Chapter 145 Investigating the Details

Heavenly Sword Peak, the Saint's residence.

Inside the quiet room, Jian Wushuang sat cross-legged with his eyes tightly shut. Sharp, pale-gold Sword Intent circulated around him, causing the air to ripple slightly with a low hum. A few hours ago, he had slain three powerful Yao Beasts in the Twilight Forest, breaking through his Bottleneck during the fierce battle to enter the Soul Transformation Realm. However, his spiritual energy had been heavily depleted at the time, leaving his Realm unstable. Now, after careful meditation and consolidation, that vast and majestic aura had finally settled completely, firmly coming to a rest at the Soul Transformation Early Stage.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps—deliberately light yet steady—approached from outside the courtyard, finally stopping just outside the door of the quiet room.

After an unknown amount of time, Jian Wushuang slowly exhaled a long breath of turbid Qi. That breath was like a sword, leaving a faint white trail in the air that lingered for a long time. He opened his eyes, and a sharp golden light flashed through them for an instant, like the cold glint of a peerless divine weapon being unsheathed. He seemed to know someone was waiting, but he was in no hurry to respond. Instead, he calmly and unhurriedly regulated the last bit of spiritual energy before brushing the smooth hem of his brocade robe. He rose with an elegant posture and walked out of the quiet room with steady steps.

Outside the door stood a young man wearing the attire of a Heavenly Sword Peak Core Disciple. His aura was heavy and profound, and his cultivation had surprisingly reached the Mid Spirit Severing stage Peak. Anyone else seeing this would have been shocked to the point of their jaw dropping; this man was Liu Ming, one of the top five Core Disciples under Elder Tian Jian. Usually a person of great pride, he now appeared extremely respectful before Jian Wushuang, even keeping his head slightly bowed.

"Saint." Seeing Jian Wushuang emerge, Liu Ming immediately bowed low in greeting.

Jian Wushuang gave him a brief glance, not at all surprised. Standing under the veranda with his hands behind his back, he looked up at the sparse stars in the night sky. His voice was calm and indifferent, as if they were merely making small talk. "How is the investigation going?"

Liu Ming did not dare to be negligent and immediately reported the information he had gathered clearly: "Reporting to the Saint, it has been clarified. That Mu Changge, the new inner Disciple of Earth Sword Peak, hails from the Mu Family of Tianjian City and is the current Young Lord of the Mu Family. It is rumored that this Family has some connection to the Upper Realm, though the specifics are unknown. This lad used his Family connections to enter Elder Di Jian's tutelage, and his cultivation is at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. Several collateral members of the Mu Family entered the Sect with him, but they all have mediocre talent. Most are in the outer gate, and only two are in the inner gate, so they are of no concern."

He paused slightly before continuing, "What is noteworthy is that his elder sister, named Mu Wanning, came with him. This woman is said to have extraordinary Aptitude and is already at the Soul Transformation Early Stage. Unfortunately, she seems to have no affinity for the Dao of the sword, so she did not join our Sect. She is only staying with her brother temporarily by special permission from Elder Di Jian, essentially as a guest. According to the news gathered by those below, the relationship between these two siblings seems quite discordant. They have had many conflicts since childhood due to issues like the tilting of Family resources, and Mu Wanning harbors quite a few grievances against her brother. For some reason, they are actually living together in the same courtyard during this visit."

Speaking to this point, Liu Ming's voice paused as if he had remembered something, and he added, "There is one more thing that is quite peculiar. A few days ago, a Disciple responsible for distributing monthly allowances mentioned that after Mu Changge collected his Cultivation resources, he immediately turned around and handed them all over to his sister, Mu Wanning."

Jian Wushuang listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously turning a teacup. As he swirled it gently, his brow first furrowed slightly, and as Liu Ming's narrative continued, his frown deepened as if he were rapidly considering various countermeasures. After a moment of silence, his brow suddenly smoothed, and a knowing, certain smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He murmured to himself as if he had perceived some key point:

"Heh, so that's how it is. Discordant since childhood, yet insisting on living together after entering the Sect, and handing over all resources... interesting. It seems that kid is either being firmly held by some leverage by his 'dear sister' or has some weakness that forces him to be under her control. In that case, won't dealing with him be as easy as grasping something in my palm?"

His mind raced, and a plan quickly took shape: 'Since that's the case, why not pull the rug out from under him? Mu Wanning can only control him through either profit or coercion. If I offer her great benefits or help her achieve her goals—for instance, supporting her to take the position of the Mu Family head? When the time comes, if I have this sister stand by and watch, or even give a little push, wouldn't crushing that arrogant brat be as easy as turning over my hand?'

At this thought, Jian Wushuang felt settled, and his gloomy mood brightened quite a bit, as if he could already see Mu Changge's pathetic state before him. He was about to order Liu Ming to prepare some resources and treasures suitable for a trade, planning to "visit" Mu Wanning tomorrow.

However, just as his thoughts turned to what he should use to sway that woman of the Mu Family, another thought sprang into his mind without warning, carrying a hint of indescribable curiosity and appraisal.

His expression remained indifferent, as if he were asking a casual question. "That Mu Wanning... what does she look like?"

In his heart, he had already begun to calculate: 'This Saint is handsome, exceptionally talented, and holds a prestigious status; my admirers are countless. If this woman is quite beautiful, why waste resources on a trade? With a few minor tricks to make her fall for me and become my concubine, wouldn't that be wonderful?' He had always been quite confident in his own charm.

