Chapter 148 The Holy Son Invites You

Wandao Sword Sect, Heavenly Sword Peak, Saint's Residence.

Liu Ming led Mu Wanning through multiple mountain peaks and past elegant courtyards filled with misty Spiritual Qi, eventually arriving before the main house. Rare flowers and exotic herbs were arranged tastefully throughout the courtyard, where spiritual springs gurgled, clearly showing the owner's esteemed status and refined taste.

Shortly after the two stepped into the courtyard, the doors to the main house opened silently. A man dressed in a Moon-white brocade robe embroidered with golden sword patterns, possessing a tall stature and a resolute, handsome face, stepped out slowly. This was the Saint of the Wandao Sword Sect, Jian Wushuang. He wore a perfectly measured, gentle smile, his gaze calm and his posture composed, looking every bit the refined Young Master and polite host.

However, when his gaze moved past Liu Ming and fell upon the slender figure following closely behind, that originally flawless, gentle expression stiffened for an imperceptible moment. His eyes seemed to be firmly pulled by a magnet, locking onto Mu Wanning for a full two or three breaths. His Adam's apple even moved unconsciously as he made a slight swallowing motion.

'How can such peerless beauty exist in this world!' An exclamation of shock exploded in his heart. Compared to the image in the Recording Stone, the woman before him was more than just a few degrees more beautiful! Her real appearance was stunning, and her unique temperament far exceeded his imagination. Her slender figure, wrapped in a simple yet elegant long dress, was graceful and well-proportioned, with a waist that seemed as though it could be held in one hand and curves that were breathtaking. Especially that unique air that combined coldness, pride, and a faint heroic spirit—like a winter plum on a snowy peak or frost under the moon—she was awe-inspiring and inviolable, yet that was precisely what most easily stirred the strongest desire for conquest deep within a man's heart.

Jian Wushuang prided himself on having seen countless beauties, and the number of female Cultivators within and outside the Sect who admired him was beyond counting, many of whom possessed peerless looks. But he was truly seeing someone like Mu Wanning for the first time, who perfectly combined extreme beauty with such a contradictory and eye-catching temperament. A surge of heat instantly rose from his lower abdomen, making him almost unable to restrain himself.

But he was, after all, the Saint of the Wandao Sword Sect and a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator. His mental fortitude and shrewdness far exceeded that of ordinary people, and he was certainly not comparable to those greenhorns who had just entered the cultivation world. Just as his emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control, Jian Wushuang immediately noticed the scrutinizing and slightly distant gaze Mu Wanning cast his way. An alarm bell rang in his heart, and he instantly forced down his churning thoughts, withdrawing all his outward heat and greed. He put back on that impeccable, warm smile, as if his momentary loss of composure had just been someone else's hallucination.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Liu," he said with a slight nod toward Liu Ming, his tone gentle. Liu Ming understood, gave a slightly respectful bow, and quietly withdrew.

Only then did Jian Wushuang return his full attention to Mu Wanning. He stepped aside and made an elegant "please" gesture, his smile appearing sincere and charming. "Fairy Mu's presence brings light to my humble abode. I am Jian Wushuang of the Wandao Sword Sect. I have taken the liberty of inviting you here, and I hope Fairy Mu will not take offense. Please come inside, let us sit and chat slowly."

From the moment Jian Wushuang appeared, Mu Wanning had been calmly observing him. How could his fleetingly heated gaze and that seemingly casual but actually thorough "measuring" scan of her from head to toe escape her perception? A strong sense of revulsion and vigilance immediately rose in her heart. This man was refined and elegant on the surface, but the things hidden deep in his eyes made her extremely uncomfortable; she even felt a faint chill as if being stared at by a venomous snake. Furthermore, she could vaguely feel that her own aura seemed to be faintly clashing with something on him, forming a state of opposition.

Her beautiful brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but thinking of the purpose of this trip, she suppressed her discomfort and gave a slight nod, her tone flat. "The Saint is too kind." With that, she walked with a composed pace that maintained a clear sense of distance, following Jian Wushuang into the main room, which was decorated in an ancient yet luxurious style.

After they were seated as host and guest, Jian Wushuang, seemingly to gain her favor, displayed the refined air of a noble Young Master and personally poured tea for Mu Wanning. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, showing his full grace.

