"Uncle Liu, it really was you!" Chen Li's face was filled with disbelief as she stared at Liu Mu. Even at this moment, she can't will herself to believe what was happening is real.
"That Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou were right," Reaching this point, Liu Mu wasn't afraid to admit it, and he nodded his head in all frankness and said: "The group of bandits earlier was arranged by me."
Chen Li trembled with anger yet she scared at the same time, she gritted her teeth, asking: "Why?!"
Liu Mu sneered, "Why? You should ask your Father for the reason. Chen Li, don't blame me after you die for the only one you should blame is your Father!"
"Blame my Father?" Chen Lu repeated stupidly, not understanding.
"That's right. Your Father uprooted the Long Family that year; pity he didn't realize that not all from the Long Family were annihilated!" Liu Mu recounted coldly.
"Steward Liu, what's the use of telling this to her? The Young Lord is awaiting our report." The bandit dressed man behind Liu Mu stepped forward and said.
Liu Mu nodded in agreement and signaled with his hands. The surrounding bandits stepped up and captured Chen Li.
"What do you want to do? Where are you taking me?!" Chen Li was terrified and her voice shook as she shouted fearfully.
"Taking you where?" Liu Mu scoffed, "Don't worry, the time for you to die hasn't come. Young Lord already said that letting you die so easily can't satisfy the hatred in his heart. Young Lord ordered us to bring you back for him to enjoy a month or so, and only when he's tired and bored of you then we'll send you on your way. After that, we'll generously deliver your body back to Chen Manor so that your Father can appreciate the 'scenery.'
Chen Li's eyes shot fire as she glared hatefully at Liu Mu: "Liu Mu, my father was good to you; you're a traitor, biting the hand that fed you!" Chen Li spat saliva right onto Liu Mu's face.
Liu Mu wiped the saliva off his face with his fingers and his tongue licked one of his fingers; a burning light shone as his eyes roamed over Chen Li's curvaceous body, and leered sinisterly, "Didn't expect even your saliva is so fragrant, it wasn't for Young Lord's prior instruction, I would 'service' you right now!"
Chen Li was so furious that her bosom was heaving exaggeratedly.
"Take her away!" Liu Mu shouted.
"No need to handle these corpses, just leave it here and let those wild beasts take care of them."
"Yes, Steward Liu!"
Liu Mu and the group of bandits took the kidnapped Chen Li and left the scene, taking some off-roads through the forest instead of the main pathway.
Half a day later, they arrived at a mountain path in the wilderness.
But when the group of bandits wanted to continue on, Liu Mu suddenly halted his steps; horrified, he stared straight ahead at the two silhouettes traveling in his direction.
These two people turned out to be Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou who left their party two days ago!
He actually ran into them again!
At this point, Chen Li also noticed Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou up ahead, and joy lit up her small face. Her dull, desperate heart saw a ray of hope. However, at the moment, her mouth was sealed shut, unable to call out, constrained to making only 'ooo wu owo' whining sounds to attract their attention!
Some distance away, Huang Xiaolong and Fei Ho who were going about their way noticed Chen Li, Liu Mu, and the group of bandits and they too were surprised. Neither of them thought they would meet again so soon after separating from Chen Li's party.
Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou exchanged a glance and nudged their horses forward.
"Steward Liu, what's the matter?" The bandit behind Liu Mu asked after seeing him stop suddenly with a frightened expression; feeling puzzled, he went up and inquired about the matter.
Liu Mu quivered slightly as he pointed to the front at Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou that were approaching them: "They, it's them!"
"Them?" That bandit was confused.
He already saw the two people approaching them, but he can't see what's so special about them.
Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou reined their horses and came to a stop in front of Liu Mu. Huang Xiaolong's eyes swept through the group of bandits and paused for a second on Chen Li before he turned to Liu Mu, "I say, isn't this Steward Liu? I didn't think there would be such a coincidence that we would run into each other again-- it really does seem like fate!"
Liu Mu did not say anything and the expression on his face grew increasingly ugly.
