Volume One: All Things Awaken, Eternal Spring in Every Season Chapter Ten: The Slaughter of Murong Hong

Lin Xi and Mi Lu spoke in unison, their voices urgent, nearly shouting out loud. Mo Wen quickly covered one small mouth with his hand, signaling for them to calm down. Lin Xi understood and mischievously licked Mo Wen’s palm with her tongue.

The soft, strange sensation sent a jolt through Mo Wen, who cast Lin Xi a warning glance. The three held their breath and listened.

Murong Hong, having shed the polite demeanor he wore at the foot of the mountain, now looked at the middle-aged man with disdain and laughed as he retorted, “Uncle Wang, do you think you have any chance of leaving this place? If you’d agreed to marry your daughter to me back then, none of this would have happened. I’d greet you respectfully as Father-in-law!”

The middle-aged man, enraged, laughed bitterly and raised his hand to strike Murong Hong. But as he gathered his strength, he coughed up blood—clearly gravely injured.

Murong Hong burst into wild laughter, “Wang Zhongyan! Save your strength. I wonder if Miss Wang is here. If she is, I wouldn’t mind putting on a live show with her right in front of you!”

The middle-aged man glared at Murong Hong, his gaze as sharp as blades, cursing furiously, “You despicable dog, just like your father! Murong Hong, you collude with the wicked and harm your own people. You will die a miserable death!”

Mi Lu was devastated, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. Mo Wen pressed her mouth tightly, and with nowhere to vent her anguish, Mi Lu bit hard into Mo Wen’s hand, leaving no mark on his flawless palm—only her saliva mixed with tears.

Mo Wen had no time to mind these things. From what he had seen at the foot of the mountain, Murong Hong had already reached the Divine Pivot stage, as had the elder beside him. The others were at the Immaculate stage. Though Mo Wen had defeated the sinister path, he was not arrogant enough to think he could truly challenge a Divine Pivot cultivator.

After all, Murong Hong was not a mist creature; Mo Wen’s internal energy did not have a restraining effect here. His only reliance at this moment was the black sphere.

Mo Wen focused his thoughts, attempting to communicate with the sphere. When he received a positive response, a wicked smile crept onto his lips.

“Ha! Brother Murong, guess who I’ve brought for you?”

Pulling Lin Xi and Mi Lu to their feet, he strode boldly out before the gathered crowd, not sparing a glance at the despair in Wang Zhongyan’s eyes, acting as though he and Murong Hong were old friends.

“Brother Murong, I’ve long admired the Murong family, but never had the chance to make your acquaintance. When I saw you showing interest in this Wang family girl down the mountain, I made sure to bring her straight to you!”

Murong Hong eyed the three with suspicion, then laughed heartily, “Ah, Young Master Mo, you’re just in time. Leave Miss Wang and the woman beside you here, and head down the mountain. Go to any Murong property in Suzhou, mention my name, and you’ll be welcomed with open arms!”

Seeing the two men seemingly conspiring, Mi Lu’s tears flowed anew. She shook off Mo Wen’s hand and ran swiftly to Wang Zhongyan, who sighed deeply and gently stroked her hair.

“Little Lu, it’s your father who has wronged you. If I hadn’t sought a breakthrough, you wouldn’t be here. I’ll kill you myself, then take my own life. In the next life, I vow to be a proper father!”

With that, Wang Zhongyan gathered his remaining strength to strike at Mi Lu’s crown. Mo Wen, unseen, scratched Lin Xi’s palm, and she caught the hint, rushing over as well.

“Uncle Wang, wait!”

Wang Zhongyan saw Lin Xi and grew even more bitter, “Little Lin, how did you end up here too? Foolish child, I’ve dragged you all down with me!”

Mi Lu clung to Wang Zhongyan, weeping bitterly, while Mo Wen watched the scene with a smirk, “Big brother, how about we split these two girls? It wouldn’t be fair for you to take them both.”

Murong Hong approached Mo Wen, casually patting his shoulder. A sinister energy seeped into Mo Wen’s body, but was instantly burned away by his scorching internal energy.

“Fine. It’s rare for me, Murong Hong, to make a friend. I’ll leave you your share.”

Mo Wen flashed a knowing grin, seeming oblivious to Murong Hong’s trick, and said with a sly smile, “Brother, let me deal with Wang Zhongyan for you. Though we’re both at the Immaculate stage, taking out someone like him is nothing to me.”

