Chapter 18: Black-Robed Man: NMSL(1)*
The next morning.
In the side hall of the Bai residence, Bai Ruoxi, dressed in a white long dress that outlined her exquisite and voluptuous figure, sat on a chair drinking morning tea, her demeanor noble and elegant.
Beside Bai Ruoxi, a beautiful woman who looked similar to Bai Ruoxi in appearance, but with a few more crow’s feet on her face, also held a teacup.
The beautiful woman’s attire had a few more hints of mature charm compared to Bai Ruoxi’s. She was buxom front and back, her face pretty and charming, like a lush peony flower.
She put down the teacup, looking to be in an extremely good mood, turned her head to look at her daughter beside her, and smiled, “Ruoxi, Mother told you, as long as you step forward, that little guy from the Mu family can’t possibly not help.”
Bai Ruoxi lightly shook her head and said, “This matter doesn’t have much to do with me. It’s just that Young Master Mu happened to have some things come up, so he conveniently helped the Bai family.”
Yes… rescuing the Bai family was just incidental.
Mu Zhi’an’s fundamental purpose wasn’t to rescue the Bai family at all, but to shift the conflict.
Shifting the Gongsun family’s conflict from Mu Zhi’an to the black-robed man.
Bai Yuanfeng looked at her daughter with a meaningful gaze and said, “Ruoxi, tell Mother the truth, did Mu Zhi’an and you…”
Bai Ruoxi glared at her mother in shame and anger, shaking her head, “Mother, what are you saying? Young Master Mu hasn’t done anything to me.”
Bai Yuanfeng was stunned and asked in puzzlement, “This is strange then… Could it be that he really has no thoughts about you?”
“He said before that I can’t be used as a bargaining chip… because I’m a person.” When Bai Ruoxi said this, she secretly observed her mother’s expression, her eyes carrying a hint of expectation, as if hoping to hear something from the beautiful woman’s mouth.
Bai Yuanfeng shook her head with a smile, “Ruoxi, men always like to say such flowery words. Such talk can only fool a three-year-old child. You mustn’t take it seriously.”
Bai Ruoxi fell silent for a long time, lightly nodding, but never opened her mouth to speak.
Regardless of whether Mu Zhi’an’s words were sincere or not, at least he said them, and he also did it.
From beginning to end, they had only held hands, and nothing else had happened besides that.
If it were other men, they probably wouldn’t have been able to control themselves from the first time in the carriage.
“Mother, the Bai family can breathe a sigh of relief now, but later on, the Gongsun family and the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce will probably still…”
Bai Ruoxi suddenly said, “Since the Meridian Connecting Pill probably won’t be used in the next few years or even ten years… Let’s use it for a trade?”
When she said this, Bai Ruoxi raised her head to look at the beautiful woman, her beautiful eyes containing a final trace of expectation.
However, the next moment, Bai Yuanfeng’s answer made Bai Ruoxi’s heart instantly sink to the bottom.
“What nonsense are you saying? The Meridian Connecting Pill is useless, but it can’t be given to the Mu family either. If the Mu family uses the Meridian Connecting Pill to cultivate a Reversion realm cultivator, the Bai family will truly never see the light of day again in the future.”
Bai Yuanfeng picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, glanced at her daughter, and said,
“You, just obediently marry into the Mu family. This way, with our two families becoming in-laws, there won’t be so many issues.”
Bai Ruoxi didn’t make a sound and quietly drank tea.
Bai Yuanfeng suspiciously looked at her daughter, “Speaking of which, before when Mother told you to marry into the Mu family, you always said you would never marry… Recently, how come I feel that you don’t seem to be that opposed to it anymore?”
Bai Ruoxi’s eyes flashed slightly as she softly said, “Even if I oppose, it’s useless, isn’t it?”
She didn’t know if she had already resigned herself to fate or what… Now, she seemed to not dislike marrying into the Mu family as much as she did at the beginning.
“Speaking of which, why do you say the Gongsun family and the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce would temporarily stop targeting the Bai family?” Bai Yuanfeng suddenly recalled this matter.
She had only heard her daughter say before that the Bai family wouldn’t be in any danger for the time being, but she didn’t know the details of the matter.
Bai Ruoxi said, “This matter is related to Gongsun Zan confiscating a family’s property yesterday…”
Bai Yuanfeng pondered for a moment and said, “Speaking of which, I did hear the servants say that Gongsun Zan led people to confiscate a family’s property yesterday, but ended up being killed by Mu Zhi’an instead?”
“Speaking of which, could it be that the reason the Gongsun family and the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce are temporarily delaying dealing with the Bai family is because they have their sights set on the Mu family? But they shouldn’t have the guts, right…” Bai Yuanfeng stared at her daughter in puzzlement.
Bai Ruoxi explained, “It’s because the Gongsun family and the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Mu family, have another enemy to deal with.”
“Gongsun Zan was actually killed by a mysterious black-robed man.”
Bai Yuanfeng clearly didn’t believe it and held a skeptical attitude, saying, “You mean there’s actually a twist to this matter, and the person who did it wasn’t Mu Zhi’an, but someone else?”
Bai Ruoxi slightly nodded.
Bai Yuanfeng shook her head and said, “Impossible. Even if the commoners of Tianxuan City would believe such words, the people of the Gongsun family wouldn’t.”
As soon as her voice fell, a messenger maidservant ran in from outside and said, “Madam, Miss!”
