Reputation
Those not implicated in the confrontation chose to wait until the dragon vine left Floating Celestial Island before vying for it. If they chose to take either side whilst on the island, they’d make extra enemies.
“Our company invested time, money and resources to capture the dragon, making it ours. If someone kidnaps your wife, do you just pretend she’s not your wife?” Beiya questioned.
“Yeah,” blurted Ximen Buxing. “But not if you’re as pretty as you girls.”
“Get lost!” brayed the maidens.
Once Huai Baiwan and Mr. Ru, two Body Severing Realm cultivators, arrived, Beiya threatened, “Let’s see how you escape now.”
Huai Baiwan took over and saluted Lie Shang with a cupped-fist salute. “Haha, you must be the first one to escape Ku Mu Valley, Mu Yu, right? I can no longer remember how many Primordial Infant Realm cultivators failed to escape.”
Mu Yu’s name and escape began to spread akin to wildfire a few days ago, but it was laughed off as a bad joke. Coming from Huai Baiwan, on the other hand, it was perceived as legitimate news. Perhaps that explained why there were people tailing him days ago.
“Nice, Brother-in-law!” Ximen Buxing patted Mu Yu roughly on the shoulder.
“How do you know about that?” queried Mu Yu, realising he was the only one who was unaware his escape was public knowledge.
“You weren’t aware Elder Ku Mu sent your portrait to Shadow to have searchers dispatched? He is offering a bounty for capturing you.”
“You’re also after the bounty on my head?” inquired Mu Yu, skipping over the mention of the organisation that sounded dangerous.
“Hahaha, I did dispatch search teams for you, but that was solely to invite you to my island as a guest. Unfortunately, none of my men could locate you. Never did I imagine you’d find your own way in without an invitation. This is your invitation. You are the first Golden Core Realm cultivator we have ever invited.” After passing the invitation to Mu Yu, Huai Baiwan continued, “I see no reason to not gift you the dragon vine after all that has transpired. I guess you could say I wish to be friends with you.”
“Father, why should w-”
Huai Baiwan stopped his daughter and, with the corner of his lips tugged up, stated, “Whether or not you can keep it is on you.”
Deciphered version of Huai Baiwan’s words: “We can’t stop Spirit Severing Realm cultivators at the moment. Your potential knows no bounds. If you manage to catapult to stardom, don’t forget I was the one who gave you the dragon vine. I could stop you, but I won’t. If they manage to wrestle it from you, you can’t blame me.”
“Thank you, Mr. Huai,” replied Mu Yu, knowing exactly what Huai Baiwan was thinking. With a palm-fist salute, he expressed, “I shall take my leave.”
“All the best,” responded Huai Baiwan, departing with his people.
The debacle was far from over. The Spirit Severing Realm cultivators were still going at it inside, oblivious to the fact the dragon had sneaked out. Nobody was going to risk their life returning to the battlefield in there. Plus, the second Huai Baiwan publicised he was giving Mu Yu the dragon vine, it turned into a free-for-all contest. Why give the old freaks a chance? They reached an unspoken consensus to obstruct Ximen Buxing and Lie Shang while another team could easily subdue Mu Yu.
Lie Shang left with Mu Yu. Lie Shang glanced back at the crowd stalking the trio, not that he was afraid of them even if they came in droves. He was worried he couldn’t protect his junior.
Lie Shang queried, “How did you escape? Surely those old freaks would’ve noticed you sneaking out.”
“Some old man with a stutter helped me.”
“Why didn’t you come see me after leaving Dustfallen Sect?”
“We have a nuisance here, so we’ll talk later in private.
Ximen Buxing, the man who went where there were beauties or entertainment, didn’t take Mu Yu’s insult too well. “Brother-in-law, don’t burn your bridge before you cross the river. As a family, we should be united against our enemies right now.”
“Family? Who? I heard you wanted to marry Meng Xin today. How about you keep away from Tian Ran?”
“Oh, come on. I’m innocent. The geezer and Meng Xin’s shifu had us engaged before we were born. My hand was forced. Trust me, Brother-in-Law. I love Tian Ran.”
“Meng Xin is the daughter of her shifu? Weren’t disciples of Jade Sect forbidden from marrying?”
“Meng Xin is my shifu and her shifu’s illegitimate daughter. Don’t tell anyone else the secret.”
“How do you explain the part you were sold to a brothel at eight years old? What’s the engagement got to do with you?”
“How does it not have to do with me after the geezer bedded her shifu?’
“Is the geezer your late old man or your shifu?”
“Obviously my father. How would they have had us engaged before we were born, otherwise?”
“Doesn’t that make her your stepsister?”
“My bad. The geezer is my shifu.”
“So what does that make Meng Xin?”
“You two done yet? Stay alert. We’re out of Floating Celestial Mountain’s territory,” grouched Lie Shang.
“Hehe, where are you off to in such a hurry?” sarcastically asked a bewitching maiden who intercepted the trio.
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