New Weapons

Despite the circuitous path, Mù Qīngyǔ felt she had successfully navigated this crisis.

Observing Xǔ Tiānlí, she couldn’t quite fathom why he appeared even more delighted than she did.

Still, she didn’t dwell on it; a safe landing was all that mattered.

Mù Qīngyǔ prepared to rise and bid farewell.

Xǔ Tiānlí’s enthusiastic feasting before her had filled the air with an intoxicating aroma, leaving her utterly ravenous.

“Master, are you leaving already?”

“If I don’t leave, do you want me to stay here and sleep with you?”

Hearing this, Xǔ Tiānlí couldn’t respond.

If asked whether he truly wanted her to stay, the answer would undoubtedly be yes.

Yet, he could already picture the displeased expression on his master’s face if he dared utter such words.

He imagined her first retort would be: ‘I nurtured you as a student, yet you harbor such inappropriate thoughts?’

Mù Qīngyǔ chuckled inwardly, having merely teased him.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the standardized long saber he had placed aside.

‘She hadn’t realized earlier that he carried a weapon.’

‘If I hadn’t managed to sway him, my blood might have stained that blade.’

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Mù Qīngyǔ quickly left the place, glancing back periodically as she walked, fearing Xǔ Tiānlí might harbor ill intentions, ready to stab her in the back when she wasn’t looking.

However, as the distance grew, the residence gradually fell behind her.

Only when the roof beams were completely out of sight did she finally slow her pace.

The hour was still early, and the night in Wufeng City was reaching its liveliest peak.

Ever since the news broadcasted the recent cases, the number of pedestrians on the streets had noticeably dwindled.

Many of those who brushed past her wore hurried expressions, having become highly sensitive to their surroundings.

If it had merely been a simple case, the citizens might not have paid it much mind.

In this world, where supernatural powers were openly acknowledged, even the most terrifying and bizarre calamities could be attributed to a cause.

With a stroke of luck, or perhaps misfortune, ordinary people might witness numerous wonders and anomalies within their less-than-a-century lifespan.

These included grand invasions by otherworldly demons, duels between high-tier Spirit Wielders, and the emergence of rare treasures.

Any one of these events could serve as captivating conversation fodder, prompting people to exclaim, “To witness such a magnificent spectacle, even death would be a fair price!”

Yet, no matter how extraordinary the event, people wouldn’t casually trifle with their own lives.

With the continuous murders in Wufeng City running rampant, citizens were more inclined to heed the news reports and reduce their nighttime outings.

“That damned company, making us work overtime until now!”

“How about we grab a drink?”

“Drink what?”

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“I’ve already ordered takeout.”

“Ah, what a shame.”

“Don’t you fear death?”

“Of course, I do.”

“You’ve reminded me, I should order something too.”

Overhearing the conversation between the white-collar workers waiting at a traffic light, Mù Qīngyǔ couldn’t help but sigh, seeing reflections of her past life in them.

She found a small, seemingly bustling husband-and-wife eatery on the street.

Initially, she intended to order the same fried noodles as Xǔ Tiānlí, but after patting her poor, empty stomach, she opted for a simple bowl of porridge instead.

‘If I wake up hungry in the middle of the night, I’ll just have another snack.’

As she twirled her disposable wooden chopsticks, waiting for her dinner to arrive, a commotion of drunken voices drifted over from not too far away:

“Damn these murders!”

“My usual spot isn’t even open anymore.”

“Seriously, why are these killers so evil?”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Mù Qīngyǔ listened to their chatter, pondering which “usual spot” they referred to.

Even knowing the dangers of the night, the restaurants in the vicinity still persisted in operating, hoping to earn whatever they could.

“I wanted to go see that girl from last time.”

“You’re right, that little lady was truly vibrant, looked barely legal.”

“Ha! She’s already thirty.”

“What?!”

Halfway through their conversation, Mù Qīngyǔ sensed something was amiss.

She promptly asked the owner to pack her dinner so she could eat it slowly back at the hotel.

‘So, Wufeng City had establishments like that?’

‘No, it’s not surprising that they do.’

‘But to run such a place and still be afraid of getting caught up in a series of murders…’

Back at the hotel, Mù Qīngyǔ ate her dinner, but her mind kept returning to the standardized long saber Xǔ Tiānlí had used.

A strange, indescribable feeling lingered.

“What exactly is the problem?”

Mù Qīngyǔ crossed her arms, deep in thought.

“Oh right, I should get him some decent weapons.”

This past month, she had been so focused on teaching him combat techniques that she’d forgotten to equip him with proper gear.

In a game, even an overpowered skill is useless if you enter battle naked.

‘This is a perfect opportunity to solidify my image in his mind.’

‘I can’t have yesterday’s incident repeat.’