At that moment, Lin Xi shouted at Mo Wen in perfect harmony, “Mo, today I see your true colors. I never knew you were so shameless!”

Murong Hong, a Divine Pivot cultivator with an elder attendant, had no fear of Mo Wen’s intentions. He was curious to see Mo Wen’s abilities and nodded his approval.

Mo Wen hopped gleefully to Wang Zhongyan and the others, raising his right palm, ready to strike. Wang Zhongyan accepted his fate and closed his eyes, while Mi Lu prepared herself for death.

Suddenly, the black sphere appeared in Mo Wen’s palm. Before anyone could react, a thick mist poured forth, surrounding Murong Hong and his party at Mo Wen’s command!

The elder beside Murong Hong reacted instantly, realizing the situation was slipping out of control. His eyes narrowed and a black beam shot forth, lightning-fast, aimed at Mo Wen.

A projection of spirit—a Divine Pivot’s technique!

But as the black beam entered the mist, it vanished instantly!

Seeing this, Mo Wen’s worries were put to rest. This mist was not the illusionary mist of Mount Putuo but the annihilation mist he had absorbed at the Huangpu Bridge in the magic capital.

This mist, unless countered by Buddhist internal energy like his own, was invincible below the level of True Sight.

“Brother Murong, how do you like the burial ground I’ve prepared for you?”

Turning the tables, Mo Wen taunted Murong Hong, who was trapped within the mist. The elder beside Murong Hong roared and leaped through the fog, but as soon as he emerged, his body was obliterated—without even a scream.

A formidable Divine Pivot master, slain by Mo Wen, leaving not even a corpse!

Murong Hong, seeing this, lost all his previous arrogance and tried to negotiate with Mo Wen.

“Brother Mo, we have no recent enmity, nor past grudges. Perhaps we can end this here and make peace? The doors of the Murong family will always be open to you! Both women are yours! If you ever need my help, just ask!”

Mo Wen sneered at Murong Hong, mocking him, “You’re a direct descendant of the Murong family—can’t you think for yourself? Today, you die!”

Murong Hong, realizing the situation, dropped his pretense and snarled, “You think you’ll live after killing me? I’ve injected my unique internal energy into your body. Within three days, you’ll suffer a venomous attack, bleeding from every orifice and dying a gruesome death! Let me go and I’ll remove it for you!”

Mo Wen said nothing further; he knew well that the longer the night, the more dreams it brings. He had the sphere contract the mist, shrinking the space Murong Hong and his party could move in, until finally only a tiny area remained.

Murong Hong, mercilessly, threw his companions out one by one, letting them be annihilated in the mist.

In the end, amid Murong Hong’s vitriolic curses and hateful death threats, the mist consumed him.

The current direct heir of the Murong clan of Suzhou—dead and gone!

Wang Zhongyan and Mi Lu watched in disbelief as events dramatically reversed. Their eyes, once resigned to death, now sparked with new life, though they were equally shocked—Mo Wen’s methods were beyond their comprehension!

Mo Wen looked at Lin Xi, signaling it was her turn. Lin Xi understood, and solemnly addressed Wang Zhongyan and Mi Lu, “Uncle Wang, Mi Lu, everything that’s happened in recent days must be buried in your hearts. Otherwise… otherwise…”

Lin Xi did not finish, but the meaning was clear.

Wang Zhongyan nodded, struggling to stand, and swore solemnly, “I, Wang Zhongyan, swear by the ancestors of my family that I will never reveal anything about today. Should I break this oath, may my forebears find no peace in the earth!”

Mo Wen neither affirmed nor denied, but he trusted Lin Xi more than any oath. He said quietly, “I don’t believe in oaths, Sister Lin. I believe in you.”

Lin Xi smiled softly, a sweetness blossoming in her heart.

Mo Wen glanced at the hundreds of people sitting faintly in the distance, all unconscious. Wang Zhongyan explained that they had been subdued by the Divine Pivot elder through special means, their minds asleep, awaiting the moment they would be drained by the divine flower.

Murong Hong was dead, but the sinister path remained. Though the mist had dispersed, it was unclear if the so-called divine flower could still absorb these people’s flesh and blood from afar. The immediate priority was to locate the divine flower.

Unexpectedly, Wang Zhongyan pointed to the stream below, declaring decisively, “The divine flower cultivated by that old Daoist is in the cave beneath the creek. I stumbled in by accident and was captured.”

The stream flowed gently, forming a deep pool not far away. The water entered the bottom of the pool, leading to an underground river.