Chapter 117 – An Unexpected Turn Of Events

Mu Tingxuan looked at Kuang Yi and said lukewarmly, "Senior, what's wrong with your legs? Did you do too many bad deeds? Did the Heavens finally become fed up with you?"

Kuang Yi looked at Mu Tingxuan and smiled bitterly, and said, "My legs were broken by your father!"

Mu Tingxuan's eyebrows twitched, and he unconsciously raised his face.

All these years, Mu Tingxuan has never been able to let go of his prejudices against Mu Xingzhi, but if it weren't for the fact that he also held some expectations towards Mu Xingzhi, Mu Tingxuan wouldn't be bearing such a huge grudge either.

Yi Fan stared at Kuang Yi coldly and said, "So, there really was a problem with Tingxuan's prophecy from back then?"

Kuang Yi pursed his lips and said nothing.

Yi Fan looked at Kuang Yi, lowered his head, and said, "Senior, you're not going to say anything? How about this, I'll go find your daughter and you can explain yourself to her. I heard that your daughter is very unfilial, I can bring her here and have her stay here with you, I'll even break her legs so that she can't run away. This way, your father and daughter pair can keep each other company!"

"My misfortune has nothing to do with my family, Your Excellency, there's no need to do that." Kuang Yi immediately looked up and said.

Yi Fan crossed his arms, smiled nonchalantly, and said, "You's the one who said those kinds of words about the future of a newborn child, and now you're trying to argue with me?"

Kuang Yi: "…"

Kuang Yi looked at Mu Tingxuan, sighed, and said, "I should've known, good and evil deeds will always receive their retribution in the end. Back then, when I announced your fate, I had imagined that a day like today would come eventually."

Kuang Yi closed his eyes and continued, "A person's destiny can be changed. When you were born, there were two different pathways that your life could take. One in which you'd achieve meteoric success and help the Mu Family rise to glory, while in the other, you'd suffer many difficulties in your life, and there's a chance that the Mu Family could be destroyed by you."

Mu Tingxuan looked at Kuang Yi and clenched his fists, there was one path towards enlightenment, and one path towards hell. He wasn't naturally born as a star of calamity? "How many benefits did Mu Yueshan give you? For you to do such a thing to me?"

"Mu Yueshan kidnapped my daughter and used her to threaten me. He's the young master of the Mu Family, I had to listen to his orders." Kuang Yi said.

Mu Tingxuan sneered and said, "Stop acting as if you were treated that unjustly. With your abilities, if you really weren't willing, no one would've been able to force you to do anything!"

Kuang Yi looked at Mu Tingxuan and said, "In any case, I am very sorry."

"Do you really think that there's any use in you saying those words now?" Mu Tingxuan said.

Kuang Yi smiled reluctantly and said, "It does seem to be a little late for that. I don't know if it's a coincidence or if it's really destiny, but back then, the words that I said about your fate were only what Mu Yueshan told me to say. Now that we've met again, you've already been disfigured, and the scars on your face have ruined your original appearance. Your fate really turned out to be exactly as I had declared."

[T/n: Isn't this basically just a self-fulfilling prophecy then? Not really sure what he's trying to say here lol.]

"How amazing, your prediction came true." Mu Tingxuan said mockingly.

"I supposed my life hasn't gone that badly, I'm following a good boss, and the end of Mu Family is near." Mu Tingxuan gritted his teeth and said.

Kuang Yi looked at Mu Tingxuan and said, "Young Master Mu, where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them."

"Senior, you speak really carelessly. The one who was abandoned by his family isn't you, and the one whose wood-spirit core was dug out also isn't you. You make it seem as if everything's fine." Mu Tingxuan said coldly.

Kuang Yi looked at Mu Tingxuan and said, "It's retribution! I have to accept the consequences of my actions. All of this started because of me, and I can only hope that it'll end with me as well."

Kuang Yi suddenly collapsed in his chair.

