Chapter 21: Second Miss Mu

Soon, the two of them ascended once more to the summit of Celestial Mechanism Peak in the hanging basket. The shamans and sorcerers were still there, singing their eerie chants and dancing their peculiar dances, while the faces of the Mu family’s disciples remained as grave as before.

The young woman in yellow led the way, but this time she did not take them to the grand reception hall. Passing through several gardens, the thick mist gradually dispersed. After crossing a small bamboo grove, the world before their eyes opened up.

There were no towering, imposing halls or rows of houses in sight—only a world of blossoms and greenery. Red flowers and lush grass, a small bridge over flowing water, birds singing amidst fragrant air. Several young women dressed as maids were watering the flowers in the garden, and everything exuded a peaceful, harmonious atmosphere.

In this paradise removed from the world, not far ahead, a most exquisite bamboo cottage appeared before Chu Feng’s eyes. From within the cottage came the faint sound of a zither, notes ringing out like water striking stone, clear and melodious.

“So this is where Mu Qiaoxue lives? If so, she hardly seems like someone of formidable presence!” Chu Feng mused. One’s surroundings shape the spirit, and dwelling in such a place, a person’s temperament should be as tranquil and gentle as the music and the flowing water.

“Master Linshan, please come this way,” the woman in yellow said, guiding Chu Feng along a winding path paved with smooth pebbles, which led to the elegant green bamboo dwelling.

As they walked, Chu Feng felt as though he were traversing a small fairyland. The scent of flowers filled his lungs, clearing his mind and invigorating his spirit, as if he had tasted celestial nectar—utterly delightful.

Upon reaching the entrance of the bamboo house, Chu Feng saw that in the small reception hall within, three men and one woman stood waiting.

The three men were none other than the brothers Mu Kaishan and Mu Kaihe, whom he had met before, along with Ding Wanchong, the Mu family’s fifty-first chief disciple and Mi Xin Jian’s master.

The woman, however, was a matron of about fifty. Though her clothes were rather fine, even from a distance Chu Feng could see the sorrow etched into her face. Her features bore a resemblance to the two Mu brothers—she must be their mother.

Chu Feng glanced around but did not see the main figure, Mu Qiaoxue, anywhere.

As soon as Chu Feng and the woman in yellow approached, the Mu brothers stepped out from the cottage to greet them.

“Master Linshan, I must apologize for any offense in the reception hall earlier,” Mu Kaishan said, cupping his fists. “I have but one question. If you lend your aid, what are your chances of success?”

“If my luck holds and nothing goes awry while I perform the secret technique, I am fully confident of success. But should my luck falter, and an accident occur during the process—then I cannot say,” Chu Feng replied.

At this, Mu Kaishan fell into deep melancholy. Chu Feng’s answer was hardly reassuring.

Just then, Ding Wanchong came forward, supporting the middle-aged matron.

“Master Linshan,” she said, standing before Chu Feng, “I am the matron of the Mu family, and I too have a question for you. If we entrust one of the six Golden Meridian Needles to you, how long will the secret technique take? Will it be the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, or will it require one or two hours?”

“Does the timing make a difference?” Chu Feng asked.

“Of course it does! You may not know, but there are six Golden Meridian Needles in total. If one is removed, the other five remain embedded in Second Miss Mu’s meridians. To give one to you for your technique, we must extract it from her meridian. With one less needle to ease her pain, her suffering will inevitably increase. Therefore, the less time you need, the better.”

The matron explained patiently.

“I see,” Chu Feng nodded. He had thought the remaining needles were simply kept in some box, only used when needed, never imagining they had been lodged in Mu Qiaoxue’s meridians all this time.

Thus, the time he borrowed the golden needle for his technique was directly linked to Mu Qiaoxue’s pain.

“The process need not be overly long—one… one hour,” Chu Feng said. He had meant to say the time of burning an incense stick, but on second thought, it was safer to overestimate, so he changed his answer to an hour.

“An hour—that long?” Ding Wanchong’s voice was full of skepticism as he stared at Chu Feng, as if trying to see through any deception.

“If it’s shorter, I cannot promise success. Perhaps the time to drink a cup of tea will suffice, but that is only a possibility. If I cannot forge the golden needle within an hour, then I must admit my own incompetence,” Chu Feng replied calmly.

“You—” Ding Wanchong started to rebuke Chu Feng, but held his tongue.

“Master Linshan, if you succeed within an hour, you will have relieved the greatest crisis of our Mu family. We will not let such a favor go unrewarded. If there is anything you desire, say it now,” Mu Kaishan said.

“Very well. If I am fortunate enough to succeed, I have only two requests, which I hope the Mu family will grant,” Chu Feng replied. “First, I ask for a few of your external martial arts manuals. Second, I request access to your training chamber, so I may practice my skills there.”

“Only these two requests?” Mu Kaishan asked.

“Indeed. And, of course, if I could win the friendship of the Celestial Mechanism Mu family, it would be an honor I would greatly cherish,” Chu Feng nodded.

Mu Kaishan looked at him in surprise. He had expected that, since Chu Feng had come to offer his services, he would at least have demands to make—if not exorbitant, then certainly more than these two simple requests.

A few martial arts manuals were nothing to a great family such as theirs. And though the training chamber was usually reserved for elite family disciples, if Chu Feng truly succeeded, letting him practice there would hardly be a matter of contention.

“Mother, what do you think?” Mu Kaishan asked, turning to the matron.

“In my opinion… in my opinion…” The matron hesitated. If she chose not to trust this young man and missed the chance to meet a true master, she would regret it for life; but if she placed her faith in him and he proved to be a charlatan, it would only bring further suffering to her daughter.

“I think we should ask Miss Mu herself and heed her decision,” the matron finally said.

“There is no need to ask further. Please, Master Linshan, come inside and be seated,”

At that moment, a gentle female voice floated out from within the bamboo cottage, as soft as water and supremely pleasant to the ear.

Just from hearing these words, Chu Feng imagined that the speaker must be a woman of transcendent grace, unlike any ordinary mortal.

Following the sound, he saw that from the inner room of the elegant bamboo dwelling, a young woman parted the curtain and stepped out, her arms as delicate as lotus stems.

She appeared to be about sixteen, with radiant eyes and pearly teeth, skin as fair as jade. Her light robe was pure white as snow. At first glance, Chu Feng nearly believed she was a fairy stepped forth from ice and snow.

Even separated by more than six paces, as their eyes met, she offered Chu Feng a gentle smile—a smile so luminous that his fists clenched, his palms dampened with sweat, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest.