Red-Adorned Ghost Face, Visiting the Academy Again

"Heh, what are you staring blankly at? Are there flowers on this old woman's face?"

"Come inside and talk. Looking at you sneaking about, you definitely haven't done anything good."

Granny Li at the door suddenly gave a snorting laugh and turned around unsteadily.

Chen Mu's pupils contracted as he stared uncertainly at the old woman's back, so frail she could barely walk.

There was no one else nearby! Could that expert from just now have been her?

How was that possible?!

Chen Mu could not sense the slightest stirring of blood qi from Granny Li.

This old woman had a peculiar temperament. Even though Chen Mu had saved her granddaughter Su Su, she had never been particularly fond of him.

Instead, she was rather fond of A-Ning and had specifically brought her medicine several times.

"Husband... Granny is calling us inside."

Not knowing why Chen Mu had suddenly become so tense, A-Ning tugged at his sleeve.

Only then did Chen Mu let out a breath and suppress his wild imaginings.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it..."

His gaze shifted as he said to A-Ning, "It's nothing. Let's go in first."

With that, he took A-Ning by the hand and entered the courtyard gate.

"Creak—"

The old wooden gate shut on its own without wind. The courtyard was simple, with several crooked-necked trees planted within.

There was a side room to the west, while a patch of vegetables had been planted before the kitchen door on the east side.

The branches of the old locust tree in the City God Temple stretched above the roof of the main hall, hung with countless red ribbons and peace plaques.

Chen Mu felt the courtyard's gloomy yin aura, though he had grown used to it.

The City God Temple area had always been like this. People often claimed to encounter ghosts and specters while walking the roads at night.

Yet strangely, no one had ever heard of any real demons or ghosts killing people near the temple.

That was also why Chen Mu had felt at ease letting A-Ning come here to seek refuge.

Recalling the sensation of having been locked onto earlier, he could no longer tell what was real and what was not.

The feeling had come swiftly and vanished just as swiftly, like a chill wind brushing past his neck—cold for an instant, then gone.

Chen Mu suspected that the yin aura here had agitated him and created an illusion.

After all, he had narrowly escaped death last night. His nerves had been taut all night, so it was inevitable that he would think too much.

Most importantly, Granny Li likely harbored no ill intentions toward A-Ning.

Even if she truly were a hidden folk expert concealing her strength, Chen Mu could only ask for more.

So, pretending he had noticed nothing, he escorted A-Ning near the main house, caught hold of her, and instructed her:

"I won't go in. That girl Li Su Su is too troublesome."

"Tell Granny Li the details. Don't be afraid of troubling her. Give her this money and have Su Su help brew the medicine."

Seeing how meticulous and considerate Chen Mu was, A-Ning's eyes reddened with emotion.

"It's all because I'm useless. I'm always causing you trouble, Husband."

Her smile was forced, and her brows carried a trace of self-reproach.

"Don't say that again. Remember, since we are husband and wife, sharing weal and woe is only heaven's law."

Chen Mu smiled and wiped the faint moisture from the corners of her eyes. Then, a white jade pendant tied with a red cord slipped from his palm.

"Look, what is this?" Chen Mu asked with a smile in his voice.

"Ah!" A-Ning cried softly, hurriedly covering her mouth, her eyes filled with surprise and delight.

Before her was plainly one half of the Yin-Yang Twin-Heart Jade, warm white in color and shaped like a swimming fish.

"Don't show this to anyone. Wear it close to your body. It can nourish your health."

As he spoke, Chen Mu tied the red cord around A-Ning's neck and helped her put it on.

"Husband, where did you get such fine jade?"

Her eyes shimmered as she lovingly played with it. Then, as though afraid of losing it, she tucked it into her collar.

The jade felt cool and warm in her hand. One glance was enough to tell that it was worth no small sum; more importantly, Chen Mu had put such thought into it.

A-Ning was moved beyond measure, but Chen Mu did not think so deeply about it. He only wanted it to warm her body.

"Just consider it something I picked up. Remember, don't leave the house these next few days. Wait for me."

After giving her several more instructions, Chen Mu bade farewell and left alone beneath A-Ning's reluctant gaze.

A-Ning watched Chen Mu close the gate, then stood blankly in the courtyard for a long while.

She stroked the warm jade through her clothes. Whatever she thought of made a smile bloom on her face.

