Chapter 61

"That's the plan!"

Having made his decision, Chen Mu found Huang Feiyang and informed him he would be away for a few days.

Then, he went to the External Affairs Hall and similarly informed his subordinates that he would be away on a long trip, and that the hall's affairs should continue to run as usual.

Before leaving, he picked up his notebook to review the latest summary of information.

Upon reading it, his original plan changed immediately.

He wouldn't go to the neighboring prefecture!

He would go to Liangxian!

"At He Family Fortress, the old master of the He family will hold his hundredth birthday banquet in three days; martial artists will gather there."

The information conveyed in this short line was astonishing.

He Family Fortress was one of the five top powers in Nanyun Prefecture, excluding the Guo, Zheng, and Pan families.

The old master of the He family had stepped into the Innate realm over fifty years ago and was nicknamed "Peerless Iron Fist," with a reputation that resounded not only throughout Nanyun but also in several surrounding prefectures.

Below the Innate realm, ordinary people and martial artists had the same lifespan: two sixty-year cycles, or one hundred and twenty years.

Even if other means were exhausted, one could at most delay death by ten years.

However, stepping into the Innate realm increased one's lifespan by one sixty-year cycle.

That is, one could live for one hundred and eighty years.

On this basis, using other means, it could be extended to two hundred years.

Of course, "other means" here refers to normal circumstances, not the evil arts of the "Longevity Demon Sect."

For this reason, the old master of He Family Fortress holding a hundredth birthday banquet was a joyous and major event.

Basically, Innate martial artists who had the means would hold such a banquet upon reaching this age.

He Family Fortress was a first-tier power in Nanyun Prefecture, so the old master's birthday celebration naturally invited people from all directions, and various large and small factions would gather.

Numerous wandering martial artists of the jianghu would also be in attendance.

With so many martial artists, conflict was inevitable!

Where there is conflict, there will be deaths, and he could pick up cards!

……

The plan was set.

Chen Mu immediately left the city and used his "Wind-Chasing Legs" to rush toward Liangxian.

Halfway there, he changed his clothes and took out a human-skin mask to wear.

He Family Fortress was located at the southernmost tip of Liangxian, more than seventy li away from the Liangxian county seat.

By the time Chen Mu arrived, it was already dusk.

Under the crimson sunset, a massive fortress built against the mountain stood upon the earth.

The fortress had walls five zhang high, with guards in light armor patrolling atop them.

Beneath the towering gatehouse, in the spacious city gate tunnel, pedestrians moved in and out.

Chen Mu followed the flow of people inside the walls; the bluestone-paved street was wide enough for four carriages to travel side-by-side, and shops lined both sides—inns, eateries, restaurants, pawnshops... everything one could imagine.

This He Family Fortress was practically a small city!

At the end of the long bluestone street was another wall, three zhang high.

This wall divided He Family Fortress into an inner fortress and an outer fortress.

The inner fortress housed the He family disciples, while the outer fortress was for relatives and subordinates who relied on the He family.

Combined, the inner and outer fortresses had a population of over ten thousand.

"It truly deserves its reputation as the longest-standing power in Nanyun Prefecture."

Chen Mu walked along the street, feeling everything around him, and sighed in his heart.

He Family Fortress had been passed down for nearly three hundred years!

……

Boom~!

A loud noise suddenly came from ahead.

"Clang, clang, clatter~"

The sound of weapons clashing followed immediately after.

"Wang, today is your death day!"

"Whose death day it is, don't speak so soon."

"Rest assured, it's definitely yours!"

Bang~

Rumble!

Muffled thuds and the sounds of impact continued to ring out.

Chen Mu heard them, walked quickly for a hundred meters, turned into a street on the right, and saw two wandering martial artists fighting in the middle of the street.

Judging by the fluctuations of internal energy released, their cultivation was not low—Seventh Stage of Postnatal!

They fought without restraint, completely ignoring the pedestrians on the street.

They moved as they fought, destroying various items.

A five or six-year-old boy was frightened silly, standing frozen in place, forgetting to run.

Seeing he was about to be caught in the crossfire...

Whoosh~

Chen Mu's figure flickered, skimming across the ground to cover the twenty-plus meters, then he scooped up the boy and retreated, moving far away from the combat zone.

"Stop!"

An angry shout came from behind.

A guard squad of over a dozen people pushed through the crowd toward the two fighting martial artists.

The two combatants seemed not to hear, still lost in their moves, wanting to kill the other.

As a result...

Bang~! Bang~!

With two muffled thuds, the leader of the guard squad kicked them both, separating them and knocking them to the ground.

"Private fighting is prohibited within the fortress. If you two have a grudge, please go outside the fortress to settle it."

The guard leader said expressionlessly in a deep voice, "This is the first time, so it's just a warning. If you offend again, you will be expelled from the fortress!"

"……"

The two wandering martial artists on the ground stood up in silence.

"Apologies, I understand."

"Sorry about that~"

The two cupped their hands and apologized to each other.

The guard leader's expression remained unchanged as he coldly added, "Don't forget to pay for the things you broke."

"I'll pay, I'll pay!"

"Yes, yes."

The two wandering martial artists squeezed out smiles and reached into their pockets, looking pained.

Seeing this, Chen Mu shook his head and turned to leave.

He Family Fortress was managed quite strictly; if private fighting was prohibited, wouldn't that mean no one could die?

"Thank you, big brother."

The boy who had left with Chen Mu looked up at him and thanked him.

Chen Mu smiled, patted the boy's head, and said softly, "Don't run around alone, go home now."

"Okay." The boy nodded obediently and waved, saying, "Goodbye, big brother!"

Chen Mu waved his hand and watched the little boy leave.

"Brother, you are righteous. I am Shen Ge, from Mingzhou. I wonder if I might invite you for a drink?"

A gentle voice sounded. Chen Mu turned to see a man in his twenties wearing a gray-white long robe. He was of medium build, with fair skin and an unremarkable face, but he possessed an elegant, almost saintly aura. He was cupping his hands and smiling at him.

"Brother Shen, you are too kind. It was just a small act of convenience."

Chen Mu returned the salute, "I am Nie Feng, a local from Hengzhou. Since Brother Shen is from another prefecture, it should be I who treats you to a drink."

Wearing a mask was conducive to getting things done.

"So it is Brother Nie!"

Shen Ge stepped forward and said heartily, "Meeting is fate. Brother Nie is righteous, so please let me treat you this first time, and we can switch next time, how about that?"

"That works." Chen Mu smiled, "Brother Shen, please!"

"Please." Shen Ge gestured simultaneously.

The next moment, the two smiled at each other and walked together.

Human interaction is a very strange thing.

Although Chen Mu was meeting Shen Ge for the first time, they communicated like old friends of many years.

Chen Mu didn't ask about Shen Ge's specific background, and Shen Ge didn't ask about Chen Mu's.

The two were like old friends who hadn't seen each other in years, meeting unexpectedly—surprised yet at ease.

They found a restaurant, chose a window seat, ordered a few dishes, and chatted while they ate.

Just as they were chatting enthusiastically, a commotion suddenly broke out on the street.

"What a grand display, who is this? The He family master actually came out of the fortress to welcome them personally."

"It's Sun Jindong! The master of the Sifang Martial Arts Hall. He actually came too."

"It really is 'Qi-Moving Cold Mountain' Sun Jindong, Hero Sun!"

"……"

Sun Jindong, a hero?