Chapter 28: Welcome Back, Chieftain

With great care, Wu Yuan tucked the golden token and the small vial away, then returned the books to their shelves. The practice room returned to its usual state.

Li City will probably be turbulent in the coming days. Though the likelihood that someone suspects me is slim, caution is imperative.

Wu Yuan began meditating. For martial artists, rest did not necessarily mean deep sleep. The constant traveling and the huge battle on Ninecloud Mountain had depleted Wu Yuan's energy greatly. Now, he finally allowed his tired muscles and bones to recuperate.

Some elderly martial artists risked excessive vitality depletion when employing Power Surge a dozen times, which could potentially result in their demise. Even if they lived, they would suffer grave injuries.

But Wu Yuan didn't have such worries, his greatest advantage against many senior martial artists was his youth, a gift bestowed upon him by the laws of nature. With his exceptional control over his body, a few days of rest was enough for him to get back to his peak state.

My body doesn't feel worn out, but why was I so bloodthirsty during last night's battle?

During the bloody conflict, he had no time to think. But after calming down, Wu Yuan felt increasingly disturbed the more he recalled the events. He appeared to have been conscious, but after killing the initial two guards, a bloodthirsty impulse seemed to have invaded his brain, and he had nearly succumbed to it.

It wasn't an illusion.

As a martial arts Grandmaster, Wu Yuan was confident in his judgment.

For each member of the Vicious Tiger Gang I killed, it felt as if a warm current was flowing through my body, constantly dispelling my fatigue.

It was a strange, inexplicable state.

Could it be that something abnormal is happening to my body?

Wu Yuan began using Internal Vision to meticulously inspect his own musculoskeletal system, internal organs, and limbs. However, he found nothing.

After the fight ended, this strange state that had overtaken him quickly dissipated. Everything seemed to be a figment of Wu Yuan's imagination.

If I enter such a strange state again, I must be vigilant, and try to figure out the reason.

Wu Yuan was uncomfortable with the sudden appearance of this uncontrollable state. But seeing as he was unable to understand the cause, Wu Yuan was forced to set it aside for now.

Wu Yuan closed his eyes, controlling his muscles, bones, skin, and fascia. Adjusting his breathing, he cleared the distractions from his mind and meditated on his fight with the mysterious expert, filling in the gaps in his movements, and summarizing his errors.

A fight for survival was a form of tempering, but it didn't mean the more the better. Reflection and summary were just as important. The lessons drawn from a thoroughly analyzed battle surpassed the gains from ten inefficient life-and-death struggles. In his previous life, Wu Yuan excelled at summarizing his battles, which facilitated his rapid growth.

...

A night passed, and a tinge of light filled the sky.

"The chieftain is back?" Wu Yuan saw Wu Dongyao, who had hastily come to the martial academy to find him.

"Yes! A mysterious expert destroyed the Vicious Tiger Gang. Raging Tiger Yang Long was directly killed, and the entire Vicious Tiger Gang has dispersed." Wu Dongyao, a scholar who usually cared about his demeanor, was now very animated. It was clear how excited he was.

"The Vicious Tiger Gang has dispersed?" Wu Yuan also grew excited, "I was so worried yesterday. The headmaster only promised he would make a suggestion to the county mayor, and I was still concerned about the chieftain's safety."

"Haha, Wu Yuan, your concern is noted, but there is no need to worry now. This news only spread last night, it's not surprising that you didn't know." Wu Dongyao laughed, "After the Vicious Tiger Gang was eliminated, the chieftain and the other captives managed to escape. The chieftain has just returned to the ancestral mansion. As soon as I got the news, I came to find you."

"That's great, let us go to see the chieftain now." Wu Yuan replied joyfully. But inwardly, Wu Yuan sighed. In just one day and one night, the heavily injured chieftain had rushed back to Li City. He was probably worried about the Wu Clan!

"No rush. Our chieftain has been severely injured. Let's gather some provisions before we make our way to the ancestral mansion to see him."

Wu Dongyao laughed lightly, "After all, men from both the mayor's faction and the general's faction are there to see the chieftain. We'll struggle to get an audience with him if we go there now."

"Oh? The mayor’s faction? The general’s faction?" Wu Yuan feigned surprise. However, his mind remained calm.

"This is a matter of great importance. The mysterious expert who single-handedly crushed the Vicious Tiger Gang is certainly a first-rate Adept!" Wu Dongyao remarked with a sigh, "Such a formidable figure could cause the whole of Li City to quake with a single stomp, it's natural that the mayor and the rest would take him seriously."

"Anyone who manages to escape from the stronghold of the Vicious Tiger Gang will be investigated thoroughly..." Wu Dongyao explained to Wu Yuan.

"Uncle Dongyao, let's head out first and talk along the way," Wu Yuan suggested with a smile.

