Earlier, when Zhong Wu had used the "Object Manipulation Technique" to block the bowls and plates, Mu Yun had already decided to leave. Now he was at the entrance.
Du Laosan, sent flying by the kick, came hurtling straight toward the door. Mu Yun instinctively leaped aside to avoid being caught up in it, but his move did not escape the notice of the young man surrounded by his entourage.
The young man pointed at Mu Yun, his gaze shifting to two of his attendants standing near the outer edge. "You two, go quickly and detain him!"
"Yes!" The two men in black close-fitting robes acknowledged the order and lunged toward Mu Yun.
"To think that such a physique could be cultivated among mortals. I did not expect this trip to yield such a find. He will make a fine puppet boy to help me break through my bottleneck." After a moment's thought, the young man added in a displeased mutter, "If it were not for this extraordinary time, when it is unwise to prematurely reveal our identities, dealing with a mere mortal martial artist would be effortless. Why would I need to mingle with these scum?"
Mu Yun was naturally unaware of the young man's intentions. Realizing that trouble had inexplicably found him, he cursed inwardly, pushed off with his legs, and dashed out of the inn, hoping to use the cover of night to lose himself in the forest.
"Boy, our master has taken a liking to you. Consider it your blessing. Surrender obediently and let us two brothers return early to report and enjoy some fine wine and fresh meat."
"Haha…" Mu Yun's carefree laughter echoed from within the forest. "I've taken a liking to your tender-skinned master too. Why doesn't he come be my flute-boy underling? What do you think?"
"How dare you!" The two pursuers both erupted in anger. "To show such disrespect to our master! Once we catch you, we'll break every limb and let our master personally cut out that insolent tongue of yours to go with his wine."
"Then come and try!" Mu Yun snorted coldly and wasted no more words. He plunged headlong into the pitch-black forest, running with all his might. After some time, he noticed no further movement behind him. Believing he had shaken off his pursuers, he stopped to rest.
But before long, he heard voices again from behind. "Little thief, you run fast enough. Here come your granddaddies—wait right there."
Mu Yun took a deep breath and thought quickly:
I've been running through these woods since I was young, and I'm a bit faster than these two. But they both seem to be at the Body Refining stage and know some tracking methods—I can't shake them. This can't go on.
I'll try changing directions a few more times. If that doesn't work, I'll have no choice but to fight to the death.
With that, he leaped down from a branch and vanished with a few bounds, his speed increasing by more than thirty percent.
Over the next hour, Mu Yun used the terrain to his advantage, changing directions several times and creating multiple false trails to mislead his pursuers.
Now, the young man leaned against a gnarled tree root, waiting for his pursuers to arrive.
Within moments, the sound of footsteps came from behind.
Here they come, Mu Yun thought, quietly gripping the jade slip he used for cutting Purple Bamboo. The coolness seeping from the slip into his palm steadied his nerves.
"Little thief, your legs finally given out, have they? You're cunning, I'll give you that. If we brothers didn't have a special tracking method, we might have fallen for your tricks."
Just as I thought. A gleam flashed in Mu Yun's eyes. He then staggered forward at half his previous speed, deliberately clumsy. He made himself look exhausted, as though his strength were spent.
Meanwhile, the two men in black halted their pursuit. One murmured, "The boy is young, and he seems spent. Let's catch our breath, then strike with full force to take him down in one go and report back quickly. But be careful—don't kill him outright."
The other nodded, looking confident and eager to claim credit.
On the other side, Mu Yun moved forward another few dozen meters. He took off his outer shirt and placed it at the base of a tree, leaving his upper body bare. He then concealed himself behind a centuries-old pine.
A faint white glow flickered briefly, enveloping him. The young man had activated the jade slip and was lying in wait.
Footsteps drew closer. The two men in black were now less than ten meters away. They exchanged a glance, tightened their grips on their blades, and one pointed toward where Mu Yun had left his clothes, gesturing an attack.
