Chapter 54 Getting to Know Him (First Update) This person—has many rules and a lot of trouble…
For a moment, Mu Meng's mind went blank.
She could tell that the other person was genuinely remorseful—he felt he was dirty.
She was the one who offended him first. Without distinguishing right from wrong or identifying friend from foe, she grabbed him, yet he felt that she had dirtied her hands because she touched him.
What kind of harsh words did he endure, and what level of harm did he suffer, to develop such an extremely self-loathing personality?
Because of his momentary daze, Mu Meng even forgot to take the handkerchief offered to him.
Even if she realized it, she wouldn't accept it. If she did, wouldn't that be like admitting that he was dirty?
The man licked his pale lips uneasily, his long, slender fingers holding the handkerchief twitched slightly, and he silently put the handkerchief back into his pocket.
He silently straightened his rumpled clothes, his movements swift, but his fingertips trembled slightly.
Seeing his somewhat dejected expression, Mu Meng sensed that he had misunderstood even more, so she immediately cut to the chase: "No, I didn't look down on you. I just felt there was no need to wipe it. What's the big deal? Besides, I was rude to you just now. I didn't know it was you. I thought it was snake gu and attacked. I should apologize."
The man paused for a moment, then immediately shook his head. As if he felt that shaking his head wasn't enough, he added softly, "You don't need to apologize to me. It was my fault; I should have spoken up and reminded you."
What? He's quite good at finding fault with himself. Mu Meng was speechless for a moment and turned to look at Lu Zhaoxin.
That bastard Lu Zhaoxin, who usually talks a lot of nonsense, was surprisingly silent at this moment. After receiving her pleading look, he realistically turned his head away. Maybe he didn't know what to say either, so he just obediently became a lamp.
Since she couldn't count on him, she decided to do it herself. Mu Meng turned her gaze back to the man and looked at him sincerely: "Don't think like that. Whoever is wrong should apologize. That's the right thing to do."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the man raise his eyes and look at her quietly. His gaze was indescribably complex, but one thing was clear: sadness.
He parted his lips slightly, "Then I should be the one apologizing."
Well, this person was so stubborn that reasoning with him was pointless, so Mu Meng had no choice but to give up and change the subject: "Alright, let's not talk about this. We came here to find you, and we were afraid we wouldn't make it in time, but why are you turning back?"
“The noise from the spirit fire is too great. I think you will come when you see it, so I’m going to come this way to greet you and guide you so you don’t get lost.”
He answered the question gently, and then said, "I have wiped out all the snake gu in the dark cave. Only the gu lord is still on the run, but he doesn't know that the escape route was sealed off by me long ago. Now he is trapped. I thought I'd wait for you. Maybe you have something to ask him."
Mu Meng was slightly taken aback. She never expected this person to be so considerate, efficient, and fast, bringing the time she had estimated to finish the matter forward by half.
"I do need to interrogate him. I'm sorry to trouble you, brother. This was originally my job, but you've done most of it for me."
The man slightly curved the corners of his lips, his expression serious: "To punish evil and uphold justice is also what I should do."
Mu Meng's eyebrows curved into a smile as she looked ahead. Since there was only one Gu Venerable left who was still trying to escape but couldn't, there was no need to rush. She turned back and examined the man: "Were you injured while fighting these snake Gu?"
The man's smile deepened, his lips curving upwards in a wide arc. This smile made it seem as if his previous smile had been fleeting and insincere, and now he was truly smiling: "No."
After asking the question, Mu Meng felt a little embarrassed, since there was still a bloody gash on the other person's neck. "Um... about the wound on your neck, I'm sorry, I was too reckless just now. I have some hemostatic powder here, let me apply it for you."
After she finished speaking, she reached for the medicine bottle she was carrying.
The man immediately raised his hand slightly to stop him, saying, "No need, this little injury will heal quickly."
As if afraid that Mu Meng would chase after him to apply the medicine, he took two steps to the side.
Well, that's just how she is, she already knows that—forcing it would only make her uncomfortable.
With that thought in mind, Mu Meng stopped trying to persuade him and simply handed him the medicine bottle, saying, "Take this yourself. Even though it's a minor injury, you should still take care of yourself."
The man looked down at the small medicine bottle the girl across from him was handing him. The bottle seemed to radiate a faint halo in her fair hand. His fingers twitched involuntarily, and a lump rose in his throat. He quickly cleared his throat.
"Thank you." The man accepted the medicine bottle with both hands.
Seeing that he had accepted the gift, Mu Meng smiled and said, "Brother, now that we're acquainted, won't you tell me your name?"
The man moved his lips slightly. Although half of his lips were covered by the mask, the remaining half was thin and beautifully shaped. For some reason, this slight movement seemed to convey a thousand words.
His long, curled eyelashes trembled a few times, and in the end he only whispered, "I'm sorry, I can't say."
This time, Lu Zhaoxin finally found a way to interject, "That's not right, yesterday you clearly told me you were nameless and surnameless?"
