"You two adulterers and whores!"
Ma Chuan cursed hatefully. Daring not to act against Le Lingyun, he swung his fist directly at Xu Mu.
"Stop right there!" Le Lingyun flew in from the side with a kick, intercepting Ma Chuan in mid-air.
*Bang!*
With one kick, Ma Chuan retreated several steps, barely managing to steady himself.
"Such a ruthless strike, Le Lingyun, you're actually helping an outsider!" Ma Chuan's eyes widened like bronze bells, pointing at Xu Mu with immense hatred.
"You were bragging to us earlier about succeeding, Ma Chuan, so you were just boasting!" A young man in fine clothing, who had returned with the brute, fanned the flames with a laugh, seemingly wanting to stir up trouble.
"Wu Zhen, shut up. Xu Mu and I are not in that kind of relationship!" Le Lingyun glared fiercely at the young man in fine clothes, then turned her head to Ma Chuan, continuing, "Calm down, things are not what you think."
"Fine, I'll calm down." Ma Chuan's face was grim. He stepped forward, grabbed Xu Mu's collar, and demanded, "I ask you, didn't you tell me you were going to catch the elves? Why are you here!"
Xu Mu narrowed his eyes, smiled faintly, then raised his right hand, stroked Le Lingyun's head as she stood beside him, and said dotingly:
"I did come to find elves. It's just that this elf is not that elf. Lingyun, with her fair skin and beautiful face, and a smile like a blooming flower, isn't she just a living, breathing elf of this world?" As Xu Mu spoke, he deliberately pinched Le Lingyun's cheek, leaving her stunned on the spot.
Wu Zhen was also taken aback. He hadn't expected Xu Mu to say something like this in the face of Ma Chuan's fury.
"Pfft." Wu Zhen couldn't hold back and burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, I say, Brother Ma, your hat is a bit green."
"But listen to your brother, men can get through anything. This is nothing major!"
"Go to hell!" Ma Chuan cursed Wu Zhen, then instantly went berserk. Demonic blood energy surged from him like a wild bull. His head transformed into coiled horns, and with an incredibly terrifying roar, he charged forward.
"Die for me."
"Dangerous!" Le Lingyun cried out in alarm, wanting to intervene, but Ma Chuan and Xu Mu were too close. She had no time to react.
At the critical moment, Xu Mu raised his palm.
*Dong!*
"Don't let me see you again." Xu Mu, expressionless, blocked Ma Chuan with his hand. The immense force of the wild bull was nothing in his eyes; his body didn't even tremble. If not for the wound in his chest, he wouldn't even need to use his palm; he could have taken it head-on.
*Bang!*
Xu Mu pushed Ma Chuan's head, and the latter was instantly sent flying backward, spinning several times in the air before crashing heavily against the nearby courtyard wall with a deafening impact.
"What a powerful physical cultivator." Wu Zhen was inwardly astonished. Ma Chuan was not weak; his second-stage intermediate-level ability couldn't move Xu Mu's body at all. How strong must his physique be?
"I will kill you!" Ma Chuan, with blood pouring from his head, slowly rose from the ground, his face grim as he roared. A more terrifying aura manifested around him, as if he were finally serious.
"Stop this nonsense!" Le Lingyun snorted coldly. While shocked by Xu Mu's strength, she instantly darted forward, positioning herself between Xu Mu and Ma Chuan.
"This matter ends here. It's all a misunderstanding. Xu Mu is an honored guest of our Hunter's Alliance."
Le Lingyun's face was frosty. "Ma Chuan, if you continue to be this disrespectful, I will report it to Commander, and you will be transferred out of Tucheng. Even your uncle won't be able to help you!"
Upon hearing this, Ma Chuan's face turned a mixture of green and white. He wanted to attack, but Le Lingyun stood defiantly in front of Xu Mu. Thus, he could only stomp his foot in extreme anger and ascend into the sky.
"This is not over!"
He left, for unknown reasons. Wu Zhen clicked his tongue, cast a deep glance at Xu Mu, and then followed Ma Chuan, leaving only Le Lingyun and Xu Mu standing on the street.
The young girl turned, gazing at Xu Mu with a melancholic expression, and said irritably, "Why did you say that just now? Did you have to escalate things to this point?"
"You saw it yourself, he was being excessive." Xu Mu replied calmly. He had repeatedly shown restraint, yet the other party was ungrateful. If he hadn't wanted to avoid escalating the conflict, Ma Chuan would likely be a corpse by now.
"But you're new here, you don't understand Tucheng at all. Offending Ma Chuan will put you in great danger!" Le Lingyun said with a hint of annoyance and embarrassment.
"I guessed as much. Someone so simple-minded must have some backing to have survived this long in this place, but I'm not afraid." Xu Mu smiled and said calmly.
"Alright, you even dared to kidnap people from the Ye family and are an old friend of Commander Yun. It's clear you wouldn't be afraid. I was being overly concerned."