"And isn't this Miss Chen Li?" Huang Xiaolong laughed, "Hmm, where are you'll heading to that you need to tie up Miss Chen Lu's hands and seal her mouth?"
Liu Mu maintained his silence, but the male bandit behind him was angered: "Kid, this has nothing to do with you, if you know what's good for you, you better scram far away this moment. Otherwise, I'll cut you into two pieces!"
However, just as his voice ended, a sharp light ray from a sword flashed by and that bandit's eyes protruded in shock as the light in his eyes dissipated. In less than a second, his body tumbled stiffly to the forest floor with blood spurting out from his throat like a fountain, dying the soil red.
The rest of the bandits were startled, and then, all of them swiftly drew out their swords as they burned with fury looking at both Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou.
"Stop your actions!" Liu Mu barked at the group of black-clothed bandits.
He understood very well if Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou wanted to deal with them, it would be just a matter of seconds.
The bandits that were preparing to rush towards Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou stopped after hearing Liu Mu's order.
Liu Mu looked at Huang Xiaolong as he squeezed out an amiable smile, "Young Master Huang, Senior Fei Hou, this matter has nothing to do with you; if you can walk away, my Young Lord would repay the kindness in the future!"
"Young Lord?" Huang Xiaolong put on a haughty expression on his face, "Didn't you claim the two of us to be the masterminds behind the incident?
Didn't you say that you have followed your Miss for more than a decade and that you've always been loyal and devoted? Didn't you also accuse us of slandering you?"
Liu Mu didn't know how best to answer the flurry of questions from Huang Xiaolong whereas the sealed mouth Chen Li felt ashamed. At that time, she had proudly declared that she trusted Liu Mu, yet she didn't expect in the blink of an eye she was captured by Liu Mu and these people.
"What exactly do you want?" Moments later, Liu Mu asked with a sullen expression. Saying this, he took out a bag of money and lobbed it forward.
"There is a gold card with a hundred thousand gold coins inside, exchangeable at any bank in the Yuwai Kingdom."
Huang Xiaolong caught the bag of money, yet the expression on his face remained aloof: "A hundred thousand gold coins?"
Seeing this, Chen Li became anxious and she shook her head vigorously, making muffled sounds hoping to dissuade Huang Xiaolong.
"A hundred thousand gold coins can only send off beggars." Huang Xiaolong stared directly at Liu Mu.
Liu Mu's brow scrunched together, gritted his teeth and threw out another money bag: "Inside this bag is another card with a hundred thousand gold coins!"
Huang Xiaolong shook his head, "There is roughly a hundred of you here, are your lives so worthless? How about this, I'm also not a greedy person. One life, a hundred thousand gold coins."
One life a hundred thousand gold coins, that amounts to over ten million!
Over ten million gold coins!
When Liu Mu understood the underlying meaning of Huang Xiaolong's words, and his anger erupted, "You're f*cking kidding me?" He finally realized, Huang Xiaolong was playing with them from the beginning!
"So what if I'm playing with you?" Huang Xiaolong shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly; his eyes glanced at Fei Hou and without the need for words, Fei Hou understood Huang Xiaolong's meaning. Fei Hou's silhouette flashed and vanished from the horseback, appearing right in front of Liu Mu. Liu Mu's eyes widened in fear, watching Fei Hou's palm slide past his throat, sharper than a weapon.
Shocked, Liu Mu stood in the same spot while Fei Hou did not move an inch as he waved his hands, and Liu Mu and the rest of the bandits fell down by the dozens as miserable screams reverberated in the forest.
Not needing a long time, the cries and screams stopped, leaving only Chen Li breathing as she stood petrified in the same spot.
After he finished dealing with Liu Mu and the group of bandits, Fei Hou came beside Chen Li. With a wave of his long sword, Chen Li shut her eyes tightly in fear. Fei Hou's sword actually slashed the rope that bound her hands.
When all is done, Fei Hou returned to Huang Xiaolong's side.
"Let's go," Huang Xiaolong spoke, ignoring the other side, and he and Fei Hou galloped away on their horses.