Being nameless and unable to speak are two completely different things. Mu Meng raised his eyes and stared into the other person's deep, dark eyes. His beautiful pupils were calm, but it was just like a calm sea suppressing the turbulent undercurrents.
Amazingly, she was able to intuitively understand the emotional fluctuations in his eyes.
He has a name.
But he didn't want to say.
But he was unwilling to make up a lie to deceive her.
Mu Meng felt a little helpless. After many years, he had finally encountered a strange person like Feng Xixue again—with strict rules, many demands, and a bunch of bottom lines that kept him stuck.
Forget it, maybe these are his rules and regulations. It wouldn't be right to make things difficult for him, so I won't ask. Just as Mu Meng was thinking this, he suddenly heard the person opposite him softly suggest, "If you find it inconvenient, please feel free to call me by any name you like."
Mu Meng blinked and ran her hand through her hair. "Is this okay? You don't mind?"
She had always been calm and rational, but this sudden action made her appear somewhat embarrassed yet playfully cute. The man smiled slightly: "How could that be? It is my honor to have been given a name by you."
That's fine then. Since he said so, I don't need to be coy. It'll be easier to call him by a name.
This was the first time in her life she had ever named someone, and the recipient was a man older than her—a truly remarkable experience. Although he didn't mind, she couldn't be too casual about the name.
Thinking this, Mu Meng carefully looked the man up and down—only when she looked at him so closely did she realize that the man's bone structure and figure were somewhat familiar.
He was very tall and had an upright posture. The body covered by his clothes exuded a hidden strength. If one ignored the missing part of his left leg, this person should be as handsome as an orchid or a pine tree or bamboo. Given such demeanor, she should not have failed to recognize him if she had seen him before.
It seemed that Mu Meng had been silently observing for a long time, and the man's body stiffened for a moment, as if he was a little nervous.
Oh, I've been rude again. Realizing this, Mu Meng stopped worrying about whether they were familiar or not. Her gaze swept over his silver mask and blue robes, and suddenly an idea flashed through her mind. She smiled and said, "How about I call you Zheqing?"
"Of course, thank you." His eyes and brows softened, and he calmly accepted the name Zhe Qing.
Now that they had exchanged names, Mu Meng turned around and called to Shang Lu Zhaoxin, then glanced at Zhe Qing with a smile, "Let's go then, let's go and meet that Gu Master."
Having someone to point the way saved a lot of trouble. The road was winding and circuitous, and if I had to walk it myself, it would have taken me half a day.
As they walked, Lu Zhaoxin had a general idea of what was going on. He was a natural at making friends and chatted with people in a very casual manner. He pronounced the man's newly acquired name very smoothly. "Zheqing, you really deserve to be called intelligent, brave and resourceful. No wonder you didn't go to the dense forest to meet up with us. Actually, you know your own abilities and meeting up with us would be a waste of time."
Zhe Qing glanced at him.
This silent glance, however, made Lu Zhaoxin pause slightly.
The other person merely glanced at him casually and said nothing, yet that single look carried immense pressure and a silent, imposing aura. Even someone like him, who had long held a position of power, couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.
Before Lu Zhaoxin could say anything, Zhe Qing looked at Mu Meng again.
After hesitating for a moment, he actually began to explain, "It's not that I'm arrogant, actually I..."
He shouldn't have met her.
He is not qualified.
He deserves to come quietly, leave quietly, do things quietly, and die quietly.
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick, causing them to meet again—if one day in the future she were to remove his mask, tear away his disguise, and see clearly who he truly was beneath all the layers of concealment…
Zhe Qing couldn't help but shiver.
"What's wrong with you? Why aren't you saying anything?" Mu Meng was still waiting, but after a long time, there was still no response.
"...I am unlucky and will bring misfortune to others, so I always travel alone." Finally, Zhe Qing explained in a low voice.
Lu Zhaoxin's mouth dropped open slightly. He had never seen such a person in his life. In the Six Realms, "ominous" was considered a very vicious curse. Normally, if someone were to be cursed with this word, it would be considered good manners not to get angry. Yet this person could say it so calmly, leaving him speechless for a moment.
Mu Meng was naturally surprised and glanced at him a few more times. "Zhe Qing, may I ask which sect you studied under?" She was really curious about which sect it was and what kind of strict rules could cultivate such a person.
Zhe Qing looked somewhat apologetic and gently shook his head. He parted his lips slightly, as if he was about to apologize at any moment. Mu Meng quickly reached out his hand: "Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore. Please don't apologize, don't be sad, and don't overthink it. I was just asking casually; I didn't necessarily need to know the answer."
She rattled off a whole bunch of things at once. Zhe Qing listened with a smile in her eyes, then thought for a moment and asked in a low voice, "Have I caused you any trouble?"
"No, you've helped me a lot."
He then smiled again.
Lu Zhaoxin couldn't help but interject, "Actually, I think..."
