Mo Li

"Excuse me, may I share your table?" A scholar dressed in a blue silk robe walked in through the door. After glancing around the now-crowded hall, he made his way directly to where Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were seated. Ye Li surveyed the room—the modest inn had only seven or eight tables, all of which had quickly filled up. Though there were empty seats elsewhere, it would indeed be awkward for a scholarly-looking man like him to squeeze in among the rough and imposing martial artists. Since it wasn’t a big deal, she glanced at Mo Xiuyao and replied indifferently, "Feel free."

The scholar had already sensed that the man before him wasn’t the most approachable and hadn’t held much hope. To his surprise, the plainly dressed woman agreed so readily that he froze for a moment before hurriedly expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, miss."

Ye Li’s lips twitched as she clearly felt the sudden surge of coldness radiating from the man beside her. She looked up at the scholar and said, "This is my husband." The scholar’s expression turned even more surprised. He had assumed Ye Li was unmarried—her simple attire and hair loosely tied with a silver ribbon, rather than styled in a married woman’s bun, made her look no older than sixteen or seventeen. In Western Liang, it wasn’t uncommon for women to remain unmarried until eighteen. He had thought the two might be siblings or fellow disciples traveling together, never imagining they were husband and wife. "My apologies, madam… May I ask your husband’s surname?"

Mo Xiuyao lifted his gaze, frowned slightly, and after a long pause, replied indifferently, "Ye."

In an instant, the scholar’s awkwardness and guilt vanished completely, replaced by an air of familiarity as if they were old friends. "Brother Ye and your wife must also be here for this year’s Martial Arts Tournament?"

Mo Xiuyao replied flatly, "Not exactly. We’re just passing through and thought we’d see the spectacle." The scholar clapped his hands cheerfully. "How wonderful! I, too, am here for the spectacle. Why don’t we go together? Ah, I forgot to introduce myself—I’m Ren Qining."

This time, Ye Li didn’t respond. Though she wasn’t well-versed in the martial world beyond a few renowned experts, she could tell this Ren Qining was no ordinary scholar. Unlike in Great Chu, scholars weren’t a common sight in Western Liang. A scholar appearing in such a place was odd enough, let alone one eager to join them for the Martial Arts Tournament.

Mo Xiuyao set down his chopsticks, noting that Ye Li had also finished eating. He stood and pulled her up with him, saying coolly, "No need. We prefer not to be disturbed by outsiders." Without a second glance at Ren Qining’s reaction, he led Ye Li upstairs to rest.

"Xiu Yao?"

In the quiet afternoon inn, Ye Li sat by the half-open window, reading a travelogue. The warm sunlight made her feel pleasantly drowsy, reluctant to move. When arms encircled her from behind, she set the book aside and tilted her head to look at the man behind her.

"Hmm?" Mo Xiuyao stood behind her, leisurely watching the bustling street below.Ye Li thought for a moment and asked, "That Ren Qining probably isn't an ordinary person, is he?" Mo Xiuyao gently smoothed the stray strands of hair by her ear and said softly, "Indeed, he's somewhat unusual, but there's no need to worry. The martial world always has its share of eccentric figures. A Li can just treat this as going to see some excitement."

Curious, Ye Li asked, "How skilled is Ren Qining in martial arts?" She could only tell that Ren Qining wasn't a frail scholar without any strength, but she couldn't gauge the depth of his martial prowess. This meant that, at least in terms of internal energy cultivation, Ren Qining surpassed her by a considerable margin.

Mo Xiuyao frowned slightly, considering before replying, "He could rank within the top ten in the martial world. Possibly even the top five—I can't quite tell which school he belongs to." After all, Mo Xiuyao wasn't truly part of the martial world. Back when he was just fourteen, his swordplay had shaken the world, earning him a place among the Four Great Masters. But since then, most of his time and energy had been devoted to the battlefield. His knowledge of the martial world was only general at best. Ye Li gave a helpless, bitter smile. "What luck—just taking a casual stroll and we bump into such a master."

Pulling Ye Li closer, Mo Xiuyao leaned down and smiled at her. "Don't mind him. If something this trivial ruins our mood, we might as well skip the Martial Arts Tournament altogether."

