would dare cause trouble recklessly here. No need to be so tense. Let’s keep walking. Don’t look too much, or we might alert the snake!”

Mu Feng pretended to casually glance back, then calmly continued walking forward, a faint cold smile on his lips.

It was a thin, small boy, not much older than Chu San. His hair was messy, his clothes ragged. One leg was longer than the other, causing him to walk with a limp, as if he were born crippled. His fingernails were caked with black mud, and his whole body was filthy like a little beggar. But his eyes were unusually sharp and lively, and he had been secretly following them.

The moment Mu Feng stepped through the city gate, he had already noticed this boy’s unusual behavior. The reason he acted calm wasn’t because he couldn’t shake him off, but because he intended to find a secluded spot, grab him, and force him to explain what was going on, thus taking the initiative himself.