Later that night, Bai Ruoxi, under Wei Mengrou’s watchful eye, arrived safely at the secluded cabin where her father was recovering.

Her gaze fell upon the man lying on the bed, his face pale and drawn. She walked over and gently placed the jade bottle in his hand, her eyes filled with concern.

“Father, this is a Revitalizing Pill. Take it and regain your strength.”

Bai Heng slowly opened his eyes. He stared at the bottle in his hand, his brow furrowing. “A Revitalizing Pill…? Did you find the King Beast Vine?!”

Bai Ruoxi nodded. “Young Master Mu went to the Two Polarities Sect last night. I don’t know how he did it, but he managed to acquire the vine. Elder Ren finished refining the pills this afternoon.”

A look of astonishment crossed Bai Heng’s face. He knew his daughter wouldn’t joke about something like this, but he still couldn’t quite believe it.

He uncorked the bottle, and a rich, invigorating aroma filled the air.

“It’s… it really is a Revitalizing Pill?!” His eyes widened in disbelief, then lit up with hope.

With this pill, he could fully recover by morning! He wouldn’t have to lie here, helpless and useless, any longer!

But his joy was tempered by confusion.

The King Beast Vine grew within the Two Polarities Sect. It was an incredibly rare herb, even among the sect’s disciples. How had that Mu boy gotten his hands on it?

Whatever the reason, they owed Mu Zhi’an, and the Mu family, a great debt.

And the reason he helped them was probably because of Ruoxi.

Bai Heng sighed, looking at his daughter with a mixture of pride and concern. “You’ve been through a lot lately, Ruoxi.”

She shook her head. “Young Master Mu has helped us tremendously, Father. I haven’t done anything.”

Her voice softened as she spoke of Mu Zhi’an.

Bai Heng noticed the subtle change in her demeanor, the warmth in her eyes. He sighed inwardly.

He’d always believed that Ye Yu had a brighter future, that his daughter might regret her decision someday.

However, Mu Zhi’an’s recent actions had shaken his convictions.

To acquire the King Beast Vine in less than a day… The young master of the Mu family might not be the useless wastrel everyone thought he was.

Bai Ruoxi’s expression turned serious. “Father… what about Mother? What are you going to do?”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Finally, Bai Heng sighed. “I’ve wronged your mother. I’ll speak with her when I’m feeling better.”

Bai Ruoxi’s heart ached for both her parents.

Bai Yuanfeng was her mother, after all. Regardless of her actions, she couldn’t simply sever those ties.

It wasn’t about being naive or forgiving. It was about the years they’d spent together, the bond they shared. Family wasn’t so easily discarded.

Perhaps sensing her turmoil, Bai Ruoxi asked, “Father, how did you… how did you and Mother meet?”

Bai Heng’s gaze turned distant, lost in thought.

“Your mother…”

He looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of fondness and regret.

“She was… found outside the Bai Manor as a child. One of the elders gave her the name Yuanfeng.”

“According to the elders, a strange purple light appeared in the sky on the day she was found. The air was thick with demonic energy. Your grandfather, fearing she might be corrupted, used a sealing technique to suppress the demonic energy within her. For years, everything was fine.”

He sighed. “I never imagined…”

He’d believed that after all these years, after all they’d shared, Bai Yuanfeng would care for him, for their family. He never imagined she would betray them, that she would attempt to seize control of the three great families.

Bai Ruoxi was stunned. This was the first time she’d heard about her parents’ past.

Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, she looked up at her father, her eyes wide. “Are you saying… Mother was… a child bride…?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Bai Heng replied, shaking his head. “She had many suitors. I was just one of them. But then I became the head of the family”

He trailed off, unwilling to elaborate.

Even a crude, unrefined man like him had his pride, especially in front of his daughter.

He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he’d used his position as the family head to win Bai Yuanfeng’s hand.

“Return to the Mu Manor with Miss Wei, Ruoxi,” he said. “I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe there.”

He looked at her seriously. “And remember, if that Mu boy tries to sneak into your room at night and tries to sweet-talk you, don’t believe a word he says.”

Bai Ruoxi blushed furiously. “Father! Young Master Mu would never! If he wanted to to do anything improper, he would have done it already!”

If Mu Zhi’an was truly that kind of person, he would have taken advantage of her that day in the carriage.

Bai Heng, torn between amusement and exasperation at his daughter’s fierce defense of another man, simply sighed and shook his head.