"Fairy Mu, please have some tea. This tea has a rich color and fragrance, and it has the effect of clearing the heart and calming the spirit." He smiled warmly and looked at Mu Wanning with a frank gaze (at least on the surface) as he began to get to the point. "The reason I took the liberty of inviting you here today is actually regarding a matter concerning your younger brother, Mu Changge. I felt it was necessary to discuss it with you."

He deliberately paused to observe Mu Wanning's reaction. Seeing that her expression remained cold and she only slightly tightened her fingers around the teacup, he felt more confident. He continued in a tone filled with concern and a hint of worry, "Fairy may not know, but your brother's actions in the Sect lately have been... somewhat high-profile, and he occasionally has friction with others. As the Saint, I couldn't help but pay a bit more attention to him." His words were subtle, but the implied meaning was already very clear.

Listening to his high-sounding rhetoric, Mu Wanning sneered in her heart but did not show it on her face. Her pale gold eyes simply watched Jian Wushuang quietly, waiting for his "true intentions" to surface.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Sect's Scripture Pavilion.

Time flowed quietly in the silent sea of knowledge. The corner where Xiao Ming sat cross-legged gradually formed a sharp contrast with the other Core Disciples around him, who were either concentrating on comprehension or conversing in low voices.

At first, only the few Jade Slips he had initially selected were scattered around him. But as time passed, the number of Jade Slips piled by his side began to increase at a staggering rate. These Jade Slips were not discarded randomly; instead, they were neatly stacked aside after he had quickly read, understood, and grasped the essence within them.

What was even more eye-catching was that Xiao Ming was not studying and comprehending the Jade Slips one by one in a step-by-step manner. As time went on, two, three, or even more Jade Slips floated simultaneously before him, emitting a faint glow. His perception seemed to split into several streams, dipping into different Jade Slips at the same time to extract, analyze, and integrate the information within. His expression was focused and calm, sometimes frowning in thought and sometimes smiling in realization, as a strange, faint spiritual rhythm surrounded him, as if resonating with the surrounding sea of knowledge.

This extraordinary learning method and efficiency quickly caught the attention of several other Core Disciples on the second floor.

A blue-robed Disciple, who was struggling to comprehend a Low Grade Earth-Grade sword technique and had spent several days here, happened to look up to stretch his neck. His gaze swept over to Xiao Ming's side, and he was instantly stunned. He rubbed his eyes to confirm he wasn't seeing things—a small pile of Jade Slips had already accumulated beside that newcomer, and the pile was still growing as time passed! Crucially, the spiritual energy fluctuations of those Jade Slips showed that many of them were Earth-Grade Cultivation Methods or niche secret arts that required extremely high comprehension and time just to get started!

"This... how is this possible?" the blue-robed Disciple murmured in a low voice, almost forgetting the sword technique mind-cultivation he was halfway through comprehending. His eyes were wide as saucers, filled with disbelief.

Another female Disciple, dressed in a primrose-yellow dress and currently reviewing some sword technique insights, was also drawn by the commotion. Seeing Xiao Ming comprehending multiple Jade Slips simultaneously while appearing very relaxed and at ease, with stable and orderly perception fluctuations and no signs of disorder, she couldn't help but gasp, covering her mouth. "Perception Splitting? Simultaneously comprehending multiple Earth-Grade techniques? Isn't he... isn't he afraid of technique conflict, backlash, and Qi Deviation?"

Gradually, the few remaining Disciples on the second floor all stopped their own comprehension or reading, their gazes turning toward Xiao Ming's corner, either openly or covertly. Countless emotions swirled in their minds—shock, doubt, curiosity, and even a trace of imperceptible jealousy. Many of them were geniuses with extraordinary comprehension, otherwise they wouldn't have become Core Disciples. But someone like Xiao Ming, who treated Earth-Grade Jade Slips on the second floor like ordinary books and could comprehend them just by "browsing," was absolutely unheard of and unseen! Did he not need to understand, digest, or attempt to circulate the mind-cultivation? It didn't even feel like "reading"; it was more like "imprinting" or "copying"! But how could the Legacy imprints within the Jade Slips be so easily comprehended? Looking at Xiao Ming, who was still sitting cross-legged in the corner, the crowd's minds were already a complete mess.

