Da Xuan Martial Saint

"Breathing heavily, Qi-Blood surging..."

Chen Mu focused all his attention on the Xun Wind Artistic Conception, elevating his perception of the Autumn Wind Sense to the sharpest degree possible. Though the figures in the scene were shadowy and the setting chaotic, he could still keenly catch the aura of each unknown person, sensing them one by one.

Martial Artists possess thick Qi-Blood and breaths that are light and prolonged, which made it easy to distinguish them from ordinary people. He quickly ruled out most of the people present, leaving only two individuals.

The breaths of these two were prolonged, and their Qi-Blood robust, but whether they were in the Tendon Changing Realm or the Bone Tempering Realm was hard to accurately determine. After all, although Chen Mu's Xun Wind Artistic Conception was the first he had mastered, it was the shallowest among his three conceptions.

In a mixed scene with no actions taken by either, the minute differences were too subtle to discern.

However,

Chen Mu was not troubled at that moment, for he could not precisely determine whether these two were in the Tendon Changing Realm or the Bone Tempering Realm, but he was certain they were not higher. There was no harm in taking direct action, but since Yan Wansi might not be among these two, there was still no need to startle the snakes; a slight test would suffice.

With that thought, Chen Mu gently lifted his hand, took a sip of his drink, and with an imperceptible flick of his fingertip, a drop of liquid silently flew towards the nearest person.

"Hmm?"

The person was very sharp, and although he couldn't immediately trace the origin of the droplet, he managed to flick it away just as it was about to land on him.

Impressive skill, but it's not this person...

A thought flickered in Chen Mu's mind. The sharp response to the approaching droplet was nothing noteworthy, but the ability to flick it away so effortlessly without splashing, flying out like a jade bead, required more than mere strength; it required a precise control over power, something beyond ordinary reach.

This person was also a Martial Artist in the Bone Tempering Realm, but such subtle control over strength was not something Yan Wansi, a bumpkin by origin, could develop. Moreover, judging by his hand shape, he couldn't be over thirty years old—most likely one of the disciples from the four sects.

Without making a sound, after flicking away the droplet of drink, the person continued to sit and watch the singing and dancing, albeit now perceiving the surroundings more alertly, observing those around him.

Chen Mu did not mind.

This person's stealthy, unobtrusive manner suited him well, so he turned his gaze to another person, pointed his fingertip, and flicked another drop of liquid in their direction.

However, the other person seemed too inept, not noticing the approaching drop at all, allowing it to land on him and seep into his clothes. It was only when his body felt the liquid that he reacted, his hairs bristling and his body jolting in surprise. Believing it was just a splash from someone nearby drinking, he relaxed and shook his head.

Throughout this process, his Qi-Blood fluctuated but revealed him to be merely a Martial Artist in the Tendon Changing Realm.

"Neither of these two, then..."

Chen Mu imperceptibly looked up towards the ceiling.

Above, the Oriole Pavilion had a third layer, where proper private rooms were located; one could either order the Pavilion's songstresses and dancers for solitary enjoyment or engage in more intimate activities.

The thought had barely formed.

Chen Mu spoke indifferently, "I'm a bit tired, lead me upstairs to rest."

Xiaolian, dutifully kneeling beside him, startled at his words but quietly complied, helping Chen Mu rise to lead him to the third floor.

But just then, a droplet of liquid flew towards Chen Mu's shoulder. If one looked closely, a subtle, unusual luster gleamed within the droplet, containing a faint trace of Sword Intent.

Yet Chen Mu acted as if he sensed nothing, allowing Xiaolian to help him up until the droplet neared, then a finger probed from the sleeve on his left, lightly touching the approaching droplet.

Sizzle.

This time, the droplet was not flicked away but vanished with a sizzle at his fingertip.

As if it was a casual action, Chen Mu did not look towards the direction from where the drink had come; he allowed Xiaolian, slightly tipsy, to help him leave the hall towards the third floor.

Not far away,

A figure wearing a black cloth hat, eyes behind the fabric revealing a trace of astonishment.

He was the first person Chen Mu had tested. Observing that it was Chen Mu who flicked the drink, he returned the test, though his was more significant. The droplet contained a whiff of Artistic Conception power, yet it was effortlessly extinguished.

"Who is this person? Who can so easily extinguish my Sword Intent..."

From his perception and observations of Chen Mu, he could tell Chen Mu was also under thirty, certainly not a fellow disciple from the Heavenly Sword Sect, since only he practiced the 'Mortal Dust' Sword Intent and would frequent such a place.

It was also unlikely to be someone from Blood Hidden Pavilion or Hehuan Sect; the hidden and assassination-oriented Blood Hidden Pavilion wouldn't conduct such a test openly, and Hehuan Sect, being entirely comprised of women, needed no further disqualification.

It might be someone from Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion, though most of its disciples are chatterboxes, hardly the type to sit quietly like Chen Mu.

Hmm.

Right, among the younger generation in Yu City capable of catching his eye, there seems to be one character not from the four sects.

