Chapter 46: Turning Danger into Safety
When Mu Lichuan opened his eyes again, he found himself in a completely different place. "Great-grandfather!" He had thought he would die—after all, that soul had already drained much of his strength. But when the black light surged toward them, the world spun violently, and then he knew nothing.
"Cough… cough…" Mu Lichuan felt his body was terribly weak. With difficulty, he turned his head and saw an elderly man with white hair. "Great-grandfather." He understood, it was his great-grandfather who had saved him. Otherwise, he would have been dead by now.
Mu Xiaoran looked at Mu Lichuan with a relieved smile. "There was only one chance, but I finally managed to pull you out." At the same time, he had exhausted all his strength. As for where they were now, he wasn’t entirely sure. The ancestral teleportation talisman could only be used once.
"Great-grandfather." Mu Lichuan propped himself up and gently rested the old man’s head on his lap.
Mu Xiaoran’s face was deeply wrinkled, his white hair the only remnant of his former vitality. Clearly, the spiritual energy in his body had completely dissipated, and his life was nearing its end.
"Lichuan, don’t grieve. This is the Mu family’s fate." As a cultivator, he had always been prepared for death at any moment. He wouldn’t let worldly attachments cloud his mind.
Mu Lichuan’s face was pale. "Great-grandfather, don’t speak too much. Rest first, and then we’ll find a way." He also understood that when one’s lifespan was truly exhausted, there was no remedy. Besides, he had no pills on him that could save the man before him.
"Use your consciousness. There’s a Life-Extending Pill." Xiao Mo suddenly spoke up.
Without hesitation, Mu Lichuan focused his mind and uttered, "Life-Extending Pill." Sure enough, a pill materialized in his palm.
"Great-grandfather, quickly take this!" As long as he had this pill, his great-grandfather’s life could be prolonged.
Mu Xiaoran wanted to refuse, but before he could speak, the pill was already pushed into his mouth. Before he could even taste it, he felt the withered energy in his body slowly replenishing.
"His lifespan is nearly spent. Even with the Life-Extending Pill, he’ll only gain a year or two at most," Xiao Mo said coldly in Mu Lichuan’s mind. "There’s a storage bag here with some common pills, herbs, and cultivation manuals. The rest, you’ll have to figure out yourself."
Strangely, Xiao Mo himself didn’t recall having this knowledge before. Yet, when he saw the boy in distress, these things surfaced on their own, as if he were someone’s vessel. The thought sent a chill down his spine.
"Thank you," Mu Lichuan said silently in his mind. Beyond those two words, there was little else he could do.
"These were yours to begin with…" Xiao Mo trailed off, feeling an inexplicable unease. "My soul is severely damaged. I need to hibernate. From now on, you’re on your own." With that, he fell silent once more.
Mu Lichuan watched as his great-grandfather’s face visibly filled out, wrinkles fading until he looked like a man in his sixties.
Mu Xiaoran knew he had been on the verge of death. Without that pill, he wouldn’t have survived. The only thing weighing on him now was his great-grandson’s future.
"Great-grandfather, are you alright?" Mu Lichuan asked again.
Mu Xiaoran smiled weakly. "I’m fine. But it’s a waste of such a precious pill." Though he didn’t know what kind of pill it was, the surge of vitality in his body told him it was extraordinary.
"Great-grandfather, how is it a waste? As long as you recover, no pill is more valuable." Relieved that his great-grandfather didn’t press him about the pill’s origin, Mu Lichuan helped him sit up.
"Just call me ‘Grandfather’ from now on. Let’s see where we are. That teleportation was a desperate move." Mu Xiaoran knew that in that moment, Mu Lichuan’s safety had been the priority. The rest of the Mu family had been beyond his reach.
The two walked slowly, hoping to encounter someone who could tell them their location.
Before long, they came across a small wooden cabin with a vegetable garden out front, vibrant with life.
"What brings you two to these mountains?" A middle-aged man in plain clothes asked curiously before they could approach. He was a forest ranger, tasked with preventing illegal logging.
