Chapter 65: Did it encounter a hijacking?

Zirong hummed a tune as he and Huayue made their way to Mu Hanyan’s courtyard. Clearly in a good mood after slapping the guard leader’s face, Zirong felt especially refreshed.

Upon entering the courtyard, Zirong immediately saw Mu Hanyan leisurely sipping tea. Seeing them return, Mu Hanyan waved, "Come on, hand it over. How could buying something take so long? Did you run into some kind of beauty-snatching bandit on the way?"

Mu Hanyan was obviously joking, but Huayue responded earnestly, with a stone-faced expression, "No."

Beauty-snatching bandits there were not, but could it be considered a kidnapping? Zirong mused to himself. He did not plan to reveal the incident with the guard leader trying to poach them simply because he felt there was absolutely no need to. Observing Mu Hanyan’s relaxed demeanor stirred a faint anticipation in Zirong’s heart.

What would be the outcome of tomorrow’s competition between the Young Master and Mu Feng?

The very next morning at dawn, the Mu Family’s practice field was already crowded with people ranging from the three Great Elders of the Heishi City Mu Family branch to children barely seven or eight years old just beginning to understand life. Even servants who happened to be free had gathered at the practice field.

Today marked the day of the competition between Mu Hanyan and Mu Feng. Strictly speaking, such a competition should not have attracted much attention—a mere Second-order Swordsman—strictly speaking, a First-level novice Swordsman—had boldly challenged an accomplished Fifth Rank Swordsman. What suspense could there be regarding the outcome?

However, when the ignorant First-level Swordsman who did not know how to spell "death" was the precious Young Master of Lord City Master, the situation was entirely different.

Mu Rui’an originally hailed from the Main Family of the Mu Family in the capital but became the Family Head of the Heishi City Mu Family branch. Although it was a demotion for him, his arrival was no good news for the other members of the Mu Family branch in Heishi City. He affected many people’s interests.

Before his arrival, any one of the three elders had hopes of becoming the Family Head. Even if they could not become the Head, they could still negotiate enough benefits for their own factions. The elders had been competing with each other for many years, only for a newcomer from the Main Family in the capital to take advantage in the end. How could they accept this? How could the members of their factions accept it?

Therefore, today they all gathered at the practice field to witness Mu Hanyan make a fool of himself. Unable to deal with Mu Rui directly, taking out their frustrations on his wastrel son was a way to vent, wasn’t it?

When Mu Hanyan arrived at the practice field, he saw the mocking smiles on the faces of several elders, and similar expressions on others’ faces. Their looks were like those of a butcher eyeing the fish on the chopping board, the kind that would soon be sliced into a bloody mess. Seeing this made Mu Hanyan’s teeth ache—did they really think they’d cut him down without nicking their own blades?

"Mu Hanyan, I didn’t expect you’d really dare to show up. Weren’t you so afraid of death that you fled the city? How come you’ve been frightened back by the Meteor Shower?" Mu Feng said with a relaxed smile, tilting his head up, looking down on Mu Hanyan with disdain.

Laughter erupted from within the crowd. Mu Hanyan’s escape from the city at night and his abrupt return to Heishi City after encountering a meteor shower had somehow become common knowledge.

Almost everyone thought that Mu Hanyan, out of fear, had not dared to face the challenge and had tried to slip away to avoid it. Little did they expect that he would have a close call with a meteor shower, be scared witless, and scuttle back in disgrace. Naturally, he became the butt of the jokes.

Mu Cheng, standing amid the throng, laughed along with everyone else, though his laughter was forced. Gazing at Mu Hanyan, his eyes even concealed a vague, indescribable trepidation.