Chapter 162
Chapter 162: Baili
Upon hearing these words, the elderly man in a crimson robe lightly nodded. His voice carried a touch of solemnity as he spoke, “This man has concealed his true strength. His martial dao cultivation must not be underestimated.”
Murong Feng’s eyes flickered slightly as he gazed at the fallen Baili Xu and the old crone. A sudden hint of satisfaction flashed across his face. He said, “The Baili Clan has truly lifted an inscribed stone only to crush their own feet this time. The losses they’ve suffered are immense. A Heavenly Union and two half-step Heavenly Union cultivators—all gone just like that.”
“Even Baili Xu, the cherished second son of Baili Chang Feng, is dead. I’d very much like to see how the Baili Clan reacts when they hear this news.”
…
After Hu Rui An and the others had dealt with Baili Xu’s group blocking their path, the remainder of their journey proceeded without any trouble. Led by Murong Xiao Ya, they soon arrived at the Prefecture Province Great Manor.
The Murong Family truly deserved their fame as the foremost martial dao family of Sheng Province. Their majestic gate seemed to swallow mountains, its towering main entrance exceeding thirty feet in height.
The bronze doors stood wide open, guarded by two auspicious beasts meticulously carved from mysterious black iron. Each beast’s eyes sparkled with embedded bright pearls, and walls extended gracefully from either side, wing-like in their design.
Once Wu Shang reported their identities, a steward from the manor and a handsome young master with exceptional poise personally came forth to greet them.
Murong Xiao Ya’s face lit up with surprise when she saw this noble young master. Hurrying forward, she exclaimed happily, “Second elder brother, you’ve returned as well?”
Hearing her greeting, the young master—clad in a luxurious robe as white as snow, his face gentle and warm—nodded softly. His eyes filled with affectionate indulgence as he regarded Murong Xiao Ya, and he smiled gently, “It’s been more than a year since I saw you last. My little sister has grown even lovelier.”
Murong Xiao Ya’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment at his words, and she shyly lowered her head.
Seeing her reaction, Murong Zhen chuckled softly, gently patting her head as he said, “I’ll stop teasing you now. Father and Mother were so delighted to learn you’ve returned. Hurry inside to see them.”
Murong Xiao Ya nodded eagerly and turned to dash inside. Halfway there, however, she suddenly remembered something and glanced back anxiously at Hu Rui An and the others behind her.
Murong Zhen easily guessed her thoughts. Waving his hand, he reassured her, “Little sister, rest easy. I will personally see to Lord Hu and his companions.”
Only then did Murong Xiao Ya feel relieved enough to hurry inside again.
Murong Zhen turned then, approaching Hu Rui An and the others alongside the steward. Although his face still wore a polite smile, it lacked the warmth and affection he had shown Murong Xiao Ya.
After exchanging formal greetings and making polite small talk, Murong Zhen asked the steward to guide Hu Rui An’s group to their arranged courtyard. Then, swiftly excusing himself, he departed, clearly displaying little interest in welcoming Hu Rui An and his companions.
Hu Rui An, observing this, revealed a thoughtful expression. Turning his eyes to Li Mu Sheng, who stood beside him with apparent indifference, he frowned slightly, saying, “Your Highness, even the head of the Murong Family hasn’t expressed interest in meeting with me yet. It seems they aren’t taking the Commander’s matter very seriously.”
Li Mu Sheng casually glanced at the courtyard arranged by the Murong Family. With walls adorned by blossoms and shadowed by trees, and a tranquil pond filled with lotuses, it was indeed a restful and pleasant spot. Glancing again at Hu Rui An, he shook his head lightly, saying, “Lord Hu, such trivial concerns shouldn’t be brought to me. There’s little I could do even if you did. These past few days of traveling have been dull. Taking two days of rest here seems quite pleasant.”
Hu Rui An’s face fell slightly in disappointment. Although he had expected such a reply, he’d still held some faint hope. Clearly, that hope was now dashed.
With resignation, Hu Rui An could only agree aloud, inwardly beginning to plan how best to handle matters concerning Deputy Commander Mei Yan and the others.
At that moment, Li Mu Sheng paused briefly, then reached out and lightly patted Hu Rui An on the shoulder. “Lord Hu, don’t worry too much. I promised the Venerable Lord earlier that I’d lend you some minor assistance. You may use my name freely while carrying out your tasks in Sheng Province.”