Mu Lichuan had already prepared an excuse. "Uncle, we got lost while hiking. We’re trying to find our way back down." From the man’s modern clothing, he deduced they were still in the same country, likely even in the capital.
The man eyed them warily. "Just follow this path downhill."
"Thank you." Mu Lichuan noticed the valuable trees around them. No wonder there were guards, poverty drove some to theft.
Mu Xiaoran frowned. Once they were out of earshot, he murmured, "I think we’re in the capital." Even with his energy depleted, he could faintly sense the lingering imperial aura unique to this city.
"The capital?" In his past life, Mu Lichuan had visited the capital a few times, but his roots were in Chuan City. Even business trips usually took him abroad.
"Yes, can you feel the faint dragon energy?" Mu Xiaoran knew his great-grandson had secrets, but he wouldn’t pry. As long as the Mu bloodline survived, that was enough.
Mu Lichuan shook his head. "I just sense denser spiritual energy here compared to Chuan City."
Their hometown was far from the capital. In his past life, he’d opened a branch here, but the city’s hidden elites made expansion difficult. He’d kept a low profile, focusing on his overseas ventures.
"Good, good." Mu Xiaoran smiled faintly. Even if the Mu family was gone, they could start anew here.
After hours of walking, they finally reached the foot of the mountain by dusk. A full day had passed since the disastrous engagement banquet. They had no idea what had become of the Mu family—whether anyone else had survived.
"Grandfather, let’s rest first." Though Mu Lichuan felt alert and his vision was sharper than ever, he knew they needed to regroup. He had learned from the Mo family how to suppress his Yin-Yang Eyes—otherwise, he’d be plagued by spirits everywhere.
Mu Xiaoran didn’t object to the title. In their current state, grandfather and grandson they would be.
A sleek luxury car screeched to a halt in front of them.
"People? Ghosts? Mountain spirits?" The driver, a young man with rainbow-colored hair, rolled down his window and squinted at them.
Mu Lichuan resisted the urge to sigh. "We’re human. Have you ever seen ghosts out in broad daylight?" At least they’d found someone. His stomach growled loudly in protest.
"Then… are you Taoist masters?" the youth pressed.
Before Mu Lichuan could answer, Mu Xiaoran spoke up. "Indeed. We’ve just come down from the mountains."
It was common knowledge that Mount Longhu was shrouded in mystery, home to reclusive cultivators. By saying "the mountains," he wasn’t lying, just not specifying which one.
"Real masters?" The young man’s eyes lit up. He’d come here hoping to stumble upon experts, and now it seemed he had.
Mu Xiaoran smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying. Mu Lichuan quickly caught on to his grandfather’s plan.
"This is my grandson, Mu Lichuan. I’m showing him the world," Mu Xiaoran said solemnly.
Back when he’d attended national cultivation conferences, he’d seen how low-level practitioners blended into society. True recluses were rare, most were just Taoist priests or Qi-refining stage cultivators eking out a living. In a world with so little spiritual energy, reaching Foundation Establishment required either rare talent or a mountain of pills.
"Master Mu, please get in!" The youth ignored Mu Lichuan, bowing respectfully to the elder. Clearly, this was someone of status in the capital.
The two got into the car and soon left the mountains behind.
During the ride, Mu Lichuan learned that their benefactor was Young Master Zhang of the Zhang family. He’d come to Mount Longhu seeking help. His mother had suddenly gone mad, and doctors wanted to institutionalize her. Convinced she’d been cursed or possessed, he’d refused to let his father’s mistress take her place.
"We’ll need to see her to judge," Mu Lichuan said on behalf of his grandfather. With his Yin-Yang Eyes, he could confirm if a ghost was involved.
"Of course. Let’s eat first." Zhang Jin wasn’t a fool, he knew the importance of hospitality.
After a hearty meal, they were taken to the Zhang residence. The moment they arrived, a young woman sneered, "Zhang Jin, must you keep bringing charlatans home? Haven’t we had enough trouble?"
The young master scoffed. "This doesn’t concern you, a concubine." Ignoring her glare, he ushered the two inside.
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