Chapter 41: Spread Throughout the City

Meng Chuan looked at the corpse of Blood Hand Zhao Can before him, then took a small whistle from his belt, put it in his mouth, and blew. Infused with his true energy, the whistle's sound was incredibly piercing, radiating in all directions and audible for several miles around. This whistle served to summon nearby Meng family members; only about a hundred high-ranking individuals within the family possessed one. Ordinary clan members, by contrast, were equipped with standard distress flares, which they could activate in critical moments to call for aid from other clan members.

Swiftly, figures arrived one after another.

"Young Master Meng Chuan?" Most of the arriving figures were skilled individuals serving the Meng family, with a smaller portion being actual Meng clan members. The Meng family, being extensive and powerful, employed a considerable number of skilled experts.

"This is the corpse of Blood Hand Zhao Can, the second leader of the Blood Cloud Bandits," Meng Chuan stated, pointing to the body before him. "There's also another Blood Cloud Bandit corpse at Blue Cloud Pavilion. You can take care of it."

"Yes," everyone present responded in unison.

Meng Chuan nodded and turned to leave. Only then did the assembled group begin to murmur amongst themselves.

"Old Brother Wang, take some people to Blue Cloud Pavilion to handle that Blood Cloud Bandit corpse," an elder instructed. "Also, find out precisely what Young Master Meng Chuan did there." This elder was one of the Meng family's nine chief external stewards, holding a considerable position within the family, with three generations of his own family having served the Mengs. Naturally, any outsiders entrusted with significant responsibilities by the Meng family were exceptionally capable individuals. Conversely, if a Meng clan member was mediocre and incompetent, they would at best merely avoid starvation, their status far inferior to that of an external chief steward.

"Yes," responded a dozen or so people, who immediately set off for Blue Cloud Pavilion.

"Blood Hand Zhao Can, a Seamless Realm master," the elder exclaimed, gazing at the corpse on the ground. "Young Master Meng Chuan truly is becoming more formidable."

"Young Master Meng Chuan is still in the Mortal-Transcendence Realm, yet he can defeat opponents of a higher cultivation level," remarked one person. "He must have reached the peak of the Unity Realm and is not far from comprehending 'Blade Intent'." The others around them also expressed their astonishment.

Meng Chuan had killed two Blood Cloud Bandit leaders with his blade, including the notoriously fierce Blood Hand Zhao Can. News of this naturally spread quickly, as Blue Cloud Pavilion was a bustling place, constantly filled with people, and thus attracted the attention of many interested parties. Some had even attempted to follow the chase of "Meng Chuan versus Blood Hand Zhao Can" earlier, but their movement speed was insufficient, and they had been shaken off. But later, when Meng Chuan blew his whistle, besides the Meng family's forces, it also attracted curious onlookers, many of whom personally witnessed Blood Hand Zhao Can's corpse.

At another courtesan house, in a private room, Yun Fuan was chatting casually with his friends, each attended by a beautiful courtesan. Just then, the private room door opened, and another middle-aged man walked in, smiling.

"Brother Zhang, we've been waiting for you for almost half an hour," Yun Fuan said with a chuckle. "You owe us three penalty drinks."

"You know my tigress at home; I couldn't help it. I only managed to slip out now," the middle-aged man said with a laugh as he sat down. He immediately tilted his head back to down a cup. As he set it down, a courtesan instantly refilled it. The middle-aged man, quite excited, then continued, "I've got some big news to tell you two."

"What big news?" another portly man, embracing a courtesan, asked casually.

"About an hour ago, something major happened at Blue Cloud Pavilion," the middle-aged man said. "Meng Chuan of the Meng family went there..." As he spoke, he glanced at Yun Fuan.

Yun Fuan's eyelid twitched.

"Him going to Blue Cloud Pavilion is considered big news?" The portly man chuckled. "Only about half of those who serve in the military return alive, and many of them are disabled. It's quite common for them to visit courtesan houses before military service."

"He went to Blue Cloud Pavilion not for the women there, but for two men," the middle-aged man said triumphantly. This revelation made both Yun Fuan and the portly man freeze in surprise.

The middle-aged man continued, "They were two leaders of the Blood Cloud Bandits. Meng Chuan went to Blue Cloud Pavilion and first killed one bandit, then pursued and killed another fierce bandit—Blood Hand Zhao Can."

"Blood Hand Zhao Can?" Both Yun Fuan and the portly man exclaimed in surprise.

"He severed Blood Hand Zhao Can's arm on the spot, and Blood Hand Zhao Can immediately fled in a panic. Meng Chuan pursued him, reportedly for a mile, before finally slaying him," the middle-aged man exclaimed in awe. "Incredible, absolutely incredible!"

Yun Fuan couldn't help but interject, "He could kill Blood Hand Zhao Can? Blood Hand Zhao Can is a Seamless Realm expert. Meng Chuan, I estimate, is at most in the late-stage Mortal-Transcendence Realm."

"Could he have comprehended 'intent'?" the middle-aged man speculated.

"Impossible," Yun Fuan immediately retorted. "If he truly comprehended 'intent,' with so many people at Blue Cloud Pavilion, it would have been obvious at a glance. The news would have spread throughout the entire city by now."

"Right, it's impossible for him to have comprehended 'intent'," the portly man agreed. "He only reached the Unity Realm last year. How could he be that fast? If he really had comprehended 'intent,' he would have been able to kill Blood Hand Zhao Can inside Blue Cloud Pavilion. The fact that Meng Chuan, who is known for his movement techniques and speed, had to pursue Zhao Can for a mile before killing him indicates that the gap between their strengths wasn't too large."