He added casually, “And if you run into problems you truly can’t handle, you can always mention them to me. Of course, whether I’ll help or not will depend entirely on the situation.”
Hearing this, Hu Rui An was momentarily startled, but his heart soon eased considerably. He hurriedly replied, “Thank you, Your Highness. Your subordinate will certainly do his utmost to handle affairs here in Sheng Province.”
Though Li Mu Sheng made no clear promise, his offer of backing was comforting enough. With the status of the Eighth Prince behind him, Hu Rui An’s tasks would undoubtedly become smoother.
After settling in at Murong Manor, Hu Rui An quickly left with Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong, immediately moving ahead with his original plans for Sheng Province. Given the Murong Family’s ambiguous stance, Hu Rui An wasn’t in a rush to confront them just yet. Instead, he headed first to the Heavenly Brocade Guard branch within Sheng Province Prefecture City.
He intended to meet Mei Yan, the province’s deputy commander and the Queen’s younger brother. It was imperative to discover why Sheng Province’s Heavenly Brocade Guard was the only branch that hadn’t responded when Heavenly Brocade Headquarters had secretly ordered all provincial guards to advance toward Lan Province.
…
Meanwhile, within Murong Manor, in a sealed study, heavy black cloth covered the windows, keeping even a sliver of light from entering.
In the darkened room, a single lamp glowed dimly. Fashioned from black iron in the form of a figure kneeling and offering treasures, its raised hands supported a basin filled with crimson oil.
The wick, made from Blood Colored Spine, burned with a vividly scarlet flame, its flickering edges like the gentle pulse of a heart, tinting the air itself in shades of red.
Murong Feng stood by this lamp. Across from him was a desk carved from deep red pear wood, behind which sat a figure hidden completely by shadows. The person’s face was obscured, impossible to see clearly.
“Second Uncle, I was escorting Little Sister back to the city when we were ambushed by the Baili Clan…” Murong Feng respectfully bowed, then recounted everything that had happened earlier.
The shadowy figure listened silently, then after a long pause, spoke in a rough, gravelly voice, “Hu Rui An killed Baili Xue with a single finger. Clearly, his martial dao cultivation is far higher than we had believed. Either he intentionally hid his strength, or there is another expert among them—or perhaps behind them—still concealed.”
He paused briefly, then suddenly asked, “Have you informed your father about this?”
Murong Feng shook his head slightly. “As soon as Elder Shi and I parted ways, I immediately came to inform you, Second Uncle. As for Father, Little Sister will likely tell him herself.”
Murong Feng paused thoughtfully, then continued, “The Baili Clan has willingly become the spearhead, openly opposing our Murong Family. I suspect the other families within the city will soon follow their example.”
“Still,” he added, “Hu Rui An and his companions dealt the Baili Clan quite a severe blow, killing Baili Xue and Baili Xu. This incident might make other families in the city more cautious before making a move.”
In the darkness, the shadowed figure remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
“That Baili Chang Feng has just lost his beloved son. I fear he’ll use this as an excuse to encourage other families to attack the Murong family. Murong’s situation won’t improve anytime soon.”
“Besides, Hu Rui An’s purpose here is Mei Yan and Zhu Zi Ming. If this matter isn’t handled well, the Murong family might end up making even more enemies.”
Hearing this, Murong Feng’s brows lightly knitted together. But swiftly, he let out a cold laugh.
“It doesn’t matter. Soon enough, our Murong family will devour every family in Prefecture City and rise as the supreme martial dao clan in Sheng Province. This is fate itself! Even Mei Yan and Zhu Zi Ming won’t be able to stop it!”
The figure in the shadows gave a soft sigh, shaking his head gently.
“This isn’t something you alone can decide. Without your father’s approval, it’s nothing but wishful thinking.”
At these words, the blood-red lantern flickered, casting Murong Feng’s face in crimson hues, as though painted with fresh blood. His eyes glowed scarlet in the wavering firelight.
A short silence followed, then Murong Feng said calmly, “Don’t worry, Second Uncle. Father will agree.”
He cupped his hands respectfully and turned to leave.
But just then, the shadowed figure behind the desk waved his hand, sending a red wooden box flying toward Murong Feng, wrapped in martial Qi.
“Feng’er, don’t forget to take the Sparrow Flame Pill.”
Murong Feng hesitated briefly before reaching out, accepting the wooden box and slipping it into his sleeve. Afterward, he looked back toward the shadowy figure.
“Second Uncle, the Sparrow Flame Pill is enough for people like us. There’s no need for little sister to take it.”
