Chapter 104: Reaction
Chapter 104: Reaction
Chen Mu coldly observed the distant figure of a black-clad man falling to the ground. With a swift movement, he appeared beside the crying Yu Yao, inspecting her for any injuries. Finding none and seeing that the black-clad man had done nothing untoward, he heard her cries grow louder and more powerful, easing his worries slightly.
In the distance, several torches approached, their light drawing closer. Chen Mu glanced in their direction and, after a moment's thought, retreated slightly, gently setting down the crying Yu Yao. His figure soon vanished into the darkness.
...
The next day, at dawn, the sound of knocking echoed through the courtyard.
A servant soon arrived to report that many Yu Clan patrolmen had gathered outside.
Chen Mu yawned and rose from his bed, donning a simple robe before heading out. He saw numerous individuals wearing Yu Clan patrol uniforms gathering his servants and questioning them about any disturbances the night before.
Among them, Chen Mu spotted a familiar face—Little He, whom he hadn't seen for several days.
Little He quickly approached Chen Mu and said, "Last night, thieves broke into your neighbor, Yu Zhen's home, and abducted his newborn daughter. But the thieves are dead, and Yu Yao has been rescued. She's fine now. By the way... did you just wake up?"
"Yeah, I slept in a bit," Chen Mu replied with a smile.
Little He blinked and studied Chen Mu closely. "With your temperament, you're usually diligent. Why are you sleeping so late all of a sudden? There must be a reason."
As she spoke, she tilted her head and said, "Let me guess... you've reached a breakthrough in your cultivation, and your Sinew Transformation has succeeded!"
At this point, Little He turned to Chen Mu with a smile. "How's my guess?"
Chen Mu glanced at her. He thought she might have guessed something.
"What do you think?" he asked in return.
Seeing Chen Mu's reaction, Little He became even more certain. "You must have reached the breakthrough! It's been almost four months, and with two Sinew Transformation Pills, if you've fully absorbed their power, you're probably close to the minor success stage of Sinew Transformation."
Watching Little He's beaming face, Chen Mu couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, let's say you guessed right."
Indeed, Chen Mu had achieved a breakthrough, but not to the minor success stage of Sinew Transformation. Instead, he had reached the perfection stage and was on the verge of entering the realm of Sinew Transformation's limits.
"That's wonderful!" Little He exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy. "I knew you could do it!"
Although Little He had also entered the Sinew Transformation Realm, Chen Mu was different. He possessed exceptional talent, a cross-training body, and had mastered at least three saber techniques. The moment he stepped into the Sinew Transformation Realm, it would be a significant qualitative change.
Little He understood that even if several people at her level joined forces, they would likely stand no chance against Chen Mu in the Sinew Transformation Realm. Even those who had achieved major success in Sinew Transformation might struggle to match Chen Mu.
Furthermore, if Chen Mu successfully entered the Sinew Transformation Realm, his age would no longer be a factor. He would eventually reach the perfection stage of Sinew Transformation and, with his innate understanding of martial arts, could one day rival those in the Bone Forging Realm.
Even at the minor success stage of Bone Forging, one would be considered a notable figure within the entire Yu Clan. If Chen Mu's strength could match that, he could be considered a minor success in Bone Forging without issue. As Xu Hongyu had said, if Chen Mu wished to form a marital alliance with the Yu Clan, he could choose from the side branches, and even the direct line heirs like Yu Ru wouldn't be a problem.
Even Xu Hongyu herself, despite her unique status and exceptional talent among the Yu Clan's fourth generation, would likely face little resistance from the clan if she had the intention.
For the Yu Clan, the ability to enter the Sinew Transformation Realm was a significant milestone.
"Look at how happy you are," Chen Mu said, shaking his head with a smile as he observed Little He's joyful expression. "Someone who doesn't know might think you've already achieved major success in Sinew Transformation."
Little He's smile blossomed like a flower, and she blinked, saying, "You're so confident and composed because you know it's true. But we've all been watching, and Sinew Transformation is a whole different level from muscle training... Now that you've entered the Sinew Transformation Realm, the young miss's plan can begin, and you'll have a part in it too."
"What plan?" Chen Mu asked, looking at Little He with curiosity.
Little He smiled slightly. "The young miss only needs another month of secluded cultivation to reach the perfection stage of Sinew Transformation. Then, she'll take up a position in the Demon Slayer Bureau, and I'll assist her there as well."
"The Demon Slayer Bureau?" Chen Mu nodded slightly.
In fact, he had already guessed that after Xu Hongyu resigned from the Southern District Chief Magistrate's position, the most likely place for her to go would be the Demon Slayer Bureau. A person of Xu Hongyu's caliber wouldn't fit well in the Salt Administration Bureau, which was more like a retirement home for the Yu Clan's elders. The other government bureaus didn't have much Yu Clan involvement, and Xu Hongyu probably wouldn't want to engage in political intrigues anyway.
So, after weighing all the options, the Demon Slayer Bureau, one of the four most sought-after bureaus, was the most suitable place for Xu Hongyu.
Now it seemed that not only did Xu Hongyu plan to go to the Demon Slayer Bureau herself, but she had also arranged for Chen Mu to join her when she had him removed from his position.
"That's great," Chen Mu thought. The Demon Slayer Bureau was indeed an excellent choice, for him as well.
There, he could obtain various resources he lacked, including Bone Forging Pills and the opportunity to study more Concept Diagrams. The Thunderbolt Map he possessed was only a low-quality printed version; if he could study a medium or high-quality version, the effects would be far better than what he currently had.
Just like not long ago, he had accumulated enough experience for the second deduction, and once again deduced the Thunder Intent, but as he had expected, it was indeed impossible to directly advance the Thunder Intent to the second step with just one deduction.
That deduction,
merely deepened his understanding of the Thunder Intent.
However, there were still some changes. For example, when he now displayed the Thunder Intent, the electric arcs were slightly more noticeable. Last night, he had killed the black-clad man with a single strike, using only the Thunder Intent.
If it were in the past, using only the Thunder Intent against an opponent fifty steps away who was prepared in advance, there might have been a slim chance of dodging. But with a deeper understanding of the Thunder Intent, such surprises no longer existed.
"Let's go, we have business to attend to."
Xiao He spoke with a smile, then turned around and addressed the Yu Clan patrol team questioning the servants in the courtyard, "Alright, that's enough. No need to ask further."
In the 16th year of the Yu Clan's reign, the 9th month, on a certain day, the 1st watch.
The Yu Clan patrol team was merely following protocol with their questioning. They had already known all about Chen Mu's background and didn't even bother questioning him. Instead, they focused on interrogating the servants. Now that they learned Chen Mu had entered the Sinew Transformation Realm, some of them looked at Chen Mu with newfound respect.
"Alright, that's enough. The person was rescued last night, and the culprit is dead. There's truly nothing more to it. It's just routine questioning, so please don't take offense at the slight disturbance."
The leader of the patrol team greeted Chen Mu with a smile and a wave, then led his team away.
Chen Mu shook his head slightly and gave instructions to Wang Ni and the others, then followed Xiao He out of the courtyard.
...
Eastern side of the Yu Clan's territory.
Main courtyard.
In the spacious courtyard, various exotic flowers and plants were meticulously trimmed, creating a visually pleasing sight.
At this moment, a bamboo mat was laid out in one corner of the courtyard, upon which lay a corpse dressed in a night cloak. A blood hole pierced through its chest, marking it as the black-clad assailant from the previous night.
The corpse's mask had been removed, revealing a face of a man in his thirties.
At this moment, several individuals in their forties and fifties stood around the corpse. They were the second and third generations of the Yu Clan, currently holding power within the family.
Leading them was a man dressed in a green robe, none other than Yu Zuyi, the current head of the Yu Clan!
Yu Zuyi was Xu Hongyu's grand-uncle. He had perfected the Bone Tempering Realm and mastered the Water Intent. Aside from the old ancestor who had entered the Five Viscera Realm, Yu Zuyi was the pillar of the Yu Clan.
But now, Yu Zuyi was already in his sixties, nearing the age of declining vitality. He could only hold on for a few more years before stepping down as the head of the clan. Among the third generation, there was currently no one who could match his strength. The highest-ranked member of the third generation had also perfected the Bone Tempering Realm but had yet to comprehend the Water Intent.
Everyone's attention was fixed on the corpse.
Amidst the silence, a graceful figure approached—none other than Xu Hongyu.
Xu Hongyu walked closer, glancing at the corpse and briefly concentrating. She then shifted her gaze to Yu Zuyi.
"Grand-uncle."
"Ah, Hongyu, you're here."
Yu Zuyi's expression softened as he looked at Xu Hongyu.
This was the main courtyard of the Yu Clan, where even the direct descendants of the clan were not allowed to enter freely. Xu Hongyu was one of the few from the fourth generation who could participate in such matters.
Xu Hongyu nodded, "Grand-uncle, I've made significant progress in my cultivation. I'm close to perfecting the Sinew Transformation Realm, and with another month or so, I'll achieve it. After that, I plan to take up a position in the Demon Slayer Bureau."
"Hmm, reaching the perfection of the Sinew Transformation Realm is indeed suitable for the Demon Slayer Bureau."
Yu Zuyi nodded slightly.
If it were an ordinary Yu Clan descendant who had achieved minor success in the Sinew Transformation Realm, going to the Demon Slayer Bureau wouldn't be an issue. However, he hoped Xu Hongyu would grow more steadily, so when she first entered the Sinew Transformation Realm, he didn't assign her to the Demon Slayer Bureau. Instead, he had her take up the position of Chief Magistrate in the Southern District, allowing her to gain experience and temper her abilities.
Xu Hongyu continued, "I also plan to bring Xiao He with me to the Demon Slayer Bureau. Additionally, Chen Mu has also entered the Sinew Transformation Realm, and having the two of them assist me would be ideal."
"Oh, Chen Mu? I recall you mentioning him."
Yu Zuyi pondered for a moment, recalling what he knew about Chen Mu, "For him to enter the Sinew Transformation Realm is indeed impressive. Your judgment is excellent, and having him assist you in the Demon Slayer Bureau is a good idea."
At this point,
Yu Zuyi nodded, "Alright, I've taken note of this. I'll make the arrangements in a few days."
Xu Hongyu acknowledged and moved to the side.
At this moment, Yu Zuyi looked at the bamboo mat and the corpse, then swept his gaze over the crowd, his voice carrying a sense of authority, "Most of you have arrived. Regarding last night's incident where 'Blot-Faced' Tian Jifeng attempted to harm the Yu Clan's bloodline but was killed by an unknown assailant outside the headquarters... What are your thoughts on this matter?"
(End of Chapter)
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