Chapter 112: Execution

A gentle breeze swept past, and a woman dressed in yellow appeared before Fang Mu. She wore a silver bell tied around her waist, with smaller bells adorning her wrists. As she walked, the bells chimed in harmony with the wind, creating a sound that was truly pleasing to the ear. Yet, the practitioners nearby all kept their heads lowered, avoiding the woman, and none dared to appreciate the melodic sound.

"Brother Fang, do not look," Iron Abacus whispered, bowing his head. "She is a disciple of the Phantom King of Snow Ridge, skilled in the art of attacking the mind."

But the warning came too late, for Fang Mu had already looked. Not only did he look, but he unabashedly scanned her from head to toe and back again. The size was acceptable; it could be grasped with one hand. Having been guided by Director Wu at the brothel, Fang Mu had been slowly adjusting his mindset, and he found that as long as they weren't too large, he could appreciate them well enough.

The woman in yellow seemed to sense Fang Mu's gaze and followed it. When she saw him staring in that pedantic manner, especially when his eyes locked onto a certain part of her, she laughed—a laugh born of pure fury. There was an edge of anger in her smile.

"It seems barely acceptable," Fang Mu murmured to himself, rubbing his chin. "Though it will take some time to get used to."

"Barely acceptable?" The woman in yellow looked down at her chest, stunned, standing as still as a wooden carving. Then, a wave of shame and indignation surged within her. *It’s called being moderate in size, okay? Compared to those overly large, gaudy vixens, mine is the normal one! Your judgment is what’s abnormal!*

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She raised her right hand and shook it gently. A melodious chime rang out, and the expressions of everyone present changed drastically, replaced by looks of tension.

As Fang Mu prepared to look away, the scene before him suddenly shifted. A group of burly, naked men surrounded him, seemingly intent on discussing something. Fang Mu paused, and recalling the sound of the bells, he understood. Since she was a disciple of the Phantom King, this must be an illusion. But trying to use illusions against him was perhaps a bit amateurish.

A flash of green light crossed Fang Mu’s eyes; his pitch-black pupils instantly turned green, and nodes connected by countless threads appeared before him. Among the dense web of threads, one point of light stood out prominently. Fang Mu raised his hand and reached toward that point.

The previously smiling woman in yellow froze, her face turning deathly pale, as if she had suffered a severe blow. Fang Mu stood up, used his Twin Shadow Evasion to arrive beside her, and raised his right hand…

*Slap!*

A crisp, loud sound rang out, and the left side of the woman's face instantly swelled up.

"You…" The woman was dumbfounded.

Fang Mu sneered, "Are you convinced?"

Holding her face, she looked at him with shock. "You… you can see through the illusions I weave?"

Fang Mu raised his hand again and slapped her on the other side of her face. "I looked at you once, and you decided to attack me. Tell me, how should I deal with you?"

Holding her face, the woman glared with hatred. "I am—"

*Swish!*

A brilliant blade of light flashed. A beautiful head flew high into the air before landing heavily on the ground. Blood splattered, staining the clearing red. Fang Mu sheathed his blade and said calmly, "Your eyes were full of hatred. To ensure I have less trouble later, I felt it would be remiss of me not to kill you."

The scene stunned everyone present. This was a disciple of the Phantom King of Snow Ridge, yet she had been executed in an instant. It had happened so quickly that no one even knew what the conflict had been about. Iron Abacus turned to Chen Yan and the others, whispering, "Did you see that? Do you still think you are particularly lucky?"

Chen Yan and the others nodded repeatedly, wearing expressions of lingering fear.

After killing her, Fang Mu returned to his spot and waited quietly. The previously scattered crowd subconsciously retreated a few steps, fearful that this harbinger of death might decide to swing his blade at them next. Fang Mu ignored them, closing his eyes in contemplation.

"Brother Fang, should we finish off all these people?" Iron Abacus sidled up to him and whispered, "They saw what happened. If word gets back to the Phantom King of Snow Ridge, it might not be very good."

Fang Mu opened his eyes, scanned the crowd, and shook his head. "No need." Under his gaze, everyone quickly lowered their heads.

"But the Phantom King of Snow Ridge is a powerful force in the Snow Ridge region," Iron Abacus said, sounding slightly worried.

Fang Mu laughed, "Is he more powerful than the person who severed the arm of the Ghost Market Master?"

Iron Abacus blinked, then shook his head. The Phantom King wasn't even fit to carry the shoes of someone who could defeat the Ghost Market Master.

"Then there you have it," Fang Mu shrugged.

In this day and age, everyone had some kind of backing. Only a fool wouldn't use it. Once this was over, he would have someone tell Director Wu—if he had only one apprentice, surely he wouldn't allow others to bully the weak with their status?

Fang Mu paused and added, "Besides, they are still useful."

"Oh?" Iron Abacus was confused, unable to grasp Fang Mu's meaning.

Fang Mu whispered, "If we encounter danger inside, they will make excellent human shields."

Iron Abacus paused, and upon realizing the intent, he sighed in admiration. Fang Mu said nothing more, focusing on preparing for the opening of the Mystical Relic.

...

In a forest not far from the clearing, a man in a black uniform sat cross-legged. A goose-quill saber was strapped to his waist, and his left sleeve was bulging, as if hiding something. A gloomy aura could be felt emanating from his brow.

At that moment, the sound of wind signaled the arrival of another man in a black uniform.

"Lord Zhang Liu," the man said respectfully, "The Phantom King's disciple provoked the coroner and has been executed on the spot."

"Oh?" Zhang Liu opened his eyes, stood up from his seated position, and said in a hoarse voice, "Without any warning, he just killed her?"

"That is correct," the man nodded.

Zhang Liu pondered for a moment and waved his hand. "Go back to your duties. Leave the Mystical Relic to me."

The man was stunned by these words.

"Lord Zhang," the man hesitated, then whispered, "If you want to eliminate Fang Mu, this might not be the best—uh!"

Before he could finish, the man felt a chill rise from his back. The source was Zhang Liu, who was staring at him with a dark, gloomy gaze. The man swallowed hard, his face stiff, "My Lord, what is this… I have committed no offense."

Zhang Liu circled the man once and let out a cold laugh. The man was even more bewildered, completely unable to understand what Zhang Liu meant.