Le Lingyun sighed helplessly, then continued, "But you really need to be careful. Ma Chuan's uncle is the second-in-command of Tucheng's black market. Because he often sells goods, he has close dealings with Degas, whom you are investigating. And Wu Zhen's father, who just left, is also a member of the black market, the third-in-command. You've offended them, and trouble will likely find you soon."
Xu Mu nodded. He hadn't expected Ma Chuan to have such a background, but this was good. He could use Ma Chuan to test Master Degas.
"Thank you for informing me." Xu Mu thanked Le Lingyun, then reached out and ruffled the young girl's hair again, smiling, "It's getting late, get some sleep early."
"You!" Le Lingyun's eyes widened, and she was about to draw her sword to strike, but Xu Mu had already vanished into the night sky, giving her no chance to swing.
"Rogue." Le Lingyun stomped her foot in vexation, then turned and returned to the incense shop.
...
Meanwhile, in Tucheng's black market, bathed in bright lights, two young figures landed one after another.
"Young Master Ma, Young Master Wu, you've arrived." A servant at the black market's entrance saw Ma Chuan and stepped forward obsequiously, only to be roughly shoved aside by Ma Chuan.
"Get lost, I want to see my uncle!"
Ma Chuan's eyes bulged like copper bells. He barged his way through and finally entered a mansion.
Wu Zhen stood at the alley entrance, not approaching.
"What are you doing here so late at night?" A man opened the gate, his voice deep and full of surprise as he looked at Ma Chuan. "And why is your head bleeding?"
"Something big has happened, Uncle." Ma Chuan's face was grim. Ignoring the blood, he recounted Le Lingyun's affair from beginning to end. After listening, his uncle, Ma Xuan,'s face changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "This won't do!"
"Le Lingyun's uncle is the Domain Lord of the Hunter's Alliance and holds significant influence in the Myriad Beasts Domain. If you can win her over, our black market's scale can at least double. So, you absolutely cannot fail." Ma Xuan's expression was grave. After a pause, he continued his admonishment:
"Lately, business has been exceptionally difficult due to the Ye family's affairs. If we lose Le Lingyun's help, our black market might not be able to stay afloat. So, you must not fail. You must win over Le Lingyun!"
"I don't want to fail either, but that Le Lingyun seems to have fallen for that kid." Ma Chuan gritted his teeth. The thought of Xu Mu pinching Le Lingyun's cheek ignited an inexplicable fire of jealousy within him. He had worked with Le Lingyun for five years and never had any physical contact with her. This kid, who had only been here for less than a day, had already touched her face!
"Qingyun Inn is not a place to act rashly. Tomorrow, find an opportunity to lure that kid out. As long as he dares to step out of the inn, I guarantee he will never return."
Ma Chuan's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Uncle!"
"Alright, that's all for today. Go back and rest early." Ma Xuan patted Ma Chuan's shoulder, then took a puff from his pipe, an unconcealable weariness etched on his face.
"The Ye family's searches have been too strict lately. Several of our strongholds have been dismantled. There are too many trivial matters, and my body can't take it anymore."
"Uncle, then hurry and rest. He's just a young man; you can handle him with a wave of your hand." Ma Chuan said with a chuckle.
"Even young men shouldn't be underestimated." Ma Xuan forced himself to muster some energy, then continued, "Do you know about the Ye family's situation?"
"Please enlighten me, Uncle." Ma Chuan was taken aback and asked respectfully.
"Both of the Ye family's people were defeated by a young man. One was a peak fourth-stage guard, incinerated to ashes by that young man's demon tiger. The other was a direct descendant genius of the Ye family, named Ye Que. After his defeat, he was kidnapped by that young man, and it's rumored he was robbed of many treasures, which is why the Ye family is so frantic."
"What audacity." Ma Chuan clicked his tongue and exclaimed. The Ye family's influence might not extend to Tucheng, but outside Tucheng, they could seemingly control everything. He wouldn't dare to offend them, even if he had a hundred more lives!
"How does our strength compare to that Ye family? That's why we must be even more careful." Ma Xuan said, taking another puff from his pipe. He continued, "Tomorrow, I'll also call upon the black market's enforcers. We must ensure that... that... What was his name?"
Ma Xuan suddenly asked halfway through.
Ma Chuan was taken aback and scratched his head.
"My mind was too chaotic at the time; I didn't remember his name."
"It's fine. Regardless, I will go all out to help you crush that kid. Go back and rest; I'm tired." Ma Xuan waved his hand and walked back into the house. In truth, what the person was called didn't matter, as long as it wasn't Xu Mu.
Ma Chuan looked at the closed door and silently turned to head home. But before he took two steps, Le Lingyun's words to Wu Zhen echoed in his mind.
"Xu Mu, that kid's name is Xu Mu!"
Ma Chuan slapped his forehead and then abruptly turned back.
But by then, his uncle had already gone inside to sleep.
"Forget it, it doesn't matter."
Ma Chuan clicked his tongue and decided to quickly forget this name. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep soundly all night.
Thus, humming a little tune, he leisurely followed Wu Zhen, who was at the alley entrance, and slowly walked back home.
...