Early in the morning, Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu were the first to wake up. They walked out of their room and into the quiet tavern dining area, a stark contrast to the previous night's chaos.
They saw two men sitting at a table in the center of the room. From a distance, they noted the striking resemblance between the handsome young man and the ancient-looking old man with a long white hair. They looked like a grandfather and grandson enjoying a peaceful moment together. Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu settled at a table near the kitchen, keeping a respectful distance.
A while later, Yong Taihua, Yong Caixia, and the other five disciples of Sword Village entered the dining hall. Without hesitation, they walked straight to the table where the two men were sitting and greeted them with great respect.
"Lok ge ge," Bazar Batu said, his eyes glued to the new arrivals. "That must be the chief of Sword Village." He paused; his gaze fixed on the young man. "Wow, that man is handsome."
Kuo Lok followed his gaze and gave a simple, non-committal hum. "Oh."
"Oh? That's it?" Bazar Batu asked, his voice laced with annoyance.
"Does Batu like him?" Kuo Lok replied, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
Bazar Batu's mouth curved into a sneer. "What if I do? What are you going to do about it?"
Kuo Lok's expression remained calm and steady. "Nothing."
Bazar Batu chuckled softly. Just then, Fu Yuanjun and the ten elders of Tianshan walked into the dining area, going straight to the table of the two men.
Bazar Batu started to stand, but Kuo Lok grabbed his hand.
"Lok ge ge, I just want to know who they are," Bazar Batu said, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Why do all these people go to greet them?" He smiled innocently. "Don't worry, I won't cause trouble." Taking a couple of steps forward, he grabbed Kuo Lok's hand. "On second thought, we should go together."
The two men walked to the group. As Bazar Batu got closer, he took a peek and realized the white-haired man was not old at all. An excited grin spread across his face, and he rudely pushed Yong Taihua to the side to get closer. With a happy smile, he placed his hand on the man's left shoulder.
"Da ge, it's you!" Bazar Batu exclaimed excitedly.
Ma Jingguo put down his teacup and smiled warmly at the young Mongol teen. "Are you still running away from home?" he asked.
Bazar Batu nodded. "Yes," he replied.
"How many times has it been now?"
"This is the tenth." Bazar Batu leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Is he the wife you were talking about?" he asked, glancing at the handsome man across from Ma Jingguo.
Ma Jingguo choked back a laugh, quickly shushing him. He then gave a reassuring glance to Mu Dishi, who was sitting with a cold expression. "Xiao shushu, don't be upset," Ma Jingguo said softly. "I'll tell you about it later."
Suddenly, Yong Taihua yanked Bazar Batu away. "Don't stay too close to him!" he commanded, his voice filled with anger.
"Why not?" Bazar Batu demanded.
"Because it's inappropriate," Yong Taihua replied stiffly. The two men's voices grew louder, and they began to argue.
Just then, the main doors of the tavern opened, and Cao Wenyan and Cao Yanmei walked in. Cao Wenyan's eyes immediately found Mu Dishi, and his smile widened as he strode across the room to stand directly in front of him.
"Mu gongzi, I never thought I would meet you here," Cao Wenyan said, his voice laced with a subtle, unnerving charm. "Don't be so cold. I'm sure you would be even more handsome if you smiled. We've met before, but you never even looked at me once. Looking at me won't kill you."
"If my xiao shushu were to look at you, he would kill you," Ma Jingguo replied, his smile unwavering but his voice laced with a cold threat. He glanced warmly at Mu Dishi. "My xiao shushu's smile is priceless. He would only smile for that special person. Isn't that right, xiao shushu?"
A flash of anger crossed Cao Wenyan's face. "Who are you?" he demanded.
In a quiet moment that seemed to pause the tension, Mu Dishi looked at Ma Jingguo, a rare, genuine warmth in his eyes.
Just then, three people entered the tavern. At the front was a man with a stern expression, Hua Jian, followed closely by two women, Mo Ehuang and Suo Dongmei. The moment Mo Ehuang saw Mu Dishi; her face turned to stone. Her eyes, filled with a cold, simmering rage, were glued to him.
"I didn't know so many clans and sects would be visiting Sword Village," Yong Taihua said, looking at the newcomer. "Hua gongzi."
Hua Jian smiled coolly. "Yong gongzi. If the hero conference meeting is about the Mu treasure map, you can expect far more than just the seven sects and four clans to be there."
Fu Yuanjun scoffed. "Look who's talking. That map belongs to the Mu family. You have no shame to even mention it."
"Chief Fu," Hua Jian retorted, his voice sharp. "Last I heard, you sent one of your disciples to steal a map from my da shixiong. So, who is the shameless one?"
"I only tried to get it for Mu da ge," Fu Yuanjun said, as if that explained everything.
Mu Dishi stood up, his voice cold and commanding. "I don't want that map. Everyone should stop seeking it. Those who touched that map eventually died. You should all reconsider." He looked at Ma Jingguo. "Jingguo, let's go."
As Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo began to walk away, a thunderous voice from across the room stopped them. "Wait!" Kuo Lok shouted.
The two men turned back.
"Are you Ma Jingguo?" Kuo Lok demanded, his voice filled with a sudden, palpable anger.
Bazar Batu looked at him, confused. "Lok ge ge, what is it?"
"Ma Jingguo," Kuo Lok snarled, "are you a defected disciple of Jinfeng Sect?"
Ma Jingguo scoffed. "Defected..." He sighed heavily, the sound full of weariness. "You can say so." His gaze met Mu Dishi's. "Xiao shushu, let's go."
Kuo Lok's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. Bazar Batu reached out and gently gripped his left wrist. "Lok ge ge, calm down," he pleaded.
But Kuo Lok didn't listen. With a shove, he pushed Bazar Batu away and lunged forward, a palm strike filled with pure anger and hatred aimed directly at Ma Jingguo.
In a fluid motion, Mu Dishi pushed Ma Jingguo behind him and effortlessly countered Kuo Lok's strike. The force of his blow sent Kuo Lok flying backward through the air. He slid on his knees across the tavern floor, crashing to a halt at the edge of the kitchen.
Cao Wenyan, who had never witnessed Mu Dishi fight, was astonished by the sheer power of his inner strength. In that moment, he finally understood his father's words: he could have any man or woman, but not Mu Dishi. He also understood why his father feared Mu Dishi would prevent them from conquering the six sects.
With a coordinated flash of steel, Yong Taihua, Yong Caixia, and the other five disciples from Sword Village unsheathed their blades. They formed a silent line in front of Mu Dishi; their swords pointed menacingly at the defeated Kuo Lok.
Blood trickled from the corner of Kuo Lok's mouth. Bazar Batu rushed to his side and helped him up. Kuo Lok wiped the blood away with his hand, his eyes never leaving Ma Jingguo's face.
Bazar Batu, who had never seen Kuo Lok this angry, was stunned. "Lok ge ge," he asked, his voice filled with concern, "what are you doing?"
Kuo Lok turned, his face a cold mask of fury. "This isn't your problem," he said, his voice hard. "Stay away."
Ma Jingguo looked at him calmly. "Friend, why do you want to hurt me?"
Kuo Lok's body trembled with rage. "Ma Jingguo, if it weren't for you, my sister would not be a nun."
Ma Jingguo's expression softened in a flash of recognition. "You must be Ah Lok."
"Yes," Kuo Lok answered, his voice still shaking with anger.
"Have you met your sister?" Ma Jingguo asked, his voice now laced with a quiet sadness.
Kuo Lok's body went limp, his anger deflating into quiet sorrow. "Not yet," he admitted.
Ma Jingguo's expression was grave. "Go see her first. If she wants revenge, you and she can come at me." He stared at Kuo Lok, his eyes hard. "But if you dare to make a single hair on my xiao shushu's head fall, I will not go easy on you."
"And if you dare to hurt my shizun, you will have the Sword Village as your enemy!" Yong Caixia declared, her voice cold with resolve.
"Dishi," Elder Tong said with a heavy sigh, "I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding."
"Yes, it is!" Bazar Batu rushed over, looking at Kuo Lok with a mix of fear and pleading. "Lok ge ge, please, let's go see your sister first."
Mu Dishi's gaze was cold as he looked at Kuo Lok. "If you want to hurt him, you'll have to get through me."
Ma Jingguo smiled at him, his eyes wide and bright. "Xiao shushu, you finally said it."
Mu Dishi's cold gaze shifted to Yong Taihua. "We are not going to Sword Village." He turned to Ma Jingguo. "Let's go."
Kuo Lok watched silently as Ma Jingguo walked away happily with Mu Dishi, disappearing through the front entrance.
"Lok ge ge," Bazar Batu said worriedly, "are you injured anywhere?"
Kuo Lok looked at him, his eyes filled with a new, dark light. "Batu, I can see you like Ma Jingguo very much. Why don't you follow him?"
"You're not so dull anymore, huh? Bastard!" Bazar Batu yelled, his face twisted in fury. He slammed a fist into Kuo Lok's chest before storming out the front entrance.
Kuo Lok watched silently as Bazar Batu disappeared. A feeling of self-doubt washed over him. He knew he wasn't as smart as Ma Jingguo, nor was he as talented in skill. He concluded that was why Bazar Batu liked Ma Jingguo more than him.
As everyone else began to leave, Kuo Lok was left completely alone in the wreckage of the tavern. After the last person had gone, he slowly walked to the front entrance. His eyes looked straight ahead. His sisters told him they would wait for him at Sword Village. Even though his relationship with them was strained, he was determined to go. As he stepped outside, he heard a familiar voice.
"Lok ge ge, you finally decided to come out."