Mu Wan’s sword, named Liangchen (Bright Dust), was forged by his own hands. Its mere unsheathing could slay invisible foes. After his cultivation base regressed and he entered this world, Liangchen fell into a deep slumber. Even now, Mu Wan could not simply draw it at will. However, while the physical form could not be unsheathed, the divine spirit remained unaffected. For a sword cultivator, everything under heaven could serve as a sword.
As Mu Wan’s right hand fell, the cold plum blossom held between his fingertips transformed into a long sword. Frost condensed, and the blade shone as white as snow. The moment it appeared, a sound like a dragon’s roar echoed from the horizon. Everyone in the cultivation world knew that the Sword Immortal, Mu Wan, possessed the sword Liangchen. Wherever he went, clear and resonant notes accompanied him, sounding like celestial music that lingered endlessly. Very few dared to test Mu Wan’s sword, yet it was unsheathed for the first time here.
At this moment, the winter hunt was in full swing, with the imperial family of Dayong, the nobility, and the officials all gathered together. When the sound of the dragon’s roar broke out, everyone felt their minds go blank, as if something had pierced through the void. A chill ran down their spines, and for a long time, no one dared to move. When they finally regained their senses, they looked at each other in bewilderment.
“What was that sound?” someone asked in shock.
“Deep, vast, and deafening; it did not sound like anything of the mortal realm, but rather something originating from the heavens and resounding across the earth,” remarked the Grand Scholar, Yu Lin, lost in thought.
However, there was one person even more surprised than they were. At that time, Ning Yu was gathering everyone to discuss the rewards and banquet arrangements following the winter hunt, with the State Preceptor in attendance. Chai Yi suddenly sat up, his expression grave, and answered the group’s question: “A dragon’s roar. That was the sound of a dragon’s roar.”
There were no real dragons here, but there was a dragon vein. Chai Yi had once faintly heard such a sound while above the vein, but the roar had never been as resonant as it was now.
“A dragon’s roar?” Ning Yu’s face drained of color. When he learned where the sound had originated, his expression became even uglier.
“Your Majesty, it was the Plum Garden. If it truly was a dragon’s roar, we must go and see for ourselves,” Yu Lin immediately reminded him.
There had recently been a spectacle of a hundred birds singing and beasts gathering, and today, there was the roar of a dragon. Fortunately, neither event had brought disaster. If it were truly an auspicious sign, the cause had to be uncovered. The other officials shared the same sentiment. In their eagerness to investigate, they failed to notice Ning Yu’s unpleasant expression or the questioning look he cast toward the State Preceptor.
When they arrived at the Plum Garden, the sight left them speechless.
“What happened here?”
The garden was littered with the corpses of assassins. Each wound was as thin and sharp as a sword strike; otherwise, there were no other signs of struggle. Aside from the assassins, some of the Prince’s guards had also fallen. Standing in the center were Mu Wan, holding a cold plum blossom, and Prince Jing, whose gaze remained fixed solely upon him.
Their arrival drew the attention of Mu Wan and the others. Ning Bu’mo regained his composure and sneered at the group: “You all arrived quite early. Why not be a bit slower? That way, you could have admired my corpse.”
Once these words were spoken, everyone understood that the assassins had targeted Prince Jing. It was outrageous; in the middle of the winter hunting grounds, a location of such importance, so many assassins had gathered to commit murder against a member of the royal family. It was arrogant and detestable to the extreme.
“Your Majesty, this matter must not be ignored. We must find the mastermind behind this and eliminate them completely, or it will bring endless trouble,” they urged.
Amidst the chorus of warnings, Ning Yu looked at his attendant: “Send for Song Jue immediately. I want to see exactly how he managed the security.” Song Jue was the commander of the Imperial Dragon Guard, responsible for all security during the winter hunt.
As the attendant hurried away, everyone’s eyes returned to Prince Jing: “Your Highness, did you hear any unusual movements? It should have come from somewhere near this Plum Garden.”
Ning Yu also asked with concern: “Did your guards resolve these bold criminals, Imperial Uncle? It is fortunate they were by your side. If something had happened to you, I would have truly regretted it forever.”
Each question fell upon his ears, causing the scene of Mu Wan’s strike to flash before Ning Bu’mo’s eyes again. In truth, Mu Wan’s sword had been so fast that the onlookers had only seen a flash of white light. By the time they saw anything else, the assassins and the traitors were all dead.
“I didn’t see clearly. They just died,” he replied, appearing indifferent.
Ning Yu frowned: “Imperial Uncle, I know you must be dissatisfied with this ordeal, but if we don’t understand what happened, it will be difficult to investigate the truth.”
“Believe what you want. Or do you think a cripple like me could kill so many assassins in an instant? If so, you don’t need to worry about the safety of Dayong at all. If anyone tries to attack, I can simply go and collect their heads myself.”
But wasn’t what Ning Yu feared exactly that kind of power being turned against him? Seeing Ning Bu’mo being uncooperative, he turned his focus to the few surviving guards, praising them: “You have all performed your duties well in protecting Prince Jing. You will be rewarded upon our return.”