The next moment, he abruptly stopped talking, and he, Mu Meng, and Zhe Qing stopped in their tracks—a faint, disordered sound of footsteps was gradually approaching from the dark and gloomy passage ahead.
Lu Zhaoxin snapped his fingers with practiced ease, instantly igniting a ball of ghost fire. At the same time, the Gu Venerable rushed to a spot not far in front of them.
Upon seeing the three people standing there, he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
Those long, narrow eyes stared at them coldly, their pupils forming vertical lines that gleamed with gold in the dim passage, making them look rather eerie.
He was emanating an aura of bloodlust; one could almost smell the extent of his atrocities without even needing to examine him. The stench of human blood on him was something that could hardly be washed away.
Zhe Qing glanced at Mu Meng subtly, and seeing that her expression remained calm, she softened her expression and turned back.
Mu Meng lifted his eyelids and casually sized up the legendary Gu Master—it was said that he was ugly and half-human and half-demon, which was true. Just by looking at his face covered with snake scales and his broad cheeks, and his high hairline revealing a bright forehead, one could tell that his appearance was indeed not flattering.
Is this the spiritual power...? Mu Meng secretly weighed it; it seemed to be somewhat higher than the rumors suggested.
"Who do we have here? It's the little princess of the Celestial Clan. Dai Guangbai has failed to greet you properly, please forgive me." He spoke sarcastically, clearly not taking Mu Meng seriously at all.
After a moment's thought, Mu Meng understood—it seemed that when Zhe Qing had just wiped out the snake gu in the Dark Cave, he had acted stealthily and killed a group of henchmen, leaving only the Gu Venerable to flee in panic. Therefore, he hadn't seen the Gu Venerable's appearance, which was why the Gu Venerable was still so arrogant and unaware that the person who had made him look so disheveled was already standing in front of him.
She had just changed her mind when she caught a glimpse of Zhe Qing taking a step forward without saying a word, and she immediately raised her hand to stop him.
He whispered, "Let me do it."
Zhe Qing cooperated perfectly, giving her a deep look before retreating without saying a word.
Dai Guangbai's gaze passed over Mu Meng and landed on Lu Zhaoxin. He quickly swept his gaze over Lu Zhaoxin indifferently, and finally glanced at the inconspicuous man in blue with disdain and contempt.
His gaze lingered on the scars on Zhai Qing's face for a moment, then he gave a cold, malicious snort: "Where did the Heavenly Princess find such an ugly monster as her attendant? She's so repulsive, isn't she afraid of lowering her own status?"
Mu Meng's hands, which were hanging in his sleeves, clenched tighter and tighter.
Her brows furrowed slightly, and her lips moved almost imperceptibly, but Zhe Qing seemed oblivious, remaining remarkably composed. She suppressed her inner turmoil for the time being, silently bearing this grudge.
Mu Meng held his breath and calmly took a few steps towards Dai Guangbai. "Dai Guangbai, I'm too lazy to waste time here with you. The reason I didn't kill you the moment we met is because you still have some value, and you have some skills. Our Celestial Clan has never been as domineering as your Serpent Gu; we've always been very approachable. So, I'll give you two choices—"
"Either you answer my question directly, or I'll beat you until you have no choice but to answer. The choice is yours."
Dai Guangbai was slightly taken aback, then threw his head back and laughed loudly: "Little princess, I really didn't expect that your Heavenly Clan would still have such an arrogant nature? I thought that after Mu Qingheng, I would never see such a person again."
“But,” Dai Guangbai curled one corner of his lips and shook a finger, “you really, really are nothing. In the thousands of years of your Celestial Clan, you’ve only produced one Mu Qingheng. In this Northern Frontier, he’s the only one who inspires a degree of fear in people. But thankfully, he’s already dead. You killed him.”
With the last three words, she smiled sinisterly and pointed at Mu Meng in the air.
Zhe Qing stood behind, his cold eyes slightly narrowed, and a few veins bulging on the back of his hand. Seeing that Mu Mumeng was calm and composed and did not react, he thought for a moment, but ultimately did not make a move. He just stared intently at the petite figure in front of him.
Mu Meng didn't speak immediately. He stood with his hands in his pockets, calm and collected, watching Dai Guangbai walk towards him step by step, still muttering to himself: "You don't know yet, do you? There are so many fools here, causing endless commotion, and they've actually managed to uncover quite a bit of information. I just found out—it was you who reported Mu Qingheng for harming your sister; it was you who revealed that he has demon blood; and it was you who personally dissected him to prove that what you said was true."
He leaned close to Mu Meng and asked in a low voice with a laugh, "Are you sure you're not mistaken? That's your brother who grew up with you since childhood. Don't you ever dream about him in the middle of the night, complaining about his grievances and haunting you?"
Mu Meng chuckled coldly and beckoned to him with a slender white index finger.
Dai Guangbai, not understanding what was going on, actually moved forward a little more, still in a daze.
Mu Meng lowered his voice and whispered in his ear, "None of your business."
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