Episode 17: The Secret Holder
Although Shen Xiang was a senior martial artist, her rank was not high. Yang Mufeng could clearly sense her inner timidity, just like a frightened kitten, her body trembling slightly, standing there without daring to move.
"I was an orphan since childhood. I don't know if my parents are still alive. All I know is that everything depends on myself. Only when my fists are strong, will others not bully you. I can feel that you are also a person with a hard life. So tonight, no matter how high the final bidding price is, I will take you away," said Yang Mufeng with a touch of sadness on his face. He remembered the days when he and Duan Tianyi relied on each other, those painful times, only those who have experienced them would know.
"I!" Shen Xiang called out urgently, "I was taken by a group of powerful people. They killed my entire family, my parents, my grandfather, and my ten-year-old younger brother."
At this moment, Shen Xiang's voice had a slight choking sound. Just as Yang Mufeng had guessed, she had indeed suffered the heaviest blow in the world.
Yang Mufeng had long expected that Shen Xiang was not doing this voluntarily. Otherwise, she wouldn't have appeared so impatient and uneasy in the Moonlit Tower. Of course, she had concealed it very well. All the pain was hidden in her heart, even the skilled red-rouged woman who was almost perfect in her way of doing things didn't notice. However, Yang Mufeng could clearly feel it.
Strangely enough, since entering this Yuanwu world, his perception had become particularly sensitive. It seemed that he could sense a slight touch of the human heart. Of course, for low-level Yuanshi like Shen Biyao, a sixth-level Yuanwei master like her, he could only have a vague feeling.
"Don't be sad. Everything is over. Since I bought you today, I will be responsible for you. No one will bully you anymore," Yang Mufeng said softly. This was his true words. The girl in front of him made him have an urge to protect her, perhaps this was the legendary fate.
Shen Xiang gently removed the veil from her face, revealing an extremely delicate face. Her cheeks were slightly red, with a touch of shyness. The girl's appearance instantly changed.
Yang Mufeng had never observed Shen Xiang closely. After careful examination, his heart stirred. Her appearance was not like those in the Shaman City. At a glance, it could be seen that her nose was high, her blue eyes were slightly sunken, her skin was extremely white, and her hair showed a faint purple color. Although she looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, she was perfectly shaped and proportionate. The translucent pink robe barely wrapped around her full and plump breasts, revealing a large section of pink and slender jade legs, and her slender waist was gently held in one hand.
Shen Xiang's pretty face turned even redder. She stepped back two steps, obviously not used to Yang Mufeng's lustful gaze. Although Yang Mufeng had no other thoughts in his heart, facing such a beautiful human, he couldn't help but look a few more times. Seeing Shen Xiang's bashful state, Yang Mufeng quickly withdrew his unrestrained gaze, his ears turning red, turning his head away, not daring to look again, fearing that he might really have some inappropriate thoughts.
"You are a good person. I can sense that," Shen Xiang clasped her hands tightly together and said timidly in a soft voice.
"I'm not a good person, but I'm not a bad person either," Yang Mufeng said softly. The temperature in the room seemed to suddenly rise a lot, and a trace of sweat appeared on his back.
"I can call you Brother Yang, you are the best person I have met in the Yunmeng Kingdom," Shen Xiang was still a little timid, although Yang Mufeng no longer stared at her.
"Whatever you want! Can you tell me your story? Why did so many people offer high prices to buy you?" Yang Mufeng directly cut to the point. This was a huge question that had been haunting him. Ten ten thousand yuan in stones was equivalent to the entire income of an ordinary mercenary for over two years. He didn't believe that the people in the Shaman City were rich enough to pay such a high price for a single girl.
"Actually, I'm not really sure either. Those bandits who attacked me seemed to be after something precious belonging to my family. Boss Hong always asked me about that precious item when he bought me, but I really have no idea where it is." Shen Xiang was still a young child, and feeling that Yang Mufeng was kind to him, he finally revealed his greatest secret.
"Precious item?" Yang Mufeng was startled in his heart. As expected, there was more to this story than what was apparent.
"Who were your grandparents and parents? How could they have such a precious item, and why did it attract the attention of so many forces?" Yang Mufeng asked in confusion.
"My entire family were honest herdsmen. We lived on the Moer Great Grassland for many years. My parents were experts at the first-level Yuan School. They were highly respected in the Great Grassland, and my grandfather was the leader of the Sang tribe in the Yu Lan River Basin. He was already at the peak of the Yuan School level. It was said that the Sang tribe was the oldest nomadic tribe in the Yu Lan River Basin, and had lived on this vast grassland for generations, protected by the Yu Lan River God." Shen Xiang seemed to recall many past events, and tears couldn't help but flow down.
"River God? Does it really exist?" Yang Mufeng handed over a silk handkerchief and asked softly.