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the guards all knelt and repeatedly declined: “Your Majesty, these assassins were not killed by us. They died on their own.”
“Died on their own?”
The leader, Zhang Yu, nodded, his expression still filled with terror: “The assassins had us surrounded, and we thought we were doomed. But at that moment, the surrounding plum blossoms suddenly moved without the wind, and a clear, musical tone sounded. By the time we looked again, the assassins had already fallen.”
This sounded mystical and bizarre, but paired with the guards’ bewildered expressions, it seemed to be the truth.
“I told you, but you didn’t believe me,” Ning Bu’mo sneered.
If he hadn’t known in advance that it was Mu Wan, even Ning Bu’mo wouldn’t have known the white flash originated from him. But because he did know, that scene remained deeply etched in his mind, along with a faint, imperceptible sense of worry. Why would a Mu Wan like this come to the Prince Jing estate, and would he really stay?
In the silence that followed, Mu Wan suddenly spoke: “The Grand Ancestor has manifested.”
Instantly, everyone’s eyes turned toward him. Mu Wan maintained his usual demeanor; had he not spoken, no one would have noticed him at all.
Yu Lin asked cautiously: “Consort, did you see something?”
Mu Wan did not answer. His eyes, cold as stars, swept across the crowd like a bright mirror, making everyone feel uneasy. Then, he smiled faintly: “Someone bullied Ning Bu’mo, and the Grand Ancestor has manifested.”
Repeating the same words, paired with his otherworldly beauty, made the statement feel like a prophecy. People belatedly recalled that this Plum Garden had been planted during the era of the Grand Ancestor. The Southern Garden was a hunting ground guarded by the Imperial Army; for assassins to have entered and attacked, everyone felt certain there was a conspiracy. Here was a Prince who was ill and had lost all competitive edge, yet he was being pushed to this extent. If not for the anomaly today, would Ning Bu’mo have died? Furthermore, the dragon’s roar was unique; who else in this world, besides the Imperial family, deserved the name “Dragon”? Thus, this seemingly absurd answer became the perceived truth.
“Could it really be the Grand Ancestor?”
Someone whispered, leaving the crowd in awe. If their mortal eyes couldn’t see the Grand Ancestor, they would surely have knelt to welcome him. Only Chai Yi kept his gaze locked on Mu Wan: “Is what the Consort says true? Did you really see the Grand Ancestor? What did he look like, and how did he kill these assassins? I see they clearly died from a blade.”
Chai Yi was aggressive, asking one question after another. As a result, Mu Wan glanced at him once and immediately hid behind Ning Bu’mo, looking as if he did not want to interact with him at all.
“If you have something to ask, why bully my Consort? Do you think Wan-wan would lie to you?” Holding Mu Wan’s hand, Ning Bu’mo stood before him, his tone displeased. “I told you, Wan-wan is pure and kind. It is only natural that he sees things others cannot. Now that everyone is at a loss, Wan-wan kindly told you the truth, yet the State Preceptor persists in questioning him. Could it be that you know the truth of the matter? If so, tell me, who wants to harm this Prince, and who saved me?”
Wan-wan this, Wan-wan that. Ning Bu’mo took every opportunity to chatter about Mu Wan while dumping the suspicion directly onto Chai Yi.
Since he had just been “blessed” by the Grand Ancestor, no one dared to speak up. Who knew if the Grand Ancestor was watching? If they spoke too much and offended the ancestor, what then? This matter could not be touched.
Having made up their minds, the crowd looked at the increasingly livid Chai Yi, signaling that they could not help him. In the stalemate, Ning Yu stepped in to ease the atmosphere: “Imperial Uncle is overthinking. As a cultivator, the State Preceptor knows more about these strange matters than we do. It was he who told us that the sound was a dragon’s roar. Naturally, he wants to investigate the cause. If his words were harsh and disturbed the Consort, I hope you will not blame him too much.”
He then looked at Chai Yi, his expression dissatisfied: “State Preceptor, perhaps you should apologize to the Consort. Moreover, I have questions for you regarding the Grand Ancestor.”
The ministers, long tired of the Emperor’s obsession with Taoist alchemy, were pleased to see this friction. Chai Yi looked deeply at Ning Yu, and when he looked at Mu Wan again, he finally chose to bow his head: “My apologies, Consort. I have overstepped.”
Mu Wan did not respond, as if he had returned to his previous dazed state after his prophetic words. But now, no one dared to treat him as a fool. First, he received orchids carried by a white crane, and now he had witnessed the Grand Ancestor’s manifestation. Perhaps, as Ning Bu’mo had said, there truly was something special about the Consort of Prince Jing.
When the ministers dispersed, many came to Mu Zhe to congratulate him: “Minister Mu has great fortune. Your child is so pure and elegant. Perhaps it won’t be long before the Consort of Prince Jing recovers completely.”
Yet, the fawning crowd did not notice Mu Zhe’s forced, stiff smile.
