It was almost noon, and the sun, once high, had surrendered to the brooding sky as heavy rain began to fall. Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo pushed open the doors of a large inn, stepping out of the downpour and into a sudden silence. The Innkeeper peeked nervously from behind the counter, and every single person in the common room turned, their gazes locking onto the two newcomers.
Ma Jingguo instinctively grabbed Mu Dishi by his right sleeve, leaning in close. "Xiao shushu, be careful," he murmured, his voice low with caution.
They walked towards the counter. Ma Jingguo tapped twice, a sharp, impatient rhythm, and the innkeeper finally looked up, his eyes wide with apprehension.
"We want a room and a meal," Ma Jingguo stated, his voice firm.
"Please give me a name," the innkeeper stammered.
"Ma Dishi," Ma Jingguo replied without hesitation.
The innkeeper's eyes flickered, his voice barely a whisper. "Isn't it Mu Dishi?"
"Ma Dishi," Ma Jingguo repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
A frightened waiter, practically cowering, led Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo to a table set in the very center of the inn. Across the room, a handsome man, refined and well-dressed, kept staring at Mu Dishi. Ma Jingguo, sitting protectively beside Mu Dishi, bristled under the man's unwavering gaze. The man, unperturbed, rose from his seat, a fan held casually in his right hand, and sauntered over. He settled himself on Mu Dishi's left, directly opposite Ma Jingguo.
"I am Hua Jian," the man introduced himself, his voice smooth as silk. He placed a wine cup on the table and gently pushed it towards Mu Dishi. "You must be Mu Dishi. I have seen many handsome and beautiful people in my life, but you are truly one of the most exquisite I have ever encountered." He smiled, a self-assured gleam in his eyes, and began to fan himself languidly.
Ma Jingguo's jaw tightened, his fists clenching beneath the table.
Hua Jian then placed a thick, leather-bound book on the table, sliding it towards Mu Dishi. "This book records all my belongings," he declared with a flourish. "I was originally supposed to be one of the people seeking to kill you, to become the leader of the Mo Clan. But it's unbelievable... when I set my sights on you, Mo Ehuang's beauty simply cannot compare. So, I decided not to accept her proposal. Instead, I wish to make an offer to you. If you become my beautiful companion and always stand by my side, I will give you everything that belongs to me."
Ma Jingguo snatched Hua Jian's record book and began to read, his eyes scanning the pages with disdain. When he finished, he tossed the book back onto the table with a dismissive thud. "You're pretty darn rich, I'll give you that," he scoffed.
Hua Jian's smile widened. "Of course."
"But as far as I know, all your wealth was simply passed down to you," Ma Jingguo countered, his voice dripping with scorn. "You didn't even earn a single coin." He pushed the record book back to Hua Jian with a finality. Leaning closer to Mu Dishi, he whispered quietly, his voice laced with pride, "My xiao shushu has an entire cave full of silver and gold. He is richer than you. And he doesn't brag."
Before anyone could react, a man from a nearby table stood up, his face contorted with rage. "Mu Dishi, leave your life here!" he roared, lunging his sword at Mu Dishi.
In a blur of motion, Mu Dishi's needle pierced the man's right eye. A guttural scream of agony tore through the inn as the man staggered back, clutching his face. Instantly, the entire inn erupted. People scrambled to their feet, swords flashing, and attacked Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo in a chaotic surge.
When a sword lunged towards Mu Dishi, Ma Jingguo was already there, blocking the blow with a practiced ease. He glared at Hua Jian, who remained seated, calmly fanning himself. "I thought you said my xiao shushu is beautiful and you like him very much," Ma Jingguo spat, rage simmering in his voice. "Why don't you save him?" With a furious grunt, he struck the attacking man hard in the chest, then wrenched the sword from his grasp.
Hua Jian merely smiled, still seated. "I will wait until he is injured," he purred, his eyes gleaming with a twisted romanticism, "before I can save him. It will be as romantic as a hero saving a beautiful woman." He flapped his paper fan up and down; a smug smile fixed on Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo.
Mu Dishi, wasting no more time, slipped on his black metal gloves. With a surge of lightness agility, he flew to the second floor. In the same fluid motion, he released ten guzheng strings. They shot out like invisible threads of fate, piercing the upper bodies of ten men below. With a powerful tug, he yanked them down from the second floor to the first. Some crashed onto the dusty floor, others onto splintering tables.
