Boom! Boom! Crack! Crack!
As a disciple of the Saint God, Duan Tianlong possessed extremely powerful techniques. Even though Chen Mu had given his all, he was still forced to dodge left and right by Duan Tianlong and had no chance to fight back.
According to Chen Mu's estimation, although Duan Tianlong's cultivation level was only at the Saint Level Late Stage, his combat power at this moment was no weaker than that of Ren Changsheng Undead Supreme at the Saint Level Peak.
Ultimately, Duan Tianlong had been taught and trained by a true God Level expert, so he was naturally much better in combat skills than Ren Changsheng, who followed a self-taught path.
"Haha! That was exhilarating! It's been so many years since anyone has been able to withstand me in close combat for this long."
After a while, Duan Tianlong finally stopped and laughed heartily.
In this battle, it seemed that Duan Tianlong had won, but Chen Mu's profession was that of a talisman master. The fact that he was able to emerge unscathed from Duan Tianlong's attack without any preparation already spoke volumes.
"Brother Tianlong, your strength is formidable! I, your humble servant, am utterly defeated! Haha..."
Although Chen Mu still had some tricks up his sleeve, he could tell that Duan Tianlong hadn't used his full strength either.
This battle was just a friendly spar. With my Saint Level Early Stage cultivation, I was able to fight Duan Tianlong Saint Level Late Stage, for so long. Even if I lost, there was nothing to be ashamed of.
Conversely, if Duan Tianlong were to be defeated by him, he might incur Duan Tianlong's suspicion, which would be detrimental to future cooperation.
Here and now, with himself slightly defeated by Duan Tianlong, it's the best outcome for both sides.
"I have benefited greatly from this battle, and I need to go back and digest what I have learned!"
Brother Tianlong, I shall take my leave now. If there is another opportunity in the future, Tianlong will seek your guidance again.
Chen Mu cupped his hands in farewell to Duan Tianlong.
"Likewise, we're heading back to You Province too! Hope to meet again someday!"
The two parted ways, Chen Mu called Little White back from the forest. Together they boarded the spaceship and headed straight back to the Heavenly Emperor City.
The next day, in the morning.
Hou Sailei came to find Chen Mu early in the morning, saying he wanted to take Chen Mu to the Canglan River west of Heavenly Emperor City for a boat trip.
However, because the cooperation agreement was reached too late yesterday, Chen Mu has not yet informed Chen Hongjie.
So Chen Mu asked Hou Sailei to wait. Chen Mu set up an ultra-long-distance communication array in the room and spent some time informing Chen Hongjie of all the details of the cooperation he had reached with Duan Tianlong.
Chen Hongjie learned of Chen Mu's cooperation plan with the Dragon-Toppling Society and was very supportive, immediately arranging for people to build transport ships.
With the cooperation with the Dragon-Toppling Society, Chen Mu's trip to the Heavenly Emperor City was worthwhile.
Let's go! We'll go to the Canglan River.
Chen Mu entrusted Chen Hongjie with handling the upcoming cooperation with the Dragon-Toppling Society, believing that Chen Hongjie's organizational skills would allow him to manage it better than he could.
When Chen Mu and Hou Sailei arrived at the riverbank, it was already noon. Hou Sailei had somehow acquired a very luxurious cruise ship, and after Chen Mu boarded it, they slowly sailed into the middle of the river.
" Chen Mu, the Canglan River has existed since ancient times. It is the most scenic place in the Heavenly Emperor City, and young masters and ladies from noble families often come here to enjoy the scenery."
If we're lucky, perhaps we might even meet a noble lady and embark on a poignant love story...
Hou Sailei wore a dazzling gold-patterned robe, his hands adorned with numerous valuable jade rings and fine gold bracelets, as if afraid that no one would be unaware of his wealth.
Chen Mu could only rub his forehead, unsure how to comment on Hou Sailei's taste in clothing.
"Ahem... I heard that the upper reaches of the Canglan River are where the Haotian Imperial Palace is located."
Why don't you take me over there first, so I can admire the splendor of the Haotian Imperial Palace?
Chen Mu agreed to accompany Hou Sailei on the lake trip not because he was truly in the mood for it.
He was about to enter the palace to see Long Bo, and he needed to start making preparations to avoid being trapped and killed in the palace.
"No problem, but we can only watch from a distance, not get close."
If this attracts the attention of the Imperial Guards, it could be very troublesome.
The upper reaches of the Canglan River are the moat of the Haotian Imperial Palace. Although the Canglan River is not particularly wide, the underwater river is extremely deep. With a little arrangement, it can become a natural defensive barrier for the city.
Hou Sailei steered the pleasure boat upstream and soon arrived near the moat of the Haotian Imperial Palace.
Chen Mu was initially worried that bringing his boat here would attract attention, but he didn't expect there to be quite a few tour boats here, so their boat wasn't particularly conspicuous.
Thump... Clang...!
From the nearby pleasure boats, the sounds of zithers, flutes, and pipa could be heard from time to time, as many people were enjoying themselves on board, creating a scene of peace and prosperity.
"Hey! Chen Mu, do you actually know why these literati and scholars enjoy boating on lakes so much?"
With nothing else to do, Hou Sailei started testing Chen Mu.
Haha, the reason is actually very simple.
You women of the Central Plains, aren't you supposed to stay in your boudoirs, never stepping out of your doors?
Going out to enjoy the lake and flowers was one of the few ways for young ladies from wealthy families to meet men, so it's only natural that scholars and literati would flock there.
As a researcher, Chen Mu always thinks about problems from a very rational perspective, lacking any romanticism whatsoever.
Hou Sailei had originally intended to show off his literary talent, but after hearing Chen Mu's words, he suddenly felt that they made a lot of sense.
"Don't you think it's very romantic to see a couple boating on a lake, enjoying the scenery and sharing their feelings?"
"Hehe, it's romantic, but it can easily turn into 'waves' instead of 'romantic' if you're not careful."
After all, the boat was in the middle of the lake; even if something happened there, everyone would have their own version of events, making it impossible to investigate.
Chen Mu recalled his past life, where wealthy people also loved to buy yachts and take many people on trips, valuing the privacy of yachts.
It must be said that the customs of the ancients have more or less influenced later generations.
"How could they dare? These young ladies from noble families are all the apple of their parents' eyes. If anyone dares to cause trouble, they will surely die a terrible death."
Hou Sailei shook his head, disagreeing with Chen Mu's statement.
"They certainly wouldn't dare to act forcefully, but how could those young ladies from noble families, still waiting to be married, possibly understand the methods of these seasoned women?"
If you put them in a private space with a beautiful environment, the hormones secreted by their bodies can easily make them lose their senses and become infatuated.
Therefore, tales of talented men and beautiful women are rare, while cases of unfortunate encounters and misplaced affections are common in life.
Chen Mu's words gave Hou Sailei a sudden sense of enlightenment. Although he didn't understand what Chen Mu meant by "love hormones," it didn't affect his understanding of these words.