Chapter 15: Underlying Currents Surge

On the road, Mu Tianxue clung to Mu Tianhen’s arm, repeatedly glancing up at him as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.

Mu Tianhen smiled, “Xue’er, are you very curious about those masked men?”

Mu Tianxue nodded eagerly, “I really want to know! And I want to know how you became so powerful, Brother. You learned swordsmanship instead of our Mu family’s spear techniques.”

“Brother, did you really obtain a great opportunity and have a powerful elder teach you martial arts?”

“Silly girl!” Mu Tianhen gently tapped his sister’s head and laughed. “I did get lucky, you could say an old master passed his arts to me, but I never met him.”

“Huh?” Mu Tianxue’s mouth dropped open and her big eyes blinked. “You never met him? Then how did you learn? Did that elder teach you through dreams?”

Mu Tianhen tapped his forehead and answered, “It’s more or less like that. I’ll tell you more gradually. As for those masked men tonight, they are my most trusted subordinates. You’ll understand in time.”

“Oh,” Mu Tianxue replied, pouting slightly, not entirely satisfied with the answer.

But she knew that everyone has their secrets, and it’s not right to pry too deeply. Besides, in the future, all would become clear—there was no rush.

The siblings returned home, washed up, and each retired to their rooms for the night.

Yet Mu Tianhen did not really sleep. He opened the window and slipped outside, making his way to a small grove.

Swish!

Just as Mu Tianhen stepped into a clearing, a shadow darted over and knelt on one knee before him, speaking in a low voice, “Your subordinate Qiu Ying greets the master!”

Mu Tianhen waved a hand, “Rise. You should know what I want to hear.”

“Yes!” Qiu Ying stood, removing his black mask with a face full of respect.

He appeared to be in his forties, over eight feet tall, broad and powerful—clearly someone of considerable skill.

Wasting no words, Qiu Ying reported, “As you commanded, I led a team to seek out spiritual herbs, and we obtained several.”

“Afterward, following your orders, I searched for information about the old master and mistress, but even after scouring the entire Dragon Soaring Empire, I found nothing.”

“The entire Dragon Soaring Empire?” Mu Tianhen asked mildly.

Qiu Ying’s body tensed, and he quickly corrected himself, “Forgive me, Master. I searched all accessible areas within the empire—that is, all regions under the jurisdiction of third-rank cities and below.”

“I believe the old master and mistress must have gone to a city of a higher rank, seeking a cure for you.”

As he spoke, Qiu Ying stole a glance at Mu Tianhen, his eyes full of questions.

Mu Tianhen smiled, “Are you wondering how I recovered my dantian, resumed training, and even made such great progress?”

Qiu Ying dared not hide his thoughts and nodded in admission.

Mu Tianhen continued, “It’s fortunate I sent you all away five years ago before you could witness my fall. Otherwise, I doubt you would have remained so loyal.”

“Never, Master!” Qiu Ying dropped to his knees, trembling.

After all, on his way back, Qiu Ying had heard rumors of Mu Tianhen’s plight and had harbored doubts, needing to see for himself. Who could have predicted that calamity would turn to fortune, and Mu Tianhen’s cultivation would become even deeper, his every gesture exuding the bearing of a king—no trace of a cripple remained.

The strength he had displayed in that recent battle was enough to shatter all the rumors. Moreover, for his thoughts to be guessed so precisely was terrifying. He could only deny ever having such doubts, even if it killed him.

Mu Tianhen patted Qiu Ying’s shoulder lightly and said in a calm voice, “I doubt you would be so bold. Don’t be nervous; it was just a thought.”

He turned away, his voice trailing into Qiu Ying’s ears, “Set aside the search for my parents for now. Watch over my sister from the shadows. Do not let her suffer the slightest grievance or threat.”

“Your subordinate obeys!” Qiu Ying responded at once, still kneeling, not daring to rise.

Only when Mu Tianhen was far gone did Qiu Ying finally stand, discovering he was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding with fear. The aura of a king was like a mountain—impossible to resist.

After returning home, Mu Tianhen quickly packed a few simple belongings and slipped out into the night, avoiding a troublesome farewell with his sister the next day.

In the city center, within the grand and imposing City Lord’s Mansion, Gu Lingyun was receiving treatment from the resident physician, his eyes blazing with fury.

He had thought he could wipe out the Mu family today, annex their holdings, and strengthen the City Lord’s Mansion, intimidating the other two great families.

Instead, not only had he failed, he had nearly been annihilated himself. The more he thought about it, the more it chilled him.

Nearby, City Lord Gu Yiming held a bloodstained arrow, examining it again and again, his brow deeply furrowed with doubt.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the physician finished bandaging Gu Lingyun, then took his leave.

Gu Yiming approached quickly, looking at his son. “Yun’er, you truly couldn’t discern who they were?”

Gu Lingyun nodded, “They were all masked in black, hiding in the shadows. There was no way to tell. But I believe they were assassins hired by Mu Tianhen!”

At this, Gu Yiming looked at the arrow again and shook his head, “Assassins? I doubt it. Ordinary killers would know that the Mu family’s enemies are the three great families—who would dare take that commission?”

“If it were a large organization, the price would be astronomical—Mu Tianhen couldn’t afford it. I think this must be the force behind the one who taught him martial arts.”

“But this arrow bears no markings. We cannot tell which faction it belongs to. In this case, we must not act rashly; we need a foolproof plan.”

He set the arrow aside and continued, “Yun’er, you mentioned Mu Tianhen has mastered a formidable sword technique. Do you remember how he used it?”

Gu Lingyun nodded, “I do. I’ll demonstrate it for you.”

Without minding his injured arm, he fetched a wooden sword and began to perform the moves.

The more Gu Yiming watched, the more bewildered—and then horrified—he became. When Gu Lingyun finished, Gu Yiming’s palms were slick with sweat. He sighed, “This is the most exquisite swordsmanship I have ever seen.”

“It seems Mu Tianhen has indeed been taught by a great master. With our current strength, we cannot—and dare not—oppose him.”

“Yun’er, from tomorrow, you must go into seclusion and train until the selection event for the Heavenly Pavilion. I will marshal all our resources to help you break through.”

“I will also keep a close watch on Mu Tianhen to find out who his teacher is. Once I know, I will find a way to win him over to your side and make him your master!”

“If that person does not show himself, then with only the Mu family’s resources, it will be hard for Mu Tianhen to reach a higher level. So, Yun’er, you must work twice as hard, surpass Mu Tianhen, join the Heavenly Pavilion, and become a formal disciple!”

The more Gu Lingyun listened, the more excited he became, forgetting all about his injured arm.

As long as he could become a formal disciple of the Heavenly Pavilion, he could make the City Lord’s Mansion dominate Shunan City, and force Mu Tianhen to kneel before him, wagging his tail like a dog, begging for mercy!

Gu Lingyun was not alone—Huang Xiaoshan was also preparing to enter seclusion, using all her family’s resources to rapidly advance her cultivation, aiming to crush all her rivals at the Heavenly Pavilion selection.

Naturally, the Dai family would not remain idle. They too devised a plan for Dai Ling’er to make a breakthrough, with the same goal—the Heavenly Pavilion selection.

The great families all kept a close watch on one another, tracking each other’s movements, hoping for mishaps to befall their rivals. Behind the scenes, they looked for any opportunity to undermine their strongest competitors.

Thus, while Shunan City appeared as peaceful and harmonious as ever, beneath the surface, all sides were preparing for the storm, and undercurrents surged unseen.