Hearing this, the figure fell silent for a moment, then nodded slowly and replied in a hoarse voice, “I promise you.”
Relieved, Murong Feng turned again and walked out, leaving the dimly lit study shrouded in darkness.
…
Sheng Province Prefecture City, Baili Manor.
Inside a grand hall, an exquisite painting of rivers and mountains hung from the wall, and a bronze octagonal table stood at the center.
Seated at the head of the table was a middle-aged man in dark robes. Beside him sat an elderly man and a woman.
The middle-aged man was just over fifty, with a face like cast iron, deep cheeks, and sharp, chiseled features. He had a neatly trimmed gray beard, radiating a dignified aura.
The elder, about seventy, wore a dark-blue robe, a boxwood smoking pipe at his waist. His snow-white hair was neatly combed, and his wrinkles resembled rings in ancient pine bark.
The woman was close to the age of the middle-aged man, round-faced with reddish-brown cheeks, wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, loose earlobes, and grayish-white hair styled into a neat bun pinned with a peach-wood hairpin.
“Uncle Zhu, Sister Cen, I’ve already sent my son to guard the city gates. The moment the Murong family boy returns, we’ll capture him. He’ll be our leverage against that old villain Murong.”
The middle-aged man, Baili Chang Feng, glanced around the table as he spoke.
At this, Elder Zhu and the round-faced woman exchanged glances and nodded slightly.
Elder Zhu respectfully clasped his hands toward Baili Chang Feng and smiled.
“Clan Head Baili, your decisive courage sets a strong example, refusing to bow beneath Murong’s oppression. All our families admire and follow your lead.”
The woman, Cen Luo Hua, gently nodded as well, adding quietly, “After this affair, my Cen Clan shall pledge itself fully under the Baili Clan’s leadership, removing the poison of the Murong family from Sheng Province, restoring peace.”
Baili Chang Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, raising a hand to halt their compliments.
“We are among friends now; there’s no need for formalities. Everyone here knows exactly what the others want. No need for noble excuses.”
Elder Zhu and Cen Luo Hua were both moved, their expressions shifting subtly.
Baili Chang Feng then calmly continued, “General Han has already made his stance clear. My Baili Clan will take the lead. Given our longstanding friendship, I promise if your Zhu and Cen clans stand with us, your reward will be substantial once Murong’s holdings are divided.”
At this, Elder Zhu and Cen Luo Hua grew eager, ready to speak, but suddenly, an armored guard burst into the hall, breathing heavily and panicked.
“Patriarch! Disaster has struck! Something terrible has happened to the Second Young Master!”
Baili Chang Feng’s brow immediately knitted tightly. He stared sharply at the armored guard, a sense of dread rising in his heart.
“What happened?” he demanded.
“The Second Young Master and Elder Baili Xue went to capture Murong Feng, but midway, they were attacked by a group…” The guard hesitated, raising his fearful eyes to meet Baili Chang Feng’s.
Instantly, Baili Chang Feng sprang to his feet, glaring at the guard. A fearsome martial aura burst from him, causing the guard to tremble uncontrollably.
“What happened to my son? Speak clearly!”
Swallowing nervously, the guard forced himself to continue, “The Second Young Master and the others… were all killed. Moreover, their bodies were displayed by Murong Family at the city gate!”
Upon hearing this, Baili Chang Feng froze, swaying slightly where he stood. Elder Zhu and Cen Luo Hua’s faces changed dramatically at the shocking news.
They knew clearly that Baili Wei had set out with a thousand armored guards and many martial experts. It was a prepared ambush. Even if capturing Murong Feng failed, they should not have been slaughtered so swiftly.
Thinking this, they both turned anxiously to Baili Chang Feng. Finally, recovering from his shock, Baili Chang Feng’s expression twisted with fury and grief, murderous intent swirling around him.
He glared icily at the armored guard, making the man feel as though trapped in an icy abyss.
“With Baili Xue’s protection, how could Murong Feng possibly kill them?”
The guard didn’t dare hide anything, quickly reporting everything he’d gathered from the townspeople.
“As far as we learned, it wasn’t Murong Feng himself who attacked. A mysterious group traveling with the Murong family’s young daughter did it. Hidden among them were extremely powerful experts. After killing our men…they returned directly to Murong Manor.”
As the armored guard’s trembling voice faded, Baili Chang Feng’s face darkened further, his heart sinking deeper into despair.