The door shut with a quiet thud, and the chilly pressure lifted from their backs.
Outside, the curious crowd still lingered, murmuring among themselves and throwing glances at Nie Yong like he was some rare beast who had survived a storm.
Nie Yong awkwardly scratched the back of his head, his face still a bit flushed. "Junior brother Su…" he began, clearing his throat. "Sorry for embarrassing you so much back there. I'm, uh, not exactly myself when I drink…"
"Yeah, we saw…" Su Mu and his group deadpanned in perfect unison.
Nie Yong laughed weakly, rubbing his neck. "Right, right… Anyway, I was thinking of taking a look around. Maybe find something good in this place. Would you guys like to come along?"
Su Mu shook his head with a wry smile. "Sorry, senior brother… but I need to train now."
Nie Yong raised an eyebrow knowingly. "Is it because of senior sister Su's words? She's your sister, right?"
Su Mu stiffened slightly but nodded. "Yeah. It's because of my sister. I don't want to keep disappointing her."
Nie Yong's expression softened. He reached out and placed a firm hand on Su Mu's shoulder. "Then train well, junior brother. Push yourself, but don't lose your spirit. If you ever need help with your cultivation, just call me."
Su Mu blinked, surprised by the sincerity. The image of the drunken, raving senior from before clashed so badly with the calm, encouraging figure before him that he almost wondered if he'd hit his head too hard.
"Thanks, senior brother," Su Mu said, bowing slightly with a genuine smile.
Nie Yong grinned and turned to the rest of the group. "And you guys—better train too. If you don't want to keep getting thrashed by the Storm Manor disciples, that is."
"Yes, senior brother!" they chorused together, straightening up as if they were soldiers being inspected.
With a last nod, Su Mu and his group jogged off toward the training grounds, determination burning visibly in their eyes.
Nie Yong watched them go, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
The crowd around him began to disperse, their entertainment over, though many cast lingering, respectful—or at least amused—glances his way.
Left alone in the cooling afternoon air, Nie Yong stretched lazily, wincing a little at the bruises forming on his ribs.
...
Nie Yong strolled through the bustling Black Wind Marketplace, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his eyes scanning the many stalls and stands. Crowds bustled around him, hawkers shouted about their wares, and the smell of grilled meat and pungent herbs filled the air.
'The Yang Seeds should be somewhere here…' Nie Yong thought, his eyes narrowing as he walked. 'I remember that Yang Kai found them around this place in the manhua.'
He searched stall after stall, looking for any clue. His memory was sharp. Even among the thousands of chapters he had read back then, he still remembered the seller of the Yang Seeds—a man with a crooked smile and a thick mustache.
Finally, Nie Yong's eyes locked onto him. There he was, arranging jars and herbs on a rickety old table, the same as before. Most would have passed him by, but Nie Yong's memory refused to betray him.
He was about to step forward when a soft hand landed on his shoulder.
"Yong'er..." a sultry voice whispered at his ear, sending a familiar tingle down his spine.
Nie Yong's instincts kicked in immediately. Without hesitation, he turned and caught her slender waist in one swift motion, his eyes locking onto Hu Mei'er's startled but enchanted gaze.
'Let's see how effective this Seduction skill I copied from her is,' Nie Yong thought, inwardly grinning.
"Mei'er," he said, his voice low and filled with a warmth that made her heart skip a beat.
Hu Mei'er's face flushed. She knew he was handsome—more than any man she'd ever met—but right now, there was something different. Something so captivating she couldn't look away.
'This Seduction skill is ridiculous. She can't tear her eyes off me,' Nie Yong thought, amused.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, finally releasing her from his grasp.
Hu Mei'er swayed closer, her fingers tracing lazy patterns across his chest. "I was... just looking around. But I guess I found something better than treasures."
Nie Yong chuckled. "Oh, I could say the same."
...
The forest was calm and quiet, save for the occasional chirp of distant birds.
Nie Yong exhaled slowly as he pulled his High Heaven Pavilion outer robe back over his bare shoulders, the cloth rustling lightly against his skin.
"Mei'er..." he sighed, running a hand through his hair, still slightly tousled from their passionate encounter. "We did it again... openly in the forest."
"Yeah..." Hu Mei'er murmured, her voice dreamy as she pressed a soft kiss to his jawline. "But it's not our fault if we can't resist each other, right—"
Before she could finish, Nie Yong quickly clapped a hand gently over her mouth, his gaze sharpening.
"Shhh!" he whispered urgently.
Footsteps. Voices.
Hidden behind the thick trees and bushes, Nie Yong and Hu Mei'er fell silent, straining their ears.
"Hahahahaha! Brother Cheng! Your little brother—the one who swore he'd become Storm Manor's leader—was killed by a brat in the Tempered Body realm! Hahahahaha! I can't stop laughing!" a loud, mocking voice echoed through the forest.
"Nu Tao! My brother died! And you're here laughing?!" another voice roared, full of anger and grief.
"Sorry, sorry," Nu Tao said, though his voice still quivered with poorly suppressed laughter. "It's just—hah—it's too funny. Anyway... how do you even plan to find the brat who killed your brother? Do you even know his name?"
A deadly pause.
"Yes..." the grieving voice growled, filled with murderous hatred. "It's Nie Yong."
Behind the bushes, Nie Yong's lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile.
'Are these guys... the ones that attacked Yang Kai in the manhua to avenge Cheng Shao Feng? His brother and another disciple of the Storm Manor...'
'Hehe... more skills for me...'
To be continued...
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