Chapter 287 - 181: Making a Move

Chapter 287: Chapter 181: Making a Move

...

Su Mu knew nothing of what was happening with the Jiangzuo Wenren Family and Wenren Jiangbo.

He was sitting before a bonfire, leisurely roasting a piece of meat.

Fat dripped from the meat onto the flames, making a SIZZLING sound. The mouth-watering aroma filled the air.

"So, Old Zhao told you to find a way to keep me outside the city for three months?"

Su Mu asked, looking at Luo Anning, who sat across from him.

"How can he be so sure everything will be fine after three months?"

"I don’t know."

Luo Anning said in a small voice, "In any case, that’s the mission Lord Zhao gave me."

"Taking things lying down isn’t the Taiping Bureau’s style."

Su Mu said slowly.

"Senior Brother Su, what are you planning to do?"

Luo Anning asked warily, "Lord Zhao said you’re not to get involved with the Wenren Family’s affairs. You just need to stay outside the city for three months, and everything will be fine."

She knew Su Mu’s personality. He usually seemed gentle and calm, but he often ended up doing extraordinary things.

"Nothing much."

Su Mu said flatly.

Wenren Jiangbo was the one who challenged him. Now that he’d lost, he was stirring up all this trouble. ’Does he really think I, Su Mu, am a pushover?’

"Junior Sister Luo, once you’ve had your fill, you should head back. Tell Lord Zhao I got the message, and I won’t return to the city for three months."

Su Mu said.

"No, I have to keep an eye on you."

Luo Anning shook her head firmly.

"I’m going deep into Daxing Mountain to train. Are you sure you want to follow me? If we run into a Tier Three Demon, I can escape on my own. With you here, you’ll only slow me down."

Su Mu said.

Luo Anning’s small face scrunched up. That was indeed a problem.

Her cultivation was only at the Blood Transformation Realm. If they really encountered a powerful demon, she would just be a liability and couldn’t help Senior Brother Su at all.

But she couldn’t very well tell Senior Brother Su not to go train.

"If you can’t let go of your mission,"

Su Mu said with a smile, "then you can wait for me at the supply point. When the three months are up, we’ll return to the city together. How about it?"

"That... works too."

Luo Anning thought for a moment. She didn’t want to be a burden to Su Mu, but she also didn’t want to give up on her mission.

Since she had promised Zhao Poni, she wanted to see the mission through.

"To stop Lord Zhao from nagging, just tell him you were with me the whole time when you get back."

Su Mu continued, "Since you’ll have time on your hands, and I happened to win the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique from Wenren Jiangbo... Your strength is about right for it. These three months are the perfect opportunity for you to cultivate."

"Senior Brother Su, are you trying to bribe me?"

Luo Anning stared at Su Mu with wide, clear eyes.

"You could put it that way."

Su Mu grinned. "So, are you willing to be bribed?"

"Can I stop you?"

Luo Anning asked.

"Doesn’t seem like it."

"Then I guess I have no choice but to be bribed."

"A wise choice."

Su Mu discovered that the earnest Miss Luo could be quite a character at times.

...

A magnificent Tower Ship sailed along a wide river.

In the distance, a man wearing the Official Uniform of a Taiping Bureau Governor turned and walked away.

This was the border of Jingzhou. He had been ordered to escort Wenren Jiangbo out of the province. Once outside Jingzhou, it was no longer his concern.

Wenren Jiangbo stood on the deck, his hands gripping the railing so tightly his knuckles were white. His face was a mask of shame.

On this trip, not only had he failed in his challenge against Su Mu, but he had also lost the Jade Water Sword and the Xiaoxiang Rebirth Technique. Now, he was being driven out of Jingzhou like a stray dog.

In all his life, he, Wenren Jiangbo, had never suffered such a humiliation.

And it was all because of Su Mu!

He never considered that if he hadn’t challenged Su Mu in the first place, none of this would have happened.

Even after challenging Su Mu, if the Wenren Family hadn’t made their petty moves afterward, the Taiping Bureau wouldn’t have reacted with such thunderous fury, and he wouldn’t be facing this humiliation today.

But such great families never considered their own faults.

In their eyes, their actions were flawless; the fault always lay with others.

"Su Mu! I’m no match for you now, but I will break through to the True Essence Realm before you do! When that day comes, I will make you taste defeat!"

Wenren Jiangbo’s nails dug into his palm, piercing the skin and drawing blood.

In truth, he could have already broken through to the True Essence Realm. He had only been suppressing his cultivation to build a deeper foundation.