Although the incident during the winter hunt didn’t sound like a bad thing, for Ning Bu’mo, it was an opportunity to make a scene. He was no longer willing to participate in the hunt, citing ill health to propose returning home to recuperate. Given that Ning Yu was in the wrong for the assassination attempt, and compounded by the “Grand Ancestor’s manifestation” and the narrative that the ancestors were unhappy with their descendants being bullied, Ning Yu did not dare to stop him. The victory banquet, intended to boast in front of Ning Bu’mo, had to be cut short.
In the carriage home, Ning Bu’mo was still reflecting on Mu Wan’s sword-drawing moment, feeling curious: “Why did you use the excuse of the Grand Ancestor to scare them?”
“What? Do you think it was disrespectful of me to invoke your ancestors?”
Ning Bu’mo immediately denied it: “Of course not. Besides, if the Grand Ancestor really manifested, he would probably teach that little brat Ning Yu a lesson himself.”
Indeed, regarding the origin of the assassins, Ning Bu’mo was certain they had been arranged by his “good” imperial nephew. Even if it wasn’t Ning Yu directly, the fact that an Emperor could let so many assassins into a winter hunt meant his incompetence was beyond saving.
This answer finally satisfied Mu Wan, who then asked, “Those people bullied you so much; are you content without making them lose sleep?”
Of course he wasn’t content. He longed to tear off the mask of peace and expose the truth to ask what he had ever done to deserve such treatment from Ning Yu and his cohort. But the time was not yet right. Given the temperament of the scholar-officials, they would protect Ning Yu at this moment. Moreover, Ning Bu’mo was currently burdened by the perception of defeat and injury. Unless he was truly ready to leave the capital and start a rebellion, he could not tear off the mask just yet.
However, Mu Wan’s words brought him joy. Was Wan-wan standing up for him?
“I thought you wouldn’t intervene.” Given Mu Wan’s nature, he preferred things to be simple and disliked trouble. Yet, he had not only been considerate of his situation and drawn his sword to resolve the assassins, but had also used the Grand Ancestor’s name to intimidate those with ulterior motives. How could he not be flattered? A sweet, strange sensation flooded his heart.
“I suppose I was a little angry,” Mu Wan said.
In the cultivation world, the strong preying on the weak was the norm, and Mu Wan had grown accustomed to it. But deep down, the lessons he had received early on still influenced him. He could not stand seeing soldiers, who stood on the front lines, being harmed in the dark, especially when they were no longer a threat and yet were still being hunted down relentlessly. It was disgusting.
That one sentence was enough to make Ning Bu’mo’s heart soar; the smile on his face could not be suppressed. Mu Wan had long ago said this man was strange.
“You’re happy even when you’re being targeted?”
“Of course not,” Ning Bu’mo looked at him earnestly. “I don’t care what they think, but I am happy that you are biased toward me.”
This sudden, blunt expression left Mu Wan’s mind blank. He opened his mouth but didn’t know how to respond; he only felt his cheeks burning. Was the culture of Dayong this open? Even expressing joy was this overwhelming?
Fortunately, Ning Bu’mo didn’t dwell on it. Mu Wan sighed in relief, though he didn’t know where the inexplicable tension had come from. Observing these small expressions, Ning Bu’mo’s eyes twinkled with mirth and, more importantly, curiosity. His desire to understand Mu Wan had never been stronger. He wanted to know who he was, why he possessed such magical abilities, and why he was willing to stay in such a small, desolate Prince’s estate.
“Are you really the Mu Wan from the Mu estate?” Finally, Ning Bu’mo asked the question.
Mu Wan had already displayed his uniqueness today, and his special treatment of Ning Bu’mo suggested that these questions wouldn’t anger him. Heart thumping, Ning Bu’mo gripped his fists inside his sleeves, waiting for the answer.
“I am, yet I am not. The Mu Wan of the Mu estate is me, and the swordsman Mu Wan is also me,” Mu Wan did not hide it. “As for why I am willing to be here, it is probably because I need to recover from my injuries.”
Unexpectedly, Ning Bu’mo only caught one detail. “You are injured?” the man asked with concern.
“Yes, but even injured, I could kill so many people at once. Isn’t that terrifying?” Mu Wan leaned closer, deliberately trying to scare him. He knew that many people were afraid of the unknown.
Ning Bu’mo shook his head. How could it be terrifying? To him, Mu Wan had saved him and helped him, never harming an innocent person. Such a person could not be described as terrifying. He only cared about how such a powerful Mu Wan could be injured, and if he was in pain.
“We haven’t known each other long. Was that time you fainted related to the injuries?” Subconsciously taking Mu Wan’s hand, Ning Bu’mo saw the fragile, pale side of Mu Wan before his eyes. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
The hot palm clutching his fingertips felt like a brand. Mu Wan subconsciously pulled back, but meeting the genuine concern in Ning Bu’mo’s eyes, he didn’t know what to say. After a long pause, he looked away, his eyes lowered: “Perhaps support and believe in all of my decisions?”