"Xueyi jie, you want to protect him?"
Wen Xi looked at Tang Xueyi, who was blocking her, with an unpleasant expression.
"Yes."
Tang Xueyi nodded and said, "He just tore up one of your poems. I'll compensate you tenfold."
"Tenfold? Do you know how important this poem is to me? Can you afford to compensate me?"
Wen Xi was like a startled cat.
"A Humble Dwelling Inscription" was a priceless treasure to her, with extraordinary significance. Nothing in the world could compare to it.
What angered her even more was Tang Xueyi's offer of tenfold compensation, which she felt was a desecration of "A Humble Dwelling Inscription."
"If I can't afford it, then our Lingxu Sword Sect can."
Tang Xueyi said calmly. Since Wen Xi was being unreasonable, she decided to speak her mind.
In fact, Ji Mo had greatly benefited Tang Xueyi and the Lingxu Sword Sect, which was why Tang Xueyi directly invoked the sect's name.
She was never one to bully others with her status, but for Ji Mo, she was willing to do so, and would do so.
She was determined to protect Ji Mo, even if it meant offending the Wen family!
"Hmph, do you think my Wen family is afraid?"
Wen Xi was not intimidated by the threat. While the Lingxu Sword Sect was powerful, the Wen family was not much weaker and had the confidence to contend with them.
"Miss Wen, then you can go back and tell the City Lord Wen that if he wants to start a war with the Lingxu Sword Sect over a mere poem, let him decide."
Tang Xueyi left these words behind and turned to leave.
The choice was up to the Wen family. Regardless, she would protect Ji Mo.
"Miss, Master won't indulge your temper."
Xiao Lan, who was by her side, reminded her in a low voice.
Although her father doted on Wen Xi, he would not fall out with the Lingxu Sword Sect over a poem.
Wen Xi glared at Xiao Lan and then stomped her feet in anger. She naturally knew the implications of the situation and could only temporarily drop the matter.
She looked at the now incomplete "A Humble Dwelling Inscription" and gritted her teeth, "You scoundrel, as long as this poem is not complete, I will never let you off. Tang Xueyi can't protect you forever."
"What if Miss Tang marries that person?"
Xiao Lan muttered again in a low voice.
Wen Xi's forehead was covered in black lines, and she was speechless.
This possibility seemed very real. If Tang Xueyi didn't care about that scoundrel so much, why would she fall out with her?
At the same time.
Outside, things had gone completely wild.
A song, "A Carefree Sigh," had plunged the entire Qingfeng Garden into silence.
Everyone was stunned!
There truly was a heavenly sound. It turned out Li Xiao was right.
There were indeed peerless masters in the world, whose zither skills were awe-inspiring. There was nothing to say but to worship them.
Many people felt their faces burning.
They had been criticizing Li Xiao for the past few days, saying he took money to hype himself up and had no shame.
The truth was, they were wrong.
Such a master, who had reached the pinnacle of zither art, needed hype?
Compared to this master, they were not even as good as excrement.
Everyone wanted to find the master's whereabouts, to hear that beautiful zither music again, but the master had vanished without a trace.
"Master Li Xiao, we were wrong. We judged a gentleman with a villain's heart and defiled your reputation. We truly deserve to die."
They found Li Xiao and apologized at his doorstep.
Li Xiao, however, closed his doors and refused visitors, engrossed in studying the musical score given to him by Ji Mo, paying no mind to external affairs.
Li Xiao's reputation was restored, and it was even greatly enhanced.
Those disciples who had severed ties with Li Xiao regretted it immensely, but unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in the world, and they had no chance to return to Li Xiao's tutelage.
Tang Xueyi was still searching, but she still couldn't find Ji Mo.
She was very annoyed, wondering why she was always just a little bit short of meeting him, yet they were so fated yet fated not to meet.
However, there was good news, proving that the master was still in Baishou Town.
Ji Mo was unaware that he had caused another sensation. After leaving Qingfeng Garden, he wandered around as if nothing had happened, bought some daily necessities, and then went to find Zhang the blacksmith.
He owed Zhang the blacksmith a considerable amount of silver for the iron materials he had bought last time, and he was here to pay the remaining balance.
When he arrived at the blacksmith's shop, he found it deserted.
After inquiring with the surrounding people, he learned that Zhang the blacksmith had struck it rich some time ago and had then climbed higher, being hired by Longchang Chamber of Commerce at a high price as a blacksmith.
An ordinary blacksmith becoming a blacksmith?
If not for the renowned reputation of the Longchang Chamber of Commerce, everyone would have suspected it was a scam.
"I knew it. I saw that Zhang the blacksmith had auspicious eyebrows, was loyal and destined for wealth, and was fated to be helped by a noble person. He would surely prosper sooner or later."
Ji Mo sighed, wondering why he didn't have such good luck to be helped by a noble person.
He didn't realize at all that he was Zhang the blacksmith's noble person.
The Longchang Chamber of Commerce hired Zhang the blacksmith precisely because his shop had produced a "Axe of Laws."
Of course, if Zhang the blacksmith could not forge anything useful in the future, his fate was uncertain.
Longchang Chamber of Commerce?
Ji Mo noted the name, intending to find out Zhang the blacksmith's whereabouts later. He had to repay the money he owed; he never took advantage of others.
To the west, in the primeval forest.
A group of people from the Heavenly Wolf Gang were heading deep into the forest.
The horses were laden with sacks, from which dark red blood was constantly seeping out, and the air was filled with a nauseating odor.
The leader was Tian Xiong, whose expression was grim and very unpleasant at the moment.
"Godfather, where are we taking these corpses? Can't we just bury them anywhere?"
Ma Peng, who had been serving by Tian Xiong's side, asked.
The Heavenly Wolf Gang was in a full-scale war with the Brahma Sect and the Xuan Shui Pavilion, suffering many casualties. Every time, Tian Xiong would collect the bodies and take them into the forest.
This time, it was even more unusual, as five hundred men had been mobilized to escort these corpses.
Since Tian Xiong had brutally killed two elders, the Heavenly Wolf Gang had become his absolute domain, and almost no one dared to disobey his orders.
Even if things were extremely unusual, no one dared to question it.
"Shut up. No matter what happens later, don't leave my side."
Tian Xiong was clearly in a bad mood and did not answer Ma Peng's question. His expression became increasingly tense.
This made Ma Peng even more surprised. Could there be enemies nearby?
But they were escorting dead people, not gold or silver. Surely no one would come to rob them.
Since Tian Xiong became a Spirit Emperor, Ma Peng felt he understood his godfather less and less, sensing a sense of strangeness.
In the past, Tian Xiong had doted on him, treating him as his own son. He would patiently explain any doubts he had. But recently, Ma Peng had never received an answer to his questions.
For example, why did Tian Xiong suddenly break through to the Spirit Emperor realm? Why was he transporting these corpses? Why did his personal guards disappear inexplicably for no reason?
Ma Peng knew in his heart that Tian Xiong was deliberately concealing things from him.
"We're here."
Tian Xiong raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop, and at the same time pulled Ma Peng close to him.
Ma Peng noticed that Tian Xiong was acting extremely abnormally.
He lowered his head and bowed, his face full of respect, but his body was tense, even trembling slightly, clearly showing fear.
He was about to speak but was stopped by Tian Xiong's gaze.
"Ah..."
Just then, a scream suddenly rang out.