"Of course," Wu Dongyao nodded. Having witnessed Wu Yuan's capabilities, he no longer treated him as an ignorant child, but rather as someone to be respected. Otherwise, those at Wu Clan's ancestral mansion would not have dispatched him to notify Wu Yuan at the first possible moment.

...

By the time Wu Yuan and Wu Dongyao had gathered their provisions and returned to the Wu Clan's ancestral mansion, a large gathering of Wu Clan members had already assembled. Compared to the desolate and low spirits of just a few days ago, the Wu Clan members were now joyous and excited.

"I heard that those scoundrels from the Vicious Tiger Gang have been wiped out!"

"They're not all dead, there's too many of them. But the gang leader, Yang Long, is dead."

"He had it coming!" One clansman gritted his teeth.

"Wu Yuan and Uncle Dongyao are here," someone announced, peering through the main gate and spotting the carriage. His voice drew the gazes of many clansmen.

"I hear Wu Yuan has nearly reached the martial virtuoso level. Quite impressive indeed."

"Our Wu Clan might have to rely on him in the future."

"The chieftain possesses a good eye indeed." Many of the Wu Clansmen whispered amongst themselves.

A few days earlier in the meeting hall, the higher-ups of the Wu Clan quietly leaked Wu Yuan's strength. As a result, most of the clan members now knew of Wu Yuan's near-martial virtuoso abilities. Naturally, this news was cause for celebration.

Wu Yuan followed Wu Dongyao, his gaze sweeping over the many members of the Wu Clan. As they looked at him with pride and hope, he felt a warmth in his heart. They were his anchor in this world.

Clang~ Clang~

Deep within the courtyard, a door to a chamber swung open, and a group of armed individuals strode out. Wu Long and Wu Liuye, among other higher-ups of the Wu Clan, followed cautiously.

"Alright, we shall take our leave first. If the chieftain has any ideas, be sure to inform us at the mayor's manor immediately," the leading man, clad in red armor and carrying a saber, said softly.

"Yes, naturally," Wu Liuye replied, "Rest assured, Senior Meng."

The red-armored man nodded slightly, leading his men towards the mansion's exit. His uninterested gaze swept over the crowd of Wu Clansmen. Suddenly, his stride faltered for a moment.

"You must be Wu Yuan," he addressed Wu Yuan.

"Senior," Wu Yuan greeted respectfully. His hearing was excellent. Upon hearing how Wu Liuye addressed him and observing the man's physique, he roughly guessed the man's identity.

Meng Qiang, the second strongest martial artist in Li City! He was also the leader of Jiang Dongque's personal guard. Such a figure came to visit the Wu Clan?

"These past few months, your progress has been astonishing, I heard you've nearly reached martial virtuoso level," Meng Qiang admired, "I’m guessing, you must have lost at the martial academy major tournament on purpose, right?"

"Senior, I do not understand what you're saying," Wu Yuan replied, his head lowered.

"Haha, no need to worry," Meng Qiang chuckled, "I've already clarified some matters with the chieftain. You just need to remember that Li City belongs to the Cloudstride Sect, and no one can monopolize it. Should you suffer any injustice, the county mayor himself will redress your grievances."

"I have matters to attend to and must take my leave," stated Meng Qiang. With steps as powerful as a tiger's and graceful as a dragon's, he led his team away from the Wu Clan's ancestral mansion.

Wu Clan watched Meng Qiang's departing figure with an unchanged expression, but his mind churned.

"Wu Yuan!" The white-bearded Wu Liuye grabbed Wu Yuan, "The chieftain has ordered you to see him as soon as you arrive."

"Yes, lead the way, Grandpa Liu," Wu Yuan promptly replied.

"The rest of you, stay here," Wu Liuye instructed, causing Wu Long, Wu Dongyao, and the others to halt in their tracks while he and Wu Yuan quickly entered the building and passed through a corridor.

At last, Wu Yuan arrived at a fairly well-decorated room of modest size. Wu Qiming was lying in bed, enveloped in swathes of white cloth. To his side was a maidservant holding medicine.

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Chieftain, what happened?" Wu Yuan's eyes welled up slightly as he lunged forward towards the chieftain.

"Haha, rest assured, I'm not going to die," Chieftain Wu Qiming looked at Wu Yuan with a reassuring gaze. He had no sons of his own and his two daughters were married off. Over the last few years, he had come to view Wu Yuan as his own child.

"Liuye, I have something to discuss in private with Wu Yuan," Chieftain Wu Qiming said softly.

"Very well," Wu Liuye nodded. Without questioning, he led the maidservant out of the room and gently closed the door behind them.

Within the room, only Wu Yuan and Wu Qiming remained.

"Chieftain, why have you sent for me?" Wu Yuan asked.

"The general's faction is the one behind the Vicious Tiger Gang," Wu Qiming stated slowly, "They have not let the incident with Xu Yuanhan rest. The Vicious Tiger Gang's oppression of the Wu Clan was orchestrated by them."