Seconds passed by, and Chen Li braced herself and opened her eyes, watching Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou's backs disappearing from view. Looking at the outcome around here, she suddenly broke out in tears.
A long time after Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou had left, a gust of cold wind blew, sobering Chen Li up to her current situation. She left the place in a haste and when she was running, she passed Liu Mu's corpse and tripped over it.
Falling face down, tears mixed with soil and sand, dirtying her face and hands. Enduring not cry out as she struggled to get up, she quickly ran off in the same direction Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou left earlier, towards the Yuwai Royal City.
...
Two days later.
Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou stood before the huge city gates, and Fei Hou nearly couldn't contain the excitement in his heart; he's back, finally!
The Yuwai Royal City gates were same as before, no big changes at all.
"Let's go in!" A short moment later, Huang Xiaolong spoke.
Repressing the excitement in his heart, Fei Hou nodded 'yes' enthusiastically.
Two figures entered through the city gates.
Passing through the city gates, the two of them strolled along the bustling streets in a relaxed manner, going along with the flow of people. Drinking in the lively atmosphere, Fei Hou was a little emotional. Seven years passed, and the Yuwai Royal City was just as he remembered it, but many of the shops had changed businesses, and some buildings were renovated and these newer additions were somewhat strange to him.
Huang Xiaolong nodded secretly as he observed the prosperous and bustling streets of the Yuwai Royal City. Compared to the Luo Tong Kingdom's Royal City, the condition here was way better. Moreover, judging from the buildings and infrastructure of the city, they were a level higher than the Luo Tong Royal City.
There were two more days until Fei Hou's eldest grandson's wedding day. Since they already arrived in the Royal City, neither of them was in a rush to reach the Fei Manor, taking their own sweet time strolling in the streets.
A couple of hours later, it was already noon. As they passed by a large restaurant, Fei Hou stopped and happily said to Huang Xiaolong: "Young Lord, this Absolutely Luscious Dishes Floor is one of the three best restaurants here. Their specialty, Fiery Wine, is tastier than the Delicious Restaurant's Snow Moon Wine. Should we go in and have a drink?"
Huang Xiaolong nodded, "Fiery Wine? Very well, let's go in and taste some."
Thus, without further ado, Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou walked into the Absolutely Luscious Dishes Floor.
Once he entered, Huang Xiaolong saw the lower floor consisted of over a hundred tables and all of them were seated with customers, leaving none open or empty. At this time, a person with the owner's attire and appearance was hurrying towards Fei Hou, asking eagerly "You are Marquis Fei Hou?"
Fei Hou nodded. "Boss Chen, these past few years that I didn't come, your business is flourishing nicely ah!"
This middle-aged man happens to be the restaurant's boss. In the past, Fei Hou patronized the restaurant often for their dishes and Fiery Wine; the two of them can be considered old friends.
"Hehe, Marquis Fei Hou jests. The few years that we haven't seen each other, yet Your Excellency looks younger than before." The restaurant boss laughed, "Unlike me, getting older every day." As he said this, his hand gestured courteously, "Marquis Fei Hou, this way please, to the second floor; I'll tell the small ones to arrange your table and dishes!"
Fei Hou nodded his head and went up to the first floor with Huang Xiaolong.
The second floor was just as boisterous as the lower floor, and it seemed to have no empty tables available, but the boss had swiftly arranged it for them.
Not long after both of them had sat down, the dishes were sent up.
There were also two jugs of wine – two big jugs of wine served with custom made fiery red cups resembling moving lava.
The fragrant wine teased Huang Xiaolong's nose as he poured some out into a cup and tilted the entire content into his mouth; a sweet dry taste flooded his senses as the wine rushed down his throat, turning into a strong, burning sensation that spreads out in an instant as if every blood cell in the body was about to combust, and a feeling of contentment and elation rose in the drinker's heart.
"Good wine!" Huang Xiaolong praised aloud.
Cups raises endlessly between Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou.
As Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou enjoyed themselves, discussions from tables nearby passed into their ears.
