Chapter 289 A Few Little Mice
He remembered that although Li Mu had resisted the siege of those great Celestial Beings that day, it was because of the Sky-stabilizing Mirror that repressed the Yuan qi of heaven and earth, rendering Celestial Beings unable to perform their skills. At that time, Li Mu’s natural qi had only been at half a level.
Zhao Yu was a very confident and conceited person.
Therefore, in his view, given that he had defeated Meng Wu and Chu Nantian, two Natural Experts, with his cultivation inferior to a Natural Expert’s, he was no worse than Li Mu. After all, even if a Natural Expert didn’t mobilize the Yuan qi from heaven and earth, he could give it into full play. His fight was more convincing.
Therefore, although he was shocked by Li Mu’s performance that day, he would never feel ashamed of his inferiority. He was confidant of his talent and potential. As long as he had time and opportunities, he believed that he could definitely catch up with Li Mu.
As for the end of the battle, the fact that Li Mu had defeated the second prince easily was shocking, though, he guessed there were some reasons for that. One was that the second prince did not fully integrate the extraterrestrial devil’s power; the second was that the second prince had been injured in the previous battle against the Secular Sword Whiz and the Sky-cracking Punch; the third was that Li Mu had a treasure from his sect.
After finding out those reasons, Zhao Yu intended to compete against Li Mu in terms of cultivating speed.
Because in his opinion, Li Mu was the most talented one among the young people he had met.
Genius cherished genius.
However, at that moment, he was shocked by Li Mu’s words, that he had just become a full-sense Natural Expert.
Li Mu felt happy when seeing his expression.
”You are too young to threaten me.”
Zhao Yu covered his head with his hands, and forced himself to look normal, saying, “Young Master Li, I came to Taibai County to discuss with you on two things. The first is that I want to take my sister back, because my father’s 60th birthday party is close at hand and he hopes that she can go back home. Afterwards, she will return to the Taibai County as agreed. Second, the reason for the death of the four disciples in the Taibai Sword Faction has been ascertained. They were secretly killed by Zhou Zhenhai, a disciple of another faction, who tried to cast the blame to you. I am sorry that you were wronged. Please forgive me.”
He spoke in a humble manner.
After the end of the war in Chang’an City, Zhao Yu returned to the sect, and told the leader about the battle. The high-level members including Zhao Xue, its leader, were shocked, since the battle indicated that Li Mu had used his own power to defeat all the people of the Taibai Sword Faction. Hence, the Taibai Sword Faction must change their att.i.tude towards Li Mu.
After reviewing the case, the seniors of the Taibai Sword Faction quickly found out the truth and Zhou Zhenhai was discovered.
Hence, Zhou Zhenyue, his twin brother, was nervous.
Fortunately, he decided correctly that day.
Otherwise, that day, the Taibai Sword Faction would have to face a disaster.
In the end, they decided to order the best genius of the sect, Zhao Yu, to visit the county and meet with Li Mu, in an attempt to change the hatred for a good relations.h.i.+p. After all, geographically speaking, the Taibai Sword Faction was situated in the Taibai County. The previous county magistrate could be neglected, but the demon-like magistrate, Li Mu—who had killed a prince, fortunately to live for a long time—deserved much attention.
“Zhou Zhenhai is now prisoned in the county government organ, and Young Master Li can punish him at will,” Zhao Yu said.
Li Mu waved his hand and said, “I don’t need that. He killed disciples of the Taibai Sword Faction, so you’d better dispose of him yourselves. When you take Zhao Wei back, take him with you.” Li Mu was not interested in wasting time to deal with such an unimportant man.
“Thank you, Young Master Li,” Zhao Yu stood up and replied.
He was not articulate, but he was talented and acted swiftly.
After settling that matter, Zhao Yu actually had one private matter.
But he felt awkward to say it. After all, it seemed to be much inappropriate.
Li Mu stood up to say his farewells.
When they walked to the door, Li Mu was suddenly stricken by something and said, “Yes, I also want to discuss one thing with brother Zhao…”
Zhao Yu was shocked and subconsciously said, “Young Master Li, please go on.”
Li Mu answered with a smile, “On that day, before Cao Bingyan, Rival Energy against Star River, died, he imprinted the mystery of the ancient Star River Sword Sect into his remaining spiritual force and imparted it to me, in hopes to sustain his Star River Sword Sect. However, brother Zhao, you know that I am addicted to the Chinese broadsword methods. I might disappoint Cao Bingyan. After all, Cao Bingyan is also a Zongs.h.i.+ Master, so it will be a great pity if the Star River Sword Sect becomes extinct, no matter what he has done. Brother Zhao, you are a genius in swordsmans.h.i.+p… I’d better give you the secret skills of swordsmans.h.i.+p. Are you interested?”
“What are you talking about?” Zhao Yu looked surprised.
What he wanted to say was that private matter.
On the day when he saw Cao Bingyan perform the Star River Sword methods, Zhao Yu was excited about them, feeling that the methods were familiar to him. However, it was a pity that before Cao Bingyan died, he pa.s.sed down the sword-using methods to Li Mu, a knife user powerhouse, but Zhao Yu didn’t scramble for the methods.
Those days, he had been missing the swordsmans.h.i.+p.