Even outside the Scripture Pavilion, that Gray-robed Old Man who had been unhurriedly blending in with his broom finally slowed his movements. His slightly hunched body straightened a bit, and his cloudy eyes looked up, a faint golden light seemingly flashing through them. His vision seemed to penetrate the layers of wooden structures and spatial Formations, landing without hindrance on the figure sitting cross-legged in the corner of the second floor.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the increasingly high pile of Jade Slips beside Xiao Ming, then fell on his calm, expressionless face. No expression appeared on the old man's face, which was lined with the furrows of time, but he breathed out two words in a voice so low only he could hear—words that were plain yet as heavy as a thousand catties:

"Genius."

Then, the golden light in his eyes slowly receded, returning to that cloudy and ordinary appearance. He bent down and continued to meticulously sweep the fallen leaves and dust in front of the door that seemed never-ending, as if that moment of observation had never happened.

Inside the Scripture Pavilion, Xiao Ming was completely immersed in the greedy absorption of various knowledge and the efficient comprehension brought by the 'Super Comprehension' state, oblivious to the surprised and inquisitive gazes from the outside world. He was like a dry sponge, madly absorbing in the ocean of knowledge, constantly solidifying his foundation and expanding the boundaries of his methods. This scene was destined to become a strange topic of conversation that would quietly spread throughout the Scripture Pavilion today.

At the foot of Heavenly Sword Peak, the sun slanted westward, casting Mu Wanning's returning figure long and thin. Her steps seemed composed, but her mind was like a lake with stones thrown into it, ripples layer upon layer, difficult to calm. What echoed repeatedly in her mind was the verbal sparring with hidden sharp edges she just had with Jian Wushuang in the Saint's Courtyard—

"Fairy Mu, let's not beat around the bush. Your younger brother, Mu Changge, has been quite prominent lately, but this prominence... is not always a good thing. Within the Sect, what ultimately matters are strength and rules." Jian Wushuang was holding a teacup at the time, his smile still gentle, but the depths of his eyes were like a bottomless pool. "I know you and your brother share a deep bond, but if some paths are taken wrongly, someone needs to set them straight and give a warning. If you are willing to... stand by and watch, or even provide some convenience at certain times, it would be a good thing for both of us, and even for the Mu Family..."

His words seemed concerned but were actually needles hidden in cotton, packaging the intention to join forces against Xiao Ming as 'for the good of the Mu Family, so as not to involve them.' He even hinted that if Mu Wanning was willing to cooperate, not only could she stay in the Sect, but the Mu Family could also benefit and rise. Perhaps she could even gain the 'friendship' or even 'protection' of him, the Saint.

"Of course, you can also choose to stay out of it and help neither side. You just need to not interfere." This was another seemingly gentler option given by Jian Wushuang, but Mu Wanning knew that this so-called "not interfering," against a background of absolute strength, was itself a form of tacit consent.

At that moment, hearing this proposal, a strong sense of resistance and absurdity surged in Mu Wanning's heart. Joining forces with an outsider to deal with her own brother? Even if their relationship was terrible, even if Mu Changge (or rather, Xiao Ming) had recently undergone a drastic change in personality and acted despicably, this still touched a vague bottom line in her heart. Those messy and inexplicable emotions that had been entangled lately made her want to coldly refuse immediately.

However, the words of refusal stuck in her throat and she couldn't say them: 'Refuse? And then what? Let Jian Wushuang plan in the shadows, not knowing when or how he will strike that bastard? While I'm kept in the dark and might even be dragged into it?'

Moreover, Jian Wushuang appeared as gentle as jade on the surface but was actually deep-minded. The possessiveness and calculation hidden in his eyes when he looked at her made her extremely uncomfortable. Cooperating with such a person was no different from plotting with a tiger, but on the other hand, if she didn't play along, how could she find out his specific plans and movements? That bastard (Xiao Ming) was hateful, but... he didn't deserve to die. Besides, if that bastard is to die, he can only die by my hand.

At this thought, Mu Changge's face—handsome with a hint of wickedness and often wearing a bad smile that made her teeth itch—uncontrollably surfaced in her mind. Then followed the suffocatingly tight waist-hugging when she woke up in the morning, the force of his arm around her waist, the heavy pressure on her legs, and... that squeeze that made her face flush and her feel ashamed and angry to death...

A surge of heat instantly rushed to her cheeks. Mu Wanning's footsteps paused imperceptibly, and her pale gold eyes flashed with shame, resentment, and a hint of panic that she herself didn't want to look into. She subconsciously raised her hand to touch her chest, as if some strange sensation still lingered there.

Fortunately, in front of Jian Wushuang, she used her strong self-control to suppress these surging emotions, not showing any of it.

