Mou Xing was generous. He handed Ye Tong a blue-gold banknote worth ten thousand taels as a deposit. This time, Ye Tong did not refuse it; after all, buying medicinal ingredients for alchemy required no small sum.
At parting.
Ye Tong cupped his fists and said, "The green mountains remain unchanged, the clear waters flow on forever. Everyone, we shall meet again."
Mou Xing and Crazy War Heaven stood before the camp, watching the backs of Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave as they departed. Both were savoring the words Ye Tong had spoken before leaving.
"The green mountains remain unchanged, the clear waters flow on forever. We shall meet again."
Something stirred in Mou Xing's heart. Only after a long while did she turn to Crazy War Heaven and ask, "How do you understand those words?"
Crazy War Heaven said, "The green mountains remaining unchanged means staying true to one's original resolve; staying true to one's original resolve means persistence. The clear waters flowing on forever signify eternity. Unchanging green mountains and ever-flowing clear waters set each other off against the 'we shall meet again' that follows. What a marvelous turn of phrase—I have no choice but to admire it. I think even those scholars of the Sky Net Empire would find it difficult to speak such fine words, wouldn't they?"
Mou Xing licked her red lips, her smile especially bewitching. "I've become interested in him."
Crazy War Heaven froze, then gave a dumbfounded laugh. "You're ten years older than him. Even if you're interested, I'm afraid you won't be able to capture that brat's heart."
"What are you talking about?"
Mou Xing shot him an irritated glare, then turned and returned to the camp.
The journey back was peaceful and swift.
It took Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave only four and a half days to leave the Golden Phoenix Mountain Range and arrive at Ten Mile Pavilion. After taking a brief rest there, the two headed straight for Cold Mountain City.
Not long after they left, a sneaky figure sprang out from a distant thicket. He furtively followed behind them. Since he kept a great distance, he was not discovered.
Cold Mountain City, Joyous Arrival Tavern.
Mu Qianlan, dressed in a white gown, stood quietly by the second-floor window with her hands behind her back, gazing down at the bustling street below, where carriages and horses flowed like a river. Yet an icy aura radiated from her entire body. Beside her stood the elegant and handsome Mu Xiaochen, holding a paper fan in his hand. Though the weather was not hot, he still gently waved it, looking every bit the romantic gentleman, gentle as jade.
"You received the message talisman, didn't you? Only two months remain until Imperial Uncle returns in triumph. My Imperial Father plans to reward Imperial Uncle's merits and hold a grand banquet in the county city of Zifu County. You've been out for quite a while. Isn't it time you returned?" Mu Qianlan said blandly.
Mu Xiaochen shook his head. "There's still something I haven't done. I can't return for now."
Mu Qianlan asked, "What is it?"
Mu Xiaochen revealed an awkward expression and said, "I owe someone a favor and a debt. I can only leave after repaying them."
"Hmm? You owe someone money?"
A surprised expression appeared on Mu Qianlan's face.
Mu Xiaochen clearly did not wish to dwell on the matter. He asked, "What about you? You've been out even longer than I have. Even I received a message talisman from His Majesty, asking me to inquire after your whereabouts. If I encountered you, I was to tell you to return to the Imperial City."
Mu Qianlan said, "I was originally searching for someone, but he entered the Golden Phoenix Mountain Range, and I don't know when he will emerge. So tomorrow, I will set out for the county city of Zifu County and personally attend Imperial Uncle's celebration banquet. After enduring countless hardships, he finally secured the right to establish a Teleportation Array. It will be of vital importance to the future development of our Sky Net Empire."
Mu Xiaochen said, "The Eastern Mu Continent has four kingdoms, three regions, and Twofold Sea. Our Sky Net Empire is the second to obtain the right to establish a Teleportation Array. It truly will give a tremendous push to our empire's future development. However, I'm guessing your main purpose isn't to celebrate for my father, but to obtain a place in the Three Sects and Two Halls assessment, right?"
Mu Qianlan asked in return, "Don't you want a place?"
Mu Xiaochen said, "Do you even need to ask? Of course I do! And with our identities and strength, wouldn't joining the Three Sects and Two Halls be as easy as picking whatever we wanted? Why must we conceal our identities to join?"
Mu Qianlan said solemnly, "In the end, the path of cultivation must be walked by oneself."
"Fine!"
Mu Xiaochen shrugged.
Precious Medicine Workshop.
After Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave returned, they saw that the once-dilapidated courtyard had taken on an entirely new appearance. Although the pavilions and towers of the expanded establishment had yet to be completed, their outlines could already be seen. At this pace, it would be finished in a little over a month at most.
"Young Master, where are we staying?"
Thinking of Yin Xiaojiu, the Medicine Slave spoke up to ask.
Ye Tong said indifferently, "Have the craftsmen race against time to build two small rooms for us in a corner. They only need to be suitable for temporary lodging. I have an appointment, so I must remain here."
An appointment?
The Medicine Slave thought of the War Tiger Adventurer Team's order and silently nodded.
The two simple wooden huts took only half a day to build. Ye Tong tidied up his own room, while the Medicine Slave had already purchased the bedding and daily necessities they needed.
"Get lost!"
Tong Kaishan, radiating an overbearing air as though stars surrounded the moon, raised one arm and slapped a craftsman across the face with his huge palm. The blow left the craftsman's cheek swollen red and blood seeping from his teeth. Then he lifted a foot and kicked him away. The sleeve on his other side hung empty, giving him quite the air of a one-armed rogue.
