Chapter 158: A Heavy Burden

“Just bumping into him outside the Shangling Terrace and asking him to calculate a fate brought so much trouble. That old Daoist Mayi—was it accidental, or did he intentionally get others to distract his pursuers?”

Mu Feng shook his head with a bitter smile. If he had known this would happen, back outside the Shangling Terrace, he would never have let that old Daoist Mayi come near him.

The old man seemed serene, detached from worldly struggles. Back then, he looked like a lofty, enlightened master. Who would have guessed he was secretly scheming, skillfully leading the Immortal Sword Sect pursuers away!

Living long makes one cunning!

The ancient texts were right: the older, the craftier and more deceitful. What seemed like an innocent move was actually shrewd and calculated!

“Who knows? As the leader of the Immortal Divination Sect, Daoist Mayi has always been elusive. In the Great Thousand World, he’s renowned as the Divine Diviner—no one surpasses his abilities for discerning fortune and foreseeing the future. Even that old bald monk Kongwu had to admit defeat. Though it’s caused more trouble, looking at it another way, it might not be entirely bad. Enduring danger and hardship while young helps one truly grow. That’s better than sailing smoothly in youth and suffering hardship later!”

Flying Sky Bat paused, then continued, “Anyway, arriving at Jianshui City finally feels like a relief. I’ve lived here for decades. While I don’t wield much power, I do have friends and connections. Young Master Mu, don’t rush into the mountains yet. Stay here for a day or two. Let me figure out the situation first; then you can enter the mountains. Jianshui City isn’t as bustling as Jianning City, but it has its historic sites. I’ll have A Su take you around. On the Western Huashan Mountain east of the city stands a thousand-year-old Taoist temple, with the famous Wenbi Tower. In summer, one can climb up to hear the thunder. Since ancient times, it’s been a must-visit for scholars traveling to the Southern Borderlands. You should go see it, Young Master Mu.”

“Well…”

Mu Feng felt inclined to refuse. He was eager to travel, wanting the Yang Soul Pill soon. Also, he didn’t wish to burden Flying Sky Bat further; he was already badly injured and had faced enough trouble because of him.

But before he could decline, Jing Wushuang beside him spoke first. “Ah, we rarely come here. We can’t pass up such a famous site! These past two days, for some reason, I keep feeling cold inside. I checked carefully but found nothing wrong. I was just going to find a temple to get my fortune read, light incense, and make a wish. Brother Mu Feng, let’s stay one more day? Not long, just one day, please?”

As she spoke, Jing Wushuang looked at Mu Feng. Her eyes were slightly red, her brows knotted with a lingering sadness.

After arriving safe in Jianshui City, just one journey remained to reach the Poison Sect deep within the Hengling Mountain Range. While Mu Feng felt relief, she felt no joy. The closer they got to the Poison Sect, the heavier her heart grew. She just wanted to stay a little longer by Mu Feng’s side. Even one extra day with him was precious comfort.

Lately, she truly felt unwell, shivering with cold spells. Was it a grave illness or just shock from the journey? The cold came more often, seeming worse, but she hid it to avoid worrying Mu Feng.

“Cold spells?”

Mu Feng dared not ignore this. Looking at Jing Wushuang’s fragile, unhealed body, he asked, “Shuang’er, are you alright? Should we stay a few days in Jianshui and find a doctor?”

“No need. I’m a doctor myself; I know my body best. Nothing’s wrong. It might just be shock from the journey.” Jing Wushuang managed a faint smile. “Having my fortune read at the mountain temple, lighting incense, making a wish… maybe that’ll help!”

“Alright then. We’ll trouble Old Yan and Brother A Su.”

Seeing the hope and helplessness in Jing Wushuang’s eyes, Mu Feng couldn’t bear to refuse. He nodded as he spoke.

“Good. The night’s late. Rest early tonight. At dawn tomorrow, A Su will take you to the temple on Western Huashan Mountain. A Su, go lead Young Master Mu and the others to a guest room.” Flying Sky Bat spoke bluntly, standing as he finished.