Given that he had gone to the Taibai County to visit Li Mu, he also wanted to exchange some conditions for the sword-using methods, but he didn’t find anything that could be as important as the Star River Sword skills. After all, if one cultivated them to the peak, one could break the void. Even the supreme sword-using methods of the Taibai Sword Faction could not be strengthened to break the void.
So, in the end, when he was ready to leave without making his request.
Li Mu mentioned it unexpectedly.
“This… What’s Young Master Li’s condition for that?” Zhao Yu asked ecstatically.
Li Mu replied, “Will brother Zhao not accept it if I have no conditions?”
“Yes… eh, no, no, no. I…” Zhao Yu suddenly blushed.
The oldest apprentice of the Taibai Sword Faction, all of a sudden, was joked by Li Mu into speechlessness.
Li Mu laughed, “Brother Zhao dared to save Mrs. Tang and her daughters despite the danger. You are really a warm-blooded man. As the beauty matched the hero, and the charming wine the warrior, this valuable book can only be used fully by you.”
As he spoke, he directly gave the print of Cao Bingyan’s spiritual force to Zhao Yu.
Of course, he had studied the sword-using skills in it, so he was clear of the profound meaning behind the Star River Sword skills. Although he had already integrated them into his own Dao-using methods, he didn’t intend to cultivate them.
“Thanks a lot. Brother Li,” Zhao Yu said excitedly, “I am deeply grateful. You are my sworn brother from now on.”
Li Mu felt pleased, since offering the book that did not belong to him to this man could only bring him benefits.
…
After Zhao Yu and his sister left, Li Mu met Zheng Cunjian in the study room, who had come from the Chang’an Mansion.
“Young Master, according to the spy’s information, a month ago in Qin City, Lord Zhenxi, the second important a.s.sociate of the second prince, rebelled and attacked the palace, but was defeated by the crown prince in cooperation with the Grand Chancellor of imperial guards and several other princes. Now, Lord Zhenxi is on the run, and the power of the second prince has completely disappeared,”
Zheng Cunjian reported.
Li Mu looked slightly serious.
“I finally see this result.”
The remaining a.s.sociates of the second prince were thoroughly extinct, and the powerful political figures in the capital should have reached another agreement.
However, that also meant that his peaceful life had reached its end.
After all, someone had to be made responsible for the death of a paramount and powerful prince.
Those powerful figures would come to settle things with him.
“Till now, the emperor is still in closed-door training. The political affairs of the empire are now handled by the crown prince, lord Quan, Lord Kang, and Prime Minister w.a.n.g. Also, the military power of the imperial army is in the hands of Guan Minren,” Zheng Cunjian said in detail.
Li Mu waved his hand, “Don’t tell me those messy things… I am not interested in them.”
Zheng Cunjian stopped and said, “There is still one thing. According to the information of the prefecture organ, the newly appointed county magistrate for the Taibai County is already on its way to the Chang’an Mansion, and Young Master, you have to quit three days later.”
Li Mu said, “Alright. Alright.”
He didn’t care.
The ident.i.ty of the county magistrate was meaningless for him.
The t.i.tle of county magistrate did not matter.
However, that successor who was directly appointed by the imperial court must be an official or a person of high status. It was a ridiculous notion that the Taibai County magistrate’s t.i.tle had become so attractive.
Anyway, the Taibai County belonged to him.
As for the reason why Li Mu took many efforts to turn the whole county government organ into a land of blessed geomancy, it was that he was going to consolidate his power there, instead of benefiting his successor. If the newly-coming county magistrate did what he should do, Li Mu wouldn’t trouble him. If he really dared to bother Li Mu’s plan, Li Mu, who had killed a prince, would have to trouble that official.
As if seeing through Li Mu’s mind, Zheng Cunjian added, “The magistrate of the prefecture asked me to tell you that the new county magistrate is a disciple who was born in the imperial Holy clan of the Guanshan Pasture. His ident.i.ty is special. Hence, don’t act on impulse.”
“Is he a disciple of Guanshan Pasture?”
“A Holy Clan of the empire?”
It was rumored that the owner of the Guanshan Pasture was one of the current peak masters in that world, and was a sage.
The top nine Holy Clans, in fact, were powerful, which were superior to the three great empires, barbarians, and witches, and dominated the destiny of the Divine Land. They were as inviolable as the heaven court. Whoever provoked the top nine Holy Clans had to die.
“How come even the people from the top nine Holy Clans are involved in this matter?”
Li Mu nodded, indicating that he already knew that.
Zheng Cunjian reported all the things and left tacitly.
However, at the moment when he exited the room, he hesitated for a moment and suddenly stepped in again. He said with hesitation, “Young Master, these days, please be cautious. According to news outside, you are in a perilous situation. In the capital, the princes and lords have claimed to catch and send you back to Qin City for trial. Lord Zhenxi and other remaining traitors also seem to have sneaked into the northwestern province…”
Li Mu looked at his expression and said, “Are these words not what the Li Gang told you?”
Zheng Cunjian nodded with an awkward look.
Li Mu sneered, and when he was about to say something, his face suddenly changed slightly. His mouth was sharply upward. He said, “When I talk of the devil, he arrives…” He stood up slowly and said, “A few little mice snuck in. Let’s go out to have a look.”