Repaying the Favor

Mu Xiangli had prepared himself for a long endeavor to cultivate goodwill with Fan Rong, yet he had not expected to close the distance between them so easily. Could this fellow have known his identity and be acting along with him? If so, this fellow's acting skills were far too superb.

"I must not underestimate him," Mu Xiangli inwardly reminded himself. He held onto Fan Rong. "Brother Fan, do not be polite. I do not understand Qi-crafting and only have some random ideas. To be able to assist you brings me great joy. In the future, I shall rely entirely on you to realize these ideas of mine."

To his surprise, Fan Rong began to urge him to change professions: "I feel that Brother Mu has great talent in Qi-crafting. Why not transfer to the Wenhua Academy?"

"I only have ideas but do not understand how to execute them; I am truly not gifted in this field. Furthermore, my talent lies more in martial arts," Mu Xiangli politely declined.

Fan Rong was by no means foolish; he was highly intelligent, merely insensitive to matters unrelated to Qi-crafting.

By now, he had also realized. He was the first in the Wenhua Academy to pass the Qi-crafting examination, which was why he was on leave. Meanwhile, Mu Xiangli, a candidate of the Longwu Academy, had the time to seek him out, meaning he was clearly the top scorer in the martial arts examination. For him to urge such a person to transfer here was indeed inappropriate.

"It was my impudence," Fan Rong apologized.

"Not at all, not at all." Mu Xiangli exchanged pleasantries with him, then began to inquire, "Setting my matters aside, what has Brother Fan been researching lately?"

Hearing this, Fan Rong indeed did not treat him as an outsider. "Lately, I have been researching the Fengyan Token!

"Through channeling Qi into an artifact, I can shoot it straight into the sky. I also understand how to transform Qi into the shape of a tiger or other forms. I even know how to make the released Qi produce light and sound. However, combining all these effects together is something I cannot achieve.

I heard that the Fengyan Token was created by the Qi-crafting Grandmaster Wang Shusheng. I have asked my teacher, and he might find time to give us a few lectures at the Wenhua Academy. I hope to unravel the mysteries of the Fengyan Token on my own before he arrives."

At first, Mu Xiangli felt a trace of vigilance in his heart, but hearing his reasoning, it seemed entirely logical. Through their interactions, Fan Rong gave him the impression of a fanatic obsessed with Qi-crafting. Of course, he did not rule out the possibility that this was the cover of a spy. If so, such superb acting demanded that he proceed with extreme caution.

With lingering doubts in his heart, Mu Xiangli conversed with Fan Rong for a while longer before taking his leave. When Fan Rong saw him to the door, he still seemed reluctant to part, having found a kindred spirit.

Though he found no loopholes during this visit, it was not without harvest. He had acquired considerable knowledge regarding Qi-crafting from Fan Rong.

He felt that Qi-crafting was akin to manually constructing a portion of the Qi meridians within the Qi Chamber. Of course, this was merely a passing thought. He had many other matters to consider and lacked the energy to research and verify this idea for the time being.

Leaving the Wenhua Academy, Mu Xiangli did not rush back to the Longwu Academy. He knew he could not grow lax and complacent just because he had passed the examination. Daily blade practice was indispensable.

In the afternoon, he returned to practice his blade. By dusk, his stomach growled slightly. Mu Xiangli strolled onto the street to find some food, only to spot Mu Wanqiu walking down the street with a maidservant after just a few steps.

The two of them were asking passersby for directions, seemingly heading somewhere. Having nothing to do, Mu Xiangli decided to follow them.

To his surprise, as they walked, they turned into a red-light district of the Imperial City. Unlike the Golden Hairpin Court which was reserved for nobles and royals, this brothel district was of a lower tier, far more chaotic and filled with a mix of dragons and snakes.

"What are these two women doing here? Could they be meeting someone?" Mu Xiangli was somewhat puzzled. Possessing a strong sense of professional duty now, he immediately followed, preparing to investigate.

"If they are truly meeting here, does that not mean I can openly use the funds of the Night Patrol Division in this place?" Mu Xiangli calculated merrily, but the outcome disappointed him slightly.

Mu Wanqiu and her maidservant had intended to go to a bookstore, but the Imperial City was too vast, and they had not asked for clear directions, winding up here after many turns.

The two reacted quickly. Seeing the sights on the street, the maidservant realized where they were and said hastily, "Miss, we have taken the wrong path. Let us leave quickly!"

Unfortunately, they were a step too late. Just as they turned to leave, several rough men approached. The moment they met, Mu Wanqiu's exquisite beauty immediately aroused the lustful desires of these men.

They stepped forward, clamoring with questions.

"Where is this little lady heading?"

"I am a regular here, yet I have never seen you before. I heard that the Drunken Flower Tower has just received a new batch of girls. Could you be one of them?"

"Has the little lady made an appointment for tonight?"

Mu Wanqiu's face turned pale; it was her first time encountering such a situation. The maidservant beside her barked angrily, "Keep your mouths clean! My lady merely lost her way. She is not a courtesan as you claim!"

"Lost your way? Lost your way and ended up here? Who would believe that!"

"Do you look down on us?"

It was also Mu Wanqiu's poor luck. Had they been sober men seeking pleasure, knowing she had merely lost her way, the matter would have ended there, as the security of the Imperial City was quite good.

But unfortunately, those men were thoroughly drunk, their faces flushed red. Though they were not stumbling, their minds were clearly controlled by a combination of alcohol and lust.

"Do you think this master does not have enough silver to keep you? I have a hundred taels right here!"

One claimed he would pull out a banknote, while another reached out to grab Mu Wanqiu's hand.

Seeing this, the maidservant pulled Mu Wanqiu back. "Do not cause trouble! If you persist, we shall call for help!"

The men laughed crudely. "Are we not people? Go ahead and call us!"

Although night had not yet fallen and the peak business hours had not arrived, there were still many passersby. Regrettably, it had always been thus since ancient times—when trouble arose, onlookers were always more plentiful than those who dared to speak out.

Had it been in the noble districts where the wealthy and powerful resided, anyone with sufficient strength would have intervened upon seeing a lady harassed. But in this area, there were only commoners, each harboring the mindset of "avoiding trouble is better than inviting it."

Mu Xiangli watched from the side. In truth, those drunken men would not harm Mu Wanqiu too severely; the guards would arrive if they waited a bit longer. However, during the struggle, she would inevitably suffer some indignity. If her clothes were torn, she might even wish to hang herself in shame.

"Sigh," Mu Xiangli sighed, squeezing through the crowd of onlookers.

He stepped forward, grabbed one man's collar with one hand, and pulled him backward with force. The two men behind were instantly knocked to the ground.

This throw was by no means light. The two cried out in pain, their tailbones likely severely injured.

Hearing his companions' cries, the man still pestering Mu Wanqiu turned his head, only to see a fist as large as a bun flying straight into his eye. Next, he tumbled to the ground, completely dazed.

Mu Xiangli shook his hand and looked at the astonished Mu Wanqiu. "You helped me pay for the candied haws before. Consider this as me repaying the favor."

Having spoken, Mu Xiangli turned and walked away, feeling exceedingly dashing.