Watching Mu Yun's departing figure, the group exchanged bewildered glances.
They had recently come to understand Mu Yun's character well; he was a man of his word!
If they had secretly gone to Fengling Cave, Mu Yun would absolutely not have bothered to refine the pills to cure Qi Ming's father.
Currently, in the entire Beiyun City, even Miao Xianyu's father was helpless; only Mu Yun had a solution
. If Instructor Mu really refused to refine the pills, they would be doomed! "Qi Ming, don't worry, Mu Yun will solve it for you," Qin Mengyao comforted, seeing Qi Ming standing there, lost in thought.
"Yes, I know!"
Qi Ming naturally understood that Mu Yun was doing this to prevent him from acting rashly and taking risks.
On the street, Mu Yun walked aimlessly.
Actually, he wasn't helpless regarding Qi Ming's father, Qi Yufeng's, leg ailment.
He knew far too many pill formulas; any one of them could cure Qi Yufeng.
However, in this small Beiyun City, he had the formulas, but he lacked the medicinal herbs.
He had inquired privately these past few days, but some of the medicinal herbs needed for certain pills were completely unknown in Beiyun City.
Fortunately, there was one pill whose ingredients could be found in Beiyun City—the Spirit Sealing Pill!
The Spirit Sealing Pill's main ingredient was sealing a martial artist's meridians. Originally a poisonous pill, it could be considered a miraculous pill for injuries like Qi Ming's father's.
More importantly, he also had another pill in mind:
the Spirit Building Pill!
Qi Yufeng's legs were already completely crippled, so it was better to seal them completely, then build up the spirits and reopen the meridians.
Moreover, the effects of the Spirit Building Pill might go far beyond that.
After all, the Spirit Building Pill originated from the Heaven-Slaying Diagram.
The Azure Sword and the Heaven-Mending Sword Dao had already proven the power of the martial arts and weapon-refining methods revealed in the Heaven-Slaying Diagram; this Spirit Building Pill would certainly not disappoint Mu Yun.
Moreover, the Spirit Building Pill reopens the meridians and acupoints of a martial artist. Once Qi Yufeng stands up again and enters the tenth level of the Spirit Acupoint Realm, the benefits will likely be immeasurable.
"Wind Ridge Cave...it seems I'll have to make a trip there!"
Mu Yun wasn't unaware of the dangers of Wind Ridge Cave, but he was willing to take the risk.
A promise is a promise, especially to his student.
"It seems it's time to go home!"
For nearly a month, Mu Yun had been preparing for his advancement to intermediate instructor, and now he had finally succeeded.
He just didn't know what had happened within the family during that time.
The First Elder and Second Elder were probably already in an uproar because of the matter involving the Mu brothers.
However, his adoptive father hadn't sent anyone to find him in a month, so it seemed the matter hadn't caused too much of a stir.
Strolling to the gate of the Mu family, Mu Yun suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
At that moment, four figures stood outside the gate of the Mu family, heads held high and chests puffed out, exuding an air of superiority.
Upon closer inspection, all four were sixth-level Qi Condensation Realm martial artists.
This was very strange.
Previously, there were only two guards at the Mu family's gate, both at the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm.
After all, the Mu family was one of the four major families of Beiyun City; no one would cause trouble, and there was no need to deploy so many guards
. If someone tried to force their way in, they would likely be turned into an idiot by the hidden experts as soon as they entered the gate.
"Halt!"
Seeing Mu Yun walk straight to the gate, the four guards stepped forward simultaneously and suddenly shouted.
"What are you doing?"
Mu Yun frowned, anger rising in his heart. He hadn't been back for a month, and these guards didn't even recognize him anymore.
"Nothing, just following the orders of the Grand Elder. No unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter the Mu residence!"
Unauthorized personnel?
Mu Yun chuckled. This was quite interesting.
He, Mu Yun, had actually become an unauthorized member of the Mu family.
"Get out of the way!"
"Huh?"
Hearing Mu Yun's words, the four guards' expressions changed. They simultaneously raised their spears, the tips pointing directly at Mu Yun, ready to attack at the slightest provocation.
"Heh...this is interesting. I, Mu Yun, am going home, and I'm actually being stopped. I'd like to see who can stop me!"
With that, Mu Yun took a step forward.
"Attack!"
Seeing Mu Yun force his way in, the four exchanged glances and simultaneously drew their spears.
"Shatter Seals!"
With a step forward, four shatter seals erupted from his hands, banging and crashing as four figures instantly collapsed, unconscious.
Within a month, something major must have happened within the academy and the family.
Entering the courtyard, Mu Yun grabbed a servant and asked, "Where is the clan leader?"
"The clan leader...the clan leader is seriously ill and resting in bed..."
Seriously ill!
Hearing this, Mu Yun was instantly enraged.
His adoptive father was seriously ill, yet no one in the family had informed him. Even worse, the entire Mu residence seemed to be under lockdown.
Someone didn't want the news to leak out.
Without a doubt, Mu Yun knew who it was! He went
straight
to the courtyard where his adoptive father lived, and sure enough, four burly martial artists stood outside.
