Chapter 56: So What if I Demand Repayment for a Favor?
"You're a woman, aren't you?" Mu Lichuan leveraged his strength, pressing a hand against the other's chest to steady himself as he wobbled to his feet, his expression as fierce as a leopard's.
"Cough… cough…" Mi Shen coughed violently, momentarily unable to handle the pressure on his chest. By the time he suppressed the discomfort in his throat, the young man had already spat out those words.
"What did you say?" Mi Shen glared at Mu Lichuan with a vicious look, completely devoid of the composure he showed in front of outsiders, like a tiger whose whiskers had been tugged, his entire body bristling with anger.
"Nothing. I have my own standards too. Someone as ungrateful as you should just get lost." Mu Lichuan knew he was just venting, but he had gone out of his way to help expelling the "evil spirit" for this guy, only to be met with such ingratitude.
Mi Shen remained silent, his sharp gaze shifting to his assistant, who whispered an explanation, "Young Master Mi, it really was this young man who helped you wake up so quickly."
Their young master still had a talisman stuck to his forehead—couldn’t he feel it? Though right now, it looked somewhat ridiculous.
Mi Shen’s expression twisted as if constipated. "Thank you," he said, standing up with the help of his bodyguards.
"What? I didn’t hear that." Mu Lichuan’s smile widened as he stared at the talisman on the other’s forehead. This guy was just a spoiled, stubborn rich kid.
Truthfully, he understood. Anyone who could make such an entrance was either wealthy or influential. His life was clearly valuable, judging by the panic on the faces of those around him earlier. If anything happened to him, his entourage would definitely be held responsible.
Mi Shen repeated through gritted teeth, "Thank you." Then he shot a glance at his assistant.
The assistant immediately handed over a business card. "Sir, this is our young master’s private number. If you need anything, you can contact him."
Mu Lichuan wasn’t one to stubbornly refuse, especially since seeing the young man’s aggrieved expression had already dissipated his earlier anger. He took the card, noting that aside from a name and number, there was nothing else. While he was still processing this, the entire group swept past him and left in a grand procession.
Qi Wei and the others wore expressions of shock, as if they couldn’t believe what had just happened at the Shenghua Grand Hotel. "Young Master Mu, he…" He Chen had seen Mi Shen from afar before and knew exactly who he was.
Mu Lichuan smiled and said, "Let’s go eat," as if the fiery young man from moments ago hadn’t been him at all.
He Chen wasn’t one to gossip, and this wasn’t the place for lengthy explanations anyway - best not to complicate things. Qi Wei, however, was practically radiating admiration.
"Young Master Mu, that was amazing!" Qi Wei’s eyes sparkled like stars. Though the country advocated for science and opposed superstition, he still held deep reverence for these mysterious "masters."
Mu Lichuan smirked slightly but didn’t respond. Sometimes, a little showmanship was necessary. As for the soul energy he had overdrawn earlier, he realized it wasn’t an issue once he was no longer in contact with that young man. There was definitely something unusual about him, how else could things have been so strange?
The private room was small, just enough to seat their group. He Chen wore a faintly awkward expression. "Young Master Mu, the place is packed right now, and my connections are limited. I could only secure this for now, my apologies."
Mu Lichuan understood that even a small private room required connections—otherwise, even a table in the main area would be hard to come by. "It’s fine. We’re just here to eat. Do you know that guy from earlier?" Knowing one’s allies and enemies was key to leveraging resources effectively.
Though he had handled a few troublesome matters in the capital, in the eyes of some people, he was still just playing around - not worth taking seriously.
"Yes, that’s Mi Shen, the son of the next candidate for leadership. He’s practically the crown prince of the capital. If nothing goes wrong, the next leader will be Elder Mi." He Chen’s face was full of lingering fear. "I’ve only seen Young Master Mi from a distance before." That was why he had frozen earlier, and why he admired Young Master Mu's boldness.
"I see. No wonder his aura was off." Mu Lichuan spoke slowly, while Qi Wei, watching his reaction, couldn’t help but facepalm: Young Master Mu’s focus seems a bit misplaced.
"Young Master Mu, he’s one of the most vocal opponents of superstition," He Chen cautiously reminded him. Though he didn’t know what had happened earlier, Young Master Mu’s actions suggested he had seen something unclean on Mi Shen.
