Chapter 188: Establishing Prestige

"Didn't you just hear... Shi Mu single-handedly slaughtered more than a hundred gang members of the Golden Dragon Gang... along with Wu Liang and Wu Feng. His strength has increased a lot. So, we can't strive against his Qi... and become his enemies once again," the Eldest Master of the Jin family looked at the Elder and spoke in a heavy tone.

The valiant middle-aged man didn't say anything. His complexion looked undetermined. The rest of the members of the Jin family had anxious and frightened expressions on their faces.

The old Elder started to pace back-and-forth. He then walked over, and sat down on his seat.

"Eldest Master, what do you think? How should we handle this matter?" the Elder pondered for a while and asked.

"Father, this Shi Mu is also the nominal son of our Seventh Sister. We - the Jin Family - had offered rewards to capture him back in those days... because of the Fifth Brother and Jin Tian. But, he hasn't been harmed. So, I think that we should probably make settlement with this Shi Mu," Master of Jin family turned his face towards the Elder and replied.

"Eldest Master, what do you mean by this? Don't tell me that the death of the Fifth Master and Jin Tian will go in vain," the valiant middle-aged man bellowed in rage and said.

"Ninth Master, that matter had originated because of Jin Tian's mistake. Then, the Fifth Brother lost his mind... and rushed ahead in hatred. This led him to his death. Now, in the present circumstances... do you think that we should be in conflict with Shi Mu for the two people who have already passed away?" the Master of the Jin family replied in a tranquil tone without turning his head.

"Ninth Master, Eldest Master is right. We don't know how this Shi Mu cultivated his body... and became so powerful. Otherwise, he was no match for Wu Liang of the Wu family. Shi Mu's strength is at least at the Hou Tian consummate-level," another courteous middle-aged man added.

"Humph! That Shi Mu is too young. I can't believe that he has so much strength... and that he killed Wu Feng and Wu Liang. He certainly must've used some trick. We only need to use all of our Tubes of Flaming Wind... and lay out the flaming mines widely. We won't let Shi Mu get away if he dares to step in our house..." the valiant middle-aged man gnawed his teeth and said.

"Ninth Master, don't talk rubbish. The Tubes of Flaming Wind are precious. We - the Jin family - have spent time of a hundred years to obtain these thirty or so tubes. How can we use all of them at once?" the Master of the Jin family replied in an angry manner.

The valiant middle-aged man still wanted to say something. But, the old Elder interrupted him and said, "Ninth Master, I know that you had good relations with the Fifth Master. But, this matter is of great concern. Just let the Eldest Master handle it properly. You don't need to interfere."

The valiant middle-aged man seemed unwilling. However, he didn't dare to say anything else. He then sat down silently.

"Eldest Master, please continue to speak. How should we react if that Shi Mu comes to our house...?" the old Elder turned his vision towards the Eldest Master of the Jin family and asked.

"Father, I think that we should first end the house arrest of the Seventh Sister since she's personally related to Shi Mu. After all, Seventh Sister is a member of the Jin Family. Don't worry... we can handle this together... " the Master of the Jin family said. Suddenly, a sound of hurried footsteps was heard from outside.

"I... I've come to report to the Elder. There's a man outside... who calls himself Shi Mu. He has come to pay a visit." An old-looking housekeeper came in staggering. He then said with a deathly-white complexion.

"What!?"

Suddenly, the Elder stood-up. The other members of Jin family were also surprised.

"Eldest Master, didn't you say that some followers of the Jin family were watching over this man? Then, why didn't we find out about this?" the old Elder looked towards the Master of the Jin family, and said in an angry tone.

The complexion of the Master of the Jin family became pale. He became speechless; he couldn't understand how this had happened.

Then, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard once again.

"I've come to report to the old Elder. The followers of the Jin Family were found on the Vermilion Bird Street near the Liu Feng Martial Arts School. They all are unconsciousness... and their condition isn't good. But, there's no danger of death," a short middle-aged man came running inside and reported.

The old Elder took a deep breath. He could barely take hold of the fear in his heart.

"Jin Fu, invite that Shi Mu into the reception hall. I'll be there," the Elder finally showed the manners of the Head of the family, and commanded in a calm voice.

Jin Fu replied in agreement. He was about to turn around and go out when a clear and sonorous voice was heard from outside.

"No need. It's good to meet here... since all of you are already present here. There's no need to go into the reception hall."

The men of Jin family saw a man's figure in front of them. A silhouette of a youth in an embroidered gown appeared in the doorway of the hall.

It was none other than Shi Mu.

Everyone present in the hall quickly shifted their gazes towards him. They all had expressions of anger and despise in their eyes.

Shi Mu had no weapon on his body. He had left the meteoric hammer and the black blade outside in the carriage.

Everyone in the hall was about to attack him. They all stood-up, and pulled out all the weapons from their bodies. The atmosphere in the hall became exceptionally tensed.

"Everyone, stop!"

The Elder's pupils shrank as he looked towards Shi Mu. He then shouted out loud.

Everyone was startled at first. Then, a strange smile appeared on everyone's faces as they saw Shi Mu's empty hands hanging by his sides. They didn't know why... but a chill had been sent out in their hearts. In fact, they were clueless as to why they had pulled out their weapons. They put the weapons back into their sheaths. They then looked Shi Mu in the eye. But, their eyes were still filled with colors of vigilance.

"Your Excellency is Shi Mu?" the old Elder looked at Shi Mu and said.

