Chapter 260: Getting What One Wished For!

"..."

Chen Mu, among the crowd, also nodded slightly.

It is true that people with certain special constitutions or hidden injuries will experience violent reactions when taking specific pills.

The three men demanding an explanation exchanged glances at this. The anger on their faces faded a little, replaced by a trace of hesitation and uncertainty.

Seeing the situation, Shopkeeper Wang pressed the advantage and reiterated, "This old man is willing to stake the decades-long reputation of Hundred Herbs Pavilion on it — the pills in our shop are absolutely no problem!"

"However, since a customer has had an accident, the compensation plan can be doubled. Along with replacing the pills, triple compensation! What do the three of you think?"

The three men demanding an explanation conferred in low voices for a few moments. Finally, their leader cupped his fist toward the squad leader of the Bai Yun Guard and the shopkeeper. "Since the shopkeeper is so sincere, perhaps... perhaps it really is my second brother's constitution. We accept the compensation!"

"That works too."

The squad leader, having heard this, waved his hand and said, "Settle the compensation publicly, then."

"Good, good." The shopkeeper hurriedly nodded.

And so.

Under the witness of the Bai Yun Guard, one party paid up and swapped the pills cheerfully, the other took the money and left, and the disturbance died down.

Seeing there was no more spectacle to watch, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Chen Mu moved along with the flow of people. At first he paid the matter no mind, taking it for an ordinary dispute.

However, the "Listening Wind" skill he had kept active to gather information caught, from a distance, faint sounds drifting out of the inner hall of Hundred Herbs Pavilion.

He heard Shopkeeper Wang lower his voice, his tone carrying an unprecedented severity and a trace of lingering fear, as he rebuked, "How do you people do things? You nearly ruined the great matter above! If the Bai Yun Guard had uncovered the truth about that batch of pills, every last one of you would be buried with it!"

Several subordinates' voices trembled as they begged for mercy again and again, "Mercy, my lord! Your subordinates know their fault! We won't dare again!"

"Hmph~"

Shopkeeper Wang gave a cold snort and ordered sharply, "Listen — every remaining 'Dragon Tiger Pill' from the same furnace as the bottle that caused the incident, destroy them all immediately! Not a single one left! If anyone dares to slip up again, they'll be dealt with according to sect rules!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Your subordinate will go destroy them at once."

Hearing this from afar, Chen Mu's eyes showed surprise.

Sect rules?

A sect?

Behind this Hundred Herbs Pavilion, there actually stood some hidden sect?

Was it one of the Wudamo Sect that plagued the world?

Or a smaller-scale sect like the Baihuo Sect?

Chen Mu couldn't help but feel a few degrees of curiosity. This Bai Yun City, it seemed, was not as peaceful as it appeared on the surface.

But on second thought, the primary objective of this trip was Zhu Jiuchuan. Stirring up unnecessary trouble was not a wise move.

No matter which sect stood behind Hundred Herbs Pavilion, provoking them for no reason would be sheer folly.

And so, the slight curiosity was quickly suppressed.

The next afternoon, Chen Mu arrived at the private room of Kaiyuan Teahouse once again as agreed.

After waiting roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Su Donglai pushed the door open and entered, yet little joy could be seen on his face.

Chen Mu poured him a cup of tea and asked with a light smile, "Brother Su, how did it go? In the end, which one did that Miss Hua choose?"

Su Donglai frowned tightly and shook his head. "She hasn't decided yet. But she did make a request — she said she wants 'the most thoughtful gift.'"

Saying this, he couldn't help but sigh, looking a bit troubled. "How on earth does one prepare this 'most thoughtful gift'? Su is a rough man, I really can't get a handle on it."

Chen Mu, hearing this, smiled faintly. "The most thoughtful gift is not necessarily the most expensive or the most precious. The key is that it touches her heart."

"It's like a cup of warm tea you hand someone when they're thirsty. An umbrella you bring when it's raining. The thing itself may be ordinary, but the timing is just right, solving their pressing need — that is 'thoughtful.'"

