Power Suppression

However, the most pressing task now was to deal with these two uninvited guests—he could not allow them any chance to harm his father.

But how could he eliminate them without revealing his true cultivation level?

This was truly a headache-inducing problem.

Mu Bai racked his brains and finally came up with a possible solution—exploit their arrogance, pretend to stumble upon them by accident, and then try to catch them off guard and silently take them out.

Just as Mu Bai was mulling over the specifics of his plan, a faint sound of footsteps came from behind him.

Mu Bai's heart tightened. He quickly adjusted his breathing and turned around as if by chance.

Two black shadows darted out from behind him and appeared before Mu Bai in an instant.

"Kid, you're Mu Bai, the Young Master of the Carefree Prince's Estate, aren't you?" the hoarse-voiced man said coldly, a blade appearing in his hand as if from nowhere, glinting coldly in the sunlight.

Mu Bai sneered inwardly but put on a panicked expression on the surface. "Two seniors, you... who are you?"

The hoarse-voiced man said coldly, "Don't bother asking who we are. You're not our main target anyway."

"Speak! Where is your younger brother, Mu Tang?"

Mu Bai's face twisted in struggle. "I don't know!"

The other man snorted coldly. "Hmph, kid, don't blame us then."

With that, he leaped lightly and struck a heavy hand-blade blow to the back of Mu Bai's neck.

Mu Bai's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Let's go. Take him first, and we'll ask about his brother's whereabouts."

"Wait, won't this kid's disappearance alert the enemy?"

"No need. This brat often stays out all night. No one will notice. Right now, the priority is finding the Carefree Prince's third son, Mu Tang."

The hoarse-voiced man grabbed Mu Bai's limp body, leaped up toward the high wall, and vaulted out of the Carefree Prince's Estate.

What they didn't notice was Mu Bai's fingers, slightly curled in excitement...

Night fell like ink, a thick darkness swallowing the clamor of Xiaoyao City.

In an airtight cellar, a dim, flickering candle cast twisted shadows, stretching two figures long and grotesque.

Mu Bai lay with his eyes shut, feigning unconsciousness, but every sense was on high alert, every subtle movement around him within his perception.

"Why isn't this kid awake yet?" the hoarse voice broke the silence first, tinged with impatience.

The Black Shadow paced closer, his boot heels thudding heavily on the ground, echoing in the cramped space.

"Could it be I hit too hard and killed him?"

A hint of worry crept into the low voice, followed by the rustle of fabric—likely the man bending down to check on Mu Bai.

Mu Bai knew it was time to act.

He pretended his eyelids twitched, let out a vague groan, and slowly "awoke."

The moment his eyes opened, he put on a terrified expression, his body trembling slightly. "This... where is this? What do you want?"

The owner of the hoarse voice sneered, pressing a dagger against Mu Bai's throat. The chill of the blade made the hairs on his neck stand on end. "Kid, stop playing dumb! Tell me, where is Mu Tang? If you try any tricks, I'll have your head off right now."

The owner of the hoarse voice was a lean man, tall and wiry but not lacking in strength. He had triangular eyes, slightly prominent cheekbones, short black hair standing straight up, and long, sinewy arms with taut muscles.

He stood casually, yet naturally exuded the aura of a seasoned martial artist.

Mu Bai rolled his eyes, putting on a look of utter terror, and stammered, "I... I really don't know. My third brother's whereabouts are unpredictable. Even I rarely see him."

The owner of the low voice stepped forward, his fleshy face twitching as he threatened, "Hmph, you'd better come clean, or you'll be in for a world of pain!"

The owner of the low voice was a burly martial artist.

He was broad and stout, his face covered in thick flesh, with bell-like eyes sunken into the meat. His lips curled slightly upward, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. He wore a tight black training suit, stretched nearly to bursting.

With that, he raised his hand and slapped hard toward Mu Bai's face.

Mu Bai sighed faintly, stretched out his right hand, and casually caught the slap. At the same time, the terrified expression on his face vanished instantly.

He looked at the burly man with a helpless expression and said flatly, "Don't you even know the rule about not hitting someone in the face?"

In an instant, his entire demeanor shifted, and the aura of a Grandmaster of Martial Arts radiated from him.

At the same time, the two men, who had been fierce just a second ago, had their eyes fill with terror and disbelief as they stared fixedly at Mu Bai.

They could feel it—this oppressive force crashed down on them like a tidal wave, nearly suffocating them.

This was undoubtedly the presence of a Grandmaster of Martial Arts!

"No good, the intel was wrong. Let's go!" the lean man's voice trembled as he whispered urgently to the burly man.

Neither dared to delay a moment. They spun around and bolted toward the cellar door, their steps frantic, even knocking over clutter in their haste.

But when they screeched to a halt, the sight before them plunged their hearts into an abyss.

Mu Bai had somehow appeared at the doorway like a ghost, arms crossed, standing straight and tall.

A faint, knowing smile curled at the corner of his lips, but his eyes held a chilling sharpness, like a leopard staring down its prey.

Such speed! Mu Bai's pace astonished the two men. They had assumed this Young Master of the Carefree Prince's manor was young and, even if a Grandmaster, had likely only just stepped into that realm. But from his speed alone, it was clear this Young Master had been a Grandmaster for some time now!

"Trying to leave?" Mu Bai finally spoke, his voice low yet clearly echoing through every corner of the cellar. "Since you came to assassinate my family, do you still think you can walk away?" His words were calm, yet they seemed to carry boundless authority, making both men's legs tremble uncontrollably.

The wiry man swallowed hard, forcing composure as he said, "You... don't go too far. We were just following orders. We have no personal grudge against you."

Mu Bai let out a cold laugh. "Following orders? Whose orders? Whoever dares send assassins against my family must be prepared to pay the price."

With that, he took a step forward, and his aura surged once more.

The two men were crushed by this overwhelming pressure, barely able to breathe. It felt as though a mountain weighed down on them, their legs growing weak, on the verge of collapsing to their knees.

Yet just as they felt they were about to break, the pressure suddenly lifted, as if the mountain had vanished in an instant.

Before they could even sigh in relief, Mu Bai's indifferent voice rang in their ears: "Tell me who sent you, and I'll spare your life."