Chapter 47: Threefold Realm, Fourfold Combat Power!

Swish!

As the girl finished speaking, her long sword drew from its sheath; a watery blade-glow instantly illuminated the long street.

Shhh~

The sword's edge was sharp, piercing through the air.

A cold, piercing aura locked onto Chen Mu. In the next instant, it stabbed straight forward.

Huh~

Chen Mu shifted his body, dodging the sword's tip.

Swish! Swish!

Zheng Qianrou continued her assault, stepping with precise footwork, relentlessly pursuing.

Her long sword pierced the air, generating dense aura currents like rain, enveloping Chen Mu's entire body, coiling and spiraling around him.

The Zheng family's ultimate technique: The Covering Rain Sword!

Huh~

Chen Mu continued evading, refusing to block or counter.

The Zheng family is one of the Three Great Families of Nan Yun Prefecture.

The Tang family, the second-tier great clan of Nan Yun Prefecture, ranked just below Zheng, Guo, and Pan—yet still housing Core Formation experts within its ranks!

Zheng Qianrou and Tang Tianhao suddenly came to his door, challenging him, both shouting the same words.

The Number One Youth of Nan Yun?

This clearly was someone trying to set him up!

Whether Chen Mu deliberately lost or defeated Zheng Qianrou and Tang Tianhao, his outcome would be no better.

The scions of great families are inherently proud; under circumstances where one dare not offend, retreat is the only option.

Huh~ Huh~

Chen Mu stepped with the Spirit Snake Step, shifting continuously.

Zheng Qianrou chased and attacked, yet could not close the distance; she grew furious, "Why don't you strike back? All you do is dodge—are you looking down on me?!"

"Miss, please forgive me. Chen Mu has never looked down on anyone. But you came suddenly to challenge me, and I'm still bewildered—how could I strike first?"

Chen Mu shifted while answering, "The Number One Youth of Nan Yun? I swear by heaven—I have never said such a thing! I'd like to know, Miss and Brother Tang, where did you hear it?"

"..." Zheng Qianrou's movements halted; she stopped attacking and scrutinized Chen Mu skeptically, "You really didn't say it?"

"Naturally."

Chen Mu's expression remained calm as he bowed with clasped fists, "Chen Mu was born into poverty and has always been cautious with words, never boasting or speaking arrogantly. Brother Tang and Miss Zheng can inquire in Changping Alley and Changlong Alley—you'll learn whether my words are true or false."

Zheng Qianrou frowned.

Tang Tianhao stroked his chin and mused, "Brother Chen's meaning is that someone deliberately lured us here to attack you?"

"In every venue within the inner city, rumors spread that Brother Chen proclaimed himself 'the Number One Youth of Nan Yun.' If you truly never said it, then the hatred behind this must be immense," Zheng Qianrou added.

Those who reach the Fourth Realm of Post-Heaven at fifteen or sixteen are no fools.

Chen Mu's words made Tang Tianhao and Zheng Qianrou realize they had been manipulated!

As scions of great families, being provoked was infuriating—but being used was far more hateful!

"Chen Mu also wants to know who hates me so much," Chen Mu thought rapidly.

Green Snake Gang? Blood Wolf Gang?

Both gangs were suspects.

Chen Mu is the Hall Master of the Great Knife Gang; the stronger he becomes, the more uneasy the rival Blood Wolf and Green Snake gangs grow.

Aside from Blood Wolf and Green Snake, there was another man: Cheng Dongfeng of the Hungry Tiger Gang!

This overreaching boss had his ribs broken multiple times by Chen Mu, then had one hand chopped off for violating gang rules.

His hatred for Chen Mu was certainly no small thing!

Cheng Dongfeng also had the wealth to spread rumors about Chen Mu and lure Tang Tianhao and Zheng Qianrou into attacking him!

"Brother Mu, trouble! Warriors are causing chaos at Qunfang Garden!"

While pondering, a gang member rushed over from afar, shouting loudly.

Swish~

Chen Mu shifted his body and sprinted off swiftly.

