On the other side, Mu Yun stepped into the room. As Guard Three had said, he found the corner mechanism; his fingers gave it a press, the wall clicked softly, and a hidden door swung open. Seeing this, Mu Yun's form flashed, and he slipped quietly through, descending into the darkness below.
The underground secret chamber was silent and empty, save for a single figure seated cross-legged in the center. Mu Lin sat with eyes closed, regulating her breath, her expression calm, though a faint weariness lingered between her brows.
At the sudden sound of approaching footsteps, Mu Lin's eyes flew open, a cold light flashing in her pupils — then she faltered.
"You!" she cried softly, hurriedly smoothing her hair and her robes, trying to hide her disarray.
"Mu Fei sent me to help." Mu Yun's tone was steady. His gaze swept over her; seeing she was not seriously harmed, only her breath slightly constrained, he said at once: "We cannot stay here long. Come — leave quickly with me."
Mu Lin was sharp-witted. In the space of a few thoughts she had worked out the whole cause and effect. Yet a flicker of distress crossed her eyes, and she shook her head gently. "We cannot go. Mo Bai force-fed me a strange, poisonous pill. Its nature is sinister and harsh; it has sealed my meridians, freezing my willpower, leaving me unable to move a step."
Mu Yun's expression sharpened. He flipped his hand and produced a green pill, holding it out to her, his tone resolute: "Try this — and we'll see."
Mu Lin did not hesitate. Her pale hand took it, she tilted her head back and swallowed, then sat cross-legged and sank into stillness, the pill's power slowly circulating within her.
Dozens of breaths later, Mu Yun asked: "Did it work?"
Mu Lin shook her head gently. Her expression was unchanged, yet it carried a new gravity.
"It actually did nothing..." Mu Yun's brow furrowed. This pill had been a gift from Yu Mo; by rights, it should neutralize ordinary poisons. He had not expected it to be of no avail.
He fell into thought, at a loss for a moment.
Mu Lin, however, was quite composed. "The best plan now is only to stall for time. The day after tomorrow, I will go with Mo Bai to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion for the tournament. Then, if I can find a way to draw near Mo Bai, there may be a chance to obtain the antidote."
"Good." Mu Yun nodded, already forming a plan in his heart — once he left, he would find a way to contact Yu Mo and seek a way to break the deadlock.
With another turn of thought, he flipped his hand and produced a warm jade, handing it to Mu Lin. "Wear it against your skin. If you truly face a life-and-death crisis, simply inject your willpower to activate the spirit patterns within — it will shatter the jade, or dissolve the danger."
He paused, a faint smile touching his eyes. "Unless the distance is too great, I will also sense the jade's fluctuation. Then I will come find you."
At this, the corners of Mu Lin's lips lifted, a moving smile surfacing on her pale face. "Thank you. Now go quickly. Mo Bai still has use for me, so he will not harm me for a while. If you see Mu Fei, please comfort her for me."
As she spoke, her eyes flickered, and she said slowly: "My little sister has been coddled since childhood; her heart is still young. With the Mu Manor now falling, she will likely struggle to face the ways of the world. I hope you will look after her."
Mu Yun nodded gravely, then turned and left, his figure soon vanishing into the depths of the secret chamber.
Within the chamber, the light was dim. Mu Lin put away the jade, gazing at it for a moment, then exhaled several mouthfuls of turbid breath, her chest still rising and falling. Only after a long while did her breathing steady, and she closed her eyes once more, sinking back into cultivation.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inside the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall.
Lei Gang sat alone in the center of the main hall, his form like a mountain, both elbows resting on the arms of his wooden chair. His thick knuckles drummed endlessly on the chair handle — each beat audible, yet carrying a thread of unease and rumination.
"So this is how it is... could there be another cultivator backing that Mo Bai?" He murmured, a thread of imperceptible wariness and doubt in his tone.
As one of the major powers in Qingchuan City, Lei Gang considered his influence boundless. Yet he knew well that, in the eyes of true cultivators, even a man who dominated a region was no more than dust and an ant. What surged in his heart now was a deep, heavy sense of powerlessness. It was precisely this that had firmed his resolve: he must win this tournament, seize the Foundation Establishment Pill, step through the threshold of immortality, and break free once and for all from the shackles of the mortal world!