"Could it be him?"

Lv Yuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

If it's that individual from the Inspectorate here to investigate something, it's possible, seeing that it wasn't directed at him. It wasn't necessary to muddle these waters, but could this person truly be of humble origins?

Even the Seven Profound Sect overlooked such a figure and failed to recruit him, which truly shows they've secluded themselves too long, loftily detached from others. It's fitting that their current leading heir couldn't withstand even the fourth strike of Zuo Qianqiu's "Seven Cutting Skies Swords."

However, Zuo Qianqiu himself was the only person in the past century from the Heavenly Sword Sect to comprehend the "Heavenly Sword" Artistic Conception, universally acknowledged as the top heir of the century. Even heirs from Blood Concealment Mysterious Mechanism and other sects didn't dare face his edge directly.

Thinking this,

Lv Yuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly, lamenting the sorrow of being born in the same era as Zuo Qianqiu. Under his dazzling brilliance, everyone else could only appear dim in comparison.

However, he had not managed to make it into the top ten of the Inner Sect, and his ambition for struggle had also faded lately. He spent his days drinking and listening to music, mingling aimlessly with his senior sect brothers. This generation was left to Zuo Qianqiu alone, who would sweep across the world.

...

Oriole Pavilion.

Third Layer.

In a room located at the southeast corner,

a man around forty, with a lean face and a healed sword wound on his forehead, sat cross-legged while sipping at the liquor before him.

In front of him was a girl about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a light green dance gown, her bare jade feet lightly stepping on the pear wood floor. Her body moved gracefully as she danced, her slender waist was delicate as if possessing no bones.

As the dance ended,

the girl maintained her back-bending pose for a while before she straightened up and looked at the lean man behind the desk, smiling cheerfully, "Sir, did you enjoy my dance?"

Despite the traces of childish naivety in her eyebrows and eyes, there was a hint of seductiveness that didn't quite match her innocence. Her enchanting posture and the subtly revealed orchid scent profoundly stirred one's mind.

"Good, very good…"

Yan Wansi grinned, completely aroused by the fire within him. He suddenly lunged forward from behind the desk, pinning the girl beneath him, and swiftly ripped her light green dance gown into shreds.

The girl's face instantly showed panic as she twisted and struggled, "Don't, you shouldn't… I am a clean servant, I don't entertain guests…"

"Humph! Clean or not, that's exactly my taste."

Watching the girl's panic-stricken expression only excited Yan Wansi even more. Her seductive demeanor clearly had an inviting intent. The claims of being a clean servant and not entertaining guests were probably just a show for his benefit. Having been a Bandit of the Dark Clouds for years, he relished seeing the terrified, powerless looks of noble girls as they were pinned helplessly to the ground.

Other regular women simply couldn't arouse much of his interest.

The girl kept struggling frantically, but she seemed to lack much strength. As Yan Wansi stuffed a torn piece of the dance gown into her mouth, she could only muffle her cries, tears welling up in her innocent eyes, giving off an appearance of crying.

But just then.

Bang!

The sealed door was suddenly breached by something, a streak of light, accompanied by a whooshing sound, shot towards Yan Wansi.

Yan Wansi's reactions were extremely quick. A moment ago he was pinning the girl to the ground, but he suddenly sprang up, agile like a gecko, sticking to the wall, and he quickly recognized the light that came breaking through the air.

It was shockingly a delicate branch! Your next chapter is on empire

It looked as if it were merely a branch picked at random from outside, but as it came slicing through the air, it not only pierced the sturdy door but also passed where he had been a moment earlier and directly embedded into the pear wood floor, iron-hard, without damaging a single petal of the delicate wax plum flower at its tip!

Yan Wansi's pupils contracted sharply, with hardly any hesitation, he immediately dashed towards the window, smashing through the sealed window, ready to escape the Oriole Pavilion.

However,

at that moment, a faint voice rang out.

"Stay behind," it said.

Accompanied by that voice, another fierce swoosh emerged. It was still a branch, moving faster than before, slanting from the left to strike at Yan Wansi. Yan Wansi moved extremely fast, smashing through the window, his body already halfway out, yet he forcibly twisted to avoid to the right.

Almost immediately, another branch shot in from the right, even faster, with a faint flash of lightning and thunder, sharper and more ferocious.

Yan Wansi's face turned extremely grim as he contorted his body in mid-air like a carp leaping up, spreading his body and hooking his hand on the window ledge, barely dodging the flying branch, but he was forced back inside the room.

Cold air poured in from the broken window.

With Yan Wansi's Martial Arts Realm, being in the Bone Tempering Realm, he naturally wouldn't be bothered by the chill, but at that moment, his entire being felt icy cold, his face grim as he watched the figure who had just pushed open the door and stepped in confidently.

Although the figure was dressed in green, wearing a black cloth hat, making it difficult to discern his face, Yan Wansi had realized who the person was from the power of those three branches and the accompanying storm thunder might.

The Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate!

Chen Mu!