Chapter 147: Yan Wan Si
Chapter 147: Yan Wan Si
"Heavy breathing, surging Qi and blood..."
Chen Mu focused his attention entirely on the Whistling Wind Intention, heightening his perception of Autumn Wind Sensation to its sharpest. Despite the chaotic and intertwined figures in the room, he could still keenly detect the auras of several unknown individuals and sense them one by one.
Martial artists had thick Qi and blood, with light and prolonged breathing, making it easy to distinguish them from ordinary people. In no time, he eliminated most of the people in the room, leaving only two.
Both individuals had prolonged breathing, and their Qi and blood were also substantial. However, it was difficult to determine whether they were at the Sinew Transformation Realm or the Bone Forging Realm with absolute accuracy. After all, Chen Mu's Whistling Wind Intention, though the first Intention he mastered, was also the shallowest among the three. In a chaotic setting, with everyone remaining still, the subtle differences became too minute to discern.
However.
Chen Mu wasn't particularly troubled by this. He couldn't pinpoint whether these two were at the Sinew Transformation Realm or the Bone Forging Realm, but they definitely weren't any higher. There was no harm in taking action directly, but since Yan Wan Si might not be among these two, there was no need to alert others unnecessarily. A simple test would suffice.
With this thought, Chen Mu lightly raised his hand, picked up a wine cup, and took a sip. Simultaneously, his fingertip trembled imperceptibly, and a drop of liquid flew out silently, heading towards the nearest person.
"Hmm?"
The person was highly perceptive. Although they couldn't immediately identify the source of the dripping water, they still reacted by lightly flicking their finger just as the drop was about to land on them, causing the wine to fly out again.
Impressive skill, but this person isn't the one...
Chen Mu's heart stirred slightly. The quick reaction to the approaching drop might not be significant, but the ability to lightly flick the finger and send the wine flying back like a pearl, without splashing, required precise control over force. This was beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person.
This individual was also a Bone Forging Realm practitioner, but such subtle control over hardness and softness wasn't something a rough-and-tumble fighter like Yan Wan Si could achieve. Judging by their hand shape, they were also likely under thirty years old, making it highly probable that they were a disciple of one of the Four Great Sects.
Without making a sound, the person flicked their finger, deflecting the drop of wine. They then remained still, continuing to watch the performance without causing a disturbance. However, they seemed to start sensing the surroundings and observing the people around them.
Chen Mu wasn't concerned.
The person's discreet behavior, without causing a scene, suited him just fine. He turned his gaze to the other individual and, with a flick of his fingertip, sent another drop of wine flying.
However, the other person seemed too oblivious. They didn't notice the approaching wine and allowed it to land directly on their shoulder, soaking through their clothes. Only then did they react, their hair standing on end. But upon realizing it was just a small wet spot on their shoulder, possibly from someone else's spilled wine, they relaxed.
Throughout this, their Qi and blood fluctuated slightly, indicating they were only at the Sinew Transformation Realm.
"This one isn't him either..."
Chen Mu lifted his head almost imperceptibly, gazing at the ceiling above.
There was a third floor in the Magpie Pavilion, where private rooms were located. One could enjoy the Magpie Pavilion's singers and dancers or indulge in more intimate pleasures.
As this thought crossed his mind, Chen Mu said calmly, "I'm feeling a bit tired. Let's go upstairs to rest."
Xiao Lian was kneeling gracefully beside him. Hearing this, she was momentarily startled but quickly responded, helping Chen Mu to his feet and leading him to the third floor.
Just then, a drop of wine flew towards Chen Mu's shoulder. Upon closer inspection, one could see a faint, unusual gleam within the drop, hinting at a trace of sword light.
However, Chen Mu acted as if he hadn't noticed. He allowed Xiao Lian to support him as he stood, and only when the wine drop was about to land did his left sleeve move, and his finger lightly flicked it away.
Sizzle.
This time, the wine didn't fly away but vanished with a sizzling sound at his fingertip.
As if it were a casual gesture, Chen Mu didn't even glance in the direction of the wine. Instead, he pretended to be slightly tipsy, allowing Xiao Lian to support him as they left the hall and headed for the third floor.
Not far away, a figure wearing a black cloth hat stood. Behind the cloth, a pair of eyes revealed a hint of surprise.
This was the first person Chen Mu had tested. After carefully observing and realizing that Chen Mu had sent the wine drop, he responded with his own test. However, his test wasn't trivial. The drop of wine contained a hint of Intention power, yet Chen Mu had effortlessly extinguished it.
"Who is this person? How can they so easily extinguish my Sword Intention?"
Based on his perception and observation of Chen Mu, he could also tell that Chen Mu wasn't very old, likely under thirty. First, he was sure Chen Mu wasn't his fellow disciple from the Heavenly Sword Sect, as only someone cultivating the 'Mortal World' Sword Intention would visit a place like this. Second, he couldn't be from the Blood Veil Tower or the Harmony Sect. The Blood Veil Tower specialized in concealment and assassination, so they wouldn't make such a test. As for the Harmony Sect, it was needless to say; they were all women. The Mystic Mechanism Pavilion was a possibility, but their disciples were mostly chatterboxes, and few could sit quietly like Chen Mu.
