Mu Guangming was astonished by the man walked backward in, and when it was bright enough, he went pale at once and was shocked by what he saw. He said, “Old fella, what’s… What’s wrong?”
It was the one-eyed man that had run back. Now his back was being corroded, and a weak sound of “ssssss” could be heard, which was more than a bit scary.
He was attacked by Qin Hao with his Qi of Yin. The poison on the two silver needles was taking effect.
He was in extreme pain since his bones and flesh were being corroded away. He raised his head, and the cold and authoritative expression was nowhere to be found on his face distorted with pain. Even the skin on his face was turning dark.
Worse still, his hands could no longer help him support his body. So he could only raise his head, looked to Guangming’s direction and said, “Master Ming, don’t mind this. Tell me. Who is Qin Hao? Why do you want to kill him?”
Mu Guangming froze a bit and said wonderingly, “Old fella, I thought you don’t care about this kind of things?”
“That was before. Now I want to know why I’m now dying.” He said, gritting his teeth, and let out a howl of pain. The pain could only be understood by people who had experienced it. He was a real man for still bearing with it.
“Do you remember the boy I kicked out of my house more than a decade ago? That is him. His name is Mu Hao.” His answer made the man’s face twitch.
“It’s him! I thought he was familiar with it. It was that boy. Hahaha, you would never know that he would become such a monster. Mu Guangming, what a foolish thing you did back then.” He produced a hoarse and strange laugh. Mu Guangming found it strange but was also embarrassed.
“Old mate, let’s forget about it. Who on earth injured you?” Mu Guangming now wanted to know who could have injured such a master so badly.
“It’s Qin Hao. The child you kicked out.” Said the one-eyed man, still gritting his teeth.
“Bang!” Mu Guangming heard an explosion in his head, as if he were just struck by thunder. He yelled, “That’s not possible. He’s so young. He could not have injured you this badly. That’s impossible. Impossible.”
Mu Guangming’s reaction did not surprise the man. He let out a weird laugh of “HA…”, and said, “In fact, I didn’t believe this either. But he defeated me. And he was so many levels above me. He could have easily killed me. If he didn’t let his mind wander for a while, I could never have returned here.”
“No…no, no, that could not be true.” Mu Guangming still did not believe him. It was way too unbelievable, way beyond his understanding. Even if he was not that stubborn, he would not believe such a fact without actually seeing it.
“Huh, believe it or not. But you wouldn’t have the chance to see it. Otherwise one day you would believe me.”
His words got Mu Guangming’s attention. He hurriedly asked, “What do you mean? Why I don’t have the chance?”
“Because I stabbed his chest with a dagger, and there was my secret poison on the blades. No one but me can detox him. And I stabbed him near the heart. Even though he’s a great master, he could not handle this.”
Mu Guangming’s eyes lighted up after hearing these words. That was what he wanted. He wanted Qin Hao to die but didn’t care about the one-eyed man.
“So Qin Hao will certainly die, right?”
“Unless I’m alive. Otherwise, he…Ouch, you, you…!” The man could not continue his words because a dagger was stabbed into his back. It went all the way in until the handle, so you could imagine how much strength was used to push it in.
“And now he’s beyond help, right?” Mu Guangming’s old face displayed a smirk, with his hands still on the dagger.
The one-eyed man glared at Mu Guangming. After decades of friendship, they were as close as brothers. But still, he underestimated Mu Guangming’s evilness.
But the stab somehow helped him and relieved him of the pain, so he could die in peace. He knew he would die because he could not stop the poison.
Perhaps the poison was only starting to show its effect, and he was not in the most painful state. Otherwise, he would have a much more painful death. So he took the stab and was angry and saddened, but he laughed, “Haha, Mu Guangming, I’ll wait for you in the other world… Ah…” He groaned once more because Mu Guangming turned the dagger, which finally killed him.
After the man died, Mu Guangming let go of the dagger and stood up.
“Elder Brother, elder brother, something terrible has happened!” He heard a familiar voice outside. It was an old man looked like him that had rushed to the door.
It was his younger brother, Mu Guanghui, who ranked second among the brothers.
Mu Guanghui also had a long face, but his eyes were much bigger. He rushed to the door and saw the body of the man at once, and was shocked into stillness. He looked at his brother with fear, and said, “Elder brother, what… what happened…”
“Younger brother, don’t be so surprised, as if you have never seen a dead body. Tell someone to drag him out and have him buried.” Mu Guangming said peacefully, as if he didn’t kill anyone.