Yi Fan stepped forward to check what happened, and said to Mu Tingxuan, "This guy was hiding a small pouch of poison in his mouth. He bit into it and died."

Mu Tingxuan said with a dark expression, "He's dead? Well he sure got off easy."

Mu Tingxuan clenched his fists. He only felt suffocated in his heart. Ever since he was a child, he's always hated the fortune-teller who had doomed him to his fate, but now that that person had died right in front of him, Mu Tingxuan didn't even feel the slightest bit better.

Yi Fan looked at Kuang Yi and said, "This guy actually hid poison inside his mouth. The way I see it, he probably did too many bad things, and had long expected and prepared for a day like today to happen."

Mu Tingxuan looked at Yi Fan and said, "Let's go!"

Yi Fan nodded and said, "Sure."

"It's raining." Yi Fan held an umbrella up over Mu Tingxuan's head.

Mu Tingxuan wrapped his clothes tighter around himself and said, "The wind is starting to blow, it's a little cold."

Yi Fan reached out his arm to hold Mu Tingxuan, and a warm current poured into Mu Tingxuan's body.

Mu Tingxuan felt that his whole body was comfortably warm. Mu Tingxuan turned his head and looked at Yi Fan, and said, "Your fire magic is well-controlled, I don't fell cold at all anymore."

Yi Fan smiled and said, "It's good that you like it."

"Let's go."

Mu Tingxuan nodded and said, "Okay!"

A middle-aged man in grey clothes was standing in the rain, looking at them fixedly.

Yi Fan looked at Mu Tingxuan and said, "Tingxuan, that person is looking at you."

Mu Tingxuan frowned and said, "It's just a crazy person, ignore him, let's go!"

Yi Fan nodded and said, "Alright." Yi Fan put his arm around Mu Tingxuan and brushed past the gray-clothed man.

The grey-clothed man looked at Mu Tingxuan's back as they walked away and wanted to step forward, but in the end, he didn't move.

Mu Tingxuan's head was lowered as he walked with Yi Fan, never looking back even once.

Yi Fan turned look at Mu Tingxuan, only to see Mu Tingxuan pursing his lips, his face ashen.

Yi Fan looked at Mu Tingxuan, hesitated for a moment, and said, "He's not just a crazy person, is he."

Mu Tingxuan glanced at Yi Fan and said, "Didn't you already guess it? He's… My father."

Yi Fan looked at Mu Tingxuan and said, "You don't want to say hello? The truth is, you've always wanted to receive his love and care, right!"

Mu Tingxuan closed his eyes and said, "When I was young, I really wanted to, but I never got it. Now, I don't need it anymore."

Yi Fan, "Don't worry, I'll always be by your side…"

Mu Family.

"Kuang Yi is dead?" Mu Yueshan asked.

"Yes, two people visited Kuang Yi today, and afterwards, Kuang Yi was found to have committed suicide." An elder of the Mu Family said.

Mu Yueshan clenched his fists and said, "So it's probably true then."

Ever since Qi Shaorong had set out to suppress the Mu Family, Mu Yueshan already investigated him and found out about Mu Tingxuan's existence, but Mu Yueshan always felt that maybe it was all just a coincidence. However, now that Kuang Yi was dead, Mu Yueshan has finally confirmed the truth.

"Kuang Yi really committed suicide?"

"It seems that Mu Tingxuan forced him to death."

Mu Yueshan narrowed his eyes and said, "That little white-eyed wolf sure is cruel and ruthless [1]."

"Master, what shall we do now?

"Qi Shaorong, that bastard, what benefits can he get from asking Feng Yuan to deal with our Mu Family? Is it really worth it, all for the sake of an insignificant subordinate?" Mu Yueshan closed his eyes and couldn't help feeling a little exhausted.

Zhuang Hao opened the door, looked at Mu Tingxuan and Yi Fan who were standing outside, and said, "You two are back! Come in."

