Chapter 133: The Mystic
Chapter 133: The Mystic
Upon seeing the old man, Chen Mu immediately understood why the Heaven Sword Sect's true disciple had glanced his way. It wasn't his gaze that had caught the disciple's attention, but rather the unkempt and unremarkable-looking old Taoist behind him.
The phrase "In charge of the Mystic Hall, profound words of the heavens," clearly revealed his identity as someone from the Mystic Pavilion, one of the Four Great Sects.
Although Chen Mu had no idea what this old Taoist was capable of, he really didn't want to have any dealings with such a mysterious sect. Among the Four Great Sects, the last one he wanted to encounter was someone from the Mystic Pavilion.
"Sorry, I'm not interested."
Chen Mu responded with an alert gaze, ready to pull Xu Hongyu away.
"Don't go, don't go!" The old Taoist grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth with gaps, and said, "The old Taoist is about to close shop. You two are my last customers, and I won't charge you for the divination. How about it?"
"No, thanks." Chen Mu flatly refused.
The old Taoist was taken aback and began to blow his beard and stare, saying, "The old Taoist is offering a divination, and it's rare for someone to have the chance to seek one. I thought you were destined, but now you refuse to let me divine for you. It's unacceptable..."
As he spoke, the old Taoist laid down right in front of Chen Mu and started rolling around on the street, acting like a vagrant.
Xiao He and Xu Hongyu were left dumbfounded. After all, the old Taoist had openly declared himself as a member of the Mystic Pavilion, yet he was acting like a street ruffian, rolling on the ground. It seemed unlikely that he was genuine, but who would dare to impersonate a member of the Mystic Pavilion?
Chen Mu was perplexed. Although he couldn't sense any threatening aura from the old Taoist, who seemed like an ordinary old man, the fact that he had claimed to be from the Mystic Pavilion and possibly attracted the attention of the Heaven Sword Sect's true disciple made it clear that he wasn't an ordinary person. The more mysterious he acted, the harder it was to gauge his background.
Seeing that the old Taoist seemed determined to persist, Chen Mu finally sighed and said, "Fine, I'll let you do one divination."
Being in Yu Prefecture, he knew he would eventually have to deal with someone from the Mystic Pavilion. However, he really didn't want to associate with this old Taoist of unknown origins.
Hearing Chen Mu's words, the old Taoist immediately beamed with joy. He sprang up from the ground, hurried back to his stall, picked up a stack of tortoise shell copper coins, and asked with eager eyes, "Sir, do you want to divine your future or your fate?"
Chen Mu pulled Xu Hongyu, who looked confused, in front of him and said, "Just divine Hongyu's fate for me."
"Huh?" The old Taoist's face fell.
But in the end, he reluctantly picked up the tortoise shell copper coins and threw them down, forming a peculiar pattern.
"Incredibly fortunate..." The old Taoist said weakly.
Chen Mu and Xu Hongyu exchanged glances, both feeling that the old Taoist's words were a bit exaggerated.
"What are you divining? Even I can see that she's incredibly fortunate," someone nearby mocked.
"These fortune tellers are all frauds. If you really want to divine your fate, go to the Mystic Pavilion in the west. They're a reputable sect, and their divinations are the real deal."
Hearing these comments, the old Taoist flew into a rage. "I am from the Mystic Pavilion!"
"Shh, you should run while you can. If the Mystic Pavilion finds out you're impersonating them, you'll be in big trouble," someone whispered to the old Taoist.
If they hadn't seen the old Taoist's earlier antics, someone might have believed him. But after witnessing his behavior, who could possibly think he was from the Mystic Pavilion? It was like a tall tale, and he was more like a fraud.
"Impersonating the Mystic Pavilion? I don't need to impersonate them..." The old Taoist became furious and started arguing.
The area quickly descended into chaos, and soon, the city guards arrived after hearing the commotion. But upon learning that it involved the Mystic Pavilion, they hesitated and sent word to the sect.
When the Mystic Pavilion's people arrived in the alley, the old Taoist finally stopped arguing. His eyes darted around, and he suddenly darted through the guards, slipping into a narrow alleyway.
"Hmph! Daring to impersonate my Mystic Pavilion and then trying to escape?" The Mystic Pavilion's people, seeing the scene from a distance, immediately gave chase, disappearing into the narrow alley.
A few streets away, Chen Mu and Xu Hongyu continued strolling through the market, listening to the report from a servant. Chen Mu was momentarily stunned, and even Xu Hongyu was surprised.
"Could it be that the Heaven Sword Sect's true disciple's reaction had nothing to do with the old Taoist, and he was indeed just a fraud impersonating the Mystic Pavilion?" Chen Mu wondered, momentarily doubting his initial judgment.
But this thought seemed too far-fetched, especially since they were in the inner city. "Never mind, whether he's real or not, it doesn't concern us. Let's assume he's genuine, after all, he divined that Xu Hongyu's fate is incredibly fortunate, a good omen," Chen Mu said, deciding to let it go.
Xu Hongyu blinked at Chen Mu, not quite understanding the significance of the old Taoist's words. She didn't think much of it, as she was already born into the prestigious Yu family, far exceeding ordinary wealth.
Xiao He giggled beside them, "Actually, his divination was somewhat accurate. Miss Xu doesn't lack fortune, I just wish he had divined for her long life... no, immortality!"
Xu Hongyu found Xiao He's words amusing. She playfully tapped Xiao He's nose, "What are you saying? There's no living a thousand years, do you want me to become a monster?"
