Chapter Thirty-Seven: Getting Things Done

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“Pavilion Master, after setting aside this year’s tribute to the Mu family, we only have one hundred and thirty thousand taels left,” Xiao Wu said, revealing Mo Wuhai’s current fortune.

A thoughtful look appeared in Mo Wuhai’s eyes. At last, he hardened his heart and made his decision. “Very well. Take out one hundred thousand taels.”

“Pavilion Master, if we suddenly spend one hundred thousand taels, the money left won’t last long. And if we can’t pay the tribute next year, what will happen when the Mu family drives us out of the city?” Xiao Wu was somewhat worried. They had only just managed to gain Mu Wenfeng’s protection. If they were driven away, their former enemies would surely seek revenge.

“Do as I say. I’ll find a way to deal with the tribute.” With that, he turned and walked into the room, boundless fury rising in his heart.

“Mu Qingnan, I pay your Mu family so much tribute every year, yet you keep ruining my plans time and again. This time, no one is going to come out of it well.”

***

The three days passed swiftly for Yu Qi and Mu Qingnan, who were both immersed in cultivation.

That morning, Yu Qi and Mu Qingnan arrived together at the Weapon Forge Pavilion.

After entering the shop, they followed Xiao Wu to the rear courtyard.

Mo Wuhai had been waiting there. With an ingratiating smile, he said, “Young Master Mu, the sword has been forged. Please, come with me.”

Yu Qi was already brimming with excitement. At last, he had a weapon suited to him.

Mo Wuhai led the two of them into a room.

The moment they entered, a wave of heat struck them. Looking up, they saw that its source was a massive furnace roaring with blazing flames.

Beside the furnace stood a blacksmith’s bench, several hammers resting upon it. This was where Mo Wuhai forged his weapons.

As Yu Qi looked around, he spotted a sword lying inside a mold.

Its hilt was pitch-black, while the blade shimmered with streaks of dark blue. A chilling aura radiated from it, making it seem utterly out of place in that room filled with scorching heat.

“This is the sword. I’ve named it Frost.” Mo Wuhai picked it up and handed it to Yu Qi.

Yu Qi accepted Frost. It felt cold to the touch. After giving it a few light swings, he smiled with satisfaction.

“Thank you, Senior. Here are eight hundred taels.” Yu Qi took several banknotes exchanged for luminous pearls from inside his robe and placed them in Mo Wuhai’s hand.

“Big Brother, Big Brother, hurry back and try it out,” Mu Qingnan urged from the side. He truly did not want to remain in that blisteringly hot room any longer.

After the two had left, Mo Wuhai crumpled the banknotes in his hand. A venomous look appeared in his eyes.

“Mu Qingnan, just you wait.”

He then threw the banknotes—enough to let an ordinary person live comfortably for several lifetimes—into the furnace.

***

Upon returning to the Mu residence, they had barely entered the training grounds when they saw Mu Wenfeng and Murong Wan taking a stroll.

“Uncle Mu, Aunt Murong.”

“Father, Mother.”

The two greeted them at the same time.

“I haven’t seen either of you cultivating all morning. Qingnan, did you drag Yu Qi out to play again?” Mu Wenfeng asked.

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“Of course not.” Wrongly accused by Mu Wenfeng, Mu Qingnan tossed his head. “I only went out with Big Brother to pick up a weapon.”

Mu Wenfeng immediately looked at Frost on Yu Qi’s back and recognized its material at a glance.

“Frost Iron is fairly good, but once your strength improves greatly, it still won’t be able to withstand you. If you need a weapon, just tell me. I can find Copperbeard and have him forge one for you. Why settle for a weapon made of such ordinary material?”

Murong Wan added, “That’s right, Yu Qi. Don’t treat us like outsiders. Just tell us if you need anything.”

Yu Qi gave an awkward smile. In the eyes of a supreme expert like Mu Wenfeng, Frost could indeed only be considered an ordinary weapon.

He chuckled. “Senior Copperbeard forges nothing but peerless divine weapons. With my level of strength, how could I presume to ask him to make one for me? Uncle Mu, Aunt Murong, it’s fine. This sword suits me well enough.”

The Copperbeard they spoke of was the greatest weapon-forging master in the world. Many of the weapons he had forged had entered the Myriad Weapons Catalog. Even among the three former experts of the Yu family, one had wielded a weapon crafted by him.

Given Mu Wenfeng’s status, asking him to forge a weapon would naturally not be difficult. Yu Qi simply did not want to rely too heavily on others for help. He preferred to advance step by step, at his own pace.

“Master.” At that moment, Su Dongli’s voice came from the corridor beside the training grounds.

Mu Wenfeng glanced in that direction, then said to Yu Qi and Mu Qingnan, “I have matters to attend to, so I won’t disturb your cultivation.”

After the couple left, Yu Qi drew Frost. He circulated the “Light” stance from the Light Rain Sword and swung it. A flash of cold radiance streaked through the air, and the blade cut across the dummy, leaving a sword mark deeper than the one from last time.