Mu Tingxuan looked at Zhuang Hao and said, "Young Master Zhuang Hao, I heard that you and the Young Master were attacked when you two went out?"

"It was just a little thief who stole your Young Master's money. We chased after him and got into a small scuffle with some people [2], it's no big deal." Zhuang Hao said lightly.

Mu Tingxuan said apologetically, "I'm really sorry for involving you in all this, Young Master Zhuang."

"There's no need to treat me like an outsider, it's nothing, don't worry about it." Zhuang Hao said.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mu Tingxuan went to his room to sleep, leaving Yi Fan and Zhuang Hao in the courtyard.

Once Mu Tingxuan left, Zhuang Hao's attitude became much more casual.

"So you two went out together eh, was there any progress?" Zhuang Hao said, winking, as if he was looking to gossip.

Yi Fan pursed his lips and said, "My relationship with Mu Tingxuan has always been really good!"

Zhuang Hao seems lost in thought as he nodded and said, "It's always been really good. So what you're saying is, you haven't made much progress at all. Let me tell you, your efficiency is way too low, at this rate, you'll probably remain a bachelor all your life!"

Yi Fan frowned and said, displeased, "You're speaking as if you and Young Master are already sleeping in the same bed together."

Zhuang Hao touched his chin and said helplessly, "That hasn't happened yet, but in any case, at least my progress is still faster than yours."

Yi Fan sneered and said, "Really? Why don't you tell me how, exactly, is that the case?"

Zhuang Hao looked at Yi Fan and said, "Have you forgotten, your Young Master and I are engaged to each other."

Yi Fan rolled his eyes and said, "Young Master Zhuang, do you need me to remind you how you and Young Master got engaged in the first place? If it weren't for you suddenly using the contract to force him, the Young Master never would have agreed to it. That doesn't count."

"Actually, your Young Master has secretly been in love with me for a long time. During the Hundred Schools Competition, your Young Master touched me, and he even wanted to take my pants off. Did you not see? Oh, I remember, you were also participating in the competition at the time, so you didn't see it happen. That's okay, I have it recorded here in this stone, do you want to watch the recording?" Zhuang Hao said, showing off.

Yi Fan: "…" That shameful display at the Hundred Schools Competition, who didn't know about it? Zhuang Hao this guy keeps on bringing it up.

"No need, I don't want to watch it." Yi Fan said.

Zhuang Hao crossed his arms and said, "Never mind then. Your Young Master praised me and said that I have nice skin!"

Yi Fan: "…"

Zhuang Hao crossed his arms and suddenly thought of something. He turned to Yi Fan and said, "Have you ever held hands with Mu Tingxuan?"

Yi Fan said with a sullen face, "I have…"

Zhuang Hao nodded and said, "Oh really, you have such low efficiency, I didn't expect that you two have held hands before."

Yi Fan looked at Zhuang Hao with a somewhat fierce gaze and said, "Our Young Master has very high standards. Who knows, Young Master Zhuang, you may end up getting dumped by him someday. Young Master Zhuang, you shouldn't get carried away."

Zhuang Hao nodded and said dismissively, "Thank you for reminding me. Instead of worrying so much about me, you should think more about yourself. Let me tell you, your Young Master has always had a secret crush on me, but he has thin skin and he's just too embarrassed to say it."

Yi Fan: "…Young Master Zhuang, you sure think highly of yourself!"

Zhuang Hao smiled confidently.

Yi Fan said gloomily, "Mark my words, I'll go tell the Young Master everything you just said."

Zhuang Hao said a little awkwardly, "Now why would you go and tell something like that with Shaorong?"

Yi Fan: "… "

Footnotes:

White-eyed wolf: Thankless wretch or ingrate.

Scuffle: The words that Zhuang Hao originally used here mean "swapping pointers" or "learning from one another", he's trying to downplay the situation.