"Did you hear, the King personally conferred Yang An the title of Marquis!"
"Tsk tsk, that Yang An is only twenty-one years old, and he's already a Marquis. This is a first for our Yuwai Kingdom; in my opinion, in another few years that Yangan will probably be conferred the title of a Duke!"
"This is because that Yang An is our kingdom's number one genius, a monstrous genius! One year ago, he was already a peak late-Ninth Order, and with his cultivation speed, I say he can breakthrough to the Tenth Order within this year!"
"A twenty-one-year-old Tenth Order, what a monster! In another few years, Yang An will be representing the Yuwai Kingdom to participate in the Imperial City Battle, and with his talent, a top ten spot is almost guaranteed!"
Noises of discussion filled the second floor, and in the dozen or so tables, practically every table was talking about something related to that Yang An.
"Oh, Yang An?" Hearing bits and pieces of these discussions, Huang Xiaolong became curious.
"I never would have imagined Yang An, that kid is also a Marquis now!" At this moment, Fei Hou sighed: "That year when I left, that Yangan had just broken through to the Eighth Order."
Huang Xiaolong looked at Fei Hou.
Fei Hou explained to Huang Xiaolong, "Young Lord, this Yang An's martial spirit is a top grade twelve martial spirit, the Roaring Sky God Lion, and he is our Yuwai Kingdom's most talented genius ever, currently attending classes in Yuwai Academy. Perhaps later on, he will participate in the Imperial City Battle in Duanren Empire together with you, Young Lord."
"Top grade twelve martial spirit, Roaring Sky God Lion," Huang Xiaolong nodded.
Except for Jiang Teng, his Senior Brother Chen Tianqi, and the Duanren Empire's Emperor, this Yang An was the fourth person he had come to know to possess a superb talent martial spirit.
But Jiang Teng's martial spirit was a top grade eleven spirit, the Scared Bright Tiger, whereas this Yang An's grade twelve spirit threw Jiang Teng off by a long road.
Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou kept drinking while eavesdropping on the conversations around them. A short while later, they paid the bill and left. When Fei Hou was paying, the boss came out and proceeded to discount the amount by half before sending off Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou in person.
Leaving the restaurant, both of them headed straight to the Fei Manor.
Roughly an hour later, they came to the main street leading to Fei Manor; although there was still two days before Fei Ming's wedding day, the main door of the manor was already crowded with people in a merry mood and an endless stream of horses and carriages bearing gifts.
Obviously, these are people from noble families paying congratulatory visits due to the occasion.
Standing in the street before the sign plate of Fei Manor, bubbling emotions filled Fei Hou's heart and when he stepped into the Fei Manor with Huang Xiaolong, his excitement nearly spilled over.
However, just as they were about to step across the doorway, the two guards at the sides of the door suddenly raised their hands, blocking their path: "Where are you going here? What matters do you have with the Fei Manor?"
Fei Hou blanked for a moment before asking, "You two don't recognize me?"
The two guards scrutinized Fei Hou from head to toe, and one of them laughed, "I say old man, who do you think you are? Why must we recognize you?!"
Fei Hou was dazed by the answer, and a deep frown appeared on his forehead-- looks like these two guards were hired in the years after he had left so neither of them recognized him.
He turned around, a little embarrassed as he looked at Huang Xiaolong.
He didn't expect for something so awkward such as this to happen even before he returned to Fei Manor.
Huang Xiaolong gave him a faint smile and did not say anything. Only Fei Hou can handle this matter.
At this point, Fei Hou told the two guards: "Call your Patriarch out."
The same guard smiled wider, saying "Call our Patriarch out? Old man, I think you don't realize the situation. You think our Patriarch is someone you can see just cause you say so?"
"I'm his old man!" Fei Hou's temper came out!
But in the ears of the two guards, it sounded as if Fei Hou was cursing their family's Patriarch and that made their expression turn cold.
"Old man, be frank and tell us, did you come here to make trouble? Your blind dog eyes, how dare you make havoc here, look around and see where this is!"
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