Lingering Trouble

Hidden Sword Manor.

The two figures returning laden with spoils drew the attention of every servant at the gate.

Xing Yuanjia and Tian Zeyi happened to be on duty that day.

Li Mu greeted them with a smile.

Xing and Tian both stared wide-eyed, desperately wanting to ask Li Mu whether he had gone with Zhao Tuo to raid some exotic beast meat field. Their baskets were packed full of heavy exotic beast meat. Just from the texture, it looked fresh, appetizing, and of high quality!

After asking briefly, they learned that Li Mu and Zhao Tuo had returned from Black Camel Ridge.

"That kid is not only talented, but lucky too? His first hunt and he comes back with such a haul?"

"And there aren't many exotic species in Black Camel Ridge. Any one that appears is supposed to rival a second-stage martial artist..."

Tian Zeyi felt that there was simply no justice in the world.

He had once followed Zhao Tuo to Black Camel Ridge. At the time, Zhao Tuo had not yet broken through to the second stage, so their group had lingered around the outermost area, relying on luck. In the end, they hunted a few Black Mountain Wolves and celebrated for ages.

Compared to Li Mu's haul, that happy memory suddenly took on a slightly sour flavor.

"They went through a fierce battle." Xing Yuanjia noticed the heavy smell of blood on them. Zhao Tuo was wrapped in bandages and had suffered serious injuries. His Azure-Edge Sword was also full of chips and was already ruined.

It was easy to imagine that their harvest had not come easily.

Hunting was like this. The wilderness was filled with opportunities, but it was also extremely dangerous. Without hunting experience or a map, even second-stage martial artists would not casually venture into desolate mountains and wild ridges to try their luck. It was too dangerous!

Sometimes, what one gambled was not opportunity, but one's life!

Although Xing Yuanjia and Tian Zeyi envied Li Mu and Zhao Tuo's harvest, they understood this very well.

Once they entered the manor and headed back toward the Myriad Swords Tower cottages, Li Mu and Zhao Tuo attracted plenty of attention.

There was simply too much wolf king meat in their baskets. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that the meat was extraordinary.

People came up from time to time to congratulate and question them, their eyes filled with envy.

Few people could gain such a bountiful harvest from a single hunting trip.

Li Mu, especially, was a newcomer who had obtained such a huge haul on his first trip outside the manor, drawing considerable attention. Many people remembered him because of it.

Having been tempered in the wilderness and having become close with the Zhao brothers, Li Mu's standing as a newcomer rose invisibly.

When faced with inquiries, the two exchanged glances and chuckled without saying much.

Li Mu had never liked showing off, and Zhao Tuo was not foolish enough to spread such matters everywhere.

He merely displayed his injuries intentionally or otherwise, making it clear that this trip had been exceptionally difficult and that everything had been earned through struggle.

In truth, among all the servants, there were not many veteran hunters like Zhao Meng and Zhao Tuo. Thus, very few people ventured deep into dense forests to hunt exotic beasts. Without experience, one careless mistake could easily lead them into a trap or crisis.

Aside from envy, the others also admired them.

At that moment, several familiar faces gathered around.

"Brother Tuo, why didn't we get such a harvest when we went to Black Camel Ridge last time?" Guan Gu and the others had hunted in a group with Zhao Tuo before, and their eyes were red with envy.

"That's because Li Mu got lucky. I was just benefiting from his luck, so don't pin this on me. Besides, this time, I was the one blessed by Li Mu..."

Zhao Tuo did not hide much from brothers like Guan Gu. He recounted how the two of them had fought a bloody battle against the Black Mountain Wolf pack.

He described in particular Li Mu's final two strikes, as though an exiled immortal had descended to the mortal world.

Guan Gu and the others could imagine the scene. If it had been them? Their limbs would probably have gone weak. That was an exotic wolf king comparable to a second-stage martial artist!

The way they looked at Li Mu changed once more.

"Remember this from now on: Li Mu is a brother who has been through life and death with me." That was the point Zhao Tuo wanted to make after saying so much.

Everyone understood that the hierarchy among the Myriad Swords Tower servants would likely change from now on.

After Zhao Meng and Zhao Tuo came Li Mu.

Having heard Zhao Tuo recount the events in person, no one dared object.

Back in the cottage, Li Mu set down his basket.

They had already swapped things back, and he now had a full seventy pounds of wolf king meat.

He also had fifty taels on him.

Zhao Tuo had refused to take more no matter what, giving Li Mu the larger share.

"This was a great harvest, but now that someone has targeted us in the wilderness, it's too dangerous. We can't go again anytime soon." Li Mu still felt lingering fear over the Hunter Gang members who had suddenly appeared.

Azure River County was not large, but because so many trades and industries had developed there, quite a few factions had gathered within it. With his current strength, it was not suitable for him to face them alone.

"Next, I need to focus on practicing my swordsmanship and building strength. This money needs to be converted into real combat power."

He had already decided how to spend it.

Li Mu soon went to the rear kitchen and handed the wolf king meat to a plump, fair-skinned chef.

