Jiang Chen turned back slowly, his sharp gaze meeting the old man's eyes.
Despite the old man's calm expression, the aura he carried was anything but ordinary. His eyes, though clouded with age, were like unsheathed blades—chilling, sharp, and filled with years of battle-hardened presence.
But Jiang Chen didn't flinch. He stood with his hands in his pockets, meeting the old man's gaze head-on, his posture relaxed but unyielding.
Mu Xi, watching from the side, was visibly stunned. That someone her grandfather couldn't suppress with mere presence alone… was unprecedented.
She had grown up hearing stories—how her grandfather, Mu He, had fought across the martial world and emerged undefeated. Even those renowned elites would avert their gaze when facing him. Yet now, this boy no older than her dared to meet his gaze without even a flicker of fear.
After a long breath, Mu He was the one to look away first.
His forehead beaded with sweat, and his breath grew uneven, as though he had just come out of a long illness.
"Grandfather!" Mu Xi hurried over to support him, her voice laced with concern.
Jiang Chen, unfazed, tilted his head and smiled faintly. "Old master, did you need something?"
Mu He forced a smile and nodded. "Young man, I heard you mention earlier that my granddaughter's martial arts had twenty-two flaws… including four fatal ones. Was that a careless remark, or were you serious?"
Jiang Chen raised his brows. "Do I look like I make careless remarks?"
That tone—it wasn't arrogance, it was certainty.
Mu Xi's face darkened. "Watch your attitude! Can't you speak properly to my grandfather?"
Jiang Chen gave her a cold look and waved lazily. "This is how I speak. If it offends you, feel free to leave."
Then he turned, ready to go.
"You stop right there!" Mu Xi stepped forward, blocking his path again, her eyes glaring like a furious cat. "You think you can just walk away after running your mouth?"
Jiang Chen let out a sigh. "I don't have time to deal with your temper tantrums."
He raised his hand and gently tapped her at the base of the neck—her Tiandu acupoint.
"Step back."
A soft but precise strike—enough to make her stumble two steps and feel a jolt through her body. Her face paled slightly.
"You… shameless!" she shouted.
Jiang Chen shrugged. "If I wanted to be ruthless, you wouldn't even be standing right now."
The way he said it—calm and simple—sent a chill through Mu Xi's heart. She realized it wasn't a bluff. When he touched her acupoint, she'd felt her body go limp and her mind blank out.
Still, admitting defeat wasn't in her nature.
"Hmph, big talk for a thug!"
"Mu Xi!" Mi He barked, finally stepping in. "Enough!"
Even she didn't dare argue when her grandfather spoke in that tone. She stepped back with a huff and glared at Jiang Chen one last time.
Mu He turned back toward Jiang Chen with a cupped fist and a polite smile. "Young friend, please forgive her. She's been spoiled since young and lacks restraint. But her intentions are not malicious."
Jiang Chen didn't seem bothered. He nodded and said casually, "She's still a little girl. I won't waste my breath arguing."
"You—!" Mu Xi fumed again. "Who are you calling a little girl?"
"Cough, cough…" Mu He coughed hard, quickly interrupting the escalating tension. "Little Xi, enough!"
He then stepped closer to Jiang Chen and said, "It's fate that we crossed paths. I am Mi He, and I'm curious… what's your name, young man? And who taught you?"
Jiang Chen replied calmly, "Jiang Chen. As for my teacher… he's not someone who belongs to this mundane world. I won't speak his name."
Mu He's eyes showed a trace of surprise. "A hidden master then…"
Before he could say more, he suddenly coughed hard, his body trembling from the force.
"Grandfather!" Mu Xi rushed to support him, worry flooding her face.
"It's alright, it's just the old injury acting up again…" MuHe said weakly.
The bodyguard, Ruifeng, quickly handed over a pill and some water. Moo He swallowed it, and after a few moments, his complexion began to return to normal.
Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Through his vision, he could see the old man's condition clearly—his heart was badly damaged, the left atrium slightly sunken, scarred by an ancient wound. Some tissue had already begun to die, and while the pill worked for now, it was no cure.
At this rate, Jiang Chen estimated that the old man had, at best, six months left.
His gaze deepened. "Old master, I assume… you took a serious hit to your chest, about thirty years ago?"
Mu He froze.
"How did you—"
Jiang Chen calmly continued, "Specifically, the left atrium. Likely from a palm strike, perhaps from someone of the same level as you. That blow damaged your meridians and caused internal trauma. Now, your heart's failing. The medicine you took just now suppresses the symptoms, but it won't save you."
Mu Xi looked stunned. Even Ruifeng's eyes widened.
Jiang Chen's tone was casual, but everything he said was terrifyingly accurate—right down to the year.
Mi He stared at him for a long moment.
Then, he bowed slightly.
"Young man… you have great insight."
Jiang Chen stood still, neither humble nor proud.