Hmm.
Right, among the younger generation in Yu City, there was another non-sect member who caught his eye.
"Could it be him?"
Lu Yuan contemplated for a moment before shaking his head.
If it were the Inspector General, it would make sense for him to be here investigating something. However, it didn't seem like he was targeting Lu Yuan specifically, so there was no need to get involved in this mess. But was this man truly from a humble background? Even the Seven Mysteries Sect had overlooked such a talent, failing to recruit him, perhaps due to their prolonged isolation and lofty status. It was no wonder that their current lineage leader couldn't even withstand the fourth sword of Zuo Qianqiu's 'Heaven-Cleaving Seven Swords'.
Zuo Qianqiu was, after all, the only one in nearly a hundred years from the Heavenly Sword Sect to comprehend the 'Heavenly Sword' intent, an unparalleled genius by all accounts. Even the true lineage leaders of the Blood Veil Tower and the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, like Xuanyu, wouldn't dare face him directly.
Lu Yuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the thought. Being born in the same era as a figure like Zuo Qianqiu was undoubtedly a tragedy. In his dazzling light, anyone would pale in comparison.
However, Lu Yuan hadn't even managed to break into the top ten of the inner disciples, so his desire to compete had gradually faded. He spent his days drinking and listening to music, following his senior brothers around, and leaving the task of carrying the sect's reputation to Zuo Qianqiu alone.
...
Magpie Pavilion.
Third Floor.
In a room located in the southeast corner.
A man in his forties, with a slender build and a healed sword scar on his forehead, sat cross-legged, drinking from a cup.
In front of him was a girl of sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a light green dance skirt. Her bare feet lightly touched the yellow pear wood floor, her lithe waist swaying gracefully as she danced. Her slender figure was soft, almost boneless.
In the 16th book of the 19th volume, not a single mistake!
As the dance ended, the girl maintained her arched, backward-leaning posture for a while before turning to face the man at the table. With a giggle, she asked, "Sir, did I dance well?"
Her eyes still held a hint of childish innocence, but there was also a hint of allure that didn't quite match her youth. Her graceful movements and the subtle scent of hidden orchids in the valley made her captivating.
"Good, very good..."
Yan Wan Si grinned, his desire fully ignited. In an instant, he pounced from behind the table, pinning the girl beneath him. With just two moves, he tore her light green dance skirt to shreds.
The girl's face turned pale with panic, and she struggled, pleading, "No, sir, you can't... I'm a courtesan, I don't entertain guests..."
"Hmph! What do you mean by 'clean' or 'unclean'? I like them just the way they are."
Yan Wan Si's excitement grew as he saw the girl's panicked expression. Clearly, her allure had been a deliberate attempt to seduce him. The pretense of being a courtesan who didn't entertain guests was likely just a show for his benefit. As it happened, he did have a preference for such girls. During his years with the Black Cloud Bandits, he had taken a liking to seeing virtuous maidens panic and struggle helplessly as he pinned them to the ground.
Ordinary women, on the other hand, didn't arouse him nearly as much.
The girl struggled in panic, but she seemed to lack the strength to resist. Yan Wan Si stuffed a piece of torn skirt into her mouth, muffling her cries. Tears welled up in her pure eyes as she sobbed silently.
Just then—
Bang! Something smashed through the closed door, and a beam of light accompanied by a piercing sound shot towards Yan Wan Si.
Yan Wan Si reacted swiftly; one moment he was pressing the girl down on the floor, and the next, he sprang up like a nimble gecko, sticking to the wall. His eyes also caught sight of the source of the piercing light.
It was a slender flower branch!
It appeared to be a flower branch plucked casually from outside, but as it pierced through the air, it not only penetrated the sturdy door but also grazed past Yan Wan Si's previous position. It then embedded itself into the hard yellow pear wood floor, and the delicate winter jasmine flower on its tip remained completely undamaged!
Yan Wan Si's pupils contracted sharply, and without hesitation, he lunged towards the window, shattering the closed windowpane and attempting to escape from the Magpie Pavilion.
However, at that moment—
A calm voice sounded.
"Stay."
Accompanying this voice was another piercing sound, and once again, it was a flower branch. This time, it approached from the left, reaching Yan Wan Si before he could fully escape. Yan Wan Si reacted swiftly, twisting his body mid-air to avoid the branch. But immediately, another flower branch shot through the air from the right, moving even faster and accompanied by faint arcs of lightning and a sharp edge.
Yan Wan Si's face turned ashen. In mid-air, he performed a fish-leaping maneuver, forcing himself to spread out. Simultaneously, he hooked his right hand onto the window frame, barely evading the flying branch. However, he was forced to retreat back into the room.
Cold wind rushed in through the broken window.
At Yan Wan Si's level of martial arts, a Bone Forging Realm cultivator, he wouldn't be affected by the cold. But at this moment, his entire being felt icy cold. With a grim expression, he stared at the figure who had just opened the door and calmly walked in.
Although the figure was dressed in a black cloth hat and a black robe, concealing their features, Yan Wan Si had already understood who it was from the power of the three flower branches and the thunder and lightning that accompanied them.
Inspector General!
Chen Mu!
(End)
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