Ten-Day Covenant

Langya Xing stood by the long pavilion, his white robes fluttering as if in a breeze.

His slender fingers gently caressed the Jade Pendant at his waist, a Langya crest pendant only bestowed upon direct descendants of the Langya Family.

The sun stretched his shadow long, almost reaching Mu Bai, who stood pale-faced opposite him.

"Mu Bai."

Langya Xing's voice was soft, yet it seemed to echo directly in Mu Bai's mind.

"I'm curious, what gives you the audacity to thwart my Langya Family's affairs time and again?"

Mu Bai pressed a hand to his ribs, where the wound from his prolonged flight had begun to seep blood. His knuckles turned white from the force.

He hadn't expected the Langya Family to arrive so quickly, nor did he expect it to be the Young Master Xing mentioned by those two Houtian Grandmasters!

And at this moment, he was no match for his opponent.

After all, the fierce battle two days prior had come at a heavy price. Though he had successfully defeated Master Dehua, he had also sustained severe internal injuries.

"If the Langya Family seeks revenge, then come at me." Mu Bai forced a surge of True Qi to suppress his churning blood, thinking it unexpected that the death of two guard dogs would require the master himself to appear.

The air around the pavilion suddenly solidified.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Langya Xing's eyes, quickly replaced by an icy smile.

He slowly raised his right hand, palm facing upward, and slowly released his True Qi.

If anyone were present, they would be astonished to see what appeared to be a lifelike pure lotus slowly unfurling.

Mu Bai could naturally see the phenomenon of the opponent's technique clearly.

And with each petal that bloomed, Mu Bai felt an immense weight pressing down on his chest.

Pure Lotus Heart Sutra! This was one of the Langya Family's three supreme cultivation techniques, said to produce an absolute powerhouse even among Innate experts when mastered!

A single thought could bloom a flower, capable of suppressing an area of a hundred paces.

Mu Bai, facing the lotus directly, already felt his breathing grow difficult, his already severe injuries worsening.

Mu Bai bit his tongue. The sharp pain momentarily freed him from the oppressive aura of the pure lotus.

He formed his right hand into a sword and unleashed seven strands of sword energy from his fingertips, weaving them into a net before him.

This was his "Clouds Roll, Clouds Unfurl," the fourth sword technique he used to defeat Master Dehua. This single sword strike contained almost all of his True Qi.

Clearly, facing a life-or-death crisis, Mu Bai intended to fight with all his might.

"Interesting."

Langya Xing nodded slightly, and the phantom pure lotus bloomed three more petals.

Mu Bai grunted, a trickle of blood escaping his lips, but his sword energy grew even more solid, with a faint blue light circulating within it.

But just as their auras were about to reach their peak, Langya Xing unexpectedly withdrew his hand.

The phantom pure lotus dissipated like a bubble, as if it had never existed.

Mu Bai was caught off guard. His sword energy, having lost its target, vibrated violently, nearly backlashing against him.

"You..." Mu Bai forced down the blood surging in his throat and stared warily at his opponent.

Langya Xing took out a white jade bottle from his sleeve and tossed it casually to Mu Bai. "Eat it."

The jade bottle traced a beautiful arc through the air.

Mu Bai did not reach out to catch it, letting it fall three feet before his feet.

The stopper loosened slightly upon impact, releasing a wisp of fragrance. Mu Bai only caught a whiff, and felt the congestion in his chest ease considerably.

"Nine Revolutions Heavenly Pill?" Mu Bai looked at the jade bottle on the ground in disbelief.

This was a legendary healing elixir, a peerless divine medicine said to save a life as long as there was still breath left.

Langya Xing stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes holding a condescending gaze: "Ten days from now, at midnight, I will be waiting for you here."

He paused. "You are not worthy of dying by my hand yet."

Mu Bai stared at Langya Xing for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

He bent down, picked up the jade bottle, and without hesitation, poured out the dragon's eye-sized golden pill within, swallowing it in one gulp.

