Chapter 191: Danger to One’s Life
Chapter 191: Danger to One’s Life
Seven days later, Mu Feng returned alone to Jianning City. Along the way, he had camped outdoors and endured the hardships of travel.
“A genius, reaching the Elite Realm in one breakthrough! A black dragon coiled around his body, and the heavens and earth changed color! What a genius!”
“Of course, he’s the Chief Transmission Disciple of Mu Manor, famously known as heaven’s favored one, the top among the younger generation!”
“Legend says that Mu Manor disciple Mu Tie is the reincarnation of the Ancient Black Dragon King. Now it seems that might be true. It looks like after producing a top scholar, Mu Manor will now produce a top martial champion!”
…
As soon as Mu Feng entered the city gate, he heard some shocking news.
Chief Transmission Disciple Mu Tie had publicly broken through to the Elite Realm, with a fierce black dragon coiling around his body, causing the heavens and earth to change color. The breakthrough had been so grand that it shook the entire city.
Now, he had already reached the Elite Realm and was improving rapidly every day. If you added the full support of the Family Patriarch, how much faster could Mu Tie’s cultivation speed become?
Mu Feng’s face turned cold, and an invisible pressure grew heavier.
He himself was making progress, reaching the Mortal Realm Peak. But his strong rival Mu Tie was improving even faster. Furthermore, it was predictable that once the Family Patriarch returned, Mu Tie’s advantages would become even more apparent, with the resources of both Mu Manor and Heartless Sword Dao at his disposal. His cultivation speed would reach a whole new level, leaving others far behind.
Three years might be just a snap of the fingers for a cultivator.
When the time came, he would have to face Mu Tie in a life-and-death battle on the Life-and-Death Platform. What would he use to block Mu Tie’s attacks?
Mu Feng pressed down on his Large Bamboo Hat and quickly headed toward Mu Manor in the east part of the city. He walked so fast, taking two steps at a time, eager to return to Mu Manor to see his mother immediately, worried that something might have happened to her.
Anxious, he walked faster and faster. After turning a few crowded streets, the gates of Mu Manor came into view in the distance. Just as he was about to speed up, an old man who had been bent over and looking down suddenly raised his head. His voice was aged: “Young man, life is short. Why such a hurry? Meeting is fate. Would you like your fortune told?”
Have my fortune told?
Mu Feng was startled; the old voice sounded familiar. He abruptly stopped and turned to look. By the roadside was a small fortune-telling stall, where a Hemp-robed Old Taoist sat quietly on the ground, looking at him with a faint smile. It was none other than Daoist Mayi, whom he had met before at Shangling Terrace!
“Alright, tell me: if I want to kill someone, what’s the fastest way?”
Mu Feng coldly sat down cross-legged in front of the old taoist.
With the black Large Bamboo Hat on his head, he sat perfectly still, looking no different from an ordinary person, as if earnestly asking the old taoist to tell his fortune. But his robe moved without any wind, and upon closer look, one could even see the sword hanging at his waist trembling slightly, as if sensing the overwhelming killing intent within him.
All the dangers and pursuits he had faced were because of this old taoist. He deserved to die without mercy!
Recalling the ambush and pursuit by the Immortal Sword Sect, Mu Feng’s killing intent surged. The rumor about the Great Extinction Sword Manual might have been spread by that Devil Leader Blind Master, or perhaps it was the ruthless Family Patriarch who deliberately spread it. It was also possible that this old taoist in front of him had spread it intentionally; their chance encounter outside Shangling Terrace might have been his scheme to use Mu Feng to draw away the pursuers.
“The fastest way to kill someone isn’t with a blade or an arrow, but here!”
The Hemp-robed Old Taoist smiled, seemingly unaware of the killing intent emanating from Mu Feng, and gently pressed his hand to his chest. After a pause, he slowly continued, “The human heart is the hardest to understand and the most complex. In an instant, countless thoughts can arise. Sometimes, a single thought can save a person, or it can kill someone!”
