The Fierce Gaze Revealed

"The Mystic Sound Sect rarely accepts men, that's true. But if a senior in the sect above the Xiantian level introduces you, it probably won't be a problem." The girl blinked as she spoke.

"I'm not sure about that. Perhaps the senior from the Mystic Sound Sect thought I'd be better suited to the Black Tortoise Sect. By the way, you sound like you know quite a bit about sect matters." Shi Mu's thoughts stirred slightly, but he asked without showing it.

"Our Han Family's ancestors included an outer disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect. Later, an accident forced him to return to the secular world and establish our own lineage. Most people here have some connection to the Black Tortoise Sect. By the way, you're Shi Mu, right? I'm Han Xiangxiu."

The girl smiled sweetly at Shi Mu. Though still young, her chest was full and her figure had developed well. Every movement carried a hint of alluring charm, and several young men had already been sneaking glances at her.

Seeing Han Xiangxiu chatting so happily with Shi Mu, a few hostile gazes immediately settled on him. If Shi Mu hadn't been exceptionally tall, with a saber at his waist and a bow on his back, looking like someone best left alone, someone might have come over to pick a fight.

After exchanging a few words with the girl, Shi Mu closed his eyes and focused on resting.

Time passed little by little.

The young men and women in the cabin soon lost their sense of novelty and began to feel bored and tired. Gradually, they lost interest in talking.

Quite a few followed Shi Mu's example, sitting cross-legged in the cabin to rest.

During that time, several men in gray brought in a table laden with steaming hot dishes. The food looked delicious, and everyone came forward to share a meal.

Shi Mu didn't join them. Instead, he quietly took two somewhat stale steamed buns from his coat and slowly chewed them down.

His actions naturally drew several surprised looks.

Shi Mu had no interest in explaining, but his behavior only made Han Xiangxiu more curious. She kept asking him questions.

Shi Mu could only offer a few perfunctory replies.

An incense stick later, the sound of deep, steady snores rose from the rooms on the lower deck. Every young man and woman had lain down where they were and fallen asleep.

Just then, the men in gray entered the room again. After clearing away all the dishes and chopsticks, they silently left, locking the door behind them with an iron lock.

In the room where Shi Mu was, one of the people who had been lying motionless on the floor suddenly sat up slowly. He raised his head and looked at the tightly shut door, his face dark with anger. Then he asked:

"I'm Ma Feiyun. Anyone else still awake? Get up. There's no need to keep pretending."

"I didn't eat any of the food."

"I could tell from the start that something was off about these people escorting us. They weren't anything like what my elders told me."

"Hmph, I ate it, but a little sleeping powder is nothing to me."

Of those who had been lying on the floor, two young men and a young woman sat upright one after another and answered.

The young woman was none other than Han Xiangxiu.

As for Shi Mu, he had been sitting with his back against the cabin wall the whole time. Now he merely opened his bright eyes again. He was the only one who didn't say anything.

The first young man to rise had fair skin, sharp brows, and bright eyes. After casting Shi Mu a hostile glance, he lowered his voice and said to the others:

"These people aren't emissaries from the Black Tortoise Sect. If we keep traveling with them, we'll likely meet a terrible end. Now that they've drugged us all, they must have let down their guard. This is our only chance to escape. I'm leaving the ship right away. Are you willing to come with me?"

"Indeed. Since the people above aren't from the Black Tortoise Sect, they must be its enemies. Given our backgrounds, it would be best to get away as soon as possible. I have no objections." Han Xiangxiu was the first to nod in agreement.

The other two young men, one with a broad mouth and curly hair, the other with long hair falling over his shoulders, both wore grave expressions. They nodded as well.

"Big Brother Shi, you should come with us," Han Xiangxiu said to Shi Mu.

"There's no need. I think I'm quite comfortable staying here. And let me give you a word of advice: it would be best not to try anything right now." Shi Mu's gaze flickered. He spoke expressionlessly.

"Big Brother Shi, did you notice something?" Han Xiangxiu's face paled, and she hurriedly asked.

The other two young men also paled slightly, their expressions turning hesitant.

Shi Mu shook his head, unwilling to say anything more.

"Hmph, you're nothing but a coward. If you don't want to leave, then stay here. Little Sister Xiangxiu, let's go together," Ma Feiyun said disdainfully to Shi Mu, but turned to Han Xiangxiu with a pleasant expression.

"Big Brother Ma, why don't we wait and see how things go?" Han Xiangxiu thought it over, then replied with a strained smile.

"In that case, wait until I get out first. Then you can follow me, little sister." Ma Feiyun's expression shifted, and anger surfaced on his face. But when he saw that the other two were also silent, he could only stamp his foot and say this.

Then he reached into his sleeve with one hand and pulled out a sharp dagger with a silver handle. He drove it down hard into the wooden floor beneath him.

"Bang!"

The dagger's sharp point struck the planks, ringing with a shrill metallic clang.

Ma Feiyun was startled. He hurriedly scraped at the spot with his dagger, revealing a faint, dark metallic sheen.

"This is ironwood—and not just any ironwood. It's century-old ironwood, unique to Iron Thorn Island in the East Sea."

Ma Feiyun drew in a sharp breath, his expression suddenly turning quite colorful. He began hacking at other parts of the floor with his dagger, but every strike produced the same metallic clang.

"Don't bother testing it. This entire ship is made of century-old ironwood. You could stab every inch of this room and still not find a single crack." Just then, a cold voice came from outside the room.

Everyone was startled. Only then did they notice that the door had somehow opened. The blue-clad burly man stood there with his arms folded, looking at Ma Feiyun as if he were already dead.

"Senior, I..." Ma Feiyun was horrified. He hurriedly hid the dagger behind his back and stood up, trying to explain himself.

But the blue-clad man didn't let him get a word out. He raised his hand and struck out with an open palm through the air.

"Bang!"

Ma Feiyun screamed as he flew backward and slammed hard into the wall behind him. Blood spurted from his mouth and nose, and his chest caved in. He was clearly beyond saving.

"I told you long ago: anyone who disobeys orders will be punished! Someone come in and drag out the body. Toss it into the river to feed the fish." The blue-clad man lowered his arm and gave the order coldly.

Two men in gray immediately entered from outside. They carried the barely breathing Ma Feiyun out, one holding his head and the other his feet.

The blue-clad man gave Shi Mu and the other three who were still awake a sinister look, then let out a sinister chuckle and turned to leave.

The door was once again locked tightly from the outside.

Shi Mu and the other three all looked exceedingly grim.