"I don't know. It's just a legend. There is a huge stone tablet in the Yu Lan River, which restrains the river and makes it like a mother, nurturing our people for generations. So, people in the Yu Lan River Basin call it the River God. However, no one has ever seen it." Shen Xiang wiped away the tears and sat down on the chair next to Yang Mufeng, taking a cup of hot tea and taking a gentle sip. His mood finally calmed down. Yang Mufeng, too, was no longer as awkward as before, and listened quietly to Shen Xiang's narration.
"Suddenly one day, many bandits came, committing murder, arson, and looting. Almost all the herdsmen in the Yu Lan River Basin were killed. They were very powerful. In the end, my parents were killed by them, and my grandfather was captured due to being outnumbered and exhausted." Shen Xiang had a look of hatred on his face.
"Did they eventually not find the precious item?"
"No! Because it simply doesn't exist. It's just a legend. In the end, they forced my grandfather to die. That thing really doesn't exist. If it did exist, it wouldn't allow those bandits to kill randomly!"
"When you become stronger in the future, I'll accompany you to avenge me." Yang Mufeng also felt extremely angry. This was something that couldn't exist in the previous world.
"My poor grandfather. If he hadn't sent me away at the last moment, I would probably have been gone too. When those bandits caught me, they didn't know I was a member of the Sang tribe, so they didn't kill me. Along with the other captured sisters, I was sold here."
Yang Mufeng never expected that Shen Xiang had gone through such a tragic event in this world. It is likely that such tragedies occur every moment in the vast Yuanwu world. Yang Mufeng did not think of changing anything. He only hoped that such a tragedy would not happen to him. Of course, this was not something he could control. The only way was to become stronger, so strong that no one would dare to bully him.
Yang Mufeng always felt that this matter was not simple. The treasure that those powerful people were pursuing was undoubtedly the river god mentioned by Shen Xiang, that is, the legendary stone tablet. Those people would kill all the people in the Yulan River Basin to obtain this treasure, which indicated that this matter could not simply pass by. Perhaps at some point in the future, it would fall on Shen Xiang again.
Although Shen Xiang said that the treasure did not exist, Yang Mufeng felt that this treasure should exist. And the only clue was Shen Xiang. He was not trying to obtain anything, but he felt that the only way to completely solve the problem was to find the treasure. If it was as the legend said, this treasure must be extraordinary and he believed it would be sufficient to deal with those powerful people.
"Brother Yang, can you teach me to cultivate?" While Yang Mufeng was thinking, Shen Xiang suddenly asked, his voice somewhat uncertain and pleading.
"Ah?" Yang Mufeng smiled slightly, his cheeks turning red. He himself didn't know how to cultivate and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.
"Brother Yang, don't you want to teach me?" Shen Xiang said with a somewhat disappointed and relaxed tone, his hands constantly gently pinching.
"Shen Xiang, you misunderstood. To tell you the truth, it's not that I don't want to teach you, but I myself don't know the method of cultivation." Yang Mufeng said awkwardly.
"But!" Shen Xiang hesitated before speaking. Yang Mufeng knew what she was thinking. The super strong combat power he demonstrated at the Moon Full Tower would not be believed by anyone. In fact, he did not know the method of cultivation. He only knew the fighting skills of the previous world and he was a precocious master. According to the division of combat power in the Yuanwu world, he should be close to the Yuan School level master.
"Well then, I have a supreme level advanced cultivation method called 'The Great Wind Technique' here. I just bought it and haven't cultivated yet. From now on, we will cultivate together. If we don't understand something, we can discuss it together." Yang Mufeng took out a copied 'The Great Wind Technique' from his pocket. This level of cultivation method was not very powerful, but in ordinary forces, it could be put to use.
"Grandpa once said that my constitution is somewhat special and not suitable for cultivation, so up to now, I am only a fifth-level Yuan Shi. Now, for revenge, I can't care about that much." Shen Xiang took 'The Great Wind Technique' and happily said.
"Not suitable for cultivation? What consequences will there be after cultivation?" Yang Mufeng hurriedly asked.
"No, no, it means not suitable. Maybe my talent is too poor, no matter how I cultivate, I won't achieve much." Shen Xiang nervously said.
"Ha ha... That's good. I have a brother, he is even better than me and is a very good person. Tomorrow I will introduce him to you."
"There is someone better than Brother Yang? I don't believe it."
"Look, what is this?"
"Yuan Jing, you still have one?" Shen Xiang happily took a green Yuan Jing from it.
"This is what the good person gave me. He is like a brother to me. He will treat you very well."
"Oh!" Shen Xiang still had some doubts in her heart.
"First, you should transform this Yuan Jing. It is estimated that it will allow you to break through to the Yuan Wei level within a month." Yang Mufeng smiled slightly. Shen Xiang happily held the Yuan Jing and walked into an empty room.
Yang Mufeng sighed deeply. After a night of chatting, he gradually realized that Shen Xiang's personality was innocent and carefree. If it weren't for the tragic family situation, she would have been a very happy girl. Her heart began to truly regard her as a sister and decided to do his best to help her take revenge.