As the pill entered his abdomen, it instantly transformed into a warm current that flowed through his limbs and bones.

Mu Bai could clearly feel his fractured meridians rapidly reconnecting, and his damaged internal organs were being encased in a layer of golden film, beginning to repair.

The injuries that would normally require two months of recovery would likely heal in just five or six days at this rate.

"Thank you for the medicine." Mu Bai clasped his hands, but there was no gratitude in his eyes. "However, it is yet to be determined who will emerge victorious in ten days."

Langya Xing turned around indifferently, his white robes shimmering with golden light under the sun. "Don't misunderstand. I was merely impressed by your talent. An eighteen-year-old Houtian Grandmaster is considered an unparalleled genius even in the cultivation world."

"But you ruined my plans, and you must pay with your life."

With that, he took a step forward, already ten feet away.

Mu Bai watched Langya Xing's receding figure, his brow furrowed.

He had initially thought Langya Xing was here for revenge for those two Houtian Grandmasters, but his opponent's behavior did not suggest that at all.

To Langya Xing, those two seemed like insignificant servants.

Langya Family... Mu Bai murmured, a strong curiosity about this reclusive family surfacing for the first time.

He had to find out quickly what important matter he was involved in.

It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that Mu Bai, his body much improved, returned to the Carefree Prince's Estate.

The estate guards saw him and quickly bowed, "Young Master!"

Mu Bai asked, "Has the nephew of that official Liu Yi returned?"

The guard quickly replied, "He returned a while ago and is resting at the banquet now."

Mu Bai's heart tightened; he didn't expect Langya Xing to be so swift.

He had only just experienced Langya Xing's Martial Dao, and he hadn't expected his speed to be so much greater than his own. Based on this alone, Langya Xing's power was likely even greater than Master Dehua's!

He tidied his blood-stained clothes, trying his best not to look too disheveled, then walked towards the banquet hall.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, and the sound of music could be heard from afar.

As Mu Bai stepped into the hall, he saw Liu Yi and the Carefree Prince drinking and chatting merrily, as if they were old friends.

Langya Xing sat to the side, a faint smile on his face, sipping the tea in his cup.

Mu Bai then keenly noticed that when he entered, a flicker of an unusual light flashed in Liu Yi's eyes as he spoke with Mu Rongyi.

"Bai'er is back!" the Carefree Prince called out warmly, "Quick, take your seat, we've been waiting for you."

Mu Bai bowed to his father, then looked at Langya Xing.

Their eyes met. Langya Xing's gaze was as calm as water, as if he were just an ordinary person with no martial arts skills.

Mu Bai, on the other hand, had eyes like torches, as if streams of soaring sword energy were constantly being shot out.

"I've long heard of Young Master Mu's great name. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation."

Liu Yi raised his cup in a toast, a smile on his lips, as if he hadn't been the one who thought Mu Bai was surely going to die just now.

Mu Bai accepted the wine cup handed to him by a maid, responding with a smile, "Lord Liu is too kind. Compared to Lord Liu's nephew, I am nothing special either."

Hearing his words, a sharp glint flashed through Mu Rongyi's eyes.

Liu Yi also laughed heartily and no longer brought up topics like "young hero."

During the banquet, wine cups clinked and guests mingled, everyone enjoying themselves.

Liu Yi was eloquent, discussing everything from strange tales from various regions to local scenery. Having led troops in the field for many years, he knew the landscapes of different places like the back of his hand, drawing continuous admiration from the attendees.

Mu Bai, however, noticed that whenever the conversation approached sensitive topics, Liu Yi would skillfully interject and steer the direction away.

After several rounds of drinks, Liu Yi suddenly changed the subject, "Your Highness, there is a matter that I, your subordinate, do not know whether I should speak of."

Mu Rongyi's smile stiffened slightly, then he chuckled, "Lord Liu, what is there that cannot be spoken of in my Carefree Prince's Estate? Please, speak freely."

Mu Bai's hand, gripping his wine cup, tightened slightly. He knew the main event was about to begin.