"Uncle Lei." Mu Yun, who had also been deep in thought for a long while, suddenly spoke. "Given the situation, the only way is as Mu Lin said — at the tournament, seize Mo Bai and force the antidote out of him."
As he spoke, he looked up straight at Lei Gang, his tone decisive as a blade. "I beg your leave to fight in the tournament under the banner of the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall."
At this, Lei Gang pondered a moment, then finally nodded. "It is the only way left to have even a thread of a chance."
"Thank you, Uncle Lei, for making this possible." Mu Yun cupped his hands in a bow, his expression solemn. "This junior takes his leave now, to make preparations."
With that, he turned and departed, his figure gradually vanishing into the dawn light.
By now the sky was just brightening, the east paling, all things stirring to life.
...
Returning to the inn, Mu Yun had just reached the door; before he could raise his hand to knock, the wooden door creaked open from within. Facing him was Mu Fei, who had not slept all night, anxiety written on her face.
"Well?" She stepped forward and asked urgently, a tremor in her voice, then turned to lift a bowl of clear water from the table and pressed it into Mu Yun's hands.
Mu Yun took the bowl and sipped a few mouthfuls, his expression easing slightly. After a night of rushing about, there was at last a thread of progress, and his mind loosened a fraction.
"I have seen your sister." He looked up, his gaze open. "Though I could not rescue her, her life is not in danger for now, and we already have a plan."
At once, Mu Yun told her everything in detail — the secret chamber, Mu Lin's poisoning, the plan for the tournament.
After hearing Mu Yun's account, the tension on Mu Fei's face eased, and the heart that had hung suspended finally settled a fraction.
The two talked in low voices a while longer, the atmosphere gradually warming. Then Mu Yun rose, took his leave, and returned to the room next door.
Mu Yun lay back on the bed, hands pillowed behind his head, staring at the beams, saying nothing for a long while.
The tournament two days hence was no ordinary contest; killing intent lurked within, every step a precipice. This outing might well be the dividing line between life and death.
He lowered his head and touched the storage bag at his waist, his heart somewhat eased.
This storage bag was a gift from Yu Mo. Within its hidden space were not only various healing pills, but also several sharp weapons and exotic concealed weapons, enough to handle many a turn of events. To Mu Yun, this had already become one of his trump cards for breaking the deadlock.
His other trump card was the "Thrusting Saber Style" he had cultivated alone.
He had completed this art some time ago, yet never truly unleashed it in actual combat. A vague instinct stirred in him: if he used this move at full force, even against a worldly powerhouse like Lei Gang, he might not lose — and might even win.
Besides... Mu Yun touched his forehead and his whole body, searching for something special, yet finding nothing. Mu Yun did not yet understand why, when "he" took control of his body, that heaven-rending, earth-overturning power would activate.
This was his greatest trump card. Though, for now, he did not know whether this time, if truly faced with a life-or-death crisis, that "big brother" from another civilization would once again come online as promised.
At this thought, Mu Yun slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid breath, gathered his spirit, and closed his eyes to regulate his breath.
...
Several hours later, Mu Yun opened his eyes, a divine light flashing within them, his aura concealed, restored to peak condition.
He rolled out of bed, straightened his robes, and pushed the door out.
On the streets of Qingchuan City, the crowds streamed like a weaver's shuttle, the din a boiling roar. Mu Yun walked with steady steps, threading through the great restaurants, teahouses, and lanes, searching for any trace of Yu Mo.
Yet after a day of rushing about and searching everywhere, he found nothing.
As dusk fell, he returned to the inn, knowing Yu Mo could not be found in the short term. He set the matter aside for now and turned to call the inn boy, ordering a table of hot dishes as a reward for a day of rushing.
Unlike before, this time the one sitting across from him was no longer the calm, elegant Yu Mo, but Mu Fei, her expression faintly constrained.
Yesterday she had fled in panic, without a coin, with no experience of the ways of the market. Now, seeing the steaming, fragrant dishes on the table, her stomach had long rumbled like a drum. Though she forced composure, those eyes stared fixedly at the stewed meat beside the wine cup.
Mu Yun smiled and raised his chopsticks. "Let's eat."
"Mm." Mu Fei replied softly, then said no more, burying herself in the food.
The two were of an age, and there was never much barrier between them. By the end of the meal, in silence, a little of the distance between them had closed.
After the meal, the night deepened. The light and shadow in the inn were lonely, the wind threading through the window as though murmuring.