Chapter 190 - 114: Call Me Dad
Jiang Mu’s sudden roar stunned everyone present.
No one had expected Jiang Mu to lash out so abruptly.
The lazy, mocking smile on Yang Tianci’s face froze. Then, his handsome, somewhat effeminate features darkened. A muscle in the corner of his eye twitched, exuding a chilling aura.
"What... did... you... say?"
He leaned forward slightly in his saddle, forcing the chilling words out through his teeth.
CLANG—
A dozen or so of his personal guards stepped forward, their hands on the hilts of their blades, and glared menacingly at Jiang Mu.
Tang Guixin’s heart leaped. ’This is bad,’ she thought.
She quickly stepped in front of Jiang Mu, suppressing her unease, and addressed Yang Tianci in a cold voice.
"Master Yang, Lord Jiang is our colleague, here from Hu State to provide support. The demon infestation on White Deer Peak is far from over, and we’re surrounded by danger. If we start fighting among ourselves now, won’t we become a laughingstock when word gets out?
Besides, the Water Director is waiting for our report. Don’t let a fit of pique get in the way of official business!"
At the mention of the Water Director, the coldness in Yang Tianci’s eyes faded slightly.
He straightened up, lightly tapping a folding fan against his palm. A corner of his mouth twitched into a faint, mocking smile.
"Fine. For the Water Director’s sake, I’ll pretend that kid had a moment of madness and was just spouting nonsense."
His gaze passed over Tang Guixin to give Jiang Mu a contemptuous glance. Then he announced arrogantly,
"However, Master Tang, I’m taking the credit for this demon nest. I’m not discussing it with you; I’m informing you.
And don’t ever feed me that bullshit about someone else killing the demons again. In the past, out of respect for the Water Director, I couldn’t be bothered to argue and just let you play me for a fool.
But my patience has its limits. Do you really think I, Yang Tianci, am some idiot you can trick time and time again?
Do you understand?"
With that, he ignored the ugly look on Tang Guixin’s face, sneered, and began to turn his horse to leave.
But the very instant he pulled on the reins...
The air beside him suddenly distorted!
Jiang Mu’s figure appeared out of thin air beside the saddle, phantom-like, moving faster than anyone could react.
Before Yang Tianci could even process what was happening, a blinding flash of a blade streaked toward him!
All Yang Tianci saw was a cold glint in his peripheral vision.
He had no time for shock. The incomparably sharp blade, imbued with the force of a thunderclap, was already slashing viciously at his chest!
BANG—!!
At the critical moment, a dazzling golden halo erupted from Yang Tianci’s body, forming a protective barrier.
It was the Protective Talisman he carried, automatically activating to defend its master.
But the force behind Jiang Mu’s strike was simply too terrifying. While the barrier blocked the blade, the massive impact still transferred through.
Yang Tianci was sent flying straight off his horse.
He carved a pathetic arc through the air before smashing into the hard rock of the mountainside with a BOOM.
CRUMBLE!
The cliff face trembled, and loose rock rained down.
Yang Tianci was embedded deep within the rock wall, forming a human-shaped, spread-eagled crater as dust filled the air.
The entire area fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, their jaws practically on the floor.
They were all completely stupefied.
Jiang Mu, however, acted as if nothing had happened. He reached out to gently soothe the startled black horse, which was about to rear, and said calmly,
"So young, and already deaf. I told you to get down, but you wouldn’t listen. You just had to force my hand. Was it really necessary?"
"Master Yang!!"
Only then did Yang Tianci’s men snap out of their daze. They scrambled over and clumsily "pried" their master from the rock face.
The rest of them roared, drawing their blades and surrounding Jiang Mu.
The air crackled with killing intent, ready to explode at any moment.
Tang Guixin and her people were completely stunned.
The situation had escalated so rapidly, completely beyond their expectations.
’This Jiang guy... he’s absolutely savage!’
At that moment, any lingering doubt they had about "Jiang Mu single-handedly slaughtering the demon nest" vanished completely.
The sheer madness and domineering aura emanating from him were far more terrifying than that of Yan Fenghuo, the "Desperate Yama."
"Cough, cough, cough..."
After being helped out, Yang Tianci coughed violently.
To be honest, his head was still ringing, his thoughts a chaotic mess.
He never imagined Jiang Mu would dare to attack him in broad daylight, in front of everyone.
He was even more shocked that a mere early-stage Fourth Realm Cultivator could possess such terrifying explosive power, enough to send him flying.
If his high-grade Protective Talisman hadn’t automatically activated to nullify the damage, that single strike could have cost him half his life.
"Get off me!"
Yang Tianci shoved his men aside and slapped the heel of his palm against his groggy head a couple of times.
Once his vision cleared a little, he lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared viciously at Jiang Mu, grinding out through clenched teeth,
"Did a fucking donkey kick you in the head?
How dare you lay a hand on me!?"
Jiang Mu ignored the blades pointed at him, met Yang Tianci’s gaze, and asked calmly, "This horse belongs to one of my men. Where did you get it?"
"The horse?"
Yang Tianci froze, his expression turning strange.
’After all that, the guy went berserk and sent me flying... all over a stupid horse?!’
How the hell was he supposed to know where the horse came from?
He had found the path up the mountain difficult, so he’d casually ordered a subordinate to find him a mount. Who knew where the man had swiped it from.
But none of that mattered now.
In his entire life, when had he, Yang Tianci, ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace?
When had he ever been put in such a sorry state?!
"All of you, get out of my way!"
Yang Tianci roared at the men surrounding Jiang Mu.
He bent over to retrieve his fallen fan, dusted it off, and then pointed it at Jiang Mu from a distance, a laugh escaping him that was born of pure rage.