After paying fifty copper coins, he would be able to collect specially made jerky the next day.

Zhao Meng had already specifically spoken to this chef. Shorting Li Mu on the meat would not happen.

[Qi and Blood: 12.9↑]

As his qi and blood rose in his vision, Li Mu recalled the details of that day's wilderness battle.

"I gained quite a lot from today's bloody battle."

Fighting one against many that day, Li Mu could not casually use the high-burden Yellow Dragon Spits Emerald, so its proficiency had not improved much.

However, his qi and blood had increased, and he had also gained valuable experience in wilderness combat.

Against the heavily injured Black Mountain Wolf King, he had confirmed the power of his peak-level Dripping Water Sword Force. Its explosive force was only a notch below Yellow Dragon Spits Emerald, and it could injure a second-stage martial artist.

He could keep that hidden as a surprise move.

Bang!!

A blue-and-white porcelain teacup was viciously hurled to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"Useless! That bunch from the Hunter Gang is useless!" Liu Yi clenched his fists, with nowhere to vent his rage.

They had agreed to cripple them, yet Zhao Tuo and Li Mu had still returned carrying so much exotic beast meat!

The injuries the two had suffered clearly had not damaged their foundations.

The wilderness! Hunting grounds! Powerful exotic beasts everywhere! They had every advantage! Was it really so difficult to drive a few beasts over and cripple them?

Why was it so hard to get even one thing done?!

Liu Yi could not understand it. His chest was full of fire, but he could not release it.

When he arrived at the Forging Sword Hall of the Forging Sword Tower, he picked up a whip and lashed it across his nephew, who was diligently hammering iron.

Liu Wuyou gritted his teeth tightly and hammered the iron blow after blow, constantly telling himself that his uncle was doing this for his own good.

"With your progress, how are you supposed to take first place in the year-end martial competition?!" Liu Yi poured all his fury into the whip, berating his nephew Liu Wuyou for failing to meet expectations.

"Don't think you're the only one with an uncle. The top newcomers in the other towers are no slouches either. Those declining families may be down, but a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. They each have hidden foundations supporting them, and they've kept them deeply concealed until now..."

To nurture Liu Wuyou and secure Ye Wanqing's full support for him, he had done many things. He had even found ways to remove some people born with exceptional physiques and talent. Cao A-Man did not count; that fool had gotten himself killed...

But he could not keep doing this forever. Sooner or later, it would arouse Ye Wanqing and the others' suspicions.

Everything depended on Liu Wuyou proving himself.

He had no children, and Liu Wuyou was his only family. The two had depended on each other for so many years that he had long regarded Liu Wuyou as his own son. He had spared no effort in raising him, even preparing many expensive medicines to increase qi and blood. When money was insufficient, he had even borrowed from gangs at usurious rates... Liu Wuyou carried all his painstaking efforts.

After whipping his own nephew, Liu Yi paced back and forth, thinking slowly.

Outsiders and minor gangs were ultimately unreliable.

Recently, the city garrison had joined forces with the great families to suppress the Mountain-Holding Vulture. The roads had become too peaceful, making it difficult to cause any major disturbance.

It was also difficult to act inside the manor, where too many eyes were watching...

"Forget it. I'll let them off for now. Once the year-end martial competition is arranged, I'll cripple Zhao Meng, Zhao Tuo, Li Mu, and the rest in public. I'll make them wish they were dead..."

Liu Yi closed his eyes deeply and swallowed this anger for the time being.

"You actually took Li Mu to Black Camel Ridge. He's the best prospect Myriad Swords Tower has had in recent years!"

The moment Zhao Meng received the news, he rushed over and questioned Zhao Tuo.

He was furious. Even seeing Zhao Tuo covered in injuries could not suppress the fire in his heart.

"I didn't expect this trip to be so dangerous either." Zhao Tuo immediately wilted before his elder brother.

"Brother Meng, it was my request." Li Mu could not let Zhao Tuo take the blame.

"Even if you wanted experience or lacked meat, you didn't need to take such a risk." Zhao Meng's expression softened as he asked about the hunt.

Zhao Tuo hurriedly spoke, recounting their perilous journey. His gift for storytelling came into play again, and he described it with great flair. He especially detailed how Li Mu had saved him, making it clear that Li Mu's strength was already remarkable and putting Zhao Meng at ease.

When he heard that Li Mu had slain more than twenty young wolves in succession before piercing the Black Mountain Wolf King to death with his final strike, Zhao Meng's eyelids twitched.

"This kid stayed calm while facing a wolf pack and fought through a sliver of survival for you between life and death!"

Zhao Meng could imagine how dangerous it had been, and his heart filled with relief.

If Li Mu had not suddenly produced that inconceivable sword force, and then forcibly used the third form of the Water-Questioning Sword Manual, Zhao Tuo would have been severely injured even if he had survived. His martial path would have been destroyed from then on!

"Manager Leng's eye is truly sharp." Zhao Meng paced back and forth, recalling how Leng Shuangyu had stood to ask about Li Mu before the arena, then bestowed several extraordinary rewards upon him. He realized that the young female manager had placed her bet long ago.

