Chapter 682: 682 really has lost all face
Mu Feng nodded, but he didn’t even have the strength to speak.
"Wait for me, Brother Han Yan, I’ll go too," Mu Cheng said.
"And us, I’m also going." Knowing that Mu Hanyan was going to rescue someone, Mu Ze and the others followed as well.
When they went to Xiaoyang City, it was with Hua Yuezi, and that’s when they met Jiang Yuzhe. They had become comrades in life and death, and naturally, they couldn’t stand by and watch someone perish.
"You all stay put. With this little strength, are you going to throw your lives away?" Mu Hanyan said sternly.
Mu Ze and the others stopped in their tracks, looking at Mu Hanyan with a tinge of awe. At this moment, Mu Hanyan was no longer the useless playboy of the past; she had established her own authority among the younger generation.
"I’m familiar with the Shishan Ridge area," Mu Cheng hesitated before saying to Mu Hanyan.
"Alright, take good care of yourself," Mu Hanyan nodded. She only knew that Hua Yue’s home was around the Shishan Ridge area but had never been there herself. Bringing Mu Cheng along would save her a great deal of trouble.
Soon, the two rushed out of the gate.
"Why... why do you care about the life and death of Mu Hanyan’s men? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?" Seeing the injuries all over Mu Feng’s body, the Great Elder said with both heartache and reproach.
Ever since Mu Hanyan received the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate from Mu Tianlie, they had been at odds. Mu Feng almost lost his life trying to save Hua Yuezi, and if not for his severe injuries, the Great Elder really would have wanted to smack him hard.
"Mu Hanyan saved my life. If it weren’t for him, I would have died during the trial, so I couldn’t just sit by and watch him die," Mu Feng said with a complex expression.
Hearing Mu Feng’s words, the look in the eyes of Mu Ze and the others towards the Great Elder turned strange.
Just moments ago, he was accusing Mu Hanyan of indifference to life and death, only for the truth to come out so quickly that, had it not been for Mu Hanyan’s intervention, Mu Feng would never have made it back alive.
The Great Elder was also stunned, his old face quickly turning red.
As the Great Elder, to question his own younger family member, to the point of slandering without cause, he felt too ashamed to face the questioning looks from the younger members. He immediately took Mu Feng back to their family estate.
After administering Healing Pills to Mu Feng and having a doctor examine his wounds, confirming that the internal injuries were not serious and that the fatigue from the long journey wasn’t life-threatening or detrimental to future cultivation, the Great Elder’s mind was put at ease.
"What exactly happened during the trial? Listening to the rumors outside, I always feel something is off," the Great Elder asked. Even with his nearly a century of life experience, he found those rumors to be somewhat fabricated, as if they were purposefully coordinated in a certain narrative.
"There was a bit of an accident, but, all in all, it was more startling than dangerous," Mu Feng replied. In reality, it was both startling and dangerous, but fearing his grandfather would worry, he glossed over the details with those casually understated words.
"What, you won’t even tell your grandfather?" Seeing Mu Feng’s evasive answer, the Great Elder spoke with displeasure.
"It’s not that I refuse to tell you, it’s that we reached an agreement with Master Pang Dezong. What happened in the Exotic Beast Valley can’t be disclosed to anyone but the Family Head. For this, Master Pang even gave me a Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, a Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill, and an opportunity to directly enter Zhengying Academy," Mu Feng explained. The matters of the Exotic Beast Valley were not to be mentioned, but everything else wasn’t included in the agreement.
"What, a Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, a Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill, and a chance to enter Zhengying Academy directly... good, good." After hearing Mu Feng’s words, the Great Elder was startled at first, then overjoyed, excitedly rubbing his hands together.
"I won’t ask more about the Exotic Beast Valley then. As for the matters regarding Huayue and Zirong, I won’t say much either. You quickly recover from your injuries these next few days. Mu Yunshui and Mu Ziping, master and disciple, will be coming over soon. Don’t let them look down on you by appearing frail and sickly," the Great Elder said affectionately, knowing all too well that these benefits were a hush fee from Zhengying Academy, and thus he asked no further.
"Mu Yunshui, Mu Ziping?" Mu Feng asked his grandfather, puzzled.
"Mu Yunshui is one of the Nine Great Tributors of the Mu Family Zong Family, the master I’ve found for you. Mu Ziping, by seniority, is your distant uncle, but from now on, he’ll be your senior brother," the Great Elder said with a gleeful expression.
"What are they coming for?" Mu Feng asked.
"How could you forget? Mu Hanyan took liberties with the family’s assets and privately gave the sole Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill to Mu Han. The last time I went to the Capital to find someone to stand up for us, grandfather and grandson, Tributor Mu especially came to Heishi City to advocate on our behalf," the Great Elder glanced at Mu Feng, wondering why he didn’t remember this. The doctor had said his injuries weren’t too severe. Could it be that, despite not having severe internal injuries, something was wrong with his brain?
"Grandfather, why not just let it go? This time, Mu Hanyan saved my life, and I’ve also obtained the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill. Let’s not make things difficult for him anymore," Mu Feng insisted. He certainly hadn’t forgotten the incident. However, after the events in the Exotic Beast Valley, his mentality had undergone a significant change. Whether one called it a loss of spirit or an enlightenment, he no longer wished to be at odds with Mu Han.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have risked his life to save Huayue and Zirong.
"Mu Feng, have you been bewitched like Mu Nan and Mu Cheng?" the Great Elder burst in anger upon hearing this, "Why should Mu Hanyan save you? If he hadn’t obtained the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill that should have been yours, would he have had the strength to save you? In other words, if you had received the pill that was rightfully yours, would you have needed his rescue?
Moreover, he saved your life, but didn’t you also risk your life to save his subordinate? You don’t owe him anything.
Besides, not only the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill but even the position of Family Head should have belonged to our branch of the Mu Family. Our branch has toiled so hard for many years to build our family’s business, only for Mu Rui’an to reap the benefits. Are you truly content with this?
And whose hands hold the Heavenly Destiny Star Plate left by your Heavenly Flame Ancestor? You think Mu Hanyan saved you out of kindness, but he did it merely out of guilt. And have you ever thought, if Mu Hanyan hadn’t despicably stolen the relic left by our Heavenly Lie Ancestor, what your strength would be now? Would you still rely on him for rescue?"
"But..." Mu Feng wanted to tell the Great Elder about the current power of Mu Hanyan, which exceeded all expectations.
Upon introspection, even with the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, he couldn’t possibly possess Mu Hanyan’s power. This showed that Mu Hanyan was certainly no ordinary individual but a genius among geniuses. Continuing to be an enemy of Mu Hanyan was indisputably unwise.
However, according to the agreement with Pang Dezong, he couldn’t divulge anything that happened in the Exotic Beast Valley, which meant Mu Hanyan’s strength was also a secret. But with his grandfather intent on making things difficult for Yu Muhanyan, what was he to do?