"Aren't you worried someone might take your title as one of the Four Great Masters?" Ye Li teased.

Mo Xiuyao scoffed lightly. "Even if all ten top rankings were taken by others, it wouldn't change the fact that my skills surpass theirs. Besides… how many people in this world truly require me to personally take action? These titles of 'great masters' were just youthful whims, nothing more than a game." Ye Li sighed softly, resting against his chest, feeling both moved and amused. The martial world's coveted titles of "great masters" were nothing more than child's play in Mo Xiuyao's eyes. She wondered what expressions those martial arts masters would wear if they knew.

"I've never seen a Martial Arts Tournament before. Shall we go take a look?" Ye Li turned to ask.

"Of course. Wherever A Li wants to go, we'll go," Mo Xiuyao agreed.

Naturally, the Martial Arts Tournament wouldn't be held in this obscure little town, but the location wasn't too far away—just two hundred li west, at Murong Manor, ten li outside Ancheng, the fourth-largest city in Western Liang. Early the next morning, Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao set off for Ancheng. As they came downstairs to settle their bill, they ran into Ren Qining, who was also preparing to leave. Unlike Mo Xiuyao's indifference, Ren Qining seemed delighted to see them. "Young Master Ye, Madam Ye, what a coincidence! Are you two also setting off?"

Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li's hand, paid the bill, and walked straight out without a word. Such blatant disregard left even the ever-gracious Ren Qining momentarily stiff-faced. Yet he still hurried after them. "Young Master Ye, Madam Ye—" Before he could finish, Mo Xiuyao turned and studied him for a long moment before saying, "Young Master Ren, my wife and I rarely have leisure time for travel. Disturbing a couple's private moments invites a horse's kick." With that, a stunned Ren Qining could only watch as Mo Xiuyao helped Ye Li onto their horse and rode off, leaving him standing there, unable to react for quite some time.After leaving the small town, Ye Li couldn't help but laugh when she recalled the expression on Ren Qining's face—it was as if he had swallowed a fly. Mo Xiuyao leaned against Ye Li's shoulder, casually controlling the horse's speed and direction while softly chuckling, "What's making A Li so happy?" Ye Li shook her head repeatedly. Mo Xiuyao naturally knew what she was laughing about and didn't press further, simply remarking, "That Ren Qining likely has grand ambitions. Whatever his reason for insisting on traveling with us, having him around is always uncomfortable." Ye Li nodded in agreement; she had no intention of traveling with others either. "What kind of place is Murong Manor? A renowned martial arts sect?"

Murong Manor did sound like a place straight out of a wuxia novel, often appearing as one of the so-called "Eight Great Martial Arts Families" or similar. If she had known she'd be getting involved in the martial world, she should have read all the intelligence reports from the Shadow Division about it beforehand.

Mo Xiuyao explained, "Murong Manor... isn't a martial arts sect. Rather, it's... the wealthiest family in the world."

"Oh?" Ye Li was surprised. "The wealthiest family in the world?" She had met wealthy individuals before—Feng Zhiyao's Feng Family was one of the four wealthiest families in Great Chu, yet even they wouldn't dare claim to be the richest in the world. Just how wealthy was the Murong Family? "How do they compare to the Feng Family?"

Mo Xiuyao replied, "Even five Feng Families combined might not match the wealth of the Murong Family."

Despite her mental preparation, Ye Li was still stunned. Mo Xiuyao continued leisurely, "Like the Xu Family, the Murong Family is a prestigious clan with a history spanning centuries. But unlike the Xu Family, which is a scholarly lineage, the Murongs are a merchant family. As such, their reputation and status have never matched the Xu Family's. Back when Western Liang and Great Chu were still united, the Murong Family was already the wealthiest in the world. It's said they control three mysterious gold veins. Over the years, everyone from the Western Liang imperial family to Great Chu, Nanzhao, and even Northern Rong has tried to seize these veins, but none have succeeded."

"Enough wealth to rival a nation... For such a family to have survived in Western Liang for so long, they must have some powerful backing?" Ye Li mused. Although merchants ranked lowest in the traditional hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, every aspect of life—food, clothing, shelter, and daily necessities—relied on commerce. Yet throughout history, few who amassed such wealth had met a good end.