"The longevity of warriors is indeed longer than that of ordinary people. After entering the Organ Realms, they can live up to a hundred years, and it is said that those who reach the seventh realm of Bone Marrow Washing can live up to a hundred and fifty years."
"However, even in legends, those who enter the eighth realm of martial arts and achieve the level of blood transformation are revered as 'Martial Saints', but according to records, their lifespan is at most two hundred years. Only demons can live for thousands of years."
Chen Mu looked at Xu Hongyu and Xiao He with a smile.
Those who can live for thousands of years are probably non-existent. After all, if the founding emperor of the Grand Xuan Dynasty, who pacified the four seas, were alive today, the world would not have fallen into such chaos. But these events are too distant.
The sky gradually darkened.
Chen Mu, Xu Hongyu, and the others quickly returned to the Yu Clan's residence and disappeared into the streets of the compound.
At almost the same time, under the dim and gloomy sky, a figure swiftly walked along the southeast streets of the Inner City. He wore a black cloak, his features obscured, and soon arrived at the base of a towering five-story pavilion.
He looked up at the plaque hanging on the pavilion.
Blood Veil Tower!
The three blood-red characters, in the twilight, exuded a chilling aura and a sense of blood, making one's heart palpitate.
The man in the black cloak quickly averted his gaze and stepped into the Blood Veil Tower. The first floor was spacious and empty, with no one in sight, only an empty square table and a blood-red curtain standing in the middle.
A dim candle flickered on the side of the table.
He walked up to the table.
The dim candlelight illuminated the face beneath the cloak, revealing a cold and indifferent expression—it was He Guangxun of the He family!
He Guangxun slowly sat down in front of the table.
Almost at the same time, the blood-red curtain behind him suddenly trembled slightly, and then, in the previously empty space, a figure clad in blood-red clothing silently appeared and sat down on the empty chair.
"Who do you want to kill?"
The figure in blood-red clothing spoke without emotion.
This seemed to be He Guangxun's first time here, and he was startled by the sudden appearance of the blood-clad figure. His pupils constricted slightly, and a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by coldness.
Not long ago, the people sent to investigate the disappearance of He Guangzong and He Mingzhen returned with news. After nearly a month of hard work, they had forcibly dug up a small portion of the collapsed mountain, where they found the corpses of the He family's men. The bodies had already decayed, and the mountain debris made it difficult to discern any traces, but regardless, the Yu Clan was undoubtedly involved.
Now, with all the Yu Clan's forces subdued and their direct descendants confined to their residence, the He family, even if they wanted revenge, would find it difficult to find an opportunity. Destroying a few of the Yu Clan's businesses outside was insignificant and meaningless.
He Mingzhen was the most outstanding member of the He family's fourth generation, and among the younger generation, he had the highest probability of entering the Organ Realms. But now, he had died prematurely. If this had happened in the past, the entire Yu Prefecture would have been turned upside down, but with the current situation in Yu Prefecture, they could no longer act as freely as before.
"Yu Clan, Chen Mu."
He Guangxun spoke coldly.
Among the Yu Clan's fourth generation, there was no one more outstanding than He Mingzhen, but Chen Mu was engaged to Xu Hongyu, a direct descendant of the Yu Clan. Moreover, Chen Mu had already comprehended the Muscle Transformation Realm, making him the most promising individual for the future.
Since He Mingzhen is dead, the Yu Clan must also suffer. This wedding... might as well become a funeral."
As he spoke, the figure in blood-red clothing silently disappeared.
When he reappeared, it was a quarter of an hour later.
"Chen Mu, a White Guard of the Demon Slayer Bureau, the Yu Clan's son-in-law residing in the Inner City, engaged to Xu Hongyu, a direct descendant. He has comprehended the Wind Hexagram Intent and the Muscle Transformation Realm... nine hundred thousand taels of silver."
He Guangxun's eyebrows furrowed.
Expensive!
Too expensive!
Nine hundred thousand taels of silver was not a small amount for the He family. It was enough to cultivate nearly a thousand elite swordsmen, and among them, ten or even dozens could enter the Muscle Transformation Realm.
"Too expensive," He Guangxun said in a low voice.
The figure in blood-red clothing replied indifferently, "No bargaining."
The business of the Blood Veil Tower seemed simple, but the process was actually quite complicated. It involved intelligence gathering, multiple layers of assessment, and finally, setting a price based on the situation.
Chen Mu's Wind Hexagram Intent and Muscle Transformation Realm were not extraordinary, but as a White Guard of the Demon Slayer Bureau, he fell within the jurisdiction of the Seven Mysteries Sect. The Blood Veil Tower's assassination of a White Guard would also come with risks and costs, especially with the Inspector stationed in the Inner City.
Furthermore, Chen Mu was engaged to a direct descendant of the Yu Clan and currently resided in their compound. The Yu Clan also had a former Overseer of the Seven Mysteries Sect, who, despite his old age, would still increase the risks of the assassination.
Assassinations were not something that could be exposed to the light. Hence, the Blood Veil Tower had the saying, 'Blood Veil Without Trace,' as killing was not merely about taking a life but also erasing all traces afterward. The victim would seem to have vanished into thin air, leaving no clues as to whether they had disappeared or died.
In fact, the Blood Veil Tower was currently reluctant to take on jobs involving sensitive offices like the Demon Slayer Bureau and the Inspector Bureau. They had just established themselves in Yu Prefecture and had a tacit understanding with the Seven Mysteries Sect. Acting too recklessly would invite targeting and suppression from the Seven Mysteries Sect, and sects like Sky Sword Harmony would not side with the Blood Veil Tower but would rather see them clash with the Seven Mysteries Sect.
(End of Chapter)
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