Li Muzhan seemed not to notice. He lowered his head to eat his vegetarian meal, occasionally glancing towards the window to observe the ceaseless flow of people on the street, his manner focused and his movements utterly composed.
The men in black remained silent, only watching him with cold smiles, like falcons hovering over chicks.
Li Muzhan kept quiet, pretending not to see, but Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan could not keep their composure. They shot a glance at him; seeing his demeanor, they secretly clenched their pearl-like teeth, silently cursing him for not being a man, retreating when action was needed.
“Is there something you want?” Wang Tingyan asked coldly, her face tight.
The foremost among them was an elder, powerfully built, with salt-and-pepper hair and a grim expression fixed on Li Muzhan. He slowly turned toward Wang Tingyan, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked, “Is the young lady one of the people from Sacred Snow Peak?”
“Yes,” Wang Tingyan replied flatly.
While the two women were eating, they had removed their white veils, revealing their exquisite features.
When the two unveiled their true beauty, the surrounding patrons quickly stole glances, their eyes darting away swiftly, afraid to linger, like thieves caught in the act.
Now, they finally had a legitimate opportunity to observe, and all eyes turned toward them.
The elder cupped his hands again, forcing a sliver of a smile onto his somber face. “May I ask the young lady’s name? … This old man is Gongsun Ming of the Gongsun Family. I paid a visit to Sect Leader Li on the mountain yesterday.”
Wang Tingyan nodded faintly. “You are from the Gongsun Family.”
When she spoke with Li Muzhan, she was charmingly smiling, but that was on the mountain. Down in the town, speaking to others, she was frigidly cold. This wasn't preferential treatment for Li Muzhan; it was the tradition of Sacred Snow Peak: one must not smile when descending the mountain, maintaining an air of majesty.
The elder managed an unnatural, small smile. “We have pursued you all this way precisely for this villain. … A life for a life is only just according to Heaven and Earth. He killed our disciples, so he must pay with his life!”
His smile was stiff; clearly, he was not accustomed to smiling.
Li Muzhan turned his head to glance over, offered a slight smile, and then turned back to look out the window.
The dozen men in black were filled with fury, yet cautious enough not to utter profanities, merely glaring at him with eyes that were piercingly cold.
Being pinned by so many murderous gazes made Jiang Lanzhi slightly uncomfortable, and she let out a cold snort.
She was displeased with Li Muzhan, but the men in black interpreted her snort as a challenge directed at them. Each one turned to look at her, their gazes turning cold, slowly laced with a strange curiosity.
To their eyes, though this young girl was slightly tanned, her features were delicate and her figure graceful—truly alluring. If they could only press her beneath them…
The gazes gradually became heated. Though Jiang Lanzhi was inexperienced, she felt an instinctive revulsion and snorted again, sweeping her gaze coldly over them.
These men were all proud and arrogant, taking great pride in the Gongsun Family. Yet, suppressed by the atmosphere at Sacred Snow Peak, they were frustrated. The women of Sacred Snow Peak held the Gongsun Family in contempt, and they were unable to vent their intense, dark fire, feeling unbearably stifled.
Moreover, seeing them sitting congenially with Li Muzhan only fueled their rage. Held back by their elder, they vented their fury through their eyes.
When they met her challenging gaze, a few revealed peculiar smiles. The moment Jiang Lanzhi saw such expressions, her anger flared instantly, and a nameless fury burned within her.
“Bang!” She slammed the table, jumping to her feet, and pointed at the smiling men opposite them, coldly commanding, “Scram—! Don’t be an eyesore here!”
The elder had been focused on Li Muzhan and turned to look at Wang Tingyan, unaware of the disturbance behind him. Startled by Jiang Lanzhi’s sudden outburst, he asked, “Young lady, did my subordinates offend you in some way?”
“I don’t wish to see you!” Jiang Lanzhi said coldly.
Wang Tingyan was also taken aback. Senior Sister Jiang had always been steady and far more capable than herself; why was she suddenly enraged? She quickly asked, “Senior Sister Jiang…?”
Jiang Lanzhi huffed, “They are shifty, their eyes are impure, it’s irritating!”
Wang Tingyan understood instantly. She swept her gaze over the group, her eyes sharp as blades.
The men in black smiled faintly, their eyes strange as they watched her. She met their gaze coldly and snapped, “Hurry up and get out!”
Gongsun Ming’s smile slowly faded, replaced by his previous grimness. He said coldly, “Two young ladies, though Sacred Snow Peak is powerful, our Gongsun Family is no pushover. You two should think twice!”
“Think twice about what!” Wang Tingyan sneered, glancing askance at him. “When the beam is crooked, the rafters lean astray. Seeing their appearance, it’s clear that the fellow who was killed deserved his fate!”
Gongsun Ming’s face darkened, covered with a layer of frost. He roared sternly, “Hold your tongue!”
His eyes flashed with sharp brilliance, and he snorted coldly. “Mind your words. Young Master Qingyun was honorable and upright! For you to slander him thus, we will not tolerate it!”
Wang Tingyan’s long eyebrows arched, and she shouted, “If you don’t leave now, don’t blame me for being impolite!”
Gongsun Ming laughed in extreme anger. “Very well. This old man was just about to sample the ultimate arts of Sacred Snow Peak!”
Li Muzhan set down his chopsticks, shook his head, and sighed, “Alas… The Gongsun Family, the Gongsun Family. Must you only bully women?”
He shook his head and sighed, filled with deep emotion.