Mo Xiuyao explained, "The Murong Family provided substantial support during Western Liang's founding, and naturally, they reaped immense benefits afterward. Western Liang's commerce has always lagged behind Great Chu's, partly because it's said the Murong Family controls nearly sixty percent of Western Liang's businesses." Ye Li nodded. With one family monopolizing sixty percent of a nation's commerce, it was no wonder business was difficult in Western Liang. And where business struggled, commerce naturally found it hard to thrive. After a moment's thought, Ye Li smiled. "So the Western Liang imperial family must have long resented the Murong Family?"Mo Xiuyao nodded in agreement and smiled, "That's right. However, even so, the Xiling imperial family wouldn't dare act rashly against the Murong family. Firstly, the Murong family are merchants, unlike Prince Ding's Estate. If pushed to desperation, whichever country they align with would deal a fatal blow to Xiling. Additionally, it's said the Murong family has an exceptionally formidable top-tier master. The problem is no one has ever seen this master. If provoked into a fight to the death... whether it's the Xiling Emperor or Zhennan Wang, they only have one life to lose."

"Even Zhennan Wang wouldn't be a match?" Ye Li asked in surprise.

Mo Xiuyao looked down at her with a smile, "Although the martial arts contests in the jianghu have produced so-called 'Four Great Masters,' the truly powerful experts in this world remain in seclusion. Many senior masters from older generations have already retired to the mountains and forests, but if they truly acted, their decades of experience alone—let alone their martial prowess—would far surpass what these younger generations could match. The Murong family is among the wealthiest in the world, yet no one has ever dared cause trouble or steal from them all these years. So, the claim that they have a master guarding them is somewhat credible."

"Wang Ye seems quite interested in this mysterious master?" Ye Li asked, noticing the unusual brightness in Mo Xiuyao's eyes.

Mo Xiuyao shook his head, "Not exactly interested. If we truly cross paths, I'll naturally fight with all my strength. But if we never meet, I won't regret it either."

If it were the Mo Xiuyao of his youth, knowing such a mysterious master existed, he would have sought them out for a challenge. But the current Mo Xiuyao wouldn't. As the ruler of the northwest, responsible for hundreds of thousands of Mo Family Army soldiers and the safety of the northwestern people, as A Li's husband and Mo Xiaobao's father, his duty was to protect their safety and provide them with a stable, peaceful home. If forced to face such a master, he would fight with everything he had. But if not, there was no need to go looking for trouble. He wasn't like Ling Tiehan, who pursued martial arts single-mindedly.

"What about the current members of the Murong family? I haven't heard of any particularly famous Murongs in Xiling." Even without deep knowledge of the jianghu, Ye Li had a decent understanding of the northwest. Logically, a family as renowned as the Murongs shouldn't have escaped her notice.

Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, "What flourishes must decay. The Murong family thrived for centuries without the Xu Family's strategy of concealing their strength and enduring when necessary, so they naturally had to pay a price. The previous Murong family head originally had three sons and four daughters. One son and one daughter died young before reaching adulthood. Of the remaining two sons, the more capable one, Murong Jie, died mysteriously at twenty-three. The other was sickly from childhood and didn't live past thirty, leaving behind a son and a daughter. Unfortunately... the son was born mentally impaired. Fearing that his collateral relatives would seize his grandson's inheritance and status, the family head ruthlessly eliminated all collateral branches. But then, the impaired child drowned in a pond at nine years old. After this incident, the family head was utterly devastated and reportedly hasn't received outsiders for many years. It's no surprise A Li hasn't heard of them."

Ye Li's heart stirred. "Doesn't that mean the Murong family's future assets will all go to the remaining Miss Murong? How old is she?"Mo Xiuyao paused for a moment, then replied thoughtfully, "Legend has it that the granddaughter of the Murong family head was three years younger than that ill-fated simpleton. She should be about seventeen or eighteen this year."

Ye Li pursed her lips in a smile and turned to look at Mo Xiuyao, saying, "For some reason... I feel like this Martial Arts Tournament might have something to do with that Miss Murong."

