Chapter 225
Chapter 225: Assigning the Task
Hundred Refinement City, Hundred Fragrance Pavilion.
Li Mu Sheng sat atop the pavilion’s roof, waiting quietly for a while. Soon, another group emerged below. Gazing downward through the layers of night and shadow, he saw an elderly woman with snow-white hair rushing desperately toward the lifeless body of Zheng Shang Zong.
Immediately, she collapsed onto the corpse, weeping bitterly, her cries filled with heart-wrenching agony and despair. Despite her advanced age, the murderous rage radiating from her was overwhelming. Even Li Mu Sheng, seated far above, furrowed his brows slightly at such intense hatred.
Initially, Li Mu Sheng planned to let the woman finish grieving, but her violent sorrow made him impatient. Finally, he broke the silence and asked directly: “Who exactly are you people from Hundred Refinement Peak? Why hasn’t your peak lord come himself?”
The elderly woman, stricken with grief below, instantly ceased her cries. At once, all eyes—those of the two Law Enforcement Elders and others—lifted sharply toward the rooftop where Li Mu Sheng sat.
“Who are you?” questioned one of the Elders sternly, his voice wary as he stared at Li Mu Sheng’s shadowy figure in the night.
The white-haired woman stared fiercely at Li Mu Sheng. Suddenly, her murderous aura exploded, rushing upward to envelop him as she shrieked harshly, “Was it you who killed my Zier?”
Faced with this accusation, Li Mu Sheng raised an eyebrow, murmuring to himself, “What’s going on here? Does the peak lord of Hundred Refinement Peak really have no heart at all? Both his sons are dead, yet he dares not come personally to avenge them? Instead, he sends others one by one to their deaths?”
Upon hearing Li Mu Sheng’s mocking remarks, the elderly woman was overtaken by rage, and even the expressions of the two Elders shifted dramatically.
Just as the group from Hundred Refinement Peak prepared to attack without further questioning, they suddenly froze in shock. Without even releasing their martial Qi, the foreheads of the elderly woman and the two Elders were pierced simultaneously. In mere moments, they collapsed lifelessly into the damaged street, never to breathe again.
Only nine martial experts from Hundred Refinement Peak remained alive below. Witnessing the horrifying scene—the elder woman and two Elders falling lifeless as if they were dumplings dropped into boiling water—these nine froze in absolute terror. Pale-faced and paralyzed by fear, they stood rooted, forgetting even to flee.
At this moment, nine glowing talismans silently entered their bodies. Li Mu Sheng’s calm voice resonated clearly in their ears: “You are now marked with Life Death Talismans, which only I can remove. After you’ve experienced the power of this Life Death Talisman a little, you shall help me accomplish a few things.”
As soon as he spoke, the nine martial artists below felt overwhelming agony, as if thousands of ants gnawed at their bones. They collapsed, writhing and screaming desperately in the shattered street, begging for mercy.
Shortly after, the unbearable torment vanished as quickly as it came, leaving the nine martial artists trembling and gasping for breath.
“Now, it’s time to do my bidding,” Li Mu Sheng’s voice floated softly yet menacingly from atop Hundred Fragrance Pavilion.
The nine martial experts shuddered. To their ears, Li Mu Sheng’s voice was like a demon’s whisper, frightening enough to drain the strength from their legs. One after another, they fell to their knees, desperately pleading, unwilling ever again to endure the inhuman pain of the Life Death Talisman.
Satisfied, Li Mu Sheng nodded lightly, then pointed toward the group and began assigning tasks.
“You,” he commanded one martial artist, “immediately return to Hundred Refinement Peak. Ask your peak lord clearly: Both his sons and his madam were killed by me, yet he still has no intention of coming himself for vengeance?”
“As for the rest of you, go swiftly to the other eight peaks of Fallen God Peak. Tell them that Hundred Refinement Peak’s lord is dead, and that Hundred Refinement Peak itself is finished. If they wish revenge, tell them to hurry here to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion—I will await them.”
With a wave of his hand, Li Mu Sheng concluded succinctly, “That’s all. Now, go.”
For a moment, the nine martial artists of Hundred Refinement Peak stood frozen, shocked by Li Mu Sheng’s arrogant and seemingly reckless challenge. The terror from the Life Death Talisman was momentarily forgotten as they considered his bold move—simultaneously provoking all eight peaks of Fallen God Peak. It seemed to them utterly insane, practically a call for death itself.
Yet soon, the terrifying memory of the elderly madam and the two Elders dying so swiftly, along with the unbearable agony of the Life Death Talisman, flooded back. None dared hesitate further. Trembling and hurriedly nodding their obedience, they fled from the ruins like frightened animals, riding swiftly toward the nine peaks.
Watching from the rooftop, Li Mu Sheng nodded approvingly at their disappearing backs.
……
On a small hill outside Hundred Refinement City, beneath the pitch-black night sky, Hemp Robed Elder and the Pink Clad Girl hid quietly behind large stones, watching the road connecting the city and Hundred Refinement Peak closely.
Earlier, they had seen the courtesan of Hundred Fragrance Pavilion and martial experts from the City Lord’s mansion journey toward Hundred Refinement Peak. To avoid discovery, they had remained still, merely observing and staying uninvolved.
Not long ago, they had also noticed the elderly madam from Hundred Refinement City and the Elders from the Law Enforcement Hall rushing urgently into the city. Witnessing their arrival, the pair became even more cautious, staying hidden and completely silent.
“What exactly happened in Hundred Refinement City to bring even Zheng Yun Feng’s madam and the Elders of the Law Enforcement Hall here so late at night?” Hemp Robed Elder murmured thoughtfully, his brows furrowing deeply, clearly troubled by this unexpected turn of events.
The Pink Clad Girl, chin resting in her palm, pondered aloud, “The City Lord and the Young City Lord of Hundred Refinement City are both the old lady’s own sons. It’s understandable for her to come, but why would she arrive so urgently at this hour?”
She wrinkled her delicate brows, adding softly, “Besides, the old woman seemed very strange—she was furious, almost mad with murderous intent. Who exactly was she after?”
Hemp Robed Elder nodded gently, saying, “Now that you mention it, even the courtesan from Hundred Fragrance Pavilion and the City Lord’s mansion martial experts heading hurriedly to Hundred Refinement Peak was strange.”
The Pink Clad Girl turned, her bright, clear eyes meeting Hemp Robed Elder’s gaze in the darkness. Her voice was light yet serious as she asked, “Grandfather, could this incident possibly involve that person?”
Hemp Robed Elder remained silent for a long moment, then finally nodded slowly, “I cannot dismiss that possibility. But since we are outside the city, we do not yet know precisely what has happened inside.”