If Mu Zhi’an had made a move back then, he would have only won her body.

But now, he had won her heart as well.

Her reaction said it all.

…

Unaware of the conversation transpiring between father and daughter, Mu Zhi’an sat on his bed, a pile of Spirit Stones spread out before him.

He closed his eyes, circulating his cultivation technique. As his internal cauldron spun, the Spirit Stones dissolved, transforming into pure spiritual energy that flowed into his body.

This was the advantage of using Spirit Stones. Normally, cultivators had to refine the spiritual energy from the air before absorbing it, a time-consuming process. But Spirit Stones contained already-refined energy, significantly reducing cultivation time.

While the outcome of the duel wasn’t important, Mu Zhi’an had wasted a lot of time on frivolous pursuits in the past. He was determined to make up for lost time.

After nearly two hours, the pile of Spirit Stones had dwindled significantly. Mu Zhi’an could sense his internal cauldron was nearly a third full.

He opened his eyes and slowly exhaled, pushing out with his palm.

*Bang!*

The door swung open, the sound echoing through the room.

He took a deep breath, feeling the surrounding spiritual energy swirling around him. With each breath, he absorbed more energy, a sense of exhilaration washing over him.

He had reached the third level of Foundation Establishment.

At this level, he could expel spiritual energy with enough force to shatter wood and stone.

At the peak of Foundation Establishment, he would be able to manipulate objects with his mind, summoning weapons from afar.

And at Core Formation, he would be able to fly with his sword, just like Wei Mengrou.

It felt amazing. The difference between the second and third levels was significant. He looked at his hand, a satisfied smile on his lips.

He calmed his mind and closed his eyes again, entering a meditative state.

…

The next morning, Mu Zhi’an was at the training grounds, sparring with Wei Mengrou.

Despite his past indulgences, he still possessed a solid foundation. And with Wei Mengrou holding back, their initial exchanges were relatively even.

However, close combat wasn’t Wei Mengrou’s forte. As the spar progressed, she transitioned from physical attacks to spells. A dazzling display of light and energy filled the training grounds, leaving Mu Zhi’an struggling to keep up.

“Hold on!” he shouted, raising a hand just as she was about to strike him.

She froze, her palm hovering inches from his face, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Don’t you know not to hit the face? Mu Zhi’an thought, eyeing her hand warily. He put on a serious expression. “Let’s take a break. I have something to ask you.”

She hesitated, glancing from her hand to him.

Finally, she lowered her hand and nodded.

Mu Zhi’an sat down on a nearby bench. “When you escorted Miss Bai back last night, did you sense anyone following you?”

“If anyone had tried to follow us, I would have known,” she replied confidently. “Unless… they were a realm above me.”

Wei Mengrou was a Core Formation expert. A realm above her… that would be Nascent Soul.

Nascent Soul experts were incredibly rare, practically mythical figures.

Mu Zhi’an nodded.

Wei Mengrou excelled at stealth and reconnaissance. She was practically an assassin. If she said no one had followed them, then he could be certain of it.

He trusted her judgment. Among Core Formation cultivators, she was one of the best.

In modern terms, she’d be a highly skilled detective, dressed in a form-fitting catsuit, of course…

“You think someone’s following us?” she asked.

“I had my suspicions. But I believe you. It’s just… strange,” Mu Zhi’an replied. “If that black-robed man doesn’t show up today, I’m going to assume he has something else planned… Or perhaps… he doesn’t care about Ye Yu as much as he’d have us believe.”

Wei Mengrou’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

“That one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, did he give you the Gongsun family’s share as well?” she asked suddenly.

Having been by Mu Zhi’an’s side, she was aware of the agreement.

Even to her, one hundred thousand Spirit Stones was an astronomical sum. She couldn’t understand why Chairman Huang would give it all to the Mu family.

“That money was solely for the Mu family. It has nothing to do with the Gongsun family,” Mu Zhi’an replied.

“You’re saying the Chamber of Commerce is going to give the Gongsun family another one hundred thousand?”

“I don’t know. If Chairman Huang is smart, he won’t,” Mu Zhi’an said with a chuckle. “Merchants are obsessed with profit. But successful merchants… they have vision. They’re willing to spend small to win big.”

“He gave us the entire sum because he sees us as valuable allies. In his eyes, the Gongsun family is nothing special. He doesn’t need to bribe them.”

