244: Chapter 244 Azure Flame Valley

Mu Mingfeng lifted his teacup, gently blew on the tender leaves floating on the tea, and took a slow sip before speaking in a leisurely manner: "Brother Zheng, do not be anxious. I came to your elegant garden today precisely to help you vent this frustration."

Zheng Lingfeng's eyes lit up, and he quickly leaned in closer: "Brother Mingfeng has a solution?"

"A solution naturally exists." Mu Mingfeng set down his teacup and leaned against the railing of the pavilion.

"Our Mu Family has an affiliate force that will be passing through Huaiyang City tomorrow. They are out on a mission, but taking a detour to help Brother Zheng deal with a few eyesores is hardly a major task."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Lingfeng was overjoyed.

Although he did not know exactly which "affiliate force" Mu Mingfeng was referring to, any force accepted by the Mu Family as an affiliate would certainly not be an ordinary one.

He lowered his voice and asked tentatively: "May I ask which force Brother Mingfeng is referring to? And what is the cultivation level of those leading the team?"

"Has Brother Zheng heard of Cangyan Valley?"

Zheng Lingfeng paused slightly, searched his mind for a moment, and said somewhat uncertainly: "Is it that force entrenched in the Cangyan Mountain range, five thousand miles north of Huaiyang City? It is said that the valley is full of experts and acts extremely low-key, never interacting with outside forces. Why did Brother Mingfeng suddenly bring them up?"

"Never interacting with outside forces?" Mu Mingfeng chuckled and shook his head. "That is merely a saying to deceive the public."

"Cangyan Valley is an independent force on the surface, but in reality, it has long secretly submitted to our Mu Family. Over the years, they have handled many matters for the Mu Family that were inconvenient for us to handle personally, and they have never made a mistake."

"Tomorrow, the Valley Master of Cangyan Valley will personally lead a team through Huaiyang City. Ostensibly, they are transporting a batch of Spirit Ore to the northern part of Central Province, but they actually have other important tasks."

Mu Mingfeng's tone remained as flat as usual, as if he were merely speaking of a trivial matter: "However, letting them handle a few eyesores for Brother Zheng while they are at it is not a difficult task."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Lingfeng was both surprised and delighted.

He had naturally heard of the reputation of Cangyan Valley. Although that force was not as famous as the Five Great Sacred Lands or the Three Great Families, it was still a formidable power in the southern part of Central Province that could not be underestimated.

It was said that the Valley Master, Qin Cangyan, was a powerhouse at the Mahayana Stage Late Stage, and under his command were four Protectors, all of whom had Mahayana Stage cultivation.

With such power, let alone dealing with a Sun Family, it would be more than enough to sweep through the entire Huaiyang City.

He lowered his voice and asked tentatively: "Brother Mingfeng, I wonder which members of Cangyan Valley are coming this time? Although the Sun Family is not a top-tier force, they do have a few experts sitting in the clan. If the people who come are not enough... I am afraid it will be difficult to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots."

Mu Mingfeng glanced at him, his smile deepening.

He naturally heard the probing intent in Zheng Lingfeng's words, but he did not point it out. He simply picked up his teacup again, took a slow sip, and spoke in a leisurely manner:

"Brother Zheng, rest assured. The Valley Master of Cangyan Valley, Qin Cangyan, is personally leading the team this time, and the four Protectors are accompanying him. These five are all at the Mahayana Stage."

The fingers holding Zheng Lingfeng's teacup paused slightly, then he slowly set it down.

He leaned against the railing of the pavilion, silent for a moment, and then a smile slowly appeared at the corners of his mouth.

That smile was completely different from the gnashing of teeth just a moment ago; it was a sense of relief after seeing an exit after being suppressed for too long.

Five Mahayana Stage experts, with Qin Cangyan personally leading the team—let alone dealing with one Sun Family, even if all the families in Huaiyang City were tied together, they would be nothing more than fish on a chopping block.

He was not so excited that he began to dance; he just quickly calculated in his mind—Cangyan Valley is the Mu Family's hidden chess piece. This move will certainly not leave any handles, and even if someone wants to investigate afterwards, they will not be able to trace it back to the Zheng Family.

"Brother Mingfeng is thoughtful." Zheng Lingfeng picked up his teacup and toasted Mu Mingfeng from afar, his tone filled with a bit more genuine admiration, "I, Zheng, will remember this favor."

Mu Mingfeng waved his hand, took a palm-sized jade communication talisman from his sleeve, and gently rubbed it with his fingertips.

The talisman was dark red in its entirety, with a flame-shaped pattern carved on the surface, and a faint spiritual light flowed within it.

He pushed the talisman in front of Zheng Lingfeng, his tone becoming a bit more business-like: "This talisman can directly contact the Valley Master of Cangyan Valley, Qin Cangyan."

"After they enter the city tomorrow, they will stay at the Laifu Inn in the east of the city. Brother Zheng only needs to send people to keep a close eye on the movements of the Sun Family. When Sun Mingcheng and those people around him are alone, send a message to Valley Master Qin with the talisman."

"Remember, you must act quickly and decisively. Do not leave any survivors, and do not leave any traces that can be traced back to the identity of Cangyan Valley. After the matter is completed, the people from Cangyan Valley will leave Huaiyang City overnight and continue north. By that time, even if someone wants to investigate, the clues will have long since disappeared."

Zheng Lingfeng took the talisman. It felt warm to the touch, and a scorching aura was faintly flowing inside the jade talisman, which separated as soon as it touched his palm.

He nodded, without saying any grand words, simply saying: "Good."

Mu Mingfeng did not say any more, drank the last drop of tea in his cup, stood up, and straightened his robes. He just raised his hand and waved it gently, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a trivial matter:

"No need to see me off, Brother Zheng, please stay. After the matter is completed tomorrow, I will come back to share a celebratory drink with you." Before the words fell, his figure had already stepped out of the moon gate of the elegant garden. His moon-white robes flashed in the twilight and disappeared behind the clusters of bamboo at the end of the alley.

Zheng Lingfeng watched Mu Mingfeng's back disappear at the end of the alley and sat alone in the pavilion for a while.

He was not ecstatic, did not laugh loudly, but quietly played with the dark red jade talisman between his fingers, his eyes falling on the murmuring clear spring in the courtyard. The water surface reflected the darkening sky, shimmering with light.

After a long time, he stood up and beckoned to the servant guarding outside the courtyard gate. His voice was not loud, but it carried a chill that had finally been released after being suppressed for too long:

"Go and call the Third Master over. Tell him to personally take people to watch around the Sun Family. When Sun Mingcheng goes out, where he goes, and who is with him—investigate everything clearly for me. If there is the slightest mistake, bring me your head."

The servant answered and left, his footsteps quickly disappearing at the end of the corridor.

Mu Mingfeng left the elegant garden and walked slowly along the bluestone alley in the south of the city.

As night deepened, most of the shops on both sides of the alley had closed their doors. Only a few restaurants still had lanterns lit, and the dim yellow light spilled onto the bluestone slabs, stretching his shadow to be sometimes long and sometimes short.

He did not bring any servants, nor did he ride a Spirit Beast carriage. He walked alone, his pace composed, his expression indifferent, as if the person who had decided the life and death of the Sun Family with a few words in the pavilion just now was not him.