"Brother Bai speaks logically," Yun Fuan nodded.

"Both your families should know that Senior Meng, gravely injured, can only hold on for a few more years," the portly man chuckled. "Now that a Meng Chuan has emerged, comprehending a secret technique at fifteen, they will certainly cultivate him with all their might. With Senior Meng's eighty years of accumulated divine demon cultivation, under such dedicated nurturing, Meng Chuan's divine demon foundation will undoubtedly be very strong. Although he is in the late-stage Mortal-Transcendence Realm, his physical body might not be much weaker than Blood Hand Zhao Can's. The fact that he could suppress Blood Hand Zhao Can indicates a superior blade technique, likely having reached the peak of the Unity Realm. He might even comprehend 'intent' within two or three years."

"'Comprehend 'intent' within two or three years?'" Yun Fuan scoffed. "Brother Bai, I admit he's a genius. But breakthroughs in blade technique aren't that easy. He might not comprehend 'intent' until after he's twenty."

"Don't underestimate him," the portly man shook his head. "According to what my Bai family has gathered, Meng Chuan practices drawing his blade and slashing at crossbow bolts eight thousand times every day. He supposedly has other training as well... He is indeed uncommonly diligent."

"Yes, yes, he's diligent. But if diligence were all it took, there wouldn't be so few divine demons," Yun Fuan continued. If the engagement hadn't been broken off, he would naturally have been delighted to see Meng Chuan become as powerful as possible. But with the engagement dissolved, he now hoped Meng Chuan would amount to as little as possible. Most people are like that. If Yun Fuan could have maintained a calm perspective at this moment, the 'Three Heroes of the Yun Family' would have become the 'Four Heroes of the Yun Family'.

The news caused waves of commotion outside, and within the Meng clan, it caused an uproar, sparking widespread discussion.

At the Meng Residence by Mirror Lake.

"Chuan'er, you went out to eat with Qiyue, then slipped away alone on the way back and went to kill two Blood Cloud Bandit leaders?" Meng Dajiang looked at his son, at a loss for words.

"Father, you know I can sense auras within a mile," Meng Chuan said. "I remotely sensed those two bloodthirsty auras, which were even stronger than those of the executioners at the yamen. That's when I decided to investigate further. Within ten zhang, I overheard their conversation and discovered Blood Hand Zhao Can's disguise methods, easily confirming his true identity. Both Blood Cloud Bandit leaders deserved to die. Blood Hand Zhao Can, especially, could not be spared."

Meng Dajiang nodded slightly.

"Don't worry, Father, I didn't display my full Blade Intent; I merely showed slightly more strength than Blood Hand Zhao Can. I only killed him with a single strike when no one else was around," Meng Chuan explained. Being able to sense a mile around him, he was well aware if anyone else was present.

"Alright," Meng Dajiang nodded with a smile. "The outside world is now saying that your blade technique has reached the peak of the Unity Realm and that you're not far from comprehending Blade Intent. Announcing your comprehension of Blade Intent in the middle of next year... that would be a natural progression. Oh, and the yamen has already sent people to verify it; that was indeed Blood Hand Zhao Can. The other deceased individual, identified by a tattoo, was also confirmed to be a Blood Cloud Bandit."

"The money, treasures, and weapons found on their bodies, when converted to silver, plus the imperial bounty, total sixteen thousand taels of silver," Meng Dajiang said, taking out a stack of silver notes from his pouch. "These were just sent by the family. They are your spoils of war and belong to you."

"Zhao Can offered a lot of money when he begged for his life before he died," Meng Chuan said with a chuckle. "Father, you don't need to give them to me."

"Your spoils of war naturally belong to you," Meng Dajiang said, handing them over. "You've grown up now, and these are yours to manage as you see fit."

Meng Chuan could only accept them.

Tens of thousands of taels of silver... For wealthy merchant families like the Zhou family, their entire family fortune might only be that much. For the Blood Cloud Bandits, it was also a significant amount of wealth. However, for the divine demon Meng family, it was truly insignificant.

Back in his room, Meng Chuan reclined on his bed, using the moonlight to examine the thick stack of silver notes. Including what he had previously taken from Blood Hand Zhao Can, he now possessed over fifty thousand taels in silver notes.

"I've lived this long, and the most I've ever had on me was five thousand taels of silver notes," Meng Chuan mused inwardly. Although he was famous and highly valued by his family, he didn't earn money himself. The family provided a small monthly allowance, and his father gave him some pocket money. He didn't spend much, so through long-term accumulation, he had only managed to save five thousand taels, which was far less than many wealthy merchants. Today, he had suddenly acquired so much.

After glancing at them, he casually set the notes aside, his gaze falling instead on the black iron piece wrapped in cotton cloth. In fact, compared to the silver notes, he was more curious about divine demon artifacts, though he didn't have high expectations. After all, it was too dilapidated.

"This broken black iron piece," Meng Chuan murmured as he picked it up. An incredibly potent divine demon aura emanated from it, prompting him to examine it even more closely. Although there was no candle lit and only moonlight streamed through the window, Meng Chuan's "viewing" was not merely with his eyes; an invisible sense permeated every minute detail of the black iron piece. As his senses penetrated, the broken black iron piece exerted an invisible attraction, drawing his awareness. Meng Chuan immediately felt his consciousness being pulled into the black iron piece.