It turns out, they were the main characters.

Beside Bai Ruoxi, a beautiful woman who looked similar to Bai Ruoxi, but with a few more crow's feet on her face, was also holding a teacup.

The beautiful woman's attire exuded a more mature charm than Bai Ruoxi's, with a curvaceous figure and a delicate, charming face, resembling a voluptuous peony.

She put down her teacup, looking very happy. She turned to her daughter beside her and smiled, "Ruoxi, I told you, as long as you step in, that Mu family brat can't possibly refuse to help."

Bai Ruoxi shook her head slightly and said, "This matter has little to do with me. It's just that Young Master Mu happened to have some issues, so he went along with it and helped the Bai family."

Yes... rescuing the Bai family was just a side effect.

Mu Zhian's real purpose was not to save the Bai family at all, but to divert attention from the conflict.

The conflict within the Gongsun family shifted from Mu Zhian to the man in black robes.

Bai Yuanfeng gave her daughter a meaningful look and said, "Ruoxi, tell your mother the truth, is Mu Zhian with you...?"

Bai Ruoxi glared at her mother in embarrassment and anger, and shook her head, saying, "Mother, what are you talking about? Young Master Mu has not done anything to me."

Bai Yuanfeng was taken aback and asked in confusion, "That's strange... Could it be that he really doesn't have any feelings for you?"

“He said before that I cannot be used as an item for trade… because I am a human being.” As Bai Ruoxi said this, she secretly observed her mother’s expression, her eyes carrying a hint of expectation, as if hoping to hear something from the beautiful woman.

Bai Yuanfeng shook her head and laughed, "Ruoxi, men always like to talk such sweet talk. These kinds of words can only fool a three-year-old child. You must not take them seriously."

Bai Ruoxi remained silent for a long time, then nodded slightly, but did not speak.

Regardless of whether Mu Zhian was sincere or not, at least he said it, and he did it.

From beginning to end, they only held hands and did nothing else.

If it were any other man, he probably wouldn't have been able to control himself from the very first time he was in the carriage.

"Mother, the Bai family has caught its breath now, but later on, the Gongsun family and the Morning Dawn Chamber of Commerce will probably still..."

Bai Ruoxi suddenly said, "Since we might not need the Meridian-Opening Pill for the next few years or even ten years... shall we still use it for the transaction?"

As she finished speaking, Bai Ruoxi looked up at the beautiful woman, her eyes filled with a final glimmer of expectation.

However, Bai Yuanfeng's answer the next moment made Bai Ruoxi's heart sink to the bottom.

"What nonsense are you talking about? The Meridian Opening Pill is useless, but giving it to the Mu family is also not an option. If the Mu family uses the Meridian Opening Pill to create a cultivator at the Returning Void Realm, the Bai family will truly be doomed forever."

Bai Yuanfeng picked up her teacup, took a sip, glanced at her daughter, and said:

"You should just marry into the Mu family honestly. That way, our two families will become in-laws, and there won't be so many problems."

Bai Ruoxi remained silent and quietly drank her tea.

Bai Yuanfeng looked at her daughter suspiciously: "Speaking of which, before, when I asked you to marry into the Mu family, you always said you would never marry into it... But lately, it seems like you're not so opposed to it anymore?"

Bai Ruoxi's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "Even if I object, it's useless, isn't it?"

She didn't know if she had resigned herself to her fate or what... Now, she didn't seem to hate marrying into the Mu family as much as she had at the beginning.

"Speaking of which, why do you think the Gongsun family and the Chenxi Chamber of Commerce temporarily stopped targeting the Bai family?" Bai Yuanfeng suddenly remembered this matter.

She had only heard her daughter say that the Bai family was not in any immediate danger, but she did not know the details of the matter.

Bai Ruoxi said, "This matter is related to Gongsun Zan's house being ransacked yesterday..."

Bai Yuanfeng pondered for a moment and said, "Speaking of which, I did hear from the servants that yesterday Gongsun Zan led people to confiscate property, but ended up being killed by Mu Zhi'an instead?"

"Speaking of which, could it be that the Gongsun family and the Chenxi Chamber of Commerce have temporarily delayed dealing with the Bai family because they have their eyes on the Mu family? But they shouldn't have the guts to do that..." Bai Yuanfeng stared at her daughter with suspicion.

Bai Ruoxi explained, "It's because the Gongsun family, the Chenxi Chamber of Commerce, and even the Mu family have another enemy to deal with."

"Gongsun Zan was actually killed by a mysterious man in black robes."

Bai Yuanfeng clearly didn't believe it and was skeptical, saying, "Are you saying that there's actually a twist to this story, and that Mu Zhi'an wasn't the one who killed him, but someone else?"

Bai Ruoxi nodded slightly.

Bai Yuanfeng shook her head and said, "Impossible. Even if the people of Tianxuan City believed such a thing, the Gongsun family would not."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a maidservant rushed in, saying, "Madam, Miss!"

"What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?" Bai Yuanfeng glared at the maid.

Then, remembering that the Bai family only had a few maids left, she softened her tone slightly and asked, "What happened? Why are you so panicked?"

The maid said, "It's about Gongsun Zan..."

Bai Yuanfeng put down her teacup and said calmly, "I already know about what happened yesterday, there's no need to repeat it."

“It didn’t happen yesterday…it happened this morning,” the maid said. “I heard there’s been a twist in the story.”