“So, we need to cultivate our hearts?” Mu Feng gave a cold laugh, the killing intent inside him growing stronger.
“Correct!”
The Hemp-robed Old Taoist nodded. “Actually, every one of us is cultivating all the time; even ordinary people are no exception. Every experience in life is, in fact, cultivation. It’s just that some people muddle through, making mistake after mistake, while others reflect on themselves daily. If they make a mistake once, they remember it forever.”
“Good, well said. But Daoist Mayi, aren’t you afraid of being discovered by the Immortal Sword Sect and cut to pieces?” Mu Feng glanced around and quietly raised his alertness.
“Hahaha, that fool Ren Pingsheng has already gone to the western desert to hunt down the Nine-Fingered Black Demon!”
The Hemp-robed Old Taoist laughed heartily. After a pause, he picked up a bamboo tube containing fortune sticks and shook it with great seriousness. He then said, “Alright, Young Master Mu, don’t look so bitter. Meeting is fate. The inconvenience I caused you last time was just an accident. To make it up to you, I’ll tell your fortune for free again. Within three days, no more than three days, you will face a danger to your life. Also, your cloth shoes are worn out; your toes are showing. This is unbecoming of a refined and educated Xiucai like you.”
Shoes worn out?
Mu Feng was shocked. After parting with the Family Patriarch, although he had walked back swiftly, he had specifically washed the dust from his face by the small river outside the city. His cloth shoes were muddy but seemed fine—how could his toes be showing?
He instinctively looked down and was startled.
He saw that the toe of his right shoe had split open at some point, and all five toes were clearly visible. Beside it lay a bamboo fortune stick.
Incredible!
A true expert!
Mu Feng felt a chill. He had no idea when the Hemp-robed Old Taoist had tampered with his shoe. When he looked up, the Hemp-robed Old Taoist, who had been right in front of him moments before, had vanished without a trace.
One of the Seven Immortal Sects’ masters—Immortal Divination Sect’s leader, Daoist Mayi!
Recalling what Flying Sky Bat had said about the Hemp-robed Old Taoist’s identity, Mu Feng’s expression turned grave. He pressed down on his Large Bamboo Hat and quickly left.
The Immortal Sword Sect, Immortal Divination Sect, Immortal Alchemy Sect, Immortal Formation Sect, Immortal Artifact Sect, Immortal Beast Sect, and Immortal Talisman Sect were collectively known as the Seven Immortal Sects. As the leader of the Immortal Divination Sect, the Hemp-robed Old Taoist possessed unparalleled skills in avoiding misfortune and predicting the future. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so at ease despite being pursued by the Immortal Sword Sect. If he said Mu Feng would face a danger to his life within three days, it was likely true!
Was it that Devil Leader Blind Master planning to strike personally? Or was it the greatly empowered Mu Tie moving ahead of time? Or were members of the Immortal Sword Sect catching up again?
An invisible, heavy pressure made it hard to breathe.
Mu Feng looked up; the streets were bustling with people, and everything seemed normal. But upon closer observation, everyone seemed a bit suspicious.
The woman selling shoe pads by the roadside glanced at him a few times, intentionally or not. A vendor carrying a pole laden with candied haws passed by coldly. At the corner, a blacksmith pulled a red-hot long blade from the forge with a whoosh and hammered it fiercely, strong as a leopard…
Don’t be deceived by your eyes or ears; use your mind to sense carefully!
In his agitation, Mu Feng suddenly remembered the words the Family Patriarch had casually mentioned.
His heart stirred, and he simply closed his eyes, ignoring the surrounding sounds, and moved forward relying on his mental senses. In an instant, the world around him fell silent. He couldn’t see the expressions of the people passing by, but he could faintly sense the fluctuations in their hearts. Indifference, scorn, surprise… they washed over him like a tide