Chapter 164 News

Several days later, early morning.

Outside the quiet courtyard where Mu Changge resided on Earth Sword Peak of the Wandao Sword Sect, a thin mist had yet to disperse, and Spiritual Qi was thick. After the trials of the Secret Realm (and 'sharing hardships' with a certain someone), the relationship between the Saint and Saintess had subtly changed. Having rested for a few days, Mu Changge planned to go for a stroll in 'Tianque City' (one of the main cities within the Wandao Sword Sect's territory) at the foot of the mountain. On one hand, to relax, and on the other, to see if he could discover anything interesting or useful.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, the morning light was faint, and the air was fresh. Mu Changge first stretched lazily, his Face wearing his usual, slightly indolent smile, and prepared to ride his sword down the mountain.

However, he paused just as he was about to step out.

Under an ancient tree not far from the courtyard of the side room, a familiar, graceful figure stood quietly.

The woman wore a light-yellow flowing fairy dress, its hem embroidered with exquisite silver cloud patterns that shimmered with a crystalline luster in the morning light. Her figure was tall and graceful, her hair like a waterfall of black silk. A few strands fell beside her cheeks, accentuating her skin, which was as fair as frost and snow. Her Face was stunningly beautiful, her aura cold and aloof, like an orchid blooming alone atop a snowy mountain. It was Mu Wanning.

She had successfully shed the identity of 'personal maidservant' and no longer needed to cater to his whims. She couldn't be happier at this moment. The morning breeze gently brushed past, lifting a few strands of her hair and the hem of her skirt, creating a serene and ethereal picture.

Mu Changge watched as she crossed her jade-like arms over her chest, looking at him with an expression that seemed both reproachful and resentful. He understood well that with his sister's proud nature, she wouldn't be waiting here for no reason. Especially not with her gaze so intently fixed on him right now.

That gaze was no longer filled with the previous frustration, anger, and helplessness. Instead, it held an undisguised scrutiny, suspicion, and a faint sense of pressure. The pride and aloofness remained, but deep within, there seemed to be some other emotion he couldn't quite grasp at the moment.

'Mu... Sis? What are you doing here?' Mu Changge's Face showed just the right amount of surprise, then he flashed a brilliant (in his opinion) smile, greeting her proactively as if completely unaware of any abnormality. 'Morning! The weather's nice today. Sis, you're out for some air too?'

Mu Wanning did not answer immediately. She merely kept her arms crossed, quietly watching Mu Changge, her gaze sweeping over his Face and body as if confirming something, or perhaps simply observing. In the morning light, Mu Changge wore a simple dark black sword robe, his posture upright, his brows and eyes relaxed. His smile carried a touch of a carefree, lazy charm, yet it was strangely not annoying (perhaps only to women).

Scenes from the Secret Realm involuntarily surfaced in Mu Wanning's mind: her 'brother's' composure in the Face of powerful enemies, the intimate rapport as he guided the Saintess in the Dao of the sword, and... him holding Saintess Yun Qingyao close as they sped away, and the subtle, ambiguous intimacy between the two while recovering in the cave. Especially the fleeting hint of bashfulness and dependence on Yun Qingyao's Face when held by Mu Changge—brief as it was, it had been clearly caught by Mu Wanning, who had been secretly watching them all along.

Her heart inexplicably felt as if lightly pricked by a fine needle, stirring a faint, almost imperceptible, yet distinctly unpleasant pang of sourness.

She slightly furrowed her exquisite brows, suppressing this untimely emotion. Her peerlessly beautiful Face regained its usual cold, proud aloofness, as if covered by a layer of frost. She spoke lightly, her voice crisp but devoid of warmth. 'Passing by. You seem to be in a good mood today. Are you going out?'

'Yes,' Mu Changge replied, seemingly oblivious to her coldness, his smile unchanged, even tinged with a bit of enthusiasm. 'Been cooped up in the Sect for too long. Planning to stroll around Tianque City at the foot of the mountain, see if there's anything new. Sis, do you want to come along? (Casually mentioned, not expecting her to go.) I heard a few new teahouses have opened in the city, and there's a shop specializing in all sorts of strange little trinkets...'

Hearing this, Mu Wanning's long, slender eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly. She thought to herself, 'Should I go with him? I'm only doing this to monitor him, to find evidence that he's not my brother.' (The monitoring bracelet had already been returned to her by Mu Changge.)

She was just about to agree when she abruptly stopped herself, inwardly muttering, 'Wait, that's not right. I'm not his maidservant anymore. I've already fulfilled the bet. Why should I go just because he asks? Do I, a Young Miss, have no Face? Unless he begs me again, and I'm in a good mood, then maybe I'll agree!'