In an instant, both men surged forward. The air displaced by their sudden burst sent fallen leaves scattering.
Within moments, they reached the pile of clothes. One of them, without slowing, slashed his blade directly at the bundle.
"Not good—the brat's tricked us!" The man who hadn't swung his blade saw that the pile was only clothes, not Mu Yun. Realizing the deception, he didn't pause but rushed ahead.
The other, having put too much force into his swing, struck only air and momentarily lost his balance.
At that instant, Mu Yun, hidden behind the pine, dropped upside down from its canopy and struck with his right fist, packed with all his strength.
The man in black realized what was happening, but it was too late.
A dull thud sounded. Struck with a force of several hundred jin, the man was sent flying. He struggled to rise, staggered a few steps, then collapsed and did not move again. His face was frozen in disbelief!
Having succeeded in his strike, Mu Yun did not pause. He snatched up the fallen man's blade with a few quick bounds and fled into the distance.
"Zhong Neng!" the other man cried out in shock. He could not believe that Zhong Neng had been killed in just a few breaths.
That young thief is not as weak as he seems. Seeing Mu Yun vanish once more into the forest, he did not pursue. After a moment's thought, he went to his companion's side, confirmed he was dead, then raised his blade in vigilance, scanning the surroundings.
"Heh… little thief, surrender quietly. No one our master has set his sights on has ever escaped. Even if we fall here, others will come—an endless stream!" The man in black assumed a fighting stance, ready to strike at the slightest sign of movement.
"Your skill is only at the mid-stage of Body Refining. Killing Zhong Neng by a dirty ambush was pure luck. Why not come out and fight me fairly? Let our paths to the Dao prove which is superior!" The man shouted, hoping to provoke Mu Yun into revealing himself.
After a long silence, the man's expression grew cold. Speaking to himself in a sinister tone, he said, "Very well, I will report back to our master. When he sees I've returned empty-handed, he will surely punish me in his anger. Heh heh… before that, I'll massacre a village to vent my hatred! Heh heh…" As he spoke, a gleam of excitement and madness entered his eyes.
With that, he abruptly turned and sped off in another direction. Twenty li away, there was a village.
In the darkness, Mu Yun narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the man in black. Fury burned within him. This gang treats human life like grass—utterly lawless.
Seeing the man about to disappear into the distance, Mu Yun took a deep breath and called out coldly:
"Stop!"
Mu Yun knew full well that his killing of Zhong Neng had been largely due to the man's underestimation of him and his own use of surprise. This other man in black was clearly more experienced in combat, not to be compared with the likes of Zhong Neng. Yet knowing that this villain was determined to massacre innocent villagers, Mu Yun could not bring himself to stand by and do nothing.
The man halted abruptly. A cold smile curled at his lips as he slowly turned toward the source of the voice.
"Little brat, you've finally decided to show yourself. I'll break every bone in your body to avenge my fallen brother!" His voice was low and harsh, each word seemingly ground out from between clenched teeth.
Some ten zhang away, Mu Yun's eyes flickered in the darkness, but his expression gradually calmed. "Who are you people? Why do you hound me so relentlessly and treat human life like insects?"
The other man sneered and did not answer, instead saying, "In this backwater place, you're nothing but a common mortal. If you want answers, earn them with your life." He was clearly well-trained and decisive. Seeing Mu Yun had appeared, he wasted no more words and charged toward him. He had locked onto Mu Yun's presence, cutting off any chance of the young man concealing himself again.
Mu Yun likewise said nothing and raced toward him, kicking up a gust of wind. In an instant, they clashed. Their blades collided dozens of times within mere breaths, the clanging echoing through the dark forest.
Though brief, the exchange was fierce. Their figures shifted rapidly in the moonlight—sword flashes, blade shadows, splintered wood flying. The longer they fought, the more alarmed the man in black became. This boy has no technique, no form, yet his strength is monstrous. His stamina seems inexhaustible. I must find a way to take him down in one strike.
