Ms. Diviner: The Prodigal Daughter's Return Chapter 1390: Making Her Their Target

A faint smile touched Mu Hanyan's lips; she felt she owed a debt of gratitude.

"Family Head Fang, when this crisis erupted, didn't you seek aid from the Capital?" Mu Hanyan inquired further. Nanyan Commerce was her and Mu Nan's enterprise, and the Mu Family would undoubtedly step in during such an event. The fact that the guards hired by the commerce, along with their own forces, could hold Fang Town implied the attacking Exotic Beasts were not overwhelmingly powerful. With the Mu Family's involvement, defending the town shouldn't have presented such immense difficulty.

"We did indeed request assistance. The very day after the Exotic Beasts descended upon the town, I dispatched a messenger to the Capital. Who could have foreseen that these beasts would lay siege to the town, severing all routes to both the Capital and Fang Town? We sustained significant casualties. Ultimately, only Master Qu Shanling managed to breach the blockade, only to turn back before reaching the Capital," explained Family Head Fang.

"Turn back? Why?" Mu Hanyan and the others simultaneously questioned.

"Concurrent with the assault on Fang Town, the Capital itself was under a massive invasion by Exotic Beasts. These creatures were far mightier and more numerous than those harassing Fang Town. I understand even the Imperial Army was caught unprepared. It was only through the combined might of the various aristocratic clans that the Capital was ultimately secured.

Upon Master Qu's arrival near the Capital, a fierce engagement was raging outside the city walls. Perceiving the direness of the situation, he swiftly cut through the beastly blockade and made his return to Fang Town. It was fortunate it was him; had it been another, they likely wouldn't have survived, even with nine lives," Family Head Fang conveyed with evident emotion.

Listening to his account, Mu Hanyan finally grasped the urgency behind her father's summons. It transpired that even Anyun City had experienced a catastrophic onslaught of Exotic Beasts.

Although invasions by Exotic Beasts had been a perpetual threat across millennia, she had never before heard of the nation's capital falling victim to such an attack within her own recollection. Given the known intelligence of Exotic Beasts, such a seemingly reckless action struck her as improbable.

Mu Hanyan's suspicion solidified: this entire ordeal was undoubtedly orchestrated by those formidable Netherworld Beasts originating from the Jiuyou Netherworld. Their ability to eradicate the Spiritual Marks of Exotic Beasts suggested they possessed the means to manipulate their mental faculties. Otherwise, their inherent intelligence would surely preclude such a 'foolish' coordinated assault. Yet, the underlying motive remained elusive.

Naturally, Mu Hanyan would not squander her energy contemplating the intentions of Netherworld Beasts. Having encountered one only once and without even a clear glimpse of its form, attempting to decipher the intricacies of their minds seemed utterly pointless.

"What is the current state of the Capital? Have you received any intelligence from the Mu Family?" Mu Hanyan inquired, her utmost concern directed towards her own kin.

The summons was penned by her father; could something have befallen her grandfather? Yet, that seemed improbable. Given her grandfather's formidable cultivation and the protection of the Mu Family's disciples, how could any harm come to him?

"We possess no concrete details, but we surmise that no major calamities have occurred," Family Head Fang responded with discernible uncertainty.

"And how fares Master Qu Shanling?" Mu Hanyan pressed, anticipating a lack of definitive answers regarding her family, she turned her attention to Qu Shanling's recovery.

"He is out of critical danger and recuperating at his former master's residence. Mu Cheng is attending to him, and he is expected to make a full recovery within a few days," Family Head Fang confirmed.

"Very well, Lady Mu, you are now apprised of the situation in Fang Town. We journeyed all this way to lend our support to your Nanyan Commerce. We have expended both resources and effort in aiding your defense, and now, with reinforcements unlikely to arrive, you, as the proprietor of Nanyan Commerce, surely cannot permit us all to perish alongside you," Park Donghan remarked with thinly veiled sarcasm.

"Young Master Pu, please be at ease. You are esteemed guests of Nanyan Commerce. Had I not returned, matters might stand differently, but now that I am here, I shall guarantee your safety. At the very least, I will ensure your secure departure from Fang Town, and we shall fully compensate you for any losses incurred, even twice over," Mu Hanyan pledged.