She then coughed lightly. Looking at Mu Changge's signature roguish smile, she felt inexplicably annoyed. His smiling eyes reflected the morning light, clear and bright, yet so deep she couldn't see through them. He wasn't 'him.' This realization had grown increasingly clear in her heart after the Secret Realm journey. But who was he? How could he impersonate 'Mu Changge' so flawlessly, even having the birthmark known to only a handful... If not for her meticulous nature and careful observation these past days (or rather, her thorough understanding of the real Mu Changge's character), she might have been completely fooled.

The knowledge he displayed while guiding the Saintess in sword Dao, his composure when facing the Soul Transformation remnant soul (clearly not his first encounter with a Soul Transformation cultivator), and that natural, effortless air of calm and cunning that didn't match his age or cultivation level... These were absolutely not something her brother could possess. He had secrets, big ones.

Kill him? That thought had once been strong. But at some point—perhaps when they shared a bed? Or when he rested his head on her jade thigh? Or even earlier?—that thought had gradually faded. Replacing it was a more complex mix of emotions: curiosity, the desire to investigate, and... that one, unsettling flutter she shouldn't be feeling, which irritated her greatly.

Especially when she saw him being so close to other women, it became even more vexing.

'No need.' Mu Wanning averted her gaze, looking towards the misty mountain peaks in the distance. Her voice was flat and unemotional, betraying nothing. 'This Young Miss has already fulfilled the bet. I'm not your maidservant. Why would I follow you around?'

A classic case of saying one thing while meaning another, perfectly fitting her 'proud older sister' persona. Her tone was the usual coldness, carrying a condescending disdain.

But if one listened carefully, perhaps they could detect a hint of stiffness beneath that coldness, and a touch of... insincerity.

Mu Changge blinked, his Face showing just the right amount of disappointment and an 'I knew it' expression. He sighed. 'Alright, I knew you were busy, Sis. I'll go wander around by myself then.'

He made as if to leave but then seemed to suddenly remember something. He paused slightly, turned back to look at Mu Wanning, and asked casually, 'Oh, right, Sis. Has Saintess Yun come looking for me recently? (After all, I was in seclusion consolidating and familiarizing myself with the gains from the Secret Realm.)'

As soon as the words left his mouth, Mu Changge keenly noticed Mu Wanning's jade hands, crossed over her chest, tighten almost imperceptibly. Her fingertips pressed slightly into the pale yellow sleeves, her fists clenched. The layer of cold frost on her Face seemed to thicken. A very subtle fluctuation flashed through her beautiful eyes, so fast one might mistake it for an illusion. But with Mu Changge's keen eyesight, he naturally caught that fleeting sharpness and... a barely perceptible chill?

The air seemed to freeze for an instant.

Mu Wanning slowly lifted her eyelids. Her gaze was as cold as ever, but deep within her eyes, undercurrents seemed to swirl. She looked at Mu Changge's Face, which wore an 'innocent' inquiring expression. Her red lips parted slightly, her tone flat yet each word clear. 'She has not. Junior Sister Qingyao is the Sect's Saintess. She naturally has her own important duties. Why would she come looking for you all the time? You, on the other hand... are perhaps a bit too narcissistic?'

The last sentence ended with a slight upward lilt, carrying a trace of subtle probing and an emotion she herself hadn't noticed—one she was forcibly suppressing.

'Haha, just asking casually.' Mu Changge laughed it off, rubbing his nose. His smile remained bright, as if he hadn't caught the deeper meaning in her words. 'After all, I received Senior Sister's care in the Secret Realm, and she gave me a lot of pointers on the sword Dao. I thought if Senior Sister Yun had come out of seclusion, I should go thank her properly. Since she hasn't come, I'll go myself.'

His tone was relaxed and natural, his reason impeccable, as if it were truly just out of camaraderie among Sect Disciples.

Mu Wanning looked at him quietly for two seconds before averting her gaze again. She seemed to force the word out through gritted teeth. 'Hmm.'

Just then, from the mountain path not far outside the courtyard, the voices of several young Disciples chatting drifted faintly into the yard:

'...Have you heard? In a few days, it's the Sect Grand Competition!'

'Of course I know. It's a grand event held once every five years. The elite Disciples from all major powers will participate. I hear the rewards are extremely generous!'

'Sigh, it's a pity our cultivation is too shallow. We'll never have a chance. But I heard this Grand Competition is extraordinary. The mysterious reward seems to be related to a huge Opportunity...'

'Shh, watch your words! You know what they say, disaster comes from the mouth!'

The voices gradually faded into the distance.

Upon hearing this, Mu Changge raised an eyebrow. The Sect Grand Competition? He did remember something like this. The original host's memories also contained relevant information. It was an important event where the elite Disciples of the Wandao Sword Sect and the other three great overlord Sects gathered together, held once every five years, and extremely grand. However, he had also participated in a Sect Grand Competition back when he was at the Heavenly Demon Sect. Although the competitions of the righteous and demonic Sects differed somewhat, their nature was largely the same: arena battles to showcase strength and compete for rankings and rewards.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"So, the Sect Grand Competition is almost here." Mu Changge smiled indifferently and said to Mu Wanning, "Sister, do you think I should participate?"

Mu Wanning was slightly taken aback by Mu Changge's words, as if she hadn't expected him to ask such a question, let alone take the initiative to inquire.

However, this momentary stun lasted only a fleeting instant before her arrogant Heart-Nature immediately regained the upper hand.

'Whether you go or not has nothing to do with me. Why ask me?'

She snorted coldly in her heart, and her stunningly beautiful Face grew even colder, as if covered in a layer of frost.

She merely swept a faint glance at him with her cold, beautiful eyes—a gaze that seemed to want to flay him alive—and then, without a shred of attachment and carrying her usual aloofness, she turned around.

The hem of her pale yellow immortal-style dress traced a graceful arc as she turned, shimmering with a lustrous sheen in the morning light.

She walked with elegant yet slightly distant steps, her waist swaying gently, her figure slender and graceful.

She headed straight towards the side room where she resided, her gaze fixed forward.

Her back was straight, exuding an inviolable pride, as if lingering for one more moment or speaking one more word would diminish her status.

Mu Changge watched her "arrogant" retreating figure, rubbed his nose, smiled indifferently, and also turned to walk slowly down the mountain path.

The mountain path wound its way forward, with towering ancient trees on both sides and Spiritual Qi swirling in the air.

From time to time, Disciples from various peaks would streak by, riding sword light or utilizing movement techniques, while others walked in twos and threes, chatting in low voices.

Mu Changge walked leisurely, enjoying the scenery along the way, when the voices of a few Outer Sect Disciples gathered not far ahead, seemingly exchanging "latest intelligence," drifted into his ears.

Their voices were kept quite low, but with Mu Changge's hearing, he naturally heard them clearly.

"...I'll tell you all something, but don't spread it around!"

A sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked Disciple spoke mysteriously, his eyes darting around vigilantly.

"I have a Senior Brother I'm close with whose Immortal Cave is right near the Saint's residence on Earth Sword Peak! He says that ever since the Saint returned from the Sword Burial Abyss Secret Realm, he has kept his doors tightly shut and won't see anyone!"

A fat Disciple beside him dismissed it: "Hey, what's the big deal? Senior Brother Saint is a peerless genius; it's only natural for him to have gained some insights after returning from the Secret Realm. Isn't it normal to go into secluded cultivation?"

"It's not normal!"

The sharp-mouthed Disciple immediately retorted, lowering his voice even further, filled with irrepressible excitement and eeriness.

"The key is, my Senior Brother said that on several occasions late at night, he could faintly hear sounds coming from the Saint's residence... like someone groaning or even wailing in extreme pain! And intermittent cursing, it sounded truly chilling! And it wasn't just once!"

"What? There's such a thing?" Another tall, thin Disciple asked in surprise.

"Could the Saint have been severely injured in the Secret Realm? Or did something go wrong with his Cultivation Technique?"

"Who knows..." The sharp-mouthed Disciple shook his head, but the gossipy look on his Face intensified.

"Anyway, it's all a bit sinister. And have you noticed? Senior Brother Jian Wushuang has also been frighteningly low-key lately, barely showing his Face. You know, he used to run over to the Saintess every so often..."

Hearing this, Mu Changge's brow twitched imperceptibly, but he didn't stop, his Face remaining as leisurely as ever.

Jian Wushuang had been "specially cared for" by him in the Secret Realm, so having some "aftereffects" upon returning was within his expectations.

Painful wailing? It seemed the effect was even more "long-lasting" than he had imagined.

Just then, two more Disciples came from another direction. One of them had an expression that was both excited and somewhat lewd, whispering something to his companion. The voice wasn't loud, but the keywords drifted over:

"...The Twilight Forest has been truly bizarre lately! The area where we new Disciples have our trials hasn't been peaceful at all recently!"

"How is it not peaceful? Did some powerful Vicious Beast run out again?"

"It's not that they ran out, it's that many have died! But they died strangely!"

The Disciple spoke with spittle flying. "Several groups of Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who went to complete missions or gather herbs discovered quite a few Vicious Beast corpses in the forest. Looking at the wounds, they were all killed in one blow, clean and swift. But the strange thing is, the Materials on those Vicious Beasts—things like fur, sharp claws, beast cores, and even valuable bones and flesh—were mostly intact; no one touched them!"

"Ah? There's such a good thing? Just picking them up for free?" The companion asked in confusion.