The dozen or so people following Tong Kaishan were no longer servants of the Tong Family. Each carried an imposing aura, and when they looked at Ye Tong, their gazes were as fierce as tigers eyeing prey.
"A dog can't stop eating shit!"
Standing before the wooden hut and looking at Tong Kaishan's spoiled young-master posture, Ye Tong could not help shaking his head with a sigh. He suddenly regretted not having slaughtered this fellow at Ten Mile Pavilion. Otherwise, it truly would have been eliminating harm for the people, leaving Cold Mountain City with one less scourge.
"Ye!"
Tong Kaishan shook off his cloak, venomous light gleaming in his eyes. With a sinister chuckle, he said, "This young master thought you were too afraid of death to come back. Who would have thought that when heaven had a road, you refused to take it, but when hell had no gate, you barged right back in? It's time to settle the score between us, isn't it?"
Ye Tong asked, "With just these crooked melons and cracked dates beside you?"
At once.
It was as if one stone had stirred up a thousand waves.
The dozen or so cultivators beside Tong Kaishan flew into a rage. Had Tong Kaishan not yet given the order, they would have loved nothing more than to rush forward and hack Ye Tong into eight pieces.
Tong Kaishan said in a deep voice, "Ye Tong, I know that your tongue is sharp, so I won't waste words with you. You severed one of my arms and grievously injured me that day. Today, you have only two paths. First: kneel and kowtow to apologize, then sever both your own arms. Second: resist all you like, and I'll make sure you die an ugly death."
Ye Tong asked, "Does your father know you're this arrogant?"
"You..."
Tong Kaishan had received a warning from his father not to personally seek revenge against Ye Tong again. But he had suffered such terrible harm, and the resentment in his heart ran so deep. If he could not come in person and watch Ye Tong be tortured to death with his own eyes, how could he possibly vent the foul rage in his chest?
Seeing Tong Kaishan's appearance, Ye Tong understood everything clearly. Shaking his head, he sighed, "If you don't heed an elder's words, losses lie right before your eyes. Your father was able to become the Tong Family's head, so he should not be a fool. How did he give birth to such a wastrel as you? Fine. If you want to incite these lackeys of yours to attack me, then let them come at me."
"You're courting death!"
Tong Kaishan roared, then shouted, "Take a man's money and rid him of his troubles. You took so much of my Silver Blue; now it's time to prove your strength. Kill him for me. Kill him slowly. Let me watch him be tortured to death in pain and regret."
"Alright!"
The dozen or so people all drew their weapons.
"Oh my, it's so lively here!"
Suddenly, a teasing voice drifted in from outside. Mu Xiaochen twisted his wrist and waved the paper fan in his hand as he slowly approached, accompanied by his two confidantes. He glanced at Tong Kaishan before looking at Ye Tong with a smile. "The one here to repay his debt has arrived. Young Master Ye, do you welcome me?"
Ye Tong had not expected Mu Xiaochen to hear of his return and rush over the very day he came back. Without hesitation, he smiled and said, "Since you're here to repay a debt, then naturally I welcome you. Mu Xiaochen, thirty-six Silver Crystals in total. Hurry up and return them to me."
"Take them!"
Mu Xiaochen tossed over an embroidered pouch and said, "We can discuss the favor later. As for the Silver Crystals, I no longer owe you."
"Alright."
Ye Tong nodded slightly and poured the Silver Crystals out of the pouch one by one. After counting them, there were indeed thirty-six. Every one of them was crystalline and translucent, containing a considerable amount of spiritual energy.
Tong Kaishan had come to seek revenge at Ye Tong's door, yet halfway through, a Cheng Yaojin had suddenly emerged. Mu Xiaochen's high-and-mighty manner made him extremely displeased, and he cursed, "Where the fuck did you crawl out from? You dare obstruct this young master's revenge? Are you tired of living?"
"Are you seeking death?"
Mu Xiaochen had not expected that someone within Zifu County would dare show him such disrespect. He immediately glared and snapped.
Tong Kaishan cursed, "Say that again if you've got the nerve! This young master is a member of Cold Mountain City's Tong Family. My father is the current head of the Tong Family. Well? Scared now?"
Ye Tong cut in, "If you said someone else feared your Tong Family, I might believe it. But he is Mu Xiaochen, the only son of the Prince of Zifu County. Do you think he would be afraid?"
What?
Tong Kaishan froze. He carefully examined Mu Xiaochen's face, and at once recalled certain things he had encountered before. His heart immediately plunged into an icy abyss, coldness surging outward.
It was him!
There could be no mistake!
He truly was the son of the Prince of Zifu County, and he was even hailed as the number one genius of the Sky Net Empire. But why had he come to Cold Mountain City? Why had he appeared at this dilapidated Precious Medicine Workshop?
Could it be that Ye Tong had invited him to deal with him?
Tong Kaishan swallowed, then bent at the waist in trembling fear and said ingratiatingly, "I didn't know it was you. I failed to recognize you just now and said things I should not have said. I hope you, sir, will show magnanimity and not lower yourself to my level."
Mu Xiaochen sneered. "I seem to recall someone saying just now that I was tired of living. I'm very unhappy. If I can't vent these negative emotions, the Tong Family will suffer along with me."
Thump...
Tong Kaishan's body shuddered, and he dropped to both knees directly before Mu Xiaochen.
Before you continue