Gongsun Ming said coldly, “Boy from the Wang family, hiding behind women. You dare mention our Gongsun Family?!”
Li Muzhan smiled, then turned around. “Junior Sister Jiang, Junior Sister Wang, do you wish to teach these fellows a lesson?”
Jiang Lanzhi shot him a look. “Whatever you want to do is fine; we have no say in the matter!”
It was clearly a mess he had caused, yet he acted as if he were the righteous avenger!
Li Muzhan looked at Wang Tingyan. She bit her lower lip and said fiercely, “Teaching them a lesson would be best!”
Li Muzhan cupped his hands and smiled. “As you command!”
Since arriving at Sacred Snow Peak, he seemed like a different person—more carefree and unrestrained, as if the shackles on his heart had been broken, refreshed and renewed.
Because he was alone, in an unfamiliar place, such feelings were inevitable.
He turned and laughed heartily, “The two young ladies have given their word, and you still haven’t left?!”
With that, he flicked his left sleeve, and instantly, over a dozen men flew backward. Gongsun Ming staggered back a few steps, letting out a harsh shout, his face turning crimson as he stubbornly managed to hold his ground, refusing to retreat.
Li Muzhan uttered an “Oh,” nodding with a smile. “Decent cultivation!”
Then, he flicked his right sleeve soundlessly. Gongsun Ming suddenly flew up, slamming heavily against a lacquered red pillar behind him, spitting out a stream of blood.
The last time he had used the Ruthless Sleeve, forming a cyclone, he had gained a deeper understanding of the power of Heaven and Earth. Furthermore, the Ruthless Sleeve had broken through its final layer, achieving Great Completion.
This seemingly gentle flick expelled less than thirty percent of his internal energy from his Dantian. Though silent, it carried the hidden surge of wind and thunder, possessing extreme Yin and softness.
His internal energy was profound, far surpassing the old man’s. Unable to withstand the force of this blow, the elder slid to the ground, unable to rise again.
“Third Elder!” The men in black scrambled up and gathered around him.
Li Muzhan sat squarely, leaning back lazily. “Help him back, let him rest for a long time. He must not get angry or use his inner strength, or he will die suddenly. Don’t blame me for not warning you!”
“You—!” One of the black-clad men glared at him, his eyes red, drawing his sword and rushing toward him.
Li Muzhan shook his head, grabbed a chopstick, and flung it. The chopstick turned into a streak of light, embedding itself in the larger man’s shoulders. He flew backward, crashing onto a table, which shattered into pieces.
Li Muzhan looked at the remaining black-clad men, a faint smile on his face.
“Go!” Gongsun Ming, helped up by his men, swallowed a mouthful of stale air and commanded in a low voice.
“Third Elder…” The men were filled with righteous indignation, their eyes red.
“There will be other days!” Gongsun Ming said weakly, waving a hand, his voice hoarse.
“…Yes, let’s go!” A middle-aged man said solemnly, giving Li Muzhan a venomous glare, and helped Gongsun Ming out.
Li Muzhan’s expression shifted slightly. He suddenly appeared before them, blocking the stairway.
“What do you intend?” the middle-aged man squinted and snapped coldly.
Li Muzhan extended his left hand. “Hand over the antidote!”
“What antidote?” The middle-aged man sneered, his gaze vicious, as if he wished he could eat him alive.
Li Muzhan suddenly flickered, and the next instant, his right palm pressed against the man’s chest.
“Bang!” The middle-aged man flew out, slamming heavily against the wall, spitting out a mist of blood, then sliding limply down the wall until he collapsed on the floor.
Li Muzhan turned to look at Gongsun Ming, frowning. “Poisoning innocent people, your Gongsun Family is truly formidable! … Hand over the antidote!”
Gongsun Ming frowned and looked at the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man began to chuckle, the sound growing louder until it bordered on madness. “Yes, I poisoned them. So what! … Aren’t you powerful? Let’s see if you can save them!”
Li Muzhan turned back to Gongsun Ming, his face as dark as water, golden light flickering intensely in his eyes, almost tangible.
Gongsun Ming’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the golden light in his eyes; he felt suffocated. He turned and said sternly, “Nonsense! … Zixu, how could you do such a thing! Give him the antidote!”
“Third Elder…” The middle-aged man stopped his mad laughter and shook his head. “Even if I die, I will drag him down with me! To avenge Young Master Qingyun!”
Gongsun Ming said soberly, “The wronged party has an avenger, the debt has a debtor. Seek revenge from him, why kill these people!”
The middle-aged man remained silent, lowering his head.
Li Muzhan watched him calmly, the golden light flickering in his eyes, sweeping faintly over the men in black.
They all shuddered simultaneously, struggling to breathe. This reaction was involuntary, like animals encountering a fierce tiger, a tremor originating from the core of their being, beyond their control.
“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!” …
Suddenly, people around them slumped over their tables, unconscious, causing a wave of panic. The tavern buzzed, and people looked toward the two women.
Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan had been half-believing, half-doubting, unwilling to believe anyone could be so insane, thinking Li Muzhan was intentionally provoking trouble. Now, all doubt vanished, and they rushed to Li Muzhan’s side.
Wang Tingyan scolded sharply, “You madman, hand over the antidote quickly!”
The middle-aged man glanced coldly at Wang Tingyan. “Scram!”
Having held this resentment for a long time, now that the facade had shattered, he had no more restraint, bursting out in a torrent of abuse. “What damned Sacred Snow Peak! Looking down on our Gongsun Family, knowing neither Heaven nor Earth! Foolish and arrogant! Utterly ridiculous!”