Su Donglai listened, half-understanding, but felt it made good sense. He cupped his fist and said, "Many thanks for the guidance, Brother Chen. I think I've grasped a bit."

"Go back and mull it over carefully, Brother Su. If you run into trouble again, feel free to come find me anytime. Chen may be able to help you think it through further." Chen Mu said.

"Good."

Matters having come to this, Su Donglai could only thank him again.

The two chatted idly for a while, then Su Donglai rose and took his leave — clearly intending to go back and rack his brains over that "thoughtful" gift.

The next afternoon, Chen Mu was meditating and regulating his breath in his room at the inn when hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by Su Donglai's voice, tinged with excitement.

"Brother Chen! Is Brother Chen in?"

"I'm here."

Chen Mu stopped circulating his art and rose to open the door.

He saw Su Donglai standing outside, beaming all over his face. Without waiting for Chen Mu to ask, he said excitedly, "Brother Chen, I succeeded! All thanks to what you said yesterday!"

He succeeded?

Chen Mu's eyes lit up at this, and he immediately cupped his hands with a smile. "Congratulations, Brother Su! My felicitations on getting what you wished for — this is a tremendous piece of good news!"

"Hehe~"

A rare flush of shyness appeared on Su Donglai's face, but the smile at the corner of his mouth could not be suppressed no matter what, and he waved his hands again and again.

"If not for Brother Chen's pointers yesterday, I'd probably still be at my wits' end right now!"

Saying this, he warmly grabbed Chen Mu's arm and pulled him outside.

"Today I must be the host and properly thank Brother Chen! Brother Chen must not refuse!"

Seeing his sincerity, Chen Mu gladly agreed. "Very well, then I'll impose on Brother Su today."

The two found a rather grand restaurant nearby. Su Donglai, flush with money, ordered a table full of delicacies and asked for two jars of aged fine wine.

Over the meal, cups clinked and toasts flew back and forth, the atmosphere warm and lively.

The weight in Su Donglai's heart was gone at last. With the wine rising in him, his tongue loosened too, and he began to lament how hard these years of wandering the jianghu had been—eating in wind and sleeping under dew, licking blood off a blade's edge, dozens of brushes with death.

Chen Mu listened quietly, raised his cup at the right moment, and said gently, "A blade's sharpness comes from grinding; a plum blossom's fragrance from bitter cold. Every hardship Brother Su has endured has paved the way for the sweetness of today. With City Lord Hua's mountain behind you from now on, Brother Su should have no more worries."

Su Donglai's gloom swept clean at those words. He let out a great laugh. "Well said! Brother Chen, bottoms up!"

"After you."

Chen Mu raised his cup.

The two ate and drank deep into the night. When they were full and satisfied, Su Donglai settled the bill, and only then did they step out of the restaurant.

Bai Yun City, being a great city, had no curfew to speak of.

Though it was already late, the long street was still ablaze with lamplight. The lanterns hanging at the shops on either side shone in concert with the stars and moon above. Pedestrians were not shoulder-to-shoulder as in the daytime, but still drifted along in twos and threes, quite a lively scene.

The evening breeze, carrying a touch of coolness, brushed across their faces and dispelled some of the wine fumes.

Chen Mu and Su Donglai walked shoulder to shoulder, strolling slowly along the bluestone-paved road and chatting idly—tales of jianghu and insights into the martial Dao.

Reaching a street corner, the two naturally turned into a relatively quiet alley, planning to take a shortcut.

The alley was dimly lit; only a few faint glows leaked from the lanterns hanging beneath the eaves of the houses.

Just as the two reached the middle stretch of the alley, far from the bustle of the main street, Chen Mu's footsteps suddenly halted.

At that very moment, something changed abruptly!

Several killing intents, sharp beyond compare, burst forth without warning from the rooftops on both sides and the shadows ahead—like venomous snakes lunging from the dark of night!

Cold light flashed.

Sword Qi and blade-gleam wove into a net, carrying a bone-piercing chill, instantly shrouding the vital points all around Chen Mu and Su Donglai!