Mo Xiuyao lowered his head and chuckled softly against Ye Li's forehead, "Even if it does concern her, it has nothing to do with us. Don't you agree, A Li?"

Ye Li blinked and asked, "The Murong family's wealth rivals that of a nation. Doesn't Wang Ye feel tempted at all?"

Mo Xiuyao sighed helplessly, "What can I do? This prince has already married a Wang Fei who, though not as wealthy as a nation, is more precious than mountains of gold and rivers of silver. So the Murong family's vast fortune is not something this prince is destined to touch."

Ye Li narrowed her eyes at him, trying to look angry but unable to suppress a smile, "Does Wang Ye regret it?" Mo Xiuyao shook his head playfully, "Between A Li and gold, this prince would always choose A Li over wealth. If what you say is true, this year's Martial Arts Tournament will surely be lively. Let's hurry and watch the excitement. But... if the Murong family really wants to choose a husband for their granddaughter, why hold it at the Martial Arts Tournament? Most nobles and scholars wouldn't attend such an event. Could it be they only want someone with exceptional martial skills?"

"Who knows? We'll find out when we get there."

The wild horses captured from Nanzhao were no less impressive than prized steeds, covering over two hundred li with two riders in just half a day. Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li entered Ancheng directly—the fourth largest city in Western Liang—and naturally chose the finest inn in town to stay. This year's Martial Arts Tournament was indeed unlike any before. Though the event hadn't begun, all the inns in the city were already packed, not just with martial artists but also wealthy merchants and even nobles. The best rooms in their chosen inn were fully booked, forcing them to settle for second-tier accommodations.

Given Mo Xiuyao's status, he wouldn't normally have to compete for lodging. However, having spent the past month traveling off the beaten path, they were unaware that over a month ago, the Murong family had sent invitations far and wide, summoning heroes from across the land to the tournament. As Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao was naturally among the invitees, but his invitation had been sent to Li Cheng in the northwest. All recipients were to be housed by the Murong family, who had prepared an entire estate for this purpose. Since Mo Xiuyao had no intention of participating, he didn't reveal his identity and instead stayed at the inn with Ye Li.

The Qingyuan Inn in Ancheng was one of the city's finest, catering to wealthy patrons, nobles, and even distinguished disciples of renowned martial sects.

Watching the well-dressed guests coming and going, Ye Li turned curiously to Mo Xiuyao, who was leisurely sipping tea, and asked, "Is every Martial Arts Tournament this formal?"Mo Xiuyao curled his lips and said, "How could that be? Most of the time, the top fighters from the previous tournament would agree on a place to compete in advance. Once the news got out, people from the martial world would naturally gather for the excitement. The year I went was an exception—Ling Tiehan went to challenge Zhennan Wang, and I just happened to be playing nearby when I got caught up in the fight by accident. To be honest, the only one who actually went to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament that year was Mu Qingcang."

The so-called Martial Arts Tournament turned out to be so casual that Ye Li felt somewhat disillusioned. But this also proved, from another perspective, just how much the Murong family attracted people from all walks of life.

Downstairs, a few handsome young men got into a fight over a disagreement, instantly throwing the area into chaos. Ye Li watched coldly as the men exchanged deadly moves below, showing no desire to intervene. Soon, the winner emerged, and the loser had his wrist tendons severed, rendering him unable to practice swordsmanship ever again. The victor, naturally, was smug and sneered, "Know your place. How dare you dream of Miss Murong?"

This remark immediately revealed that these people weren’t here for the so-called Martial Arts Tournament but for that Miss Murong—or rather, for the Murong family. Before his gloating could finish, a hidden weapon shot from nowhere struck him in the chest, and the previously triumphant youth collapsed on the spot.

"Who let such an idiot out to harm others and himself?" Ye Li muttered with a frown. The fight below had been instigated by the very youth who was now struck down—he had crippled another’s hand but lost his own life in return.

"That young man is Sun Jianhui, the eldest son of the renowned Sun family of swordsmen from Great Chu." A refined, amused voice sounded from behind. Ye Li turned to see Ren Qining standing at the stairway, smiling as he observed the two by the window.