Mu Lichuan blinked. "So, I can get him to suppress some of those propaganda materials?" After all, he had saved the guy’s life. Even if it felt a bit like extorting gratitude, wasn’t that just how society worked?
The others didn’t respond to Mu Lichuan’s words, this was the upper echelon of the capital. Even someone like He Chen, a big shot in his own right, wasn’t qualified to mingle with these scions of power.
By the time Mu Lichuan finished his meal, his complete profile had already landed on Mi Shen’s desk. "So, they’ve only been active for a little over a month?" Every suspicious individual in the capital had to be investigated thoroughly to prevent terrorists from infiltrating.
"Yes, Young Master." The assistant broke out in a cold sweat under his master’s piercing gaze.
Mi Shen drummed his fingers on the table. "Keep an eye on him. If he spreads any superstitious nonsense, arrest him and send him to the reeducation center."
Since childhood, he had believed in science. Superstition was nothing but fabrication, and cults were tools to destabilize society - brainwashing people, even driving them to suicide. The capital’s 3/11 terrorist incident had caused massive damage. Such events could not be allowed to repeat.
____
After making plans with He Chen to visit his hometown over the weekend, Mu Lichuan headed back.
His soul energy was depleted, so he needed to cultivate. Indoor cultivation wasn’t as effective as rooftop meditation, so he grabbed a blanket and sat cross-legged under the moonlight.
The pale moonlight draped over him like a silver veil, making him glow faintly.
Mu Lichuan carefully guided the faint energy into his body, circulating it through his meridians. Though his spiritual roots were deemed "useless" and his meridians narrow, spiritual energy still flowed in slow cycles.
"Xiao Mo, why did I feel off when I touched that guy?" Mu Lichuan realized Xiao Mo hadn’t spoken since the exorcism, which was strange.
"Xiao Mo? Xiao Mo?" He called again, only to feel an unsettling emptiness in his spiritual sea. "Xiao Mo! Xiao Mo!"
Something was wrong. Earlier, he could still sense Xiao Mo’s presence. He pondered why there was no response now, wondering if Xiao Mo just exhausted and resting. But all the books and pills in the spiritual sea were still there, meaning his soul hadn’t vanished. Since Xiao Mo wasn’t here, questions could wait.
At dawn, Mu Lichuan opened his eyes, all fatigue gone. His soul energy had even grown slightly, but the power of faith remained unchanged. Clearly, that guy from yesterday was still wary of him, let alone offering any power of faith.
"Grandpa, why are you up so early again? I told you I’d make breakfast." Mu Lichuan came downstairs to find breakfast already prepared.
Mu Xiaoran smiled. "Go wash up and eat. Even if I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Besides, your cultivation is more important."
The breakfast was simple - fried eggs, milk, and congee, nutritious and light. In his youth, he had focused solely on cultivation, but now, in old age, he paid more attention to diet.
"Grandpa, you…" Mu Lichuan hesitated, unwilling to accept the inevitable despite knowing the outcome.
As if reading his thoughts, Mu Xiaoran said calmly, "Lichuan, I’ve lived long enough. The rest is up to fate."
He should have been in his grave long ago, but breaking through to Foundation Establishment had extended his life. Seeing his great-grandson achieve so much made him content, he could die without regrets.
"Grandpa, don’t worry. Once things settle, I’ll go to Chuan City." No matter what, the Mu family was where he came from. And since Mu Xiaolin was definitely still alive, she had to be dealt with, eliminating future threats.
"Child, the Mu family’s affairs have nothing to do with you. Don’t ask. Just live in the present." Mu Xiaoran was alarmed. He knew Mu Xiaolin had a demonic cultivator backing him. If his grandson encountered them, he’d be doomed. Fortunately, the capital cracked down on such things, and demonic cultivators avoided places with strong imperial energy like this. It was safer here.
Mu Lichuan wanted to argue, but seeing the old man’s stern expression, he swallowed his words. With his current strength, facing a demonic cultivator would mean certain death.
After breakfast, he set off for school at a jog, treating it as training.
"Young Master Mu, come with us." Several men in black blocked his path, their tone icy.
"Who are you? Why should I go with you?" Mu Lichuan stopped, his dark eyes glinting coldly.
Without a word, the men pulled out a photo. "This is you on the rooftop, isn’t it?"
Mu Lichuan cursed inwardly. When had someone taken a picture of him meditating last night? And how had Xiao Xue not sensed anyone nearby? "You… you used a satellite to spy on me?"
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