Li Musheng looked at Huo Xian and the others, then simply waved a hand, "You were right to do so. I have no interest in the throne."
At those words, Li Yuanling's brow furrowed slightly, and she looked at Li Musheng with some surprise.
At the same time, the purple-robed girl who had been holding her silver spear in one hand and the Dugu family young man in the other suddenly let her grip go slack, and the blood-soaked young man dropped to the floor with a thud.
"The master..."
She stared at Li Musheng with dark, wide eyes, and clearly recognized his voice in an instant.
The one who had just told her to go and fight four people alone, giving her this incomprehensible burst of near-invincible power, was this Eighth Prince right in front of her.
Huo Mu had of course heard of the exploits of this nominal distant uncle of hers whose name had shaken the world, but when she had felt that power within her own body, she had truly understood for the first time just how terrifying and extraordinary he really was.
At that point, Huo Qifeng and Huo Shan also seemed to understand what had happened, and both of them looked toward Li Musheng in the building with expressions of startled uncertainty.
To silently give a girl of only innate cultivation realm the power to stand above Dugu Yan and the blue-robed elder was genuinely staggering beyond words.
They simply furrowed their brows, watching Li Musheng intently, as though trying to see through him.
Faced with several people's gazes, Li Musheng was perfectly composed. He glanced at Li Yuanling and said, "Adopted sister, we have been here long enough. Say what needs to be said."
At those words, Li Yuanling drew her gaze from Li Musheng and looked toward Huo Xian and the others.
She considered briefly, then spoke, "We came to the Huo family's residence today looking for a young woman. She was seen near the residence about ten days ago. Do any of you have any information about her?"
At those words, Huo Xian and Huo Zhen exchanged a glance, while Huo Qifeng and Huo Shan furrowed their brows in thought.
After a moment, Huo Qifeng suddenly seemed to remember something and was about to speak, but quickly stopped himself and shifted his gaze toward Huo Xian and Huo Zhen, his two elder brothers.
At the same time, Huo Zhen considered briefly, then looked at Li Yuanling and asked, "Forgive me for asking directly. What is the connection between this young woman and the two of you?"
Li Yuanling gave a small nod, "She is helping my elder brother look for something. It is important to us."
At those words, Huo Zhen and Huo Xian exchanged another glance and were quiet for a moment. Huo Qifeng then murmured quietly, "For both of you to come in person, she must truly be important."
Huo Zhen looked at his third younger brother, his expression shifting slightly. Then he clasped his hands in a bow toward Li Yuanling and Li Musheng and said, "I ask that the two of you give us one day's time. Once we have investigated the young woman's situation clearly, we will give you our answer."
Li Yuanling looked over the Huo family members, then turned toward Li Musheng, clearly asking for his opinion.
Li Musheng, however, shook his head. His gaze settled on Huo Zhen and Huo Xian, and he said evenly, "There is no time to wait. Miss Cang is a capable and valued ally of mine. Give me your answer now."
At those words, Li Yuanling's expression shifted.
Though she sensed no displeasure from Li Musheng himself, the fact that he had directly declined Huo Zhen's suggestion made his position clear.
She then turned toward the Champion Marquis Huo Xian in his wheelchair, and asked with a puzzled look, "Great-Uncle, do you truly have no information about Miss Cang's whereabouts?"
The white-haired Huo Xian closed his eyes gently, then let out a sigh, "I am a man without the use of his legs, and I have long since stopped involving myself much in household affairs. But since Second Brother says the matter needs investigation, I ask the two of you to allow the Huo family one day. I will personally ensure that you receive a satisfactory answer."
Li Yuanling's expression went through several shifts, and she rubbed her brow slightly, then turned again toward Li Musheng.
She was about to speak, but Li Musheng raised a hand to stop her, then looked at Huo Xian with a calm expression, "Given that we are family, I would prefer not to resort to force. I also do not know what concerns or plans you may have."
"But I once made a promise to Miss Cang that anything which can be resolved with force does not count as a problem. I keep my word. I ask you to think carefully about every word you say going forward."
At those words, the entire courtyard building went so quiet that a pin dropping would have been audible.
Every member of the Huo family looked at Li Musheng. The Eighth Prince before them had showed not the slightest change in expression throughout, and not a flicker of true qi had moved around him. Not a trace of martial pressure had been released.
But they did not dare disregard a single word he had said.
"Second Elder Brother..."
Huo Qifeng suddenly furrowed his brow and looked at Huo Zhen, his expression clearly shifting as he seemed to want to say something. But Huo Zhen reached out and stopped him.
At that, the gray-robed Huo Zhen drew a slow breath, then looked at Li Musheng, clasped his hands, and bowed, "All of us are grateful to Your Highness for acting on the Huo family's behalf just now. Should Your Highness require anything in the future, the Huo family will do everything in its power to repay the debt."
"Only regarding this young woman, I ask Your Highness to allow the Huo family time to..."
But Huo Zhen's words were not yet finished when he suddenly felt an invisible force descend on him in an instant. It compelled him to stop speaking and devote all of his focus to meeting it.
In that instant, this aged former Great Li General of the Light Cavalry saw something erupt from within his own aging frame, an aura of extraordinary and fearsome intensity.
The true qi around him moved like storm clouds, gathering ceaselessly into the shadow of a great spear pointing to the heavens.
The shadow shimmered with coiling dragons, propped against the sky, rooted in the void itself.
In an instant, the tip of the spear gleamed like a cold star in the dark. Countless spear shadows, dense as solid matter, wove and burst outward around him like wild serpents writhing, like black dragons tumbling, the boundless sharp edge converging into an invisible storm.
Huo Zhen poured his concentrated spear intent into resisting the force pressing down on him. But the harder his spear intent pushed, the heavier that force became. Though he brought his full power to bear, that invisible weight remained like an immovable mountain, pressing the breath out of him.
Huo Zhen's face gradually became more and more pale. Within the canopy of spear shadows his body even began to tremble slightly.
Seeing this, Li Yuanling, Huo Qifeng, and the others all showed expressions of urgency, turning in unison toward Li Musheng sitting in the bamboo chair.
Li Musheng, however, was completely indifferent to their gaze. He simply picked up his tea cup and drank without concern, as though the situation with Huo Zhen had nothing to do with him at all.