Granny Li emerged again at some point, holding an oil lamp as she said to A-Ning:

"Stop looking. That boy left long ago. Come settle in first."

A-Ning's face flushed at once. She hurriedly came back to herself, thanked her, and followed along.

The two arrived at the side room, where there was a simple washing stand.

The old woman set the candle lamp before a bronze mirror and said gently to A-Ning, "You'll stay with Su Su. She went to the temple to offer incense. She can sort out the things here once she returns."

A-Ning hurriedly said, "How could that do? I should handle it."

As she spoke, she quickly untied her bundle and began tidying the somewhat dirty, cluttered room, putting away her belongings.

Granny Li watched from the side, the candlelight reflecting in the furrows on her face as a ghostly gleam flashed through her eyes.

Had A-Ning looked up at that moment, she would surely have gone pale with fright.

In the bronze mirror, the old woman's face was twisted. There was not the slightest trace left of her former kindness.

Along with the distorted lamplight appeared half of an exquisitely beautiful, seductive woman's face.

The other half was exposed white bone, savage and horrifying, with eerie ghostly qi billowing from empty eye sockets.

A-Ning had no idea what kind of monster stood behind her. She merely pursed her lips and smiled softly.

"Granny, you don't know—my husband said he's going to the east of the city to take a master and learn martial arts. He even bought medicine specially for me..."

Granny Li seemed to think of something as well. The reflection in the mirror twisted, returning to its decrepit old appearance.

"You're filled to the brim with that boy. He may not be so honest with you."

Interrupting A-Ning's chatter, the old woman abruptly asked coldly:

"Girl, let me ask you. Back then, you risked your life to carry him back from the snow ditch. Weren't you afraid that boy would betray you someday?"

A-Ning paused slightly at those words, then smiled with pursed lips. "He wouldn't. Husband treats me very well."

As she spoke, she pressed a hand to her collar and felt the warmth of the jade, then began smiling dreamily again.

Granny Li frowned as she watched, sighing as though disappointed that she had failed to live up to expectations.

"Forget it. Such a hopeless girl—some worthless trinket was enough to fool you. Consider this old woman overly talkative today. Hmph..."

With that, the old woman took up the lamp and left with trembling steps, leaving A-Ning utterly baffled.

Meanwhile, Chen Mu had already left Bai Le Ward.

Only after returning to West Street's main road did he feel the yin aura around him recede.

"Looks like Bai Le Ward truly is strange."

Chen Mu secretly kept his guard up. With his current blood qi, ordinary wandering ghosts would likely be scattered before they could even approach him.

Yet this mere trace of yin aura had made him feel as though thorns pressed against his back. It was absolutely no simple matter.

But Chen Mu had no mind to investigate it now.

The city's chaos had only just begun. Zhao Dong had obtained the waterway map and might not remember a minor figure like him.

But Chen Mu had played the Red Whale Gang for fools and even cost them a hall master. They could not possibly let the matter rest.

After thinking it over, Chen Mu decided not to return to Rubble Ward. He would go straight to the martial academy!

That day, Qin Tieya had said to return for the assessment three days later, but he had not said Chen Mu could not come early.

Chen Mu had now broken through to the third level of Body Tempering and had yin jade to conceal his aura.

He could easily disguise himself as someone who had only just achieved a little success in training and broken through to the first level of Body Tempering, then seek admission again.

As long as he stayed in the martial academy, the Red Whale Gang would never dare come looking for trouble.

No sooner thought than done. Chen Mu immediately pulled down the brim of his conical hat, blended into the crowd on West Street, and headed east without looking back.

Before long, Chen Mu crossed Caiyi Street and arrived before the main gates of Azure Dragon Martial Academy.

"Who goes there? Sneaking around with your head down! Raise your head!"

The gate guard immediately stopped Chen Mu and ordered him to state his name at once.

Chen Mu realized this was quite a coincidence—the gatekeeper was an acquaintance.

"Senior Brother Liu Meng, do you remember me? Sorry for the trouble, but please announce me."

As he spoke, he lifted one corner of his hat brim and flicked out a piece of broken silver without moving his wrist. It tore through the air in an instant.

"You?!"

Liu Meng recognized Chen Mu and casually raised a hand to catch the silver.

To his surprise, the force wrapped around that broken silver was astonishingly immense.

Despite his powerful physique at the second level of Body Tempering, the strike made his palm ache. His mouth twitched, and he nearly cried out in pain.