Bai Yuanfeng immediately asked, "What reversal?"

Could it really be as my daughter said, that Mu Zhian wasn't the one who did this...?

Regardless of whether it was Mu Zhian's doing or not, Gongsun Xiong's side will likely seize the opportunity to cause trouble and extract some benefits...

"Gongsun Zan was not killed by Young Master Mu. Young Master Mu was just standing up for justice. The one who really killed Gongsun Zan was a mysterious black-robed cultivator."

"Is the information accurate?" Bai Yuanfeng asked doubtfully.

The maid nodded and said, "The Gongsun family has come out today to confirm the accuracy of this news. In addition, the young lady who was in the Chen family mansion at the time, as well as the servants in the mansion and the servants of the Gongsun family, all said that there was indeed a man in black robes at that time."

Bai Yuanfeng was stunned.

There really are people in black robes...?

Even so, why would the Gongsun family help the Mu family confirm this news?

Bai Yuanfeng snapped out of her reverie, waved for the maid to leave, and then absentmindedly took a sip of tea.

Before long, Bai Yuanfeng got up and left the side hall. In her room, she dressed herself up beautifully, took another bite of rouge, and hurriedly left the Bai family, swaying her hips.

……

At the same time, news of the mysterious black-robed cultivator killing Gongsun Zan spread throughout Tianxuan City almost at dawn.

That day, the identity of the man in black robes was being discussed everywhere in the inn and teahouse.

People began to praise Mu Zhian for standing up for justice, while condemning Gongsun Zan's behavior of humiliating the women. Then, they began to discuss the identity of the man in black robes and what he looked like under them.

Just like Mu Zhian's guess, no one cared how Gongsun Zan died.

That very morning, while people were still discussing the man in black robes, a man dressed in black robes slowly walked down the stairs on the second floor of an inn.

He hid most of his face under a black hood as he walked down the stairs, listening to the noisy discussion of the crowd.

"That's why I said long ago that although Young Master Mu is also a bad boy, at least he wouldn't do something like humiliating a woman."

"As I said yesterday, Young Master Mu stopped Gongsun Zan because he couldn't stand by and watch."

"Young Master Mu's past behavior may be questionable, but he is a good person."

"Tsk tsk, this is only because of the Mu family. If it were any other family, they would probably have been arrested and investigated by the Gongsun family long ago," someone remarked.

“However, this young master Mu often goes to brothels and entertainment venues, so he’s not exactly a good person.” Someone who still disliked Mu Zhi’an immediately retorted when they saw many people praising him.

A burly man who had been drinking early in the morning nearby laughed heartily: "Great men don't concern themselves with trifles. Young Master Mu is a chivalrous man, what's wrong with going to a brothel? If one day a courtesan from the brothel comes to your door dressed in a seductive manner, you'll probably want to stuff your breasts in."

Upon hearing this, the men drinking tea burst into laughter, and the inn was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The man in black robes listened to their conversation and sneered inwardly.

Although he was pressed for time, there was no use in being anxious now; he could only wait another two or three days for Mu Zhian.

Fortunately, it's not boring.

At least for the next couple of days, we can watch the Gongsun family and the Mu family fight like dogs, which is quite interesting.

Just then, he suddenly heard someone say:

"But speaking of which, what do you think that man in black robes is? How dare he attack Gongsun Zan?"

"Those who dare to attack the Gongsun family either came prepared or are forces that came from the outer city and therefore do not understand the terror of the Gongsun family."

"I really want to know what that man in black robes looks like—"

As soon as the voice fell, the murmur of the crowd quietly disappeared, and countless eyes were fixed on the black-robed man who walked down the stairs.

Then people started whispering among themselves.

"Look at his attire..."

"Wearing a black robe... with a chilling aura, could he be the black-robed man the Gongsun family has put a bounty on...?"

This morning, the Gongsun family issued a wanted notice, offering a reward of 10,000 taels of gold for anyone who captures the man in black, and a reward of 1,000 taels of gold for providing information on his location.

In their eyes, the black-robed man who came down the stairs was simply walking gold.

The man in black robes frowned slightly, sensing the unfriendly gazes of the people, and recalling their whispers just now.

In a brief moment of stunned silence, he reacted almost instantly, cursed under his breath, and without another word, threw down the loose silver and hurriedly left the inn.

Behind him, some cultivators were already eager to follow, but as soon as they reached the entrance of the inn, they could no longer find the man in black robes.

From that day on, not a single person wearing a black robe was ever seen in Tianxuan City again.

Chapter 19 Master Gongsun is truly a genius at feigning ignorance.

At this moment, the man in black robes stood on the roof of a mansion, looking down at the crowds coming and going on the street, and felt an inexplicable anger rising from the bottom of his heart.

He originally planned to sit back and watch the two families fight it out, but unexpectedly, he ended up becoming the murderer of Gongsun Zan.

What's truly infuriating is that the Gongsun family even confirmed this for the Mu family.

It's clear that Mu Zhi'an killed the third young master of the Gongsun family.

Why would the Gongsun family be willing to help despite past grievances...?

The man in black robes' eyes flickered slightly as he pondered in secret.

When two enemies suddenly become allies, there is only one possibility.

They have a common enemy.

So the question is, who is this common enemy?

The answer is self-evident.

The man in black robes said with a dark face, "That brat actually tricked me."

This is not good. If the Gongsun family and the Mu family join forces, we might be in serious trouble...