"Master... Master?"

Shen Qianhao looked at Lin Mu in disbelief, his heart roiling like a tempest, filled with shock.

The famed Spirit Seer of the Southeast Five Provinces is actually addressing this young man as his master? Just who on earth is he?

For a moment, Shen Qianhao felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his mind utterly reeling.

"What? Is there a problem?" Seeing Shen Qianhao standing there dumbstruck, a trace of murderous intent appeared in the Spirit Seer's eyes.

"N-No... No problem."

Shen Qianhao trembled, his voice sounding strained. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Lin Mu. "Young Master Mu... it was my fault for failing to recognize your greatness. Please, be the bigger man and forgive me this once."

Everyone was stunned to see Shen Qianhao kneeling on the ground like a dog and ceaselessly begging for mercy. Is this really Shen Qianhao? From the esteemed Shen Family of Suzhou? The same Shen Qianhao from one of the great families of the Southeast Five Provinces is kowtowing to a young man? This is unbelievable!

The scene devolved into chaos as everyone exclaimed in astonishment. The few who had supported Shen Qianhao earlier looked as pale as death, their heads bowed in fear of retribution.

"Hmph." Seeing the chaos, the Spirit Seer snorted. "Are you looking to die?"

Instantly, the entire courtyard fell deathly silent. No one dared to speak.

Having intimidated the crowd, the Spirit Seer looked at Shen Qianhao with a frosty expression. "My master is not some insignificant mortal ant you can humiliate at will. If you don't give me a proper explanation today, I'll slaughter you!"

Lin Mu was now the person the Spirit Seer respected most, and he would not tolerate the slightest disrespect toward him. Worldly men like Shen Qianhao thought their money and power made them untouchable. Little did they know, with but a single word, the Spirit Seer could make countless prestigious families of the Southeast Five Provinces kneel before him and acclaim him as their Master.

"I..." Shen Qianhao's face turned white, his body drenched in a cold sweat as he begged, "Master, Young Master Mu, I implore you, show me mercy just this once."

"I won't dare to do it again, never again," he sobbed, weeping bitterly. He was filled with such regret that his insides ached. If only I had known, I never would have attended Chu Zhengbo's damn wedding. All that talk about making big money together... Now, not only have I failed to earn a single penny, I've nearly lost my life.

At this thought, Shen Qianhao suddenly blurted out, "Young Master Mu, Master, it's all Chu Zhengbo's fault! It was him!"

He pointed at Chu Zhengbo on the ground. "He's the one who told me about Coiling Dragon Bay in Jiangling! He said it was comparable to an Immortal Realm and that its owner was powerless and without influence. He claimed he had many ways to take it over, and that's the only reason I came to Jiangling!"

Crying with regret, Shen Qianhao continued, "It was Chu Zhengbo who convinced me to come! He said that you, Young Master Mu, were a fat lamb ready for slaughter. I may be at fault, but my crime doesn't warrant death!"

Hearing Shen Qianhao's words, Lin Mu's eyes narrowed.

The Spirit Seer instantly understood. He strode forward and kicked Chu Zhengbo. "Still playing dead? Believe me, I can make you *really* dead right now."

"Spare me, Master, spare me!" Chu Zhengbo scrambled to his knees, begging frantically. "Young Master Mu, Master, it's all my fault! I was blinded by greed and coveted your property. I deserve to die!"

As he spoke, Chu Zhengbo slapped his own face repeatedly until his cheeks were swollen.

To the onlookers, this whole spectacle seemed to turn the world on its head; it was beyond belief. Shen Qianhao was one thing; he was from distant Suzhou and not well-known to the crowd. But this was Chu Zhengbo, a man touted as a formidable figure in Handong Province.

And now... he was groveling on the ground like a beaten dog.

"Since you deserve death, then go and die," Lin Mu said flatly. "Kill him."

If Chu Zhengbo dared to target him, he could not be allowed to live. He was about to report to the Southeast Military Academy. There could be no loose ends left in Handong Province. Otherwise, if trouble flared up in his backyard, he wouldn't have time to come back and deal with it.

"No, don't kill me! I don't want to die!" Hearing Lin Mu's verdict, Chu Zhengbo retreated in terror. "I can give you everything the Chu Family has! Just don't kill me! I'm scared!"

"If you didn't want to die, you shouldn't have offended the Master," the Spirit Seer said, stepping forward. "In your next life, remember not to offend those you can't afford to."

"No!"

Chu Zhengbo suddenly shot to his feet and ran.

He didn't want to die! He hadn't lived long enough!

Fueled by fear, Chu Zhengbo moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he reached the Chu Family's main gate, about to sprint out of the villa. The crowd watched, slightly surprised. It seemed that in a desperate situation, anyone could unleash unbelievable power.

However, just as everyone—including Chu Zhengbo himself—thought he might actually escape, Lin Mu raised his hand, opened his palm, and then clenched his fist.

Before the eyes of all, Chu Zhengbo's entire body exploded into a mist of blood, leaving not a single bone behind.

Chu Zhengbo was dead. And he had died a most pathetic death.

This had all, indeed, been part of Chu Zhengbo's plan. He had recognized Lin Mu earlier but had said nothing, because he wanted to kill him. With Lin Mu dead, Coiling Dragon Bay would be his. That real estate project was currently the most profitable in all of Handong Province. His status as head of the chamber of commerce, his immense background—in Chu Zhengbo's eyes, these were all trivial. His true trump card was not a worldly force; it was the Spirit Seer. Or, to be precise, another one of the Spirit Seer's divine avatars.

But Chu Zhengbo could never have imagined that in the end, he would die because of the very Spirit Seer he was counting on.

It was the ultimate irony. If the Spirit Seer hadn't accepted Lin Mu as his master, Lin Mu wouldn't have come to help retrieve his true form. If Chu Zhengbo hadn't coveted Coiling Dragon Bay, he wouldn't have crossed paths with Lin Mu. And if he hadn't crossed paths with Lin Mu, he wouldn't have died.

But in this world, there are no "what-ifs."

Witnessing this feat, everyone was utterly horrified. To crush a man into a bloody mist with a single gesture from afar...

Is he even human?

In that moment, everyone looked at Lin Mu with absolute terror in their eyes, truly afraid he would turn on them next.

The most terrified of all was Shen Qianhao.

"I..." He was so frightened he couldn't speak, only kneeling on the ground as if awaiting judgment.

"Begone," Lin Mu said indifferently. "And from now on, do not appear before me again. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill you."

Shen Qianhao started, then kowtowed repeatedly. "Yes, yes! I understand! I would never dare! Never!"

With that, Shen Qianhao scrambled to his feet and fled. He stumbled several times along the way, but always clambered back up, practically crawling on all fours to get away.

Once Shen Qianhao had left, Lin Mu turned to the remaining guests in the Chu Family's courtyard, his expression impassive.

The crowd gasped, so frightened that they hastily bowed with clasped fists.

When no one else spoke, Fan Buwei stepped forward with a nervous smile. "Fan Buwei greets Young Master Mu once again. I am utterly convinced by your methods, Young Master Mu. You are a hero the likes of which Handong hasn't seen in a hundred years. I believe that from this day forward, Handong should be led by you."

"Indeed, indeed!"

"It should be so."

"We hope Young Master Mu will accept."

Facing their fearful reverence, Lin Mu clasped his hands behind his back and declared, "Very well. From now on, I have the final say in Handong!"

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