Not until Liu Su had left did Zhuang Yu cast his gaze upward, just in time to meet a pair of indifferent and unfeeling eyes.

Zhuang Yu shuddered and was about to bow with trembling hands, but Lin Mu couldn't be bothered with idle talk.

With a wave of his hand, an immense force suddenly swept through and struck Zhuang Yu.

BANG!

With a muffled thud, Zhuang Yu felt as if he had been hit by a speeding truck, his body flying straight out of the villa. He landed hard on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His body ached, feeling weak as all his True Qi vanished.

"Since you came here to cause trouble, you must be punished," Lin Mu's voice came from the villa, carrying an unmistakable air of authority. "I am sealing your True Yuan. When I have some free time, I will personally pay a visit to Jiangling!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several loud thuds followed. Zhuang Qing and the others were thrown out of the villa, screaming in pain.

Zhuang Yu knew this was Lin Mu's warning, but he dared not show any defiance. He quickly scrambled up and bowed toward the villa.

"Today, Zhuang Yu was rash. I will go to the Martial Alliance to accept my punishment. I hope Master Lin…"

An impatient voice cut him off, "Scram!"

The low shout was deafening. Zhuang Yu dared not linger any longer and had to leave in disgrace with his men from the Martial Alliance.

"Father, are we just leaving like this?" Zhuang Qing rubbed his painfully throbbing chest and glanced at the tranquil bamboo courtyard, his eyes flashing with venomous resentment.

SLAP!

He had thought his father would stand up for him, but instead, Zhuang Yu slapped him hard across the face.

"You fool, what are you thinking?" Zhuang Yu's tone was filled with a mix of terror and the lingering fear of someone who had just survived a catastrophe. He raged, "If you want to die, I can't save you!"

The sharp slap finally knocked some sense into Zhuang Qing.

The young man in the villa is no kind soul; he kills at the slightest provocation. Haven't we already seen Tian Boguang and Wang Wu turned into corpses?

So, Zhuang Qing dared not say another word. He just lowered his head in silence, his heart filled with terror.

Zhuang Yu muttered to himself, "Not only did we fail our mission, but we also offended a Martial Arts Grandmaster. I must find a way to make amends!"

"Zhuang Yang."

"Present!" A burly man stepped forward, awaiting Zhuang Yu's orders.

Zhuang Yu pondered for a moment before saying, "Take some men to Jiangling immediately. Tell the Hall Master everything exactly as it happened. I'll stay here to see if there's any chance to salvage this."

"Second Uncle…" Zhuang Yang hesitated, instinctively wanting to refuse.

Go back? With the Hall Master's temperament, they would surely suffer.

Zhuang Yu sighed. "Don't worry, the Hall Master won't make things difficult for you. This isn't your fault." He seemed to remember something and added, "I'll call ahead. Just go and tell them the truth."

Zhuang Yang finally relented. "Alright then. But Second Uncle, isn't it too dangerous for you to stay here?"

That Master Lin's power is so terrifying that even the Hall Master might be no match for him. It's too dangerous for Second Uncle to stay here.

Zhuang Yu gave a wry smile. "If I just leave like this, there will be no room to ease the tension."

"Luckily, I brought a few things with me. I can only hope they are enough to catch Master Lin's eye."

「In the courtyard.」

Lin Mu turned and sat down. Guan Jiaojiao went to find someone to clean up, while Guan Chengye hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.

"Elder Guan, if you have something to say, just say it," Lin Mu said with a smile.

"Mr. Lin," Guan Chengye said with a wry smile, "you really don't need to have such a tense relationship with the Martial Alliance."

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow. "And why is that? Can the Jiangling branch really do anything to me?"

Guan Chengye sighed heavily. "Since ancient times, those in power have never liked vigilantes who use martial arts to defy the law."

"This dislike stems from fear. Martial Arts Grandmasters possess immense destructive power. If they rely on their own strength and act willfully, the consequences for ordinary people would be severe, not only hindering governance but also causing unnecessary trouble."

"The Martial Alliance was originally established precisely to prevent martial artists from acting recklessly and affecting the affairs of the nation."

"At the same time, it serves as a gathering place for martial artists to share resources."

At this point, Guan Chengye gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Although nowadays there are parasites within the Martial Alliance who are unfit for their positions, and it has developed a somewhat capitalistic atmosphere, it's still a good institution overall."

Lin Mu listened quietly without speaking.

Guan Chengye got straight to the point. "I know that you are extraordinarily powerful, Mr. Lin, and that you have your own principles. However, making an enemy of the Martial Alliance is not a wise choice."

He continued in a solemn tone, "After all, the Martial Alliance has existed for a long time and has gathered geniuses from all over the world. Over the years, who knows how many powerful experts have joined its ranks."

"Even some Ancient Martial Factions answer to the Martial Alliance. If they were to strike at you in anger, the consequences would be unimaginable."

This was Guan Chengye's greatest concern. As a prominent national figure, he naturally prioritized matters of the state above all else. Lin Mu's talent in the Martial Way was a rarity in the world, and his strength was unfathomable. A conflict between him and the Martial Alliance was the last thing Guan Chengye wanted to see.

Perhaps Lin Mu was immensely powerful, but the Martial Alliance was teeming with talent. In the end, even he would be unable to fight them all off alone.

Moreover, deep down, he hoped Lin Mu would join the Martial Alliance, or even the Military Department. For Lin Mu and for the entire nation, that would be the perfect outcome. But given Lin Mu's current opinion of the Martial Alliance, that path was likely to be fraught with setbacks.

Thinking of this, the old man sighed heavily once again.

Lin Mu chuckled. "Elder Guan, your words truly come from the heart."

After a pause, he added, "If the Martial Alliance knows what's good for them, I can let this go. But if they push their luck, they shouldn't blame me for being heartless!"

The sharp edge in his voice made even Guan Chengye shiver.

In the end, the Martial Alliance is the one in the wrong, Guan Chengye thought. I'll have to swallow my pride and contact my old superior when I get back to recommend Lin Mu.

That night, after Qin Luoli had gone to sleep, Lin Mu left the villa alone and headed for Hundred Herbs Hall.

Ning Xian had already been notified of Lin Mu's visit and was waiting for him.

"Mr. Lin," Ning Xian said with a bow. "Congratulations on becoming the Master of the Three Rivers."

Lin Mu waved his hand and produced a piece of paper. "See how many of these medicinal ingredients you can gather."

Ning Xian's expression turned serious as he took the list. Upon seeing the contents, his hands trembled.

"Hundred Fragrance Fruit, Qilin Grass, Beauty Flower…"

"Mr. Lin," Ning Xian said, "these are all extremely rare. We don't have much of a stock."

He paused for a moment before adding, "However, we did just receive a fruit today that looks similar to the Hundred Fragrance Fruit on your list, but I can't be sure…"

Lin Mu's eyes lit up. "Bring it to me."

Ning Xian immediately sent someone to fetch the fruit. It was brought out in a small wooden box. The fruit itself was the size of a walnut and entirely green, with no other remarkable features.

However, the moment Lin Mu saw it, his eyes lit up.

"A Green Spirit Fruit!"

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