Of course, although Dai Xingluo didn't know Xu Mu's true level of strength, she was certain it was far above her own.
That one-armed middle-aged man from earlier had unfathomable power, yet he'd stepped in specifically to help Xu Mu.
Linking everything together, Dai Xingluo reached a rough conclusion:
Xu Mu was at least a genius figure within his sect.
She even wondered whether she should quit her current sect and join Xu Mu's Righteous Evil Sect instead.
Then she smiled. "Brother is my man—does it make any difference whether I join or not?"
Xu Mu had already left the Nangong estate with Chen Xuan and Meng Wanyue.
Jiang Huihui had woken up and was gazing out the window from the seat. She asked Xu Mu to take her to the Sanitation Bureau.
He agreed.
When they arrived, Jiang Huihui opened the door to get out.
"About what you said earlier—I'll do it," Xu Mu said, turning back. "I'll participate."
Jiang Huihui froze for a moment, then took out a piece of gum. "Thank you."
[Favorability +20]
No sooner had Xu Mu driven off than his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, surprised—it was a call from Zhang Que.
"Senior," Xu Mu answered.
"The intel I wanted is already in hand. I'm done being a guard there—just giving you a heads-up," Zhang Que said.
"Got it. I'll tell Feng Yue," Xu Mu replied.
"Mhm." Zhang Que hung up.
Xu Mu looked at the phone. It seemed the other party was heading for that ancient ruin.
He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
It wasn't that Xu Mu had to claim the treasures himself—on the contrary, he didn't really need them.
He didn't require powerful heavenly materials to break through realms; he could advance using experience points.
As for techniques, while the more the merrier, he could always obtain them through draws.
His reason for going was to keep the male leads—like Fang Chu and Ye Chen—from getting the goods.
With their high Fate Level and uncanny luck, they might actually secure something great.
But if Xu Mu took the treasures first, they'd have nothing to obtain.
That was why he intended to head to the ruin.
After a moment's thought, he looked over at Chen Xuan—he already had a plan.
This time, Xu Mu didn't drop Chen Xuan in Yang City; he brought him along to River City.
He first let Meng Wanyue off, telling her to keep taking pills and diligently cultivate her technique.
Meng Wanyue nodded to herself—during the fight with Nangong Ping, she'd realized her strength still fell short.
Now only Chen Xuan remained in the car.
"Brother Mu, is there something you want to tell me?" Chen Xuan asked.
"Old Chen, you know about ancient ruins, right?" Xu Mu asked.
"Of course. My master mentioned them before—rumor has it they're full of treasures," Chen Xuan said.
"If nothing unexpected happens, I know the location of one. Interested?" Xu Mu smiled at him.
"Brother Mu, of course I'm interested!" Chen Xuan's eyes lit up. "I've never been to a place like that."
"Good. Stay here tonight—I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."
Xu Mu pulled up at the five-star Like a Spring Breeze Hotel.
He knew the general area, but pinpointing an entrance in the middle of a mountain range would be difficult.
Still, he had a male lead on hand—banking on Chen Xuan's Fate Level, they might just find it.
"Alright," Chen Xuan nodded.
They got out together. Chen Xuan carried a woven urea sack in one hand and a bag of takeout in the other, trailing after Xu Mu.
The security guards took one look at Chen Xuan and thought some beggar had wandered in—
until they saw he was walking with Xu Mu. Then they were stunned.
Staff at a five-star hotel like this naturally recognized Xu Mu—
the hotel was literally named after him.
Anyone chatting and laughing with Xu Mu couldn't be ordinary.
The rich these days… truly low-key.
At the front desk, the receptionist scrambled to her feet. "Young Master Xu."
"He's my friend. Give him a good room and put it on my tab," Xu Mu said with a pleasant smile.
"Y-yes!" The receptionist was flattered and a bit dazed.
She remembered how Xu Mu always looked like a show-off when he came by—since when did he start smiling?
Once the formalities were done, Xu Mu patted Chen Xuan's shoulder. "Old Chen, I won't go up."
"Thanks, Brother Mu. I'll wait for you," Chen Xuan said, waving.
The Chai household.
Chai Wang had received the Nangong family's invitation, but used "illness" as an excuse to skip it.
Now he sat on the sofa, listening to the butler's report, his heart pounding.
He couldn't believe Xu Mu had become a sect disciple—
and that Nangong Ping, a hidden-clan patriarch, had been flattened so easily.
"We're in trouble!" Chai Wang slammed the sofa with a fist.
With a sect backing the Xu family, continuing hostile competition with them was suicide.
But he'd already boarded the pirate ship with Fang Chu and Dai Dongyang.
If they forced him to the front as cannon fodder, what then?
He regretted it deeply. If only he'd refused Fang Chu from the start…
The Dai household.
Dai Xuan sat on the sofa, supporting his gaunt face with one hand.
Dai Dongyang stood before him and recounted everything that had happened.
"Dongyang, what do you make of it?" Dai Xuan asked mildly.
"I've never heard of that sect. I think Xu Mu is exaggerating," Dai Dongyang said, still smarting from that slap and unwilling to let Xu Mu go.
"I haven't heard of it either—but their expert crushed Nangong Ping. Clearly, they have some means," Dai Xuan mused.
"Hold for now. Our current objective is the ancient ruin."
Dai Dongyang nodded. Indeed—
if they secured treasures this time, the Dai family would rise to a higher level.
Who would fear a mere Xu Mu then?
"I hear Xingluo sided with Xu Mu this time?" Dai Xuan asked.
"Yes. If not for her, Xu Shou would've died," Dai Dongyang said darkly.
"This Xu Mu is… interesting," Dai Xuan smiled slightly.
Another day dawned.
Xu Mu drove to the hotel early. Yesterday he'd already told Feng Yue that Zhang Que had quit,
but Feng Yue didn't seem inclined to leave—
these days she was almost always invited by Ye Tong to dine at their home in the evenings.
Xu Mu couldn't quite figure out what exactly Ye Tong meant by that.
"Brother Mu!" Chen Xuan came out of the hotel hefting his urea sack.
"I've already bought breakfast. Let's head out," Xu Mu said, taking him toward the area Nangong Ping had mentioned.
When they reached Lihua Village, something felt off.
It was a tiny mountain village with mediocre buildings—
yet the streets were full of luxury cars.
Suddenly, Chen Xuan pointed ahead, shocked. "Brother Mu! That's my other fiancée!"