Mu Dishi landed gracefully before Ma Jingguo after executing four flawless backflips, then swiftly pulled Ma Jingguo behind him. He took out his golden bells, pulled them apart with a sharp snap, and unleashed a powerful ray of energy at the remaining attackers. Thirty people were thrown back, landing with sickening thuds, groaning in severe pain. Hua Jian, caught completely off guard, barely managed to escape the devastating blast, leaping to the second floor just in time.
Hua Jian landed, a genuine look of surprise on his face. He chuckled, a thrill in his voice. "So, this is the fearsome Mu Dishi. Very scary."
From the second floor, Mo Ehuang's enraged voice cut through the chaos. "Kill Mu Dishi! You are a bunch of useless people!"
"Miss Mo," Ma Jingguo murmured, a warning in his tone.
Mo Ehuang's eyes blazed with fury. "Mu Dishi, back then you didn't kill me, but I swear to heaven that I will kill you! One day, I will kill you and avenge my father and my jiu jiu!" She screamed at the injured men, her voice raw. "Kill him!"
Hua Jian launched himself from the second floor, soaring straight towards Mu Dishi. Ma Jingguo, seeing his chance, grabbed Mu Dishi's right hand. "Xiao shushu, I want to fight him," he declared, his voice filled with a fierce determination. "I want to show him that no one is more suitable for you, except me."
Ma Jingguo lowered his body, sweeping two abandoned swords from the floor. He sprang forward, swinging the blades in a furious arc at Hua Jian. Hua Jian executed two swift backflips, narrowly avoiding the attack, but Ma Jingguo was relentless. He launched three powerful kicks, forcing Hua Jian to block with his forearms, sending him stumbling back until his back slammed into one of the inn's massive red support poles.
Ma Jingguo spun his body, continuing his assault, but Hua Jian escaped just in time, dodging before the sword could slice his neck. Ma Jingguo's right sword bit deeply into the wooden pole. He kicked with his right foot, a blow Hua Jian barely blocked. Ma Jingguo then swung his sword, and Hua Jian blocked the attack with his right hand, but Ma Jingguo had already struck Hua Jian's left chest with his free hand, sending a shockwave through him that made him jerk forward. In a flash, Ma Jingguo flipped his sword, placing the sharp edge against Hua Jian's throat.
Ma Jingguo stared at Hua Jian, his eyes cold and furious. "Mu Dishi... belongs to me," he snarled, his voice low and possessive. "Mu Dishi... belongs to me..." He gritted his teeth. "No one can have him. Not even Wang Biming."
Hua Jian scoffed, dusting dirt from his robes. He knew he couldn't defeat Ma Jingguo in this state. "Alright," he conceded, a wry smile on his face. "You can have him."
"If you ever come near Mu Dishi again," Ma Jingguo warned, his voice a dangerous growl, "I won't let you go easily." He glared at Hua Jian with the ferocious eyes of a tiger, then threw the two swords clattering to the ground. He gave Hua Jian one final, menacing stare, then turned his back and walked directly to Mu Dishi.
Ma Jingguo looked at Mu Dishi, his fierce expression instantly melting into a wide, innocent smile. He walked up to Mu Dishi. "Xiao shushu," he asked innocently, his big eyes wide, "how are my skills?"
"It's not bad," Mu Dishi replied, his voice neutral, "but try to be less aggressive toward a weaker opponent." He then looked at the groaning, injured men scattered across the inn. "If you want to die, come forward. If you want to live, then disappear from my sight."
Ma Jingguo's gaze shifted to Mo Ehuang, who still stood on the second floor. "Miss Mo," he warned, his voice chillingly calm, "if you dare to harm my xiao shushu again, I will kill you without hesitation."
As the heavy rain outside intensified, the injured people slowly, painfully stood up and began to hobble out through the front door. Mo Ehuang looked at Mu Dishi with cold, unwavering hatred, then she and Hua Jian followed the injured people, disappearing into the downpour.
Ma Jingguo then turned to the terrified innkeeper and his two waiters, who had witnessed the entire bloody spectacle. He offered them an innocent, almost puppy-like smile. "One room, please."