Chapter 174 – 151 Hua Nongying
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It’s indeed hard to imagine that Xu Hongyu, a woman of such cool nobility, would mimic the actions depicted in erotic paintings, awkwardly and actively attending to a man. Those innocent and pure eyes, mixed with a hint of curiosity, seemed to ask what Chen Mu was feeling. This contrast was so stark that even for Chen Mu, it was a rare occurrence that set his heart racing.

A moment passed.

Chen Mu poured Xu Hongyu a cup of tea.

Xu Hongyu took the teacup, drank it all in one go, and then looked at Chen Mu curiously, asking, “What does that feel like? Why do men like it?”

Chen Mu scratched his head, not quite sure how to answer her question, so he said, “When you master the Kan Water Artistic Conception and your body has recovered to its normal state, you’ll probably understand.”

As Chen Mu was pondering if there was any way to help Xu Hongyu grasp the Kan Water Artistic Conception more quickly, a figure suddenly burst in from the outside courtyard.

“Miss, master, something has happened.”

Xiaohe rushed in and said, “Yue’er and little Ru have been taken by a group of people. The Protectors who followed them went to seek help, but none who entered have returned.”

Hearing this, Xu Hongyu was stunned for a moment before standing up and asking, “When did this happen?”

“Just a short while ago.”

Xiaohe glanced at Chen Mu and said softly, “We suspect it might be the forces of the Four Great Sects.”

“How could Yue’er and little Ru be involved with the Four Sects?”

Xu Hongyu’s brow furrowed slightly.

Just as she was about to ask further, Chen Mu gently patted her shoulder and said, “Don’t worry. How serious can the situation be for Yue’er and little Ru? I’ll go take a look at what’s going on. You stay here.”

At this time, Xiaohe’s delicate nose twitched slightly, and a look of surprise flashed across her eyes, but she had no time to ponder anything and quickly said, “One of the Protectors who returned is waiting outside.”

“Hmm.”

Chen Mu, now dressed in his official Inspectorate uniform, walked out of the courtyard with a calm expression.

He knew Chen Yue’s personality better than anyone; though she had become livelier than when she was younger, and sometimes playful, she still knew how to weigh a situation properly and wouldn’t stir up trouble. Yu Ru was even less likely to make waves given her gentle nature, prone only to being bullied.

Whatever the problem was, it seemed unlikely to involve Chen Yue or Yu Ru.

Therefore,

One could infer that the issue was either related to the Yu Family or to him.

Up to now, his direct dealings with the Four Great Sects hadn’t been many, except for that assassination attempt by the Blood Hidden Pavilion and the last time he had captured Yan Wansi, which involved contact with Hehuan Sect disciples. However, as he sorted through various reports for the Inspectorate every day, he was well aware of the Four Great Sects’ movements.

“Lord Chen.”

The Protector outside greeted Chen Mu with a bow upon his exit and then led the way.

They quickly left the Yu Family residence and crossed street after street until they reached a spacious courtyard behind the main street of the Inner City. It originally belonged to a small family affiliated with the Xie Family but had since changed hands.

From a distance, Chen Mu could see the towering bluestone walls and the courtyard behind them, and he already knew who he was dealing with. Yet he remained composed and thoughtful as he approached the gate.

With a push,

The courtyard door was not locked. It swung open easily to reveal a deserted courtyard with no one in sight.

“Wait here.”

Chen Mu gestured to the Yu Family Protector and nodded slightly at an Inspectorate scout who had followed from a distance, then stepped into the courtyard.

As he reached the middle of the courtyard, he calmly looked around and said, “I’m already here. Why hide?”

In the silent courtyard,

Suddenly, a peal of bell-like laughter rang out.

“Hehe.”

“We aren’t hiding at all. It’s more like you, Lord Chen, have trespassed into a private residence without announcing yourself.”

“Yes, yes.”

Accompanied by this light laughter, a group of women emerged, some of them looking at Chen Mu with curiosity, others displaying coy and flirtatious demeanors. Instantly, the courtyard was filled with an air of ‘desire.’

Their identity was self-evident:

Hehuan Sect!

As the Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate, Chen Mu might not know every detail of the Four Great Sects’ activities in Yu City, but he was aware of their significant movements, like how this area was acquired by Hehuan Sect through some cunning means from that small family. It had now become one of Hehuan Sect’s strongholds.

Compared to the Flower District, this place was actually the core of Hehuan Sect’s operations in Yu City. After all, the Flower District was just a place for their ‘work’, whereas this location was where they recruited disciples, practiced martial arts, and expanded their influence.

Although Hehuan Sect was part of the Demon Sect, Chen Mu actually tolerated them to some extent.

On one hand, Hehuan Sect’s actions were more measured than the other three sects, rarely involving killing, and even on Flower Street, they only siphoned a bit of the essence and vitality from men, which ordinary people could recover from within a month.

As for infiltrating small families and seducing them for their wealth…if it were peacetime, such actions would be seen as evil demon ways, but in these troubled times, their methods were arguably more lenient than those of small families who exploited the people and bullied the locals.

Of course, what truly granted Hehuan Sect a degree of tolerance from Chen Mu wasn’t just this; it was also because they took in girl orphans who had lost their homes, regardless of age, providing them shelter. Although fundamentally aimed at expanding the Sect’s momentum, it still offered a home to orphans who might otherwise die in the cold winters.

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