“Oh, okay.” Mu Guanghui had always listened to his elder brother, and did whatever he was told. So he told someone to carry away the body, and cleaned up Guangming’s room.
After the clean-up, the Mu brothers closed the door, and Mu Guanghui asked with shock, “Elder brother, what happened? The body was so scary. It was corrosive and bleeding out black blood.”
“Younger brother, don’t bother yourself with it. Tell me, what were you rushing for just now?” Mu Guangming was stubborn and proud, so he didn’t want to let Mu Guanghui on this matter.
Guanghui knew his brother’s temper, and knew that he wouldn’t say what he didn’t want others to know. Sometimes asking the same question would irritate him. So he switched to answer Guangming’s question, “Elder brother, it’s our younger brother Guangrong and his son. They are going to invite the catch-colt you kicked out back to our home, and even the bitch Mu Qingyao was secretly back for several days. I didn’t know until just now.”
Guanghui had his eyes fixed at Guangming after saying this, wanting to know his reaction. It would certainly steal his thunder, he thought. But Guangming was cold in reaction, only saying, “Oh, I got it. Let them be.”
Guanghui was surprised. That couldn’t be it. How could Guangming be this calm given his personality?
“Elder brother, you, you want to go easy on this? You want him to return? He disabled my two grandsons! They are your grandsons too!” Thinking of Mu Tong and Mu Shao, sons of his eldest son, who both became disabled after the incident, he couldn’t hate Qin Hao more. He could not bear it if he should return to the Mu family.
“Why do you care so much about a dead person?” said Mu Guangming with a dirty smile.
“A dead person? Who?” Mu Guanghui was confused, “That one we just saw?”
“Silly you, I’m talking about that Qin Hao.” Mu Guangming gave Guanghui a dirty look. He was quite disappointed with this younger brother sometimes. He was not even close to Guangrong’s level. That was why he lost the war for the Master of the family and gave the chance to Guangrong’s son.
Guanghui was lost, and was then over the moon and could not believe it when he understood the message, “Elder, Elder Brother, is it real?”
“You’re doubting my words?” Guangming’s harsh expression scared Guanghui, and he hurriedly explained.
“No, no, no, brother, of course, I believe you. I’m just too happy. He’s dead, and then I’ve taken revenge for my grandsons, and Guangrong could forget about his plans, HAHAHA…” Guanghui burst out laughing.
“Why are you laughing!” Guangming yelled, and Guanghui’s laughter disappeared right away.
“Your grandsons are now disabled, and why is Qingyun still fighting for the Master? To whom will he pass the position to, son of Qingsong, grandson of our youngest brother?” Guangming asked.
“Well…” Guanghui had no words. Indeed, his eldest son Mu Qingyun had no proper heir, and the position of Master certainly could not go to a disabled person.
And if he did not have an heir, anyone could imagine that most people would stop supporting Qingyun. Nobody would support a person without an heir.
Therefore, Qin Hao’s action indirectly helped Guangrong and his son. He had another son Mu Qingping, but he could not compete Mu Qingsong in importance or ability.
But of course, if the old Master Mu Guangming supported him, that would be another story. So Guanghui must get Guangming’s support.
“But brother, there’s Qingping too. That kid was doing well these years.”
“Huh.” That was the answer to Guagnhui’s recommendation of Qingping. “Leave now, I’ll think about it.”
“But brother…”
“Get out.” Mu Guangming commanded.
“Yes, brother.” Guanghui dared not say another word, and left unhappily.
After Guanghui left, Guangming was alone in the room. He went to the windows and looked into the dark sky, and evilness appeared in his eyes. He murmured, “Mu Guangrong, my little brother, you want Qin Hao back? What are you doing? Making a fool of me? To prove that I’m wrong, that I’m stupid to kick him out of the family? To prove that your daughter’s son is better than the grandsons of the Mu family?”
“Haha, you had a great plan. But you don’t have the chance. I won’t give you one. I won’t let anyone make a fool out of me. I’m the true Master of the Mu family. Even if I retire, I’m still the Master. Nobody can make a fool of me.”
After all the murmuring, Guangming smiled a cruel smile.
“Since you want to make a fool out of me, don't blame me for what I’ll do. May the child Qingyao rest in peace, and I’ll burn her more incenses when festivals come. Well, well, well…”