All four were at the tenth level of the Body Gathering Realm, clad in silver armor, standing imposingly like four javelins.
"Halt!"
Seeing Mu Yun appear, the four stepped aside, blocking him from entering the courtyard once more.
"Have you rebelled? I am the clan leader's son, and I'm going to visit my father. What right do you have to stop me?" Mu Yun's voice was low and menacing.
Clearly, someone was behind this.
Something must have happened while he was away.
"Heh... Mu Yun, you unfilial descendant, you still know how to come back!"
Just then, a cold laugh suddenly rang out.
The First Elder, Mu Fengyuan, the Second Elder, Mu Fengqing, and others suddenly appeared, their eyes filled with ferocity as they looked at Mu Yun.
Especially the First Elder, who, upon seeing Mu Yun, wished he could immediately pounce on him and tear him to pieces.
"Whether I'm filial or not is none of your business, Elder. I want to see my father now, Elder, and you have no right to stop me, do you? Besides, my father is the clan leader. What kind of logic is it for you to use your own men to place the clan leader under house arrest?"
"Place under house arrest?"
The Elder laughed and said, "Mu Yun, I said you're unfilial, and you won't admit it. Half a month ago, the clan leader fell seriously ill and is now unable to handle clan affairs. I only sent more men to protect the clan leader for his safety!"
"Then why are you stopping me from going in to visit my father?"
"Hmph, you haven't returned to the clan for a month and didn't even know your father was seriously ill. Do you still deserve to be called a member of the Mu family? Today, you can forget about getting in!"
Seeing Mu Fengyuan's determined expression, Mu Yun became even calmer.
"Are you sure you won't let me in?"
"Hmph, I won't let you, so what?"
Mu Fengyuan wasn't afraid of Mu Yun at all. Even if Mu Yun had grown rapidly during this period, he was only at the seventh level of the Qi Condensation Realm. Compared to him, he was still just a grasshopper.
"Mu Fengyuan, you old geezer, listen to me clearly! I, Mu Yun, am now a senior instructor at the Imperial Beiyun Academy, certified by the Empire. I'm here to visit Clan Chief Mu. Do you dare stop me?"
Mu Yun said, raising one hand, revealing a token.
The token represented Mu Yun's identity:
Senior Instructor of the Imperial Beiyun Academy—Mu Yun!
In the entire Nanyun Empire, the most prestigious forces were the academies standing tall in each city, and the instructors within those academies were pillars of the empire, possessing unparalleled status.
Low-level or mid-level instructors were nothing special, but a senior instructor from an academy was not
someone anyone could bully.
Furthermore, academy instructors often received significant preferential treatment in empire-owned merchants selling weapons and elixirs.
This was why family geniuses like Wang Qingfeng and Diao Yadong were willing to serve as instructors at Beiyun Academy.
Firstly, they could learn martial arts techniques within the academy; secondly, they could use common herbs for free in the academy's training rooms, alchemy rooms, and weapon-forging rooms.
Moreover, the Imperial Academy is home to most of the empire's strongest individuals, offering them much to learn and explore.
Another advantage is their prestigious status!
If an instructor from the academy were assassinated, not only the entire Beiyun City but even the capital would send people to investigate.
When Dongfang Yu died, it's said the capital sent envoys to investigate.
Seeing Mu Yun produce the token of a senior instructor from Beiyun Academy, Mu Fengyuan's face turned ashen.
If Mu Yun were still the same muddle-headed, good-for-nothing idiot, he wouldn't bother saying a word, simply beating him and throwing him into the woodshed.
But today, Mu Yun had transformed into a senior instructor at Beiyun Academy, so he couldn't act recklessly.
"Hmph, move aside, let Instructor Mu in!"
Finally, Mu Fengyuan curled his lip, waved his hand, and signaled for him to pass.
With a slightly cold expression, Mu Yun looked at Mu Fengyuan and Mu Fengqing and coldly said, "If I find out that someone has secretly tampered with things, I will definitely unleash a massacre."
After speaking, Mu Yun turned and entered the courtyard.
"Elder, let him in. What if he discovers something..."
"What could he discover?" Mu Fengyuan said disdainfully, "This kid just got lucky. What could he possibly discover!"
"Besides, the combination of Fennel Powder and Hundred Spirits Liquid is a deadly poison. Only a third-grade alchemist can recognize it. Even if he does, he has no way to save Mu Linchen. Even Miao Qing might not be able to help!"
"Elder is wise!" "
Hmph, Mu Yun crippled Lang'er and Qing'er. How could I swallow this insult? However, how did this kid become a senior instructor at the academy? Investigate this matter immediately!"
"No problem!"
Looking at the courtyard where Mu Linchen was, the Elder felt a surge of pleasure.
Before long, this clan leader's residence would be his, Mu Fengyuan's!
As soon as he entered the courtyard, Mu Yun smelled a pungent medicinal odor and a putrid smell of corpses.
"Could it be..."
His expression changed, and Mu Yun kicked open the door with a bang. Looking at the scene before him, his hands clenched into fists involuntarily.