“What’s the matter that you’re in such a hurry?” Bai Yuanfeng glared at the maidservant.
Then, remembering that there were only a few maids left in the Bai family now, she softened her tone and said, “Did something happen? Why are you so panicked?”
The maidservant said, “It’s about Gongsun Zan’s matter…”
Bai Yuanfeng put down the teacup and said indifferently, “I already know about what happened yesterday. No need to say it again.”
“It’s not about yesterday’s matter… It’s about what happened this morning,” the maidservant said. “I heard there’s a twist to that matter now.”
Bai Yuanfeng immediately asked, “What twist?”
Could it really be as her daughter said, that this matter wasn’t Mu Zhi’an’s doing…?
But regardless of whether it was Mu Zhi’an’s doing or not, Gongsun Xiong’s side should still take the opportunity to cause trouble and demand some benefits…
“Young Master Gongsun Zan wasn’t killed by Young Master Mu. Young Master Mu only upheld justice at that time. The one who truly killed Gongsun Zan was a mysterious black-robed cultivator.”
“Is the news accurate?” Bai Yuanfeng asked suspiciously.
The maidservant nodded and said, “The people from the Gongsun family have already come out to confirm the accuracy of this news today. Also, the young miss in the Chen family’s residence at that time, as well as the servants in the residence and the servants of the Gongsun family, all said that there was indeed a black-robed man present at that time.”
Bai Yuanfeng was stunned.
There was really a black-robed man…?
But even so, why would the Gongsun family help the Mu family confirm this news?
Bai Yuanfeng came back to her senses, waved her hand to signal the maidservant to withdraw, then absentmindedly took a sip of tea.
Before long, Bai Yuanfeng got up and left the side hall. In her room, she dressed herself up to be charming and beautiful, bit a mouthful of rouge, and hurriedly left the Bai residence while swaying her hips.
…
At the same time, the news of the mysterious black-robed cultivator killing Gongsun Zan had spread throughout Tianxuan City by morning.
On this day, in inns and teahouses, people everywhere were discussing the identity of the black-robed man.
People began to greatly praise Mu Zhi’an for upholding justice and criticize Gongsun Zan’s behavior of humiliating a common woman. Then, they began to discuss the identity of the black-robed man and what he looked like under the black robe.
Just as Mu Zhi’an had guessed, no one cared about how Gongsun Zan died.
And also on this clear morning, while people were still discussing the matter of the black-robed man, a man dressed in black robes slowly walked down from the second floor stairs of a certain inn.
Most of his face was hidden under the black hood. As he walked down the stairs, he heard the people’s noisy discussions.
“So I said early on, although Young Master Mu is also a wicked young master, he at least wouldn’t do something like humiliating a common woman.”
“I also said yesterday that Young Master Mu only stopped Gongsun Zan because he couldn’t stand by and watch.”
“Young Master Mu’s past behavior may be questionable, but he’s still a good person.”
“Tsk tsk, this is the Mu family after all. If it were any other family, they would have probably been caught and investigated by the Gongsun family’s people for revenge.” Some people also sighed like this.
“But this Young Master Mu often goes to brothels and hooker alleys, so he’s actually not a good person either.” Someone still disliked Mu Zhi’an. Seeing many people praising him, they immediately refuted.
A burly man who was drinking alcohol early in the morning nearby laughed heartily and said, “Those who achieve great things don’t sweat the small stuff. Young Master Mu acted chivalrously, so what if he goes to a brothel? If one day a courtesan from the brothel really comes to your door dressed enchantingly, I bet you’d wish you could stuff your d..k in.”
The men drinking tea all laughed loudly. For a moment, the inn was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
The black-robed man listened to these people’s conversations and secretly sneered.
Although he was pressed for time, being anxious now was useless. He could only wait another two or three days for Mu Zhi’an.
But fortunately, it wouldn’t be boring.
At least these two days, he could watch the Gongsun family and the Mu family fight like dogs. It was quite interesting.
At this moment, he suddenly heard someone say again,
“But speaking of which, what do you think the identity of that black-robed man is? He actually dared to make a move against Gongsun Zan.”
“To dare to lay hands on someone from the Gongsun family, either he came prepared, or he’s a force from outside the city and doesn’t understand the terror of the Gongsun family.”
“I really want to know what that black-robed man looks like—”
Just as this voice fell, the discussions of the crowd suddenly disappeared. Countless gazes stared at the black-robed man walking down from the stairwell.
Then, people began to whisper.
“Look at his attire…”
“Dressed in black robes… His aura is cold and sinister. Could he be the black-robed man the Gongsun family put a bounty on…”
This morning, the Gongsun family had released a wanted notice. Anyone who caught the black-robed man would be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold, and anyone who provided information on the black-robed man’s location would be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold.
In their eyes, this black-robed man walking down from the stairwell was simply walking gold.
The black-robed man slightly frowned, sensing the people’s malicious gazes. Thinking of their earlier whispers, he was stunned for a brief moment.
In almost an instant, he reacted, cursing inwardly. Without saying another word, he threw down some silver and hurriedly left the inn.
Behind him, some cultivators were already itching to make a move and closely followed. But as soon as they reached the entrance of the inn, they could no longer find any trace of the black-robed man.
From this day onward, a person wearing black robes was never seen again in Tianxuan City.
NMSL(1)*: Chinese internet slang term. It is a highly offensive and vulgar … translates to “Your mother is dead” in English.
-It is often used by internet users in China to insult or provoke others during heated online arguments or disputes.