He did not know that Mu Yun had been trained since childhood by Old Man Zhu, every step laid on solid ground. Though Mu Yun had acquired several new wounds, his eyes grew sharper as he gradually adapted to his opponent's fighting style.
Seeing Mu Yun deliver a horizontal slash with all his might, the man in black raised his blade to block. But instead of pressing the attack, Mu Yun leaped back several paces, putting distance between them. Zhong Yu's hand trembled slightly as he gripped his blade. Suppressing his astonishment, he refocused on Mu Yun.
This brat's strength is immense—comparable to a cultivator of the same level from the outer sects. Fortunately, he lacks form and technique. His martial skill is not high. I'll have to use a 'special move' to subdue him.
"This move is called 'Wind Slash.' Since learning it, I have killed countless men with it, eventually earning recognition from the master and the honor of serving under him directly…" the man murmured to himself. "I never expected this boy to be so tenacious. I have no choice but to go all out and fight for my life."
In an instant, the man's aura shifted. A visible flow of air began to swirl around him. He raised his blade and pointed it at Mu Yun from afar, and a howling wind arose.
Mu Yun heightened his vigilance, knowing the man was now serious.
Here it comes, Mu Yun thought. The man vanished from where he stood. The dark forest was already shadowed, and now he was completely invisible, only the sound of the rushing wind filling Mu Yun's ears.
To the left! Relying on keen intuition, Mu Yun retreated sharply to the right, barely dodging the strike. Glancing back, he saw that the patch of grass and brush where he had been standing had been cut clean through.
The howling wind continued, chasing him relentlessly. Wherever it passed, nothing remained.
Mu Yun retreated in stumbling steps, his mind racing.
Wind Slash—swift as the wind, it increases attack speed but sacrifices killing power. I must not let this technique unsettle me.
He glanced sideways and noticed that while the surrounding grass and brush had been cut down, the thicker trees had suffered only minor damage. Understanding dawned on him. His composure restored, he turned to meet his enemy head-on.
But in the ensuing exchange, despite parrying and countering, Mu Yun still could not match his opponent's speed. He narrowly avoided vital points but sustained several more wounds.
Seeing Mu Yun struggling, the man in black sneered, "Little brat, surrender now and you may live a little longer. Becoming the master's puppet boy—you should count that as a blessing from your ancestors."
At the brink of life and death, Mu Yun's expression grew almost icy. His right hand gripped the blade tightly, as if he had entered a state of profound stillness.
The man came again, transformed into a whirlwind. But this time, Mu Yun did not dodge. Instead, he stepped forward and brought his blade down in a diagonal slash from top to bottom. A flash of white light cut through the darkness, followed by a resounding clang that was like a thunderclap on a calm plain!
"Bamboo-Cutting Strike!"
Years upon years of daily practice—countless chops—came together in a single stroke, unleashed at this moment. It was not a technique, yet it surpassed one. Mu Yun's breath was slightly ragged as he looked up sharply, locking onto his target.
Under this blow, the man in black sensed grave danger. Abruptly shifting from offense to defense, he raised his blade to block. But the immense force transmitted through the weapon and into his body sent him flying back.
"Pff—" The man in black rose, steadying himself against a tree, and spat out a mouthful of blood. He quickly placed a few pills into his mouth, glaring at Mu Yun like a wounded wolf. He was clearly well-trained and battle-hardened—the actions were completed in the blink of an eye.
"Boy, where are you from? Name your sect," the man in black said, a hint of confusion in his voice. Seeing such swordsmanship from one so young, he thought it was a technique. Coupled with Mu Yun's earlier ability to conceal his presence, he began to wonder if the boy was a disciple of some immortal sect. If that were the case, even if he returned to the master empty-handed, the blame would be lessened.