"Good my ass! Listen to me finish!"

The storytelling Disciple's expression became even more bizarre, even carrying a hint of indescribable embarrassment and disgust.

"Those Vicious Beasts that died were mostly fierce beasts like tigers, leopards, wolves, and bears, and they were all, without exception, male! Guess what? Nothing else on them was missing, except... except for that thing between their legs, which was neatly sliced off! Yes, that place you're thinking of, the third leg!"

"What?" The companion was dumbfounded, clearly shocked by this bizarre "fetish."

"It's absolutely true! It's spread all over the place now, saying there might be a pervert, or someone who cultivated some twisted Cultivation Technique, roaming in the Twilight Forest, specifically targeting male Vicious Beasts just for that bit of meat! Don't you think it's sinister? Does he have a grudge against that thing or what?"

The storytelling Disciple shook his head as he spoke, looking completely bewildered.

Mu Changge's forward stride faltered imperceptibly when he heard this second piece of news, barely noticeable.

However, the usual, slightly lazy smile on his Face instantly became somewhat strange, the corners of his mouth curling upward uncontrollably, as if he had heard something extremely amusing.

He quickly coughed softly and raised his hand to rub his nose, trying to conceal it, but the flash of understanding and the nearly overflowing amusement in his eyes could not be hidden.

'Jian Wushuang, oh Jian Wushuang...' Mu Changge was absolutely delighted in his heart, nearly choking on his own laughter. 'You are truly dedicated to your Cultivation!'

He could almost imagine Jian Wushuang's current situation and mindset: the pain and humiliation of bodily mutilation, the desperate need to Cultivate and recover, and thus, disregarding his status, using unscrupulous means to sneak into the Twilight Forest specifically to engage in the act of harvesting male beasts' "treasures" for Cultivation...

The image was too beautiful. Just thinking about it made Mu Changge feel that this trip was worth it, and he was in a great mood.

A faint glimmer flashed in his eyes, a look of calculation and playfulness.

He didn't stop, even quickening his pace as he strode out of the Sect, as if he couldn't wait to go to Tianque City to properly digest the two "good pieces of news" he had heard today, and by the way, see if there was anything "interesting" that could add a little more fun for his future "good Senior Brother."

Shortly after Mu Changge's figure disappeared around the bend of the mountain path, the window of the side room near his original courtyard was gently pushed open a crack.

A pair of cold, crystalline beautiful eyes, like the autumn moon over a cold pool, gazed through the gap towards the direction where Mu Changge had left.

The expression in her eyes was complex—confusion, inquiry, and a trace of an extremely faint emotion, one she hadn't even clarified for herself, quietly swirled within.

Mu Wanning hadn't completely returned to her room, or rather, she had returned, but her thoughts remained outside.

When Mu Changge heard those discussions earlier, although he had concealed it very well, that momentary pause and the flash of understanding and amusement in his eyes had not completely escaped her gaze, which had been secretly observing him all along.

(One must know that Mu Changge's trip to the Secret Realm had taken place entirely under her watchful eye.)

"Painful wailing... specifically slicing off the Vicious Beasts' genitalia..." Mu Wanning repeated the keywords she had heard in a low voice, her slender brows knitting slightly.

She had seen the "pitiful" "God-tier Jade Slip" that Mu Changge had left behind. Combining this with these rumors...

"Could it be him... but... how is that possible?" A shocking conjecture surfaced in her mind, causing even Mu Wanning herself to be slightly startled.

If this were true, then her "brother's" methods were truly vicious... and quite wicked.

Thinking back to Mu Changge's knowing, suppressed-laughter expression, Mu Wanning could be almost certain that this matter definitely had something to do with him!

"This guy... just how many more secrets and... wicked thoughts is he hiding?"

Mu Wanning gently closed the window and leaned against the wall, the expression on her stunningly beautiful Face shifting uncertainly.

Her curiosity and desire to probe into Mu Changge deepened even further.

He usually appeared lazy and casual, but in reality, he was deep-thinking, with unpredictable methods, ruthless and merciless towards his enemies, yet he also seemed... to have his own unique code of conduct and wicked sense of humor.

This version of him was as different as heaven and earth from the stupid and arrogant brother in her memories.

"It seems that this Tianque City..." Mu Wanning looked in the direction Mu Changge had left, a hint of playfulness flashing in her beautiful eyes, "this Young Miss should perhaps go for a 'stroll' as well."

She no longer hesitated. With a flicker of her figure, she slipped quietly out from the other side of the side room, like a wisp of pale yellow smoke merging into the morning breeze, and followed him from a distance towards the foot of the mountain.

This time, she wanted to see exactly what her "brother" intended to do by going down the mountain, and what kind of tricks he could stir up.