"This trip's harvest was quite generous, and Li Mu's cultivation resources are settled for now. Big Brother, I didn't fail your trust." Zhao Tuo puffed up again.

Zhao Meng nodded slightly. The harvest was indeed good. More importantly, Li Mu had escaped danger and experienced a great battle, which was excellent tempering for him!

"But we were offered as a bounty..." Zhao Tuo's expression turned grave as he revealed the Hunter Gang's bounty.

"Big Brother, if we hadn't encountered Zhou Dayuan, we would have either died or been crippled. Our martial paths would have been ruined. I'm certain it was Liu Yi."

Zhao Meng pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "For the time being, don't make any rash moves. We have enough meat anyway, so don't go out again. There's no hard evidence against Liu Yi, so don't pursue this further."

Though he said that, his heart was heavy. Leng Shuangyu could not suppress Ye Wanqing in terms of authority, while he himself had not yet broken through and could not defeat Liu Yi. He had no way to stand up for them.

Their strength and influence were inferior, so they could only endure.

"Li Mu, you're highly talented and an excellent piece of uncut jade. Although we have high hopes for you placing in the top three of the martial competition, you must proceed step by step and not rush. The most important thing is to use martial training to guide your qi and blood into breaking through your apertures." Zhao Meng worried that Li Mu would force himself to train despite his qi and blood condition, damaging his foundation.

Many people believed that the more they trained, the better, but that was not the case. A person's physique had limits. Without sufficient accumulation, forcibly pushing past those limits would only do more harm than good and damage the body. Unless one was exceptionally gifted or had an endless supply of expensive medicines to replenish one's blood.

Li Mu nodded. He had understood this long ago. With the support of Clear Sword Eyes, he could clearly sense his own condition. He had never allowed his qi and blood to decline, always stopping right at his body's limit.

"With your current strength, you're qualified to apply for sword delivery." Zhao Meng smiled again.

"Sorry to trouble you, Brother Meng."

Li Mu had been wanting to make a trip to Azure River City.

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. The leaves had begun to yellow, and autumn gradually arrived.

The result of the competition for sword-delivery slots came out.

Li Mu's slot had originally been confirmed, but after comparison and deliberation, it was taken away.

The Myriad Swords Tower's three slots had originally been assigned to Li Mu, Guan Gu, and Jiao Yang.

However, the other managers unanimously believed that recent times were still not entirely peaceful. Potential talents with insufficient qi and blood needed protection, so servants with more than a year of experience should be sent out for tempering instead.

Li Mu was replaced.

Then Ye Wanqing, the manager of the Forging Sword Tower, stated that the Myriad Swords Tower had suffered no casualties last time while the Forging Sword Tower had sustained heavy losses. They urgently needed to stabilize morale, so while things were calm, it would be best to allocate them one more slot.

The slot vacated by Li Mu was taken away as well.

After a final round of selection, the Forging Sword Tower discovered that all servants with over a year of experience had already participated in sword delivery. For fairness and to boost morale, they chose the strongest among the newcomers who had just passed the assessment.

That person was Liu Wuyou.

As Liu Yi's nephew, he had received many resources. Combined with the Forging Sword Tower's unique Iron-Forging Aperture-Piercing Method, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds. He was no weaker than the other servants with over a year of experience. He had earned the slot through a match on the spot and won the approval of the managers from the other towers.

As for Li Mu, who had been removed... no one cared except Leng Shuangyu.

The news returned to the Myriad Swords Tower.

Inside Li Mu's room, the three sat around together.

"Big Brother, do you think certain people have any shame left?" Zhao Tuo fumed. This was clearly targeted suppression.

"Manager Leng already drew her sword and charged into the Forging Sword Tower today... I believe there will be a result soon," Zhao Meng said in a low voice. "Earned through a match, my ass... Some people are going too far. Do they really think our Myriad Swords Tower is made of clay? Some things can happen once or twice, but never a third time!"

"Li Mu, don't worry. Ye Wanqing is no match for Manager Leng. Next time there's a sword delivery, you'll definitely have a slot."

Li Mu nodded. Having his slot taken angered him somewhat, but his strength was insufficient and his words carried little weight, leaving him with no options.

Hearing that Leng Shuangyu had directly drawn her sword over this matter, he could not help feeling even more favorably toward the cold-faced manager.

Zhao Meng said, "Stone, I'm going into seclusion to break through. You'll need to handle the remaining matters."

Stone was Zhao Tuo's childhood name. Now that Zhao Tuo had broken through to the second stage, he could begin taking over responsibilities.

His qi and blood had already accumulated to its bottleneck. He had only delayed his breakthrough because he had been running around handling Li Mu's affairs and managing the Myriad Swords Tower's miscellaneous matters.

"Big Brother, don't worry. I'll make sure Li Mu stays safe." Zhao Tuo understood the meaning behind his elder brother's words.

At the year-end martial competition, Li Mu was clearly the Myriad Swords Tower newcomer with the greatest hope.

If the Forging Sword Tower still wanted to cause trouble in secret, Li Mu would be their target.