Chapter 112 - 91: Madam He, You Wouldn’t Want...
He Shan’er glided forward with graceful steps, stopping before the group and offering a delicate curtsy.
"I am He Shan’er. Greetings, my lords. My son is young and insensible. If he has offended you in any way, I pray you will forgive him."
Her gaze shifted until it landed on Jiang Mu. Her red lips parted in a faint, unsmiling curve.
"You must be the renowned Lord Jiang? Even secluded on this mountain, I have often heard of your deeds. They say Lord Jiang is now the shining star of the Hu State Demon-slaying Bureau. Your fame is so great that even my own worthless, deceased son could never have hoped to compare."
The words sounded like praise, but they were dripping with sarcasm, implying that Jiang Mu had climbed to his current position over her son’s dead body.
Jiang Mu, however, acted as if he hadn’t understood the barb at all. He waved his hand with a humble expression.
"Madam He, you flatter me. In truth, I’m still a step behind your son, He Shuangying... After all, he’s already turned to ash, and I haven’t."
"My apologies, I tend to be a bit blunt. My condolences for your loss, Madam."
"When the festival for the dead comes around, I’ll be sure to burn plenty of spirit money for him, so he can live lavishly in the afterlife."
Xu Fu, standing to the side, listened with his heart pounding in terror.
’Boss, that’s an Eighth Realm master! Can’t you tone it down a little?’
’Good thing I have the Instant Teleportation Divine Ability.’
’The second that woman makes a move, I’m out of here.’
In truth, Jiang Mu was a little nervous himself.
’But before I came, I set an Instant Teleportation anchor outside the Sect, and I have the Substitute Death Doll...’
’The second that woman makes a move, I’m out of here.’
The smile on He Shan’er’s face stiffened for a fraction of a second. A cold glint flashed in her eyes before she returned to her placid expression.
"How very thoughtful of you, Lord Jiang."
’This woman is a force to be reckoned with.’
But Jiang Mu had managed to test her limits and now had a better feel for the situation. Deciding to drop the pretense, he looked her straight in the eye and said coolly,
"Things weren’t exactly peaceful in the city last night. A good number of martial arts ruffians suddenly showed up looking for me. I’m sure a well-informed woman such as yourself understands what I’m implying, don’t you?"
He Shan’er’s eyes flickered. She chuckled softly. "Is Lord Jiang suggesting we leaked the secret?"
"I’m not suggesting it. I’m trusting my gut."
Jiang Mu sneered. "Since someone wants me dead, and my life isn’t worth much anyway, I might as well risk it all right here. Let’s see who dies first."
He Shan’er fell silent for a moment before making an inviting gesture toward Jiang Mu.
"Lord Jiang, could we speak privately for a moment?"
"A man and a woman, all alone? Wouldn’t that be improper?"
"I assure you, Lord Jiang, you will be satisfied."
"Alright, then."
Jiang Mu shot Xu Fu a look, signaling for him and the others to start moving the medicinal herbs. Then, he swaggered after He Shan’er toward a pavilion on the edge of a cliff.
Just before leaving, he turned to He Shuangdiao and said,
"Hey, small fry. I’m going to discuss something with your mother, so don’t disturb us."
A vein throbbed on He Shuangdiao’s temple, but he didn’t dare make a move.
...
The two of them sat down in the pavilion.
He Shan’er dismissed the maid who had brought them tea. Once they were alone, the smile vanished from her face, replaced by an icy chill.
"Your courage is truly exceptional, Lord Jiang, to dare follow me here alone. Aren’t you afraid... you might not make it back?"
Jiang Mu lifted his teacup, took a sip, and smiled.
"Actually, I was hoping something might happen. For instance, being here alone with you in this clifftop pavilion, a gentle breeze on our faces, a beautiful view before us... If we added a touch of romance to the scene, it would be even more perfect."
He Shan’er’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed.
"Lord Jiang, do you have any idea how easy it would be for me to kill you? It would be like crushing an ant."
The moment she finished speaking, a terrifying pressure erupted from her.
The aura of an Eighth Realm master crashed down like a collapsing mountain.
In an instant, a gale whipped around the pavilion. Birds scattered from the forest in alarm. Even the drifting clouds at the cliff’s edge seemed to freeze in place, held fast by her immense power.
Such was the terrifying might of the Eighth Realm.
The teacup in Jiang Mu’s hand began to emit a faint CRACKLING sound.
But his expression remained unchanged, as steady as a boulder.
Jiang Mu set down his teacup. Meeting He Shan’er’s murderous gaze, he gave a light smile.
"Madam He, we are all intelligent people here."
"And I’m sure you wouldn’t want the Divine Sword Sect... to have another pile of new evidence of its collusion with Demons uncovered, would you?"