“Good night!”

Mu Feng stood, bowed respectfully, then followed the quick-witted A Su away.

Behind them, Flying Sky Bat watched Mu Feng disappear. Then he clapped his hands. An old beggar with tattered clothes and wild hair stepped out from the shadows. After a brief, hushed exchange, the beggar frowned. “Old Yan, inside the city, there’s no problem. We have eyes everywhere. Young Master Mu’s safety is my responsibility. But the map… the one covering a ten-mile radius around Cangjian Peak and the Hengling Mountain Range? That’s…”

“Uncle Nine, I know it’s difficult. But who is Young Master Mu? He’s the sole heir of Grand Tutor Mu! Grand Tutor Mu once saved all of us Southern Borderlanders. Without him, our loved ones would have died long ago at the hands of the Sky-Reaching Guards.” Flying Sky Bat spoke earnestly, looking at the old beggar. “After Grand Tutor Mu passed, his widow and orphan child had no one to lean on all these years. We’ve carried that guilt all this time. Now, Young Master Mu faces peril and has come to our Jianshui. How can we turn away?”

“Very well, Old Yan. Rest easy. Young Master Mu’s safety is on my Wu Jiu. We can’t have rumors calling Jianshui people heartless cowards. What’s there to fear from the Immortal Sword Sect or that Devil Leader Bi Luotian? At this age, I’ve lived long enough anyway!”

The old beggar thumped his chest, then vanished into the darkness as swiftly as he appeared.

“Imperial Capital’s farewell was eternal separation. But rest assured, Grand Tutor Mu. As long as this breath remains in Flying Sky Bat, I will never forget your heavy task. When Young Master Mu grows up, achieves greatness—that’s when I’ll give him this letter!”

Flying Sky Bat drew a yellowed envelope from his robes. He studied its intact, decades-old wax seal, felt the thin paper within, his eyes reddening as memories of that stormy night flooded back. Tucking the letter securely against his skin, he leaned on his crutch and turned away.

Hu…

Deep in the silent night, the wind carried a faint chill. A cold gust swept in. Soundlessly, the guest room window opened. A nimble figure darted through. After a moment scanning for threats, he tapped the ground lightly, vaulted the wall, and disappeared like a swift shadow.

Once all slept, Mu Feng slipped unseen into a nearby grove. He summoned the Eighteen Blood Witch Commands for protection. The banners shuddered; wisps of white mist leaked out, coalescing into the pale figure of a woman clothed in white—He Liushuang. She drifted along the breeze to stand watch.

With the Eighteen Blood Witch Commands shielding him, and He Liushuang—a sharp-sensed Spirit Body—patrolling, Mu Feng sat down cross-legged. Now doubly protected, he carefully summoned Blood Radiance.

Attacking Nine-Fingered Black Demon left deep unease in him. The weapon itself felt increasingly wrong. Examining it now, the dark energy clinging to Blood Radiance hadn’t vanished. Instead, it was creeping deeper, trying to sever his connection to the blade.

“Ruthless… to almost grasp Blood Radiance itself. Had he grabbed me instead…?” Mu Feng shuddered, recalling Nine-Fingered Black Demon’s terrifying claws.

Forged from a Flying Sword and blade energy, Blood Radiance was lethally sharp, its attacks sudden and unpredictable. Against equally matched cultivators, it was invincible. Against true masters? That was uncertain. One misstep wouldn’t merely blunt the attack; the enemy might snatch the weapon itself!

“Blood Refinement Engulfs All! Refine!”

Observing intently, Mu Feng stirred his Ancestral Sorcerer’s Essence Blood. A surge of life-energy surged within him. He spat a vital breath of crimson energy, initiating a renewed refinement of Blood Radiance. The fiery crimson pulse wrapped around the blade, pulsing with primal power that warred against the dark invasion.