"What sect are you from? Why do you act so lawlessly and seek to kill without cause?" Mu Yun imitated the manner, pretending to be a disciple from some sect.
"Yinsu Sect. Zhong Yu!" After a brief pause, the man in black spoke with a grim tone.
Hearing Zhong Yu announce his affiliation, Mu Yun relaxed his expression slightly, as if understanding.
"Chuangsheng Sect. Mu Yun!" For some reason, Mu Yun gave the name of the Genesis, a ship that did not belong to his own memories.
"Chuangsheng Sect…" Zhong Yu searched his mind but found no recollection. Yet the world was vast, and it was not unusual to encounter a sect one did not know.
"So you are indeed a fellow Daoist. My respects," Zhong Yu said, abruptly changing his tone. This was not his usual manner, but he sensed danger from Mu Yun and was uncertain of victory if they continued fighting.
Then he spoke a sentence that would plunge him into an inescapable fate.
"Daoist Mu, pursuing you earlier was our mistake. How were we to know that in this remote mortal backwater we would encounter a fellow cultivator? We thought you were merely a secular martial artist."
Mu Yun carefully weighed these words. Though his heart churned with shock, his expression remained unchanged.
"Oh? And what, fellow Daoist, you may seize and kill secular mortals as you please?"
Zhong Yu was taken aback. Ever since he had become associated with the Yinsu Sect, forces in the surrounding area had shown deference. Occasionally, when he killed mortals under the jurisdiction of other powers, as long as he did not go too far, no one questioned it. It had been so for years.
"Though the cultivation sects have agreed not to interfere arbitrarily in the mortal realm, in a backwater like this, killing a few mundane mortals is like stepping on ants. Who would care? Surely, Daoist, this does not trouble you? Hah."
Mu Yun understood perfectly, but his eyes grew colder.
"Fellow Daoist?" Mu Yun said expressionlessly. "You who take pleasure in killing—how can we be fellow Daoists? Moreover, it seems you are also at the Body Refining stage. Do you truly think you have transformed from a carp into a phoenix?"
Zhong Yu was stunned. He had never expected Mu Yun to respond this way. He sneered, "Even if we are outer disciples of the Yinsu Sect, we have still entered the path of cultivation. Its mysteries are beyond the comprehension of mere mortals."
His tone sharpened. "Fellow Daoist, you are at the Body Refining stage. Having acquired such a technique, you must have some fortune. Do you truly wish to fight to the death? Even if I am also a Body Refining martial cultivator, I am still a man of the Yinsu Sect!"
"Different paths—no common ground."
Mu Yun sneered and said no more, shaking his head. Then he raised his blade, pointing it at Zhong Yu.
Seeing that negotiation had failed, Zhong Yu's aura shifted as well.
"Little brat, even if you are a fellow cultivator, out here in the wilderness, killing you is no great matter. Don't think I'm afraid of you." Zhong Yu was indeed cunning. While speaking with Mu Yun, he had used his pills to recover most of the injuries from Mu Yun's earlier strike.
"Since you refuse to see reason, then prepare to die!" Zhong Yu transformed into a whirlwind and charged.
Mu Yun planted his feet, gripped his blade with both hands, and stared intently ahead. Suddenly, he raised the blade from below and brought it down from above—just as he had countless times when cutting Purple Bamboo over the years: drawing back, striking. A flash of white light, accompanied by a fierce gale, rose with the stroke.
This time, both were fighting for their lives. Zhong Yu sought to seize the initiative with speed, while Mu Yun sought to overcome all with sheer force.
The fierce gale subsided. Within several zhang, nothing remained standing. Mu Yun sheathed his blade, dressed himself, and hurried back toward the inn.
Over the years, whenever he and Old Man Zhu traveled to Qingchuan City, they would stop at the inn for tea. As time passed, they had grown somewhat familiar with the innkeeper and his staff. After learning of the Yinsu Sect's ways, Mu Yun was deeply worried.