Seeing Yu Qi begin cultivating, Mu Qingnan stopped idling as well. After this period of training, he had summoned four more ordinary soldiers. He was now working hard to transform them into centurions too.

***

In the main hall of the Mu residence, Mu Wenfeng looked at Su Dongli with confusion.

“Uncle Su, has something happened?”

“Master, someone from the Huang family of Anli County has arrived. He says that Huang Zaoze has been murdered,” Uncle Su replied.

“Was he murdered?” Mu Wenfeng’s brows furrowed.

As the most powerful family in the region, the Mu family naturally had many weaker clans willing to shelter beneath its protection. Though they had to pay a substantial tribute every year, at least their safety was assured.

The Huang family of Anli County was one such clan dependent on the Mu family, and Huang Zaoze was its patriarch.

Ever since Mu Wenfeng had become one of the Seventeen Great Experts, it had been rare for an affiliated family to be attacked.

Yet now Huang Zaoze had been killed. This was undoubtedly a challenge to the Mu family’s authority. The Mu family also had to investigate the matter thoroughly. After all, the Huang family was under its protection. If it ignored the killing, the other affiliated clans might lose heart, damaging the Mu family’s reputation.

“Go and summon Yu Qi and Qingnan. Let them handle this matter. It will also serve as an opportunity to temper Qingnan, whose experience is still lacking,” Mu Wenfeng said.

***

“Young Master, Yu Qi, Master wishes to see you.” Su Dongli arrived at the training grounds and interrupted their cultivation.

The two were puzzled, but when they learned that Mu Wenfeng had summoned them, they immediately stopped and followed him to the main hall.

“Uncle Mu, what did you want to see us about?” Yu Qi asked curiously after they arrived.

“The patriarch of the Huang family, which is affiliated with our Mu family, has been murdered. I want you and Qingnan to handle the matter,” Mu Wenfeng said.

Yu Qi nodded. As a member of the Yu family, he naturally understood matters concerning affiliated clans. Back then, many families had depended on the Yu family as well, but after its destruction, they had all scattered elsewhere.

“Wonderful! We can finally leave the city!” Mu Qingnan was delighted. Ever since the last assassination attempt, Mu Wenfeng had forbidden him from leaving Windglory City, and the confinement had nearly driven him mad with boredom.

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“Qingnan, this concerns the dignity of our Mu family. You must handle it properly. Go back and rest for now. You’ll set out tomorrow.” Mu Wenfeng glared at his son, feeling thoroughly helpless.

After the two had left, Su Dongli said worriedly, “Master, Young Master lacks both experience and strength. Although Yu Qi will accompany him, if they encounter people from Ghost Gate again, they may be in danger.”

Mu Wenfeng nodded. “Uncle Su, follow them along the way, but conceal your movements. Do not intervene unless their lives are in danger. Otherwise, this journey will fail to serve as proper training.”

“Yes, Master.” Su Dongli acknowledged him and took his leave.

Mu Wenfeng sat alone in the main hall, deep in thought.

The assassination of Mu Qingnan had remained constantly on his mind. He could determine with certainty that it had not been carried out by someone within Ghost Gate. After all, Ghost Gate was an organization of assassins—they took payment and killed on behalf of others.

He had no idea who had hired the assassins of Ghost Gate. The enemy was hidden while he and his son were exposed, leaving Mu Qingnan in constant danger.

That was why he had sent Mu Qingnan out of the city. He wanted to see whether they would encounter Ghost Gate’s assassins again.

If they did, it would prove that this person harbored a deep hatred for his son. He could then use that as a clue to uncover the mastermind behind the scenes.

***

The following day, Yu Qi and the visibly excited Mu Qingnan mounted their horses and galloped toward the city gates.

After leaving the city, Mu Qingnan threw back his head and laughed.

“At last, we’re out of Windglory City! I was practically suffocating in there.”

Yu Qi could only smile bitterly and shake his head. Most people wished they could remain in Windglory City forever. Only Mu Qingnan was single-mindedly eager to escape it.

At noon, the blazing sun relentlessly scorched the earth, and Yu Qi and Mu Qingnan began to feel wave after wave of heat.

Mu Qingnan took a drink of water and called out, “Big Brother, should we rest for a while? The weather is unbearably hot.”

“Very well. Let’s rest for a moment.” Yu Qi dismounted and tethered his horse to a tree.

In such sweltering weather, even the horses were constantly letting out heavy breaths.

“Qingnan, how much farther is Anli County?” Yu Qi asked after taking a drink. They needed to reach the county before nightfall, or they would have to spend the night in the wilderness.

“About ten li or so. Don’t worry, Big Brother. We’ll definitely get there tonight.” Mu Qingnan lay beneath the shade of the tree, fanning himself with one hand.

After resting for a quarter of an hour, the two mounted their horses again and continued onward.

Neither of them noticed Su Dongli following leisurely through the woods some distance away.

Su Dongli had not brought a horse. One reason was that he feared the two would discover him; the other was that, with his own strength, he could travel far faster than any horse.

As evening approached, the gates of Anli County finally welcomed two young riders on horseback.