A trace of imperceptible doting flashed across Jun Xun’s dark, deep eyes as a curve formed at the corners of his bright red lips.
Mu Chengyan clutched the bell, stepping in front of Jun Xun. “You… you had best not come over, or else… or else I won’t be polite!”
“Hahaha, what good is a little piece of junk bell like that? Could it possibly chase us away?”
“Hahaha, I’ve never encountered anything so ridiculous in my entire life. He… he actually thinks this thing can drive us off!”
Several men clutched their stomachs, laughing so hard they couldn’t straighten up.
“Stop wasting breath! Hurry up and capture him for the City Lord!”
“Yes… yes!”
The men immediately reined in their laughter, brandishing broadswords as they closed in.
Yueying’s pupils constricted. The men at the front collapsed instantly, but more rushed forward, leaving him completely trapped and unable to break away.
Guchen had been drawn outside, leaving him entirely unable to attend to Mu Chengyan’s safety.
Mu Chengyan’s grip on the bell tightened. He had no idea whether it would work; it was something an old man had given him in the past, calling it a… Sanqing Bell…
With no other options left, he had to protect Ah-Xun!
The silver bell slipped from his hand, emitting a crisp, clear chime.
From the shadows, an invisible force struck the Sanqing Bell, releasing a formidable wave of pressure that blasted everyone in the vicinity backward like snapped kites. They slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Mu Chengyan stared in disbelief at the bell suspended in mid-air. To think this bell was so powerful he had always assumed it was a useless trinket.
“Gege is so amazing!”
Admiration filled Jun Xun’s dark pupils as he exclaimed in wonder.
Mu Chengyan rubbed the bridge of his nose in embarrassment. He had no idea he was capable of such a feat either.
“Your Highness!”
Everyone around Yueying had been knocked flat on the ground, unable to get back up.
“Is Your Highness injured?”
“No.”
Mu Chengyan stepped forward and squatted down. “I told you not to fight, but you insisted on doing it anyway. Look at you now you’ve gone and hurt yourselves.”
The man crawled toward the doorway in terror. “You… don’t come over…”
“I only wish to check your injuries.”
Mu Chengyan stood up and gave chase, whereupon the man blindly slammed his head straight into the wall, knocking himself unconscious on the spot…
“Y-Young City Lord, these people are too formidable! We can’t beat them!”
“Then why aren’t you hurrying to get us out of here? Do you intend to stay and make fools of yourselves?!”
Long Yin scrambled up from the ground with difficulty, dusted himself off, and limped away with his men. Before reaching the door, he turned back to glare at Mu Chengyan, unyielding resentment burning in his eyes.
“You… you just wait for this young master! If you have the guts, don’t run!”
A chilling glint flashed in Yueying’s eyes. Moving with the speed of lightning, he pressed his long sword directly against the man’s glabella.
Long Yin shook so violently with terror that his trousers had already soaked through.
In a corner where no one was paying attention, a trace of mockery crept into Jun Xun’s eyes.
“Yueying, do not take human lives. To know one’s errors and be able to reform is the greatest virtue.”
Yueying desperately wished he could block his own ears. Their Highness was preaching scriptures again…
Jun Xun gazed at Mu Chengyan with sparkling eyes, profound admiration and reverence shining within them. Gege is truly the kindest person in the entire world.
“Your Highness, how could they possibly have any room for repentance? It would be better to simply execute them and eliminate any future trouble!”
A flash of sharp sword glare swept past their eyes, dazzling them so they could not keep them open.
“You cannot!”
“But Your Highness, if we spare them, they will only go on to victimize countless innocent people.”
Long Yin’s legs went weak, and he dropped heavily to his knees, weeping tears and snot alike.
“I won’t… I will definitely turn over a new leaf! I beg Your Highness the Crown Prince to spare this dog’s life!”
With so many people here, if they were truly to be executed… were they going to kill every single one of them? Was there truly no room for compromise?
“Provided you swear an oath here and now, I can spare your lives.”
Long Yin kowtowed toward Mu Chengyan. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“I, Long San, swear to the heavens that from this day forward, I will never commit any act that harms the common people! If I violate this oath, may I go blind and break my legs!”
“All of you, hurry up and swear!”
The men hurriedly forced themselves to recite the oaths, though lingering doubts remained in their hearts. Could it be that the Young City Lord was genuinely planning to turn over a new leaf?
“Get lost! Don’t let me lay eyes on you again, and keep your dog eyes off His Highness!”
Yueying let out a cold snort and withdrew his long sword. Running into His Highness was truly the stroke of eight lifetimes of good fortune for these scoundrels.
“Yes, yes, yes! Lords, I’m leaving right this instant!”
Long Yin scrambled away in a flurry with his subordinates, crawling and stumbling as they fled.
“Young City Lord, are you really just going to let it go like this?”
They had even sworn such a venomous oath.
A ruthless look crossed Long Yin’s face. “Bah, how utterly infuriating to run into someone so formidable. But in Feilong City, this young master is the law! I’m going back to rally our forces today, I am resolved to carry that great beauty back to my estate!”
How could he possibly give up so easily after finally managing to catch sight of someone who actually struck his fancy?
“But what about the oath you swore…”
One of the men asked hesitantly, looking troubled. He had sworn the oath himself; what if it actually came true?
“As if the heavens have time to manage such trifles! What oath or no oath—this young master has already forgotten it.”
Discarding his pretense of being a refined young master, Long Yin hoisted his broadsword over his shoulder and strode toward the City Lord’s residence to muster his troops.
The inn remained completely deserted; even the innkeeper and the attendants had fled without a trace.
“Your Highness, these dishes are all tainted and can no longer be eaten.”
Mu Chengyan gazed regretfully at the array of untouched food. Ah-Xun probably hadn’t eaten enough yet, having only managed a single glutinous rice ball earlier.
“Shall I… go cook something?”
Mu Chengyan asked tentatively, turning the color of Yueying’s face stark white—he looked so terrified he nearly bolted out the door.
Resting his chin in both hands, Jun Xun stared unblinkingly at Mu Chengyan. “Gege even knows how to cook? Gege is so amazing.”
Yueying curled his lip in silent disdain. This little fool certainly knows how to butter up His Highness.
“Your Highness… there’s really no need for that. We’re all quite full. Guchen, aren’t you already finished eating?”
Guchen stood motionless in his spot, his gaze lowered, without uttering a single syllable.
Yueying rolled his eyes dramatically. Just as expected, a block of ice; he doesn’t even bother replying when spoken to.
“Hey, are you full?”
Yueying shifted his gaze back to Jun Xun.
Jun Xun shook his head. “Not yet…”
“I’ll go cook something for Ah-Xun.”
Mu Chengyan stroked the youth’s cheek affectionately, noting the hollow contours of his face a clear sign that he hadn’t eaten a proper meal in many days.
Feeling the warmth against his skin, Jun Xun’s gaze darkened. He instinctively reached out to touch Mu Chengyan’s fair, jade-like wrist, only to recoil violently as if burned.
Lowering his head, his dark pupils darted around restlessly. “Okay…”
Once Mu Chengyan had departed, Jun Xun underwent an instantaneous transformation. Picking up a piece of wood, he quietly began to carve.
When Yueying inadvertently glanced back, Jun Xun raised his dark, profound eyes to meet his gaze, sending a sudden shudder of danger down Yueying’s spine!