Chapter 683: His lifelong wish
Mu Feng hesitated for only a moment before the Great Elder directly interrupted him.
"You need not say anything more. If you still recognize me as your grandfather, then honestly tend to your injuries. I’ll take care of all the arrangements," the Great Elder said, sighing deeply before continuing, "I’m not young anymore and probably don’t have many years left to live. What’s the point of doing all these things? It’s all to preserve our branch of the Mu Family’s business, for you."
Mu Feng fell silent, unable to find words to respond.
His grandfather did have his own interests at heart, but they were not for himself. In his eyes, even the Mu Family Zong Family could be considered outsiders; his ultimate desire was to keep the Heishi City’s Mu branch in the hands of his lineage, not willing to let it fall into the hands of others. Even Mu Hanyan was merely an excuse to undermine Mu Rui’an.
This was his life’s wish, and if he were not allowed to make an attempt, he might restlessly yearn for it even in the underworld.
Although Mu Feng didn’t have much hope for the eventual outcome of things, he decided not to stop his grandfather. Whether in success or failure, it was better to let him pursue his peace of mind.
...
Shishan Ridge, located hundreds of miles north of Heishi City, was initially thought by Mu Hanyan to be nothing more than a barren range of mountains. Only upon his arrival did he realize it was a mountain range stretching thousands of miles.
Compared to the Longyan Mountain Range, a mere thousand-mile range seemed trivial. However, finding a single homestead within was no easy task. Fortunately, Mu Cheng knew the way.
"I remember there’s a village up ahead. Huayue’s home should be there," Mu Cheng said, pointing to a rugged trail at the foot of the mountain, as he spoke to Mu Hanyan.
"I understand. You can either head back first or wait here for me," Mu Hanyan responded.
Both were concerned about Huayue and the others’ safety, and they set off on a frenzied run. After covering several hundred miles, even Mu Hanyan started to feel a bit fatigued, not to mention Mu Cheng. Initially, Huayue had moved his grandmother into the city to live with him. It was unclear why they had moved back to this village.
"I’m fine. Let’s go together, and if there’s danger, I’ll head back," Mu Cheng said.
"That’s fine," Mu Hanyan said after examining him closely. Mu Cheng, though drenched in sweat, was still breathing steadily; he seemed to have made considerable progress in strength, so Mu Hanyan was no longer worried.
Without resting, the two continued along the path toward the village.
The night was dark, with scarce stars, and the tree shadows swayed beside the road. Strangely along the way, they seldom heard the sounds of insects or birds. The closer they approached the village, the quieter it became, an eerie quietness that felt unsettling.
The village Mu Cheng mentioned came into view. It wasn’t large, with only about twenty or thirty households, featuring low and old earthen walls and black tiles overgrown with green grass—a picture of poverty and decay.
In the usual interactions with Huayue, he seemed steady and composed, yet modest and restrained, with a cold demeanor that also carried a hint of pride—definitely possessing greater bearing than many Family members. Seeing the dilapidated village, Mu Hanyan found it difficult to imagine that Huayue had grown up here.
It wasn’t very late, but the village had not a single light, and it was terrifyingly quiet, so much so that not even the crowing of a rooster or the barking of a dog could be heard.
"Something’s wrong!" Mu Hanyan quickened his pace, rushing toward the village.
Upon entering the village, Mu Hanyan stopped in his tracks.
Two lifeless bodies lay on the stone path at the village entrance. Nearby, beside the well, another was sprawled out, and looking farther, at the doorways, outside the courtyards, in the corners of houses... In this small village, cold corpses could be found everywhere.
The dead ranged from white-haired old men to toddling children; not a single one of the hundred or so villagers remained alive, not even the chickens or dogs.
Mu Hanyan had only heard from Mu Feng that Huayuezi was in peril; she had not known that the entire village had suffered annihilation. Seeing those icy bodies, seeing those eyes filled with despair and helplessness that refused to close even in death, she felt a surge of heartache and rage.
Who on earth could be so cruel as to not even spare the unarmed and defenseless, including the elderly and children?
Behind her, Mu Cheng also clenched his fists tightly, grinding his teeth audibly.
"Who could be so cruel? I will kill them," Mu Cheng said fiercely as he looked at a mother who was tightly clutching her baby in swaddling clothes, both cut in two by a swipe of the sword, his heart ablaze with anger.
"First, let’s find Huayue and the others," Mu Hanyan said, anger simmering, yet she remained calm.
The village was deathly quiet without any sounds of fighting; either Huayuezi and the villagers, like these villagers, had failed to survive, or they had escaped.
The village was not large, and in just seven and a half minutes, the two of them had searched the village without finding the bodies of Huayue and Zirong. It seemed they had guessed right; they had indeed escaped.
"Here are signs of a struggle; they must have fled from here," Mu Cheng said to Mu Hanyan, having found traces in the grass at the edge of the village.
Almost as soon as he spoke, a flash of cold light streaked across the hill behind the village and was followed by the clang of metal striking metal. Although the sound came from a distance, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
"Let’s hurry," said Mu Cheng, his spirits lifted, ready to rush towards the hill.
"Wait, let’s go quietly," Mu Hanyan held him back.
Mu Hanyan finally breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Huayue and Zirong were still alive, but it was precisely at times like this that she needed to remain calm.
Huayuezi and Zirong, together with the elusive Jiang Yuzhe, had been forced into a desperate escape. Not knowing the strength of their pursuer and not yet having ascended to Sword Master, Mu Hanyan was unwilling to expose their location hastily.
She was here to rescue them, not to deliver herself to death. It would be best to strike a decisive blow from behind.
Mu Cheng nodded, seeing Mu Hanyan’s ability to keep her cool even at such a time; he could not help but feel even more respect for her. If he had Mu Hanyan’s strength and faced this situation, he would probably have already lost all sense of restraint; how could he possibly maintain such composure?
They tread lightly, using the cover of weeds and bushes to quickly make their way towards the hill.
A small temple stood on the hillside, ancient red bricks as run-down as the village below, and the clay statue of the deity was only half remaining, making it impossible to determine whether it was the Mountain God or the Earth God.
Huayue and Zirong were leaning against the corner of the temple wall, disheveled, with their clothes torn and their bodies covered in wounds large and small, blood on the corners of their mouths. Clearly, they had suffered serious injuries in their escape.
The two of them were pale, gasping for breath and their fingers trembling slightly as they clutched their swords, but their expressions remained firm and resolute.
An old woman with silvery hair was hidden behind them, her wrinkled face etched with sorrow.
"Huayue, you should go. Why should you lose your lives for an old woman like me, already one foot in the grave?" the old woman said with tears streaming down her face.