“Besides, whether he intended to include the Gongsun family’s share or not, we’re keeping it all.”

Wei Mengrou glanced at him. “You’re stealing it?”

“Mengrou, my dear,” Mu Zhi’an said, turning to face her, their eyes meeting. He smiled. “We earned this.”

How could they be stealing the bandit suppression funds?

This… was a public service.

…

Meanwhile, Chairman Huang sat leisurely in his lavish hall, sipping tea.

Beside him, his beautiful wife seemed troubled. She sighed repeatedly, her brow creased with worry.

“Why are you sighing so much?” Chairman Huang asked, looking at her in amusement.

“Husband, that one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, we just gave it all to the Mu family! What benefit will we receive? How long will it take to earn that back?” Madame Huang lamented, her heart aching at the thought of their lost fortune.

“Who says we won’t benefit?” Chairman Huang asked, raising an eyebrow. “Someone is disrupting our business. We need to eliminate the obstacle before we can continue making money.”

He took a sip of tea. “If we don’t spend this one hundred thousand now, we might have to spend even more later.”

Madame Huang stared at him, her eyes widening.

However, he didn’t elaborate. “Have you sent word to Old Tian?”

She nodded. “He agreed to meet us at the Dragon Head Forest tomorrow. But husband why do we have to risk our own men when we’re the ones paying for this?”

Chairman Huang sighed, shaking his head. “We might have given them the money and it might feel like a loss.”

“But in the coming months, every coin will return to our pockets. We will profit from this.”

Seeing his wife’s confused expression, he decided not to explain further. He tapped his fingers against the armrest, his gaze distant, lost in thought.

…

As the day wore on, just as Mu Zhi’an had anticipated, the black-robed man finally appeared at the Mu Manor.

Although he wasn’t wearing black robes anymore. After the Gongsun family had placed a bounty on his head, he’d abandoned his signature attire.

He now wore plain robes and a wide-brimmed hat that concealed his face.

“Are you confident about tomorrow, Young Master Mu?” he asked, his voice a low growl.

He was clearly aware of Mu Zhi’an’s plan to lure Ye Yu to the Dragon Head Forest.

Mu Zhi’an chuckled. “Does it matter if I win or lose?”

If he hadn’t regained his memories, this would have been a simple duel, ending with him being humiliated by the “protagonist.”

But now, Ye Yu was nothing more than a pawn in a much larger game.

No matter how talented or lucky the Chosen One might be, fighting a Core Formation expert was beyond his capabilities.

The gap between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation. It was like the difference between an ant and an elephant. Ye Yu stood no chance.

Even a “protagonist” had his limits.

The black-robed man chuckled coldly. “I suppose not.”

“Then I shall eagerly await your performance tomorrow, Young Master Mu.”

With that, he vanished in a puff of black smoke.

Mu Zhi’an watched him go, then turned to the shadows in the corner of the room.

A slender figure stood there, her curves barely concealed by her yellow gown.

“Are *you* confident?” Wei Mengrou asked.

Mu Zhi’an shook his head. “I told you, winning or losing isn’t important.”

“So you’re not confident,” she said, seeing through his facade.

“Ye Yu still has some tricks up his sleeve,” she warned.

“I know. But so do I,” Mu Zhi’an replied, his expression serious.

“What tricks?” Wei Mengrou asked, her brow furrowed.

She thought she knew him well. She’d never heard him speak of any “tricks” before.

He beckoned her closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “It’s a secret.”

She hesitated, then walked over to him. “What secret?”

He leaned in close and whispered something she couldn’t quite hear.

She frowned, leaning closer.

“What was that?”

He leaned in again, his lips brushing against her ear. “I have you, don’t I?”

She felt his warm breath on her ear, a blush creeping up her neck.

Then, she realized he was teasing her. Her eyes narrowed. “Relying on others isn’t a strategy. It’s called being a kept man.”

Despite her harsh words, her cheeks remained flushed.

“What’s wrong with being a kept man?” Mu Zhi’an asked with a grin.

He wasn’t just planning to rely on Wei Mengrou. If all went well, he’d be clinging to Senior Sister Lan’s leg tomorrow.

…

The night passed without incident.

As dawn broke over Tianxuan City, its citizens went about their day, oblivious to the deadly game unfolding in the Dragon Head Forest.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay