Yu Mugao sat upon the high seat in the hall, while two retainers at peak Qi Refinement stood respectfully beside him. In the cavernous hall, not a single person dared to utter a word. Yu Mugao’s expression held a faint weariness, showing that he had clearly suffered quite a bit of hardship during this recent period. In a grave voice, he asked:
"Muyuan, is there still no word from Mujian?"
The man standing below was tall and thin, bearing a seventy percent resemblance to Yu Mugao between his brows, though lacking his elder brother's gloomy malice. He was one of the two men who had consistently followed behind him in the past. Hearing the question, he nodded and said respectfully:
"Fourth Brother said he needed to find a place to hone the sharp edge of his sword and headed north. He has been gone for the better part of a few months now, with no sign that he intends to return."
"Useless bastard," Yu Mugao cursed under his breath. Yet he was helpless against this younger brother whose entire heart was devoted to the sword. He sighed softly:
"Muyuan, thank goodness you are here keeping watch. Otherwise, with so many troubles in the family, it would surely run me into the ground."
"I wouldn't dare claim credit; I am merely sharing my elder brother's burdens," Yu Muyuan replied.
Just as he answered, someone hurried up from below holding a letter in both hands. Presenting it to Yu Mugao, the messenger said in a low voice:
"Patriarch, a secret letter from Ma Haiji at Mount Huaqian!"
Yu Mugao raised an eyebrow, his expression darkening. Taking the letter, he brushed off the wax seal, drew out the parchment, and read it twice through. His complexion turned instantly ugly, and he gritted his teeth, exclaiming:
"What an An Jingming! I paid him no mind these past days, and he has actually reached such a point..."
He closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment, then handed the letter down to Yu Muyuan. Yu Muyuan took the letter with both hands, glanced at it, and for a moment could not contain himself, crying out:
"This! How could this be?! Only how many years have passed? How could An Jingming have reached such cultivation?!"
"The eighth layer of Qi Refinement! How is that possible? Could his cultivation speed belong to some kind of monster? Is this news from the Li family reliable? Our family’s relationship with the An family is exceptionally close right now—could this be a scheme to drive a wedge between us and turn our family against them?"
Yu Mugao closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then shook his head, saying gravely:
"Unlikely. The Li family has always kept a low profile, and Li Tongya is not one to stir up trouble. Furthermore, according to what our spy reported, obtaining this news was a narrow escape from death. It shouldn't be a ploy from the Li family."
Neither Li Yuanxiu nor Yu Mugao could have anticipated that Ma Haiji, in order to magnify his own merit, had embellished the letter, depicting his discovery of this secret as a harrowing escape from mortal peril. This colored Yu Mugao's judgment, making him all the more certain of the report's authenticity.
Yu Muyuan cupped his hands, gritting his teeth as he said:
"If that is so, this boy must never be allowed to live!"
Yu Mugao's face was frighteningly dark. An Jingming's progress in cultivation far exceeded his expectations. He let out a deep sigh and said in a low voice:
"Naturally, he cannot be allowed to live. Our family must kill him. At such a cultivation speed, he will probably break through to Foundation Establishment in just a few years. When that time comes, variables will arise. It would be best if we can suppress both the Li and An families together, giving each of them a setback."
Seeing his brother still deep in thought, Yu Muyuan knew Yu Mugao was most likely conceiving some vicious scheme. This elder brother of his had always possessed an unpredictable, boundless imagination, striking unexpectedly, with ruthless treachery to match. To this day, he had never failed against any of the figures from the various families he targeted. Thus, Yu Muyuan did not speak, only waiting quietly below.
After merely a few breaths of contemplation, a plan had already formed in Yu Mugao's mind. He said in a low voice:
"The An family revealed the locations of the Li family's various towns and even arranged for our infiltrators to be placed there; nothing could be better.
"Now I have a way: first take the Li family down a peg to crush their arrogance, and then catch the An family off guard. We have indulged these two families for far too long; it is high time we reined them in."
Yu Mugao smiled slightly, victory clearly already within his grasp. He murmured softly:
"Have Retainer Jiang come up."
The servants below hurried to make arrangements. Before long, they ushered in an old man with a full head of white hair. Wrinkles densely creased his face, making him look at least over a hundred and fifty years old. His cultivation was merely at the third layer of Qi Refinement, and his breath was feeble, yet he laughed heartily and cupped his hands, saying:
"Patriarch Yu, it has truly been a long time! I wonder, how many people are to be eliminated today?"
"Retainer Jiang!"
Yu Mugao, however, was exceptionally courteous, clearly holding considerable respect for this Retainer Jiang. With a genial smile, he said:
"Indeed, there is one person to eliminate. I will have to trouble you, sir."
Retainer Jiang plopped himself down into a mahogany chair to the side, casually crossing his legs. Yu Mugao showed not the slightest irritation; instead, he signaled to Yu Muyuan and said with a smile:
"I must trouble Fifth Brother to accompany him on this journey!"
***
Ma Haiji lit a fire, wrapped the letter carefully, and held it over the flames. Only when he saw the paper turn to ash and vanish did he breathe a sigh of relief. Looking all around, he packed up his belongings and prepared to return home.
After walking a few paces, Ma Haiji turned back, stomped out the embers, and buried them beneath the dirt. Only then did he nod in satisfaction. But after walking several dozen paces more, he suddenly felt that something was amiss. Crouching down to the ground, he muttered to himself:
"The Li family values this information so highly, so they must have their own plans. Now that I have transmitted this news back to my clan, Yu Mugao is certain to take action to disrupt them. In the end, the Li family will inevitably realize the information was leaked...
"If Tian Zhongqing returns to his courtyard, sees the letter lying on the ground, and asks the servants, he will definitely find out that I was the only one who entered the courtyard. Wouldn't I be completely exposed?!"
Ma Haiji shuddered violently. For a time, he was stricken with immense dismay, his heart plunged into gloom. He thought to himself:
"Now there is no turning back! I must never return to the Li family. I fear they have already laid an inescapable dragnet back there. Going home would be nothing but walking to my death!"
Shouldering his pack, panic had already overwhelmed Ma Haiji's heart. He mumbled:
"I cannot wait for a reply from my clan anymore. I must leave right now and flee back to my family!"
Ma Haiji still had some wits about him. Having sorted out the situation, he shouldered his pack and plunged straight into the woods. He trudged northward for the span of an incense stick, his body covered in bloody scratches from branches and brambles. Yet to his shock, someone suddenly dropped down before his eyes.
This person's attire was quite simple: draped in an unadorned grey robe, with a sword hanging from his waist. His demeanor was graceful and poised, his eyes fixed intently on him. He asked with a smile:
"Where might you be heading, sir?"
Ma Haiji was terrified, his legs shaking violently. Knowing his cover was blown, he cried out in a weeping voice:
"Who are you, sir?"
"I am Chen Donghe!"
Chen Donghe smiled faintly, cast a glance at Ma Haiji, and murmured:
"You are rather sharp. If we had not already been waiting nearby, you might truly have slipped away."
"Chen Donghe... a Qi Refinement cultivator!"
Ma Haiji had stayed in the Li family for many years; though he had always been an ordinary petty official, he certainly knew the famous name of Chen Donghe. He drew a dagger from his waist and slashed it straight toward his own throat.
Yet Ma Haiji was merely a mortal. With a simple flick of Chen Donghe's finger, an impact of qi struck the dagger in Ma Haiji's hand, knocking it straight out of his grasp and sending it tumbling by the bank of a nearby stream. With another wave of his hand, Ma Haiji collapsed limply to the ground.
Chen Donghe looked at Ma Haiji with pity, seized him by the collar, lifted off riding the wind, and soared westward toward Mount Lijing.
Chapter 194