"Yes, it's me. Your Majesty must be the Elder?" Shi Mu took a step, and entered the hall. He then laughed in a grim manner and replied.

The old Elder looked at Shi Mu and approached him. The outer corners of his eyes were flickering, and his entire body had got covered in dense real Qi.

Shi Mu's cultivation was only at the late-stage of the Hou Tian realm. But, there was a kind of a huge and oppressive feeling about him... the kind that couldn't be described in words. In fact, it seemed that everyone was facing a gigantic creature; not a warrior of martial arts. It made them tremble with fear.

The old Elder induction wasn't inferior either. But, Shi Mu had absorbed the beast soul of the three-headed ominous python. So, there was an aura of a vicious beast around his body owing to his totem practice. It made all the men shiver.

"Hehe, so you're Shi Mu. I'm the Eldest Master of the Jin family. You're the foster son of our Seventh Sister. So, you're also a member of our Jin family. Come... Let me introduce you to some of the elders of our family," the Master of the Jin family welcomed Shi Mu with a huge smile across his face.

"Elders..." Shi Mu looked at everyone present in the hall with disdain.

"I only know Aunt Zhen among the elders of the Jin family. I heard that you took out your anger on her... and imprisoned her because I killed Jin Tian and the Fifth Master Jin back then. Is this true?" Shi Mu's complexion turned cold. He looked towards the old Elder, and asked in a blunt manner.

The old Elder felt angry in his heart. His complexion turned as black as the base of a burnt pan.

Shi Mu aggressively began to walk into the hall. The Elder was also a well-known figure in the Feng City. He had been known as an honorable man for decades. But, he had never been mocked by a younger man in this way.

He let out a gentle breath. It seemed as if he was about to say something.

Suddenly, a black sword-shadow appeared from a side. It came quietly towards Shi Mu's back.

It was the Ninth Master of the Jin family. He stood behind Shi Mu. So, he had rushed down to kill Shi Mu as he saw him talking to the old Elder.

The Ninth Master of the Jin family was a middle-staged Hou Tian Warrior. His sword-shadow skills were quite powerful. He had a good reputation in the Feng City. His surprise attack was quite fierce and steady. It was improbable for a late-stage Hou Tian Warrior to escape from such an attack from such a close range.

Moreover, the black sword in his hand was emitting a faint-black light. It had been smeared with a deadly poison - the Blood Seal Throat. Shi Mu would collapse on the ground and never get up if it pierced into his skin.

A bright light flashed in the Elder's eyes. His heart instantly moved. Suddenly, he shouted loudly. Then, a cold light flashed in his hand and a sword - as thin as a willow leaf - and a hilt - as wide as a finger - went out.

A sword-light flashed, and ten slender and cold lights were shot out. They went stabbing towards Shi Mu while issuing an ear-piercing sword-wind sound.

The sword-light shrouded Shi Mu from all the directions. There wasn't any way for him to retreat. The sword-light of the Ninth Master of the Jin family was only three inches away from his back at the moment.

A smiling expression flashed through the Elder's eyes. It seemed that Shi Mu was finally in a dangerous situation.

Suddenly, Shi Mu's body transformed into several after-images in a flash!

The after-images then merged together as one the next moment. But, Shi Mu stood still on his original place. It seemed that he hadn't moved from his place at all.

The tip of the black blade in the Ninth Master's hand had pierced Shi Mu's clothes. But, it couldn't go any further.

Suddenly, a bloody hole appeared in the Ninth Master's throat; it couldn't be determined when and how it had happened. Blood spurted out of the hole - like an arrow. His mouth was half-open, and his throat was issuing strange noises. Then, the expressions in his eyes subsided, and his body fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Meanwhile, the old Elder's body was forced back. 'Bang!' A stuffy sound echoed. Then, he heavily got knocked against the walls of the hall. He then stumbled, and fell to the ground.

The sword in his hand broke down into two pieces. He now held the broken-half of the sword in his hand. The clothes on his chest had been shattered into pieces; the soft golden armor under his robe had been exposed now. There were deep chopping scars on the surface of the soft armor.

Suddenly, traces of blood appeared on the edges of his mouth, and his face became overwhelmed with shock.

"Golden armor... humph!"

Shi Mu quickly hid the fine black scales on his left hand and sneered.

Everyone from the Jin Family was about to move into action after these two men. But, the Ninth Master and the Elder had already been defeated. So, the other people stayed at their original spots.

"The Head of Jin family is so mediocre. He's even inferior to Wu Liang of the Wu family." Shi Mu looked towards the old Elder and smiled scornfully. He then said.

Traces of fear flashed through the Elder's eyes. He couldn't understand how Shi Mu had attacked him with his own sword. He finally realized the gap between his' and Shi Mu's capabilities.

Suddenly, Shi Mu looked at him. The old Elder looked like a rat that was being closely watched by a cobra. His heart shuddered.

"You... what do you want?" The old Elder of the Jin Family looked a little sad. He asked in a husky voice.

"Don't worry; I haven't come to the Feng City with an intention to murder you. I've come to meet Aunt Zhen," Shi Mu replied in a dull tone.

The Eldest Master of the Jin family sent out men without even waiting for the Elder's orders.

"I don't wish to see the faces of you people. Get out of here." Shi Mu strode towards the main seat in the hall, and sat down. He then said in a heavy voice.

In fact, his words had seemed a bit anxious in their make.