It was this mixture of shame, resentment, worry (she would never admit it was worry!), and the strange thought of 'not letting him be easily plotted against by outsiders; if he's to be taught a lesson, it must be by me' that finally kept the refusal stuck in her throat.

At that time, she replied in a voice so calm it was almost indifferent, "I can stay out of his business. As for his whereabouts... if necessary, I can also inform you. But," Mu Wanning slightly raised her eyes and looked directly at Jian Wushuang, her eyes filled with unmistakable distance and warning, "that is the limit. Whether it's a 'spar' or 'friction' between the Saint and him, that's your business. Don't provoke me, otherwise... I, Mu Wanning, am not someone to be pushed around."

She gave a promise that seemed like a compromise but actually left room for maneuver. It satisfied Jian Wushuang's basic requirement of "not interfering" while leaving herself an excuse to intervene and a position to observe. Entering the "enemy's" inner circle to obtain intelligence was better than being ignorant and waiting passively outside. Thinking of this, a secret, vengeful pleasure rose in Mu Wanning's heart: when that bastard is driven to a dead end by Jian Wushuang and has no way out, she would appear like a savior (or just after seeing enough of the joke). At that time, wouldn't he obediently bow his head, cling to her legs, and cry for help, calling her "Elder Sister"?

As Xiao Ming's face, always with a playful smile, appeared in her mind with a pitiful and panicked expression, Mu Wanning's pale gold pupils couldn't help but light up, and the corners of her mouth slightly curled into a small arc of pride and anticipation that she didn't even notice. But soon, this arc froze again because she suddenly thought that with the strangeness and power he had shown recently, it was uncertain who would be laughing at whom... This made her somewhat annoyed again.

"Additionally," Jian Wushuang spoke again seemingly casually before she left, his smile still as gentle as jade, but his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny and coercion, "Fairy, your talent is extraordinary. Cultivating in Wandao Sword Sect will surely take you to the next level. If you are willing, I can introduce you to Heavenly Sword Peak to receive personal instruction from an Elder, or even... be promoted to a Core Disciple with a boundless future. What do you think?"

The olive branch was thrown bluntly, and the subtext was even more explicit—"Follow me."

Mu Wanning sneered in her heart at that time, but maintained basic etiquette on the surface, her eyes only growing a bit colder. Follow him? A mere Mid Spirit Severing stage, at a similar Realm as herself, sitting on the Saint's throne by relying on the Sect's resources and a bit of talent, and he really thought he was superior? She thought silently: if it weren't for the limited Family resources and many constraints, with her talent and Aptitude, her cultivation wouldn't necessarily be lower than his! Moreover, this person seemed gentle but was actually deep and calculating, with a wicked light in his eyes that made her instinctively repulsed.

Especially when Jian Wushuang put on that high-and-mighty, almost condescending posture, Mu Wanning's mind uncontrollably compared him to another person—that equally hateful bastard brother Mu Changge (Xiao Ming), who always made her angry and took advantage of her, but never hid his desires, acting overbearingly yet somehow with a strange honesty (or rather, thick-skinnedness).

Comparing the two, she actually felt that this sanctimonious Saint before her was not even as good as that bastard brother who always made her jump in anger! At least that guy's "badness" was blatant, while Jian Wushuang's "goodness" was so fake it made her uncomfortable and gave her goosebumps.

"Thank you for your kindness, Saint." At that time, her tone was distant and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. "Wanning is used to being idle and is not accustomed to constraints. Besides, there are still trivial matters in the Family, so it is not convenient to stay long. I appreciate your kind offer." She declined cleanly and neatly, not even giving the other party a chance to continue persuading, and stood up to leave.

Recalling this, Mu Wanning had already reached the entrance of her own courtyard. She stopped, looked at the closed gate, took a deep breath, and suppressed all the chaotic thoughts in her mind—the disgust and vigilance toward Jian Wushuang, the weighing and calculation of the deal, the shame of the morning's events, and the complex and difficult-to-describe emotions toward that "brother" who might be in the courtyard or might have gone somewhere else.

"Forget it, I'll take it one step at a time. That bastard... let him look out for himself." She whispered to herself, not sure who she was saying it to, then pushed the door open and entered, closing out the deepening twilight and her complicated thoughts. Only the slightly furrowed brow and the faint, hard-to-detect worry in her eyes revealed that her state of mind was far from as calm as it appeared on the surface.