Hearing this, Liu Ming's face showed a hint of difficulty, and he scratched his head as if weighing his words. He was not one skilled at judging beauty, but the reports from the Disciples below were emphatic. After thinking for a moment, he replied cautiously, "According... according to the Disciples who have seen her, Mu Changge's sister has stunning looks, truly a national beauty. Moreover, her temperament is unique; she has both a celestial appearance and a faint hint of... heroic nobility. Compared to Saintess Yun, they seem to... each have their own merits." He carefully avoided a direct comparison and continued, "Some Disciples said that once seen, she is unforgettable. Her haughty demeanor... makes one instinctively feel a desire to conquer her."

As he spoke, Liu Ming took out a Recording Stone glowing with a faint golden light from his robes and injected a sliver of spiritual energy. Immediately, a soft screen of light unfolded before them.

A graceful figure emerged within the light screen. The woman wore a pale yellow gown and stood beneath an ancient tree. Her posture was as upright as a slender bamboo, and her skirts fluttered lightly in the wind; she truly had the air of a celestial maiden amidst the breeze. Her beauty was so great that even Jian Wushuang, who had seen many beauties, felt his breath hitch slightly the moment his eyes met the image.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes like autumn waters, her nose bridge was elegant and straight, and her lips were naturally red without any rouge. Most striking was the innate pride and coldness between her brows—it wasn't a forced pose, but a nobility and aloofness that came from her very bones and permeated her Soul, like an ice lotus atop a snowy Peak, loftily inviolable. Yet, beneath this pride, there was a faint heroic spirit that rivaled any man's, like a female general commanding thousands of troops and looking down upon the battlefield. These contradictory temperaments intertwined to form an extremely unique and impactful charm.

Just as those Disciples had said, this kind of beauty carried a strong, secret temptation to drag her down into the mortal world, to ruthlessly crush that pride and see her stained with the dust of the earth for one's sake.

Jian Wushuang's gaze lingered on the light screen for several breaths before he moved it away nonchalantly, but his fingers inside his sleeves tightened slightly. He spent a bit more time than usual suppressing the sudden surge of heat and possessiveness in his heart, restoring the calm demeanor expected of a Saint.

"Mm, I see," he said in a flat tone, showing no emotion. "Tomorrow, go and invite this Miss Mu to my Heavenly Sword Peak for a chat. Say that this Saint has matters to discuss. Remember, be as courteous as possible."

"Yes, Saint." Liu Ming bowed to accept the order and quietly withdrew, disappearing into the night.

Once silence returned to the courtyard, the gentle and refined mask on Jian Wushuang's face slowly faded away. He walked back into the quiet room, and the door closed noiselessly. The next moment, a low and triumphant laugh rang out inside the room.

"Hehe... Hahaha!" Jian Wushuang clapped his hands and laughed, his eyes filled with the malice and excitement of someone who already held victory in his grasp. A light flashed in his palm, and a nine-layered small tower appeared. It was only an inch or so tall, with golden light flowing over its body and mysterious runes faintly circulating on its surface. On the tower, the three ancient seal characters for "soul suppressing tower" emitted a vast divine light that made one's mind bow in submission upon seeing it.

He gently stroked the tower's body with the care one would give a rare treasure, yet his eyes were as cold as a venomous snake. "Yun Qingyao, oh Yun Qingyao, after all these years, your stubborn nature is exactly like that of your obstinate, dead father... But no matter. You can't escape. In the end, everything you have will be mine."

Putting away the soul suppressing tower, Jian Wushuang once again recalled that fleeting glimpse of peerless beauty from the Recording Stone. The corners of his mouth curled into an arc of determination, and he murmured to himself, his voice echoing in the silent room with a cruel playfulness:

"Mu Changge... just who do you think you are to compete with me for a woman? Once I've taken down your incredibly proud sister... I'll be taking a dump on your head and you won't be able to do a thing about it; you'll even have to ask me to finish up cleanly. When that time comes, you can just obediently go down to your grave! I'll be the one taking care of your sister for you... Hahaha."

The moonlight filtered through the window lattice, spilling onto his handsome face, which now appeared exceptionally cold and dark, casting a murky and indistinct shadow. The Saint's conspiracy had already been quietly woven into the night.

The next day, as the sky gradually brightened and the sun rose high, warm sunlight pierced through the thin gauze curtains on the window. It cast soft patches of light across the room and quietly climbed onto the large bed in the center, outlining two figures tightly embracing beneath the brocade quilt—

Xiao Ming lay on his side, one arm naturally pillowed beneath Mu Wanning's head, allowing him to circle her entire body in his embrace. His palm was firmly hooked around her slender waist, which could be spanned by a single hand.

His other hand... was in a more "tricky" and ambiguous position, unexpectedly resting atop a certain fullness. His fingers slightly contracted, sinking into those soft mounds. His leg was even more overbearing, crossing over to press down on Mu Wanning's long legs, firmly imprisoning her in his arms and making her appear unable to move. This sleeping posture was a vivid scene of a monarch neglecting the morning court to lie drunkenly in a beauty's lap.

The morning light danced on Xiao Ming's eyelids. His thick eyelashes fluttered a few times as his consciousness was the first to slowly rise from the depths of sleep. He first exhaled a long, lazy breath, filled with the satisfaction of a night's peaceful rest. Then, he let out a silent yawn and slowly opened his bleary eyes.

His vision was a bit blurry at first, but his senses were the first to wake up. Especially his right hand, which sent an indescribable and unspeakable sensation to his mind.

With a yawn, his fingers subconsciously tightened and gave a little squeeze.