The Great Knife Gang owned few assets in Changlong Alley: one gambling den, one tavern, and one brothel.

Qunfang Garden was the brothel.

When Chen Mu arrived, he heard from afar screams, laughter, cries of pain, and the crashing of tables and chairs—all mixed into a chaotic din.

In broad daylight, the gates of Qunfang Garden stood wide open, flanked by crowds of onlookers.

Beyond the gates stood a burly man, shirt torn open, chest thick with hair, reeking of alcohol, eyes bloodshot, one hand gripping a wine flask as he drank, the other smashing everything in sight.

In a corner on the ground lay over a dozen Great Knife Gang enforcers, moaning or screaming in pain.

"It's Huang Shirong! This guy goes berserk when drunk. He used to roam the North District, got beaten by the Flying Dragon Gang, and lay low for a while. Never thought he'd come to the East District and start trouble again."

"Hey, Qunfang Garden belongs to the Great Knife Gang. The boss in charge of this territory, Huang Feiyang, just recently became a martial artist—but he can't touch Huang Shirong! This guy's only Post-Heaven Third Realm, but his Thunder Rush Palm is perfected to the point where even ordinary Post-Heaven Fourth Realm warriors aren't his match!"

"So you mean Huang Shirong came here on purpose?"

"What else? This guy may look crude, but he's sharp as a tack—he comes here to eat, drink, and screw for free, and no one can stop him!"

"..."

Among the crowd, several wandering martial artists recognized the madman and openly discussed him without concealment.

Chen Mu, arriving on the scene, naturally heard it all.

A third-realm acquired-stage cultivator, with fourth-realm combat power?

He does have some real skill!

Running wild elsewhere, Chen Mu can't be bothered, but not in Changlong Fang.

He set up the External Affairs Hall branch here precisely so he could conveniently help Huang Feiyang.

Whoosh~!

In a single stride, he entered Qunfang Garden.

Chen Mu stepped forward and launched a Mountain-Splitting Fist straight at the chest of Huang Shirong, who was laughing heartily.

Hm?

The drink-addled Huang Shirong jolted awake. As he retreated, he hurled the wine pot in his hand.

"Bang!"

Chen Mu's fist smashed through the wine pot; amid the spray of wine, he shifted his body and kept closing in on Huang Shirong.

"You've got nerve!"

Huang Shirong let out a furious roar, his bloodshot eyes looking as if they wanted to devour someone.

Both hands surged, internal force spiraled, and amid a strange buzzing sound, a fierce, violent palm force slammed out brutally, meeting Chen Mu head-on.

Boom~!

Fist and palm collided, blasting out a ring of qi that swept the surroundings and kicked up dust.

Huang Shirong's face suddenly flushed red, his body trembling.

Chen Mu's expression unchanged, his second fist slammed out right after, continuing to hammer at Huang Shirong's shaking arms.

Boom!!

Huang Shirong staggered back, mouth open in a roar. A wave of breath thick with alcohol shot straight at Chen Mu's face.

Chen Mu dodged to the side, circled to Huang Shirong's right, and swept out a kick.

Smack~

Crack!

The sound of bone splintering came from Huang Shirong's arm, and his whole body was kicked stumbling back toward the door.

Swish swish~

Chen Mu shifted his body and followed right behind.

Mobilizing his fourth-realm acquired-stage internal force cultivation, he executed the Mountain-Splitting Fist, hammering out punch after punch in rapid succession.

Every punch came from a different direction and angle, cutting off Huang Shirong's counterattacks and sealing every opening.

Boom! Boom! Boom~!

Punch after punch drove Huang Shirong back step by step, the dull thuds echoing inside and outside Qunfang Garden.

Until…

Boom!

"Ugh~"

Blood sprayed from Huang Shirong's mouth; his whole body flew out of Qunfang Garden, sailing seven or eight meters, then hit the ground with a heavy "thud," struggled twice, and passed out.

In an instant, inside and outside Qunfang Garden, there was utter silence!