Lacking direct experience with the strength of these particular Exotic Beasts, she refrained from making overly audacious promises. However, she harbored a strong confidence in her ability to break through the beastly blockade and guide them safely out of Fang Town.

"Easy for you to say. Others may be unaware of your true capabilities, but I am not. You are a Sword Master of the Sixth Rank, are you not? And your guards are merely Fourth Rank, correct? With such paltry strength, you confidently promise to escort us out of Fang Town? You might as well lead us directly to our demise," Park Donghan taunted. As the Young Master of the Pu Family's chamber of commerce, he possessed a degree of insight into Mu Hanyan and her entourage's combat prowess.

The stewards from other merchant guilds initially wore pleased expressions at Mu Hanyan’s pledge, but their moods soured once more upon hearing her subsequent words.

Family Head Fang conveyed with a wry chuckle to Mu Hanyan, "Master, the majority of those mystical beasts were not particularly formidable; high-ranking Knights could manage them. However, subsequently, a few exceptionally powerful ones emerged, possessing cultivation comparable to an Eighth or Ninth Rank Sword Master."

Mu Hanyan expressed mild surprise, as she hadn't anticipated the exotic beasts attacking Fang Town to possess such might. With her previous strength, she would have found it challenging to contend. Nevertheless, she noted that the guards employed by the Nanyan Commerce were not exceptionally skilled either; even with experts surpassing a Sword Master, exceeding the Ninth Rank would be difficult. The guards accompanying the merchant guild stewards certainly wouldn't possess strength beyond that level either. She found herself wondering how they had managed to hold their ground.

"Lady Mu, a piece of advice: it would be prudent to sign the contract in good faith and cede Fang Town to that individual. Otherwise, even with your augmented strength, facing the relentless onslaught of those few potent exotic beasts, you will find it difficult to sustain your defense for long," advised Park Donghan.

"Oh, but who precisely has designs on the town?" Mu Hanyan inquired, now finally grasping the situation after Park Donghan’s earlier remarks had left her somewhat unclear, and directed her question to Family Head Fang.

"I am unaware of the individual's identity, but fortunately, he and a handful of his retainers intervened just in time. It is due to them that we were able to repel the recent assaults by the exotic beasts. He aided us on several occasions and, after demonstrating his prowess, presented a condition: if I transfer Fang Town to him, he will dedicate his full efforts to helping us vanquish the exotic beasts and guarantee everyone's safety," stated Family Head Fang.

"I see," Mu Hanyan uttered, with a slight frown.

Park Donghan was only aware of her strength as a Sixth Rank Sword Master when she departed Anyun. He remained oblivious to her ascension to the Great Sword Master Realm, which was equivalent to a Ninth Rank Sword Master. Consequently, she held no apprehension regarding those exotic beasts. However, she found herself intrigued by this individual who sought to capitalize on the circumstances, harboring aspirations for Fang Town.

"Family Head, that person has arrived once more," announced a disciple of the Fang Family, entering to deliver a report.

"Permit him entry," instructed Family Head Fang.

Shortly after, a young man, accompanied by over a dozen attendants, confidently strode into the assembly hall.

"It’s you!" Mu Hanyan exclaimed in sudden realization upon glimpsing the young man. Initially, she had suspected he was targeting Fang Town, but it now seemed she had underestimated the breadth of his ambitions.

"Mu Hanyan, it has been a considerable time," the young man declared with a disingenuous smile. It was none other than Dan Tai Xuan, who had previously engaged in a fierce contest with Mu Hanyan for the Sword Heart Soul Cleansing Pond and was later compelled to retreat by Ye Lanfeng.

Earlier, upon hearing of someone targeting Fang Town, Mu Hanyan had been uncertain of their identity. She had considered the possibility that he sought the abundant, peculiar flora and herbs from Flying Peak. However, upon beholding Dan Tai Xuan, she discerned that this individual's objective was, in fact, the Sword Heart Soul Cleansing Pond.

To dare set his sights on her; he was attempting to swallow more than he could digest, heedless of the consequences!