Chapter 701: 701 How does this play continue
Unfortunately, the Great Elder still didn’t know of Han Yan’s current strength; he only thought that Han Yan was a bit stronger than Mu Feng. If he had known that Han Yan had already ascended to the realm of a Sword Master, and his strength was not just a bit stronger than Mu Feng’s but many-fold or even dozens of times stronger, he wouldn’t know what to feel.
The Great Elder looked at the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill in his hand, lost in thought, not knowing what to do.
Han Yan couldn’t be bothered to say any more to him, turned around with Mu Ze and the others, and walked away.
Mu Yunshui was also somewhat stunned; the primary pretext when the Great Elder asked him to come and accuse was this Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill. Who would have thought that Han Yan had never taken this elixir? How could they continue with this play?
Although he was one of the Nine Great Tributors of the Zong Family and held the power of oversight, Mu Rui’an, as a Branch Family Head, had a status not at all inferior to his. Without a proper reason, he really couldn’t suppress Mu Rui’an with his identity.
"Wait a moment; this matter isn’t over yet!" Just as the Great Elder and Mu Yunshui were at a loss, the young man beside them spoke.
"What now, is the elixir not enough for you? Could it be that you also want to test strength on the spot to decide who gets the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill?" Han Yan said mockingly.
The Elixir was in the hands of the Great Elder; he could have simply given it to Mu Feng and probably no one would have said much because of the Great Elder’s prestige. But if it truly came down to a test of strength, Mu Feng at this moment really didn’t qualify for this Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill.
The Great Elder’s face turned dark upon hearing Han Yan’s words, and Mu Feng’s face flushed with shame.
Although these two grandsons had been focused on dealing with Mu Rui’an and his son over the past half year and hadn’t paid much attention to the Mu Family’s affairs, they knew that the strength of Mu Ze and the others had greatly increased. If they truly tested their strength, it was very likely that Mu Feng wouldn’t be able to beat them.
"Sigh, I said earlier not to make things difficult for Han Yan anymore, isn’t this just humiliating yourself?" thought Mu Feng in annoyance, but he dared not show disrespect to his grandfather and could only suppress his words.
He didn’t blame Han Yan for his biting sarcasm and lack of mercy; even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone Han Yan, Heishi City’s biggest playboy, who was no tame lamp.
Of course, the young man also heard Han Yan’s biting sarcasm but didn’t even give him a glance.
"Mu Rui’an, even though this Elixir is still here, you’ve shown favoritism towards your descendants and acted unjustly, which violates the Mu clan’s rules. You are still inexcusable," the young man shouted threateningly.
"Oh?" Mu Rui’an was becoming impatient and looked coldly at the young man.
"You, as a Family Head and a City Lord, but failed to discipline your child, allowing Han Yan to commit all sorts of misdeeds and bring harm to the people. How do you explain this?" sneered the young man, then spoke with disdain, "Mu the playboy, Mu the big playboy, Mu the shirt-tearer, just look at the kind of son you’ve raised, even dragging the Mu Family’s name through the mud! You, this kind of person, actually have the face to sit in the position of a Family Head. If I were you, I might as well drown myself with spit."
"Presumptuous!" Before Mu Rui’an could erupt, Han Yan couldn’t help but shout loudly in anger.
If it had only been an insult to her, she might have prioritized the bigger picture and endured it for a while, but she absolutely couldn’t bear this person humiliating her father in front of so many people.
Even though the playboy identity had been deliberately created by her father to protect her, Han Yan also knew that if she hadn’t been so naive and ostentatious in her actions when she was younger, even if her father wanted to encourage it, she wouldn’t have ended up with today’s reputation.
So in her heart, for the bad names her father bore, Han Yan still felt guilty.
Han Yan’s eyes almost shot fire as she gazed at the young man.
Mu Ze and the others were also brimming with righteous indignation. Other people, like Mu Yunshui, were at least of some age and status, so if they strutted around in Heishi City it was one thing, but you, a milk-nosed little brat who seems hardly a few years older than us, what gives you the right to spout nonsense in front of Lord City Master?
"How is it, still want to flaunt the airs of the Young Master of the City Lord’s Mansion? Others may fear you, but I, Mu Ziping, certainly won’t." The young man looked at Han Yan with scorn.
"Mu Ziping!" A thought flashed through Han Yan’s mind, and she immediately remembered who this person was.
Mu Ziping, one of the most outstanding youngsters of the Mu Family’s main lineage, was rumored to have reached the Ninth Rank of Swordsman by the tender age of fifteen and was considered a genius even in the Capital.
But that wasn’t the point. The point was, Mu Ziping’s father had been seriously injured at the hands of Mu Rui’an. Although his wounds were healed later, he could no longer advance a step further and was eternally stuck in the Swordsman Realm. On the Holy Court Continent, where the strong are revered, such a result for a Swordsman was more cruel than death itself.
It was only in the past few days that Han Yan had learned of the details of this event.
In the beginning, to protect Han Yan, her grandfather had Mu Rui’an come to Heishi City to take over the Mu Family’s branch. Few knew the ins and outs.
Although the current explanation was that Mu Rui’an was implicated by his good-for-nothing son, Han Yan, and was hence exiled to Heishi City, at that time, there were many who envied the position of the Branch Family Head.
After all, with the main family being large and prosperous, not everyone was as gifted as Mu Rui’an and had the opportunity to stand out. Rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix; if one could become the head of a family, and moreover the City Lord, it was much better than staying in the Capital where one was constantly stepped on from above. Therefore, at that time, quite a few people contended with Mu Rui’an for the Branch Family Head position.
To ensure fairness, Han Yan’s grandfather and several elders discussed and then let a few capable young people compete. Ziping’s father was one of them.
With Mu Rui’an’s strength, victory over them wasn’t difficult, but in order not to hurt feelings or lose face, the combat was supposed to stop at light touches. However, to everyone’s shock, after being defeated, Ziping’s father refused to accept the outcome and launched a sneak attack on Mu Rui’an.
When faced with his fatal sword strike, Mu Rui’an had no choice but to defend himself with all his might, leaving Ziping’s father gravely injured.
Although the incident was initially Ziping’s father’s fault, after his severe injury and loss of hope for further cultivation, his temperament became twisted and perverse, and he harbored a deep hate for Mu Rui’an.
His branch of the family had pinned all their hopes on him and found it hard to accept such an outcome. They too harbored anger towards Mu Rui’an, not daring to blame the Family Head, but becoming sworn enemies with Mu Rui’an.
During these past few days, while accompanying her mother, Han Yan had heard her speak of the old grievances in the Capital. She remembered her mother repeatedly warning her not to easily provoke that branch of the family, especially to be cautious around Mu Ziping.
Yet before she could provoke anyone, they had come looking for her.
"So it’s you." Mu Rui’an also suddenly understood.
"Mu Rui’an, your failure to discipline reflects poorly upon the ancestral teachings. How do you intend to explain yourself to the Zong Family?" Ziping approached step by step, pressing the question.
"And how do you think I should explain myself?" Mu Rui’an asked indifferently.
Had it been someone else, he would have probably slapped them away by now.