Now, he had decided. He would break through to the True Essence Realm immediately!

Then, with his True Essence Realm cultivation, he would surely defeat Su Mu!

He was certain that Su Mu could not possibly break through to the True Essence Realm faster than him!

"Young Master, someone’s here!"

Just then, Wenren Shiliu’s expression turned grim.

SPLASH!

Before he finished speaking, a figure was seen striding across the water, landing on the Tower Ship’s deck with a flip.

"Golden Wind Tower?"

Wenren Shiliu stared at the person opposite him, his face full of vigilance.

The newcomer wore a black, tight-fitting outfit and a ghastly mask—the unmistakable emblem of the Golden Wind Tower.

Wenren Shiliu was puzzled. ’Why would an assassin from the Golden Wind Tower appear here? If they were here for an assassination, why reveal themselves so openly?’

With these doubts in mind, Wenren Shiliu did not attack immediately.

"No need to be tense."

The Silver-faced Killer from the Golden Wind Tower spoke in a hoarse voice. "No one paid for your lives. I’m not here to take them this time. I’m here to challenge you."

He raised his hand and pointed at Wenren Jiangbo.

"You... are here to challenge me?"

Wenren Jiangbo was stunned for a moment, then his face flushed with anger.

’What is this? Just because I, Wenren Jiangbo, lost to Su Mu, now every random nobody dares to challenge me? Do they think I’m some kind of pushover? Does everyone think they can use me as a stepping stone?’

This was absolutely intolerable!

"State your name! I, Wenren Jiangbo, do not kill nameless nobodies with my sword!"

Wenren Jiangbo roared in fury.

"Jing Ke of the Golden Wind Tower."

Su Mu said flatly.

"Jing Ke? Some piece of trash ranked nineteenth on the Rebirth Rankings? You dare challenge me?"

Wenren Jiangbo grew even more furious.

If his opponent were Xue Shan, he might just barely have the right to challenge him.

But Jing Ke? Who the hell was he?!

"Since you’re looking for death, I’ll grant your wish!"

Wenren Jiangbo sneered. "Challenge me? Then you’d better be prepared to die by my sword!"

"You don’t have to worry about that."

Su Mu said flatly, "No one is paying, so I won’t kill you. You don’t have to worry about dying."

"You’re courting death!"

Wenren Jiangbo could no longer contain the fury in his chest. All the pent-up frustration from the past several days erupted in that single moment.

He thrust his sword forward.

Standing on the great river, Wenren Jiangbo’s sword strike kicked up a cloud of moist vapor. It transformed into a rushing torrent, its power a full thirty percent stronger than when he had fought in Wuling City.

The Cultivation Technique he practiced was naturally more advantageous in places with abundant water vapor.

Seeing his young master make a move, Wenren Shiliu proactively stepped aside.

He believed that with his young master’s skill, he could easily crush an assassin who was merely ranked nineteenth on the Dragon and Tiger Rebirth Rankings.

It all happened in a flash.

The instant Wenren Jiangbo struck, he saw that Jing Ke, the Golden Wind Tower assassin, had struck as well.

A tiger’s roar seemed to echo in Wenren Jiangbo’s ears.

Jing Ke’s saber slashed out, and the clouds in the air seemed to condense into the form of a White Tiger.

The White Tiger roared, shattering the great river of water and slamming viciously into Wenren Jiangbo’s sword.

TING!

A crisp sound rang out.

The longsword flew through the air and fell into the river.

Wenren Jiangbo let out a bloodcurdling scream as his body was sent flying high into the air.

Wenren Shiliu’s expression changed drastically. He leaped up without hesitation and caught Wenren Jiangbo.

When he turned to look, the Golden Wind Tower assassin, Jing Ke, had already flipped over and plunged into the river, vanishing in the blink of an eye. It was too late to give chase.

Looking down at Wenren Jiangbo in his arms, Wenren Shiliu’s heart sank.

There was a shocking saber wound on Wenren Jiangbo’s chest, so deep his internal organs were nearly visible. His eyes were shut tight, and his face was ashen. Though he was not dead, a wound this severe would take at least a year or two to heal.

Most importantly, this would very likely affect his future breakthroughs!

"White Tiger Killing Intent... that Jing Ke has actually mastered White Tiger Killing Intent!"

Wenren Shiliu muttered to himself, "Does the Hundred Knows Hall eat shit? A man like this is only ranked nineteenth on the Dragon and Tiger Rebirth Rankings?"