There would undoubtedly be more unexpected events in the future, forcing her and Xǔ Tiānlí apart.

This time it was only half a day; next time, it might be half a month, or even half a year.

According to the original owner’s memories and the novel’s plot, Mù Qīngyǔ’s father was not someone who would allow his daughter to run wild indefinitely.

No one had come looking for her yet, either because he was preoccupied with other matters, or simply giving Mù Qīngyǔ a temporary reprieve.

Once he felt his “daughter had played enough,” he would send people to “bring” her back.

“How annoying.”

Mù Qīngyǔ had completely lost her appetite and lay down on the bed.

Constantly on guard, it felt as if no matter where she went, someone was secretly watching her.

‘Is there no safe place in this world?’

No, there was one place where she could temporarily forget these troubles.

That was the orphanage where Xǔ Tiānlí resided.

Though it lacked strict guards or high-tier Spirit Wielders, Mù Qīngyǔ truly felt at peace there.

She didn’t have to ponder her family’s trivial matters, instead happily enjoying meal after meal with the little ones.

‘If only things could continue this way, wouldn’t that be wonderful?’

Mù Qīngyǔ gazed at the ceiling, a soft laugh escaping her lips, one she didn’t even notice herself.

The next day.

“Master, you, what did you say?” Xǔ Tiānlí’s eyes widened.

“Do I need to say it a second time?”

“No, I’m just too happy.”

After lunch, his master had dragged him out.

Xǔ Tiānlí had assumed a new lesson was about to begin, only for her to say she was getting him a suitable weapon?

“I’ll be troubling Master with another expense.”

“Haven’t you always wanted one?”

Mù Qīngyǔ had long seen through his subtle desires.

The piles of broken wooden sabers at the orphanage, along with the scarred standardized long saber from last night, proved that ordinary weapons simply couldn’t withstand Xǔ Tiānlí’s rigorous use.

He also wished to acquire a weapon that would last, but he was completely clueless in that regard.

He feared encountering unscrupulous merchants, ending up without a weapon and losing a significant amount of money.

As they walked out of the orphanage, he noticed that Qín Yuè never slowed her pace, as if she had a clear destination from the very beginning.

The two arrived before a peculiar agency.

At first glance, Xǔ Tiānlí thought he had stumbled upon an ancient blacksmith’s shop, but the signboard clearly stated it was an agency.

From outside, they could even see the business license hanging within.

“Is this also a development direction for agencies?”

Not all Spirit Wielders excelled in combat.

Furthermore, thanks to the Heaven’s Will Bureau’s control, the rampant spread of otherworldly demons domestically was far less severe than in the last century.

This led to a situation where there were too many Spirit Wielders but too few available missions.

To survive under such circumstances, one had to adapt their thinking.

Some chose to join the official ranks directly.

While not guaranteed to earn a fortune, it at least ensured they wouldn’t starve.

Others discarded their hard-earned business licenses, merging their agencies with gangs, thus becoming a thorn in the Heaven’s Will Bureau’s side.

However, most opted to alter their business strategies.

If there were no otherworldly demons to slay, they would pursue other ventures.

The blacksmith agency before them was one such example.

Its owner was a burly man who, having found no otherworldly demons in Wufeng City, had long since switched to selling various equipment and weapons.

His chosen path proved correct.

Other counterparts either returned to civilian life or moved elsewhere; only he had managed to persevere until now.

Upon seeing customers, the owner showed no surprise, instead politely asking what they desired.

Xǔ Tiānlí was still pondering his answer when Mù Qīngyǔ spoke first, engaging in a fluid conversation with the owner.

Xǔ Tiānlí had initially anticipated a troublesome process, but it was settled with hardly any time at all.

“This is the finest long saber in our shop.”

“What do you think?”

The shop owner took one of the sabers from the wall and handed it to Xǔ Tiānlí.

Xǔ Tiānlí tested its feel, a slight frown appearing on his face.

‘Is this truly the best saber?’ he wondered.

‘It feels so light and doesn’t seem particularly sharp.’

If Xǔ Tiānlí remembered correctly, this shop was considered one of the top establishments in all of Wufeng City.

Could this truly be all they had to offer?

“This isn’t what we agreed upon this morning, is it?”

Mù Qīngyǔ couldn’t help but ask.

“The saber I promised you this morning was not this one.”

“My apologies, but the one from this morning was already purchased by a more discerning customer.” The owner’s smile was unsettling.

“It can’t be helped; it’s business, after all.”

“I sell to whoever pays more.”

‘That’s not how you conduct business, is it?’

Mù Qīngyǔ was furious but couldn’t show it, lest she lose face in front of Xǔ Tiānlí.

“In that case, Xǔ Tiānlí, go pick a suitable one yourself.”

“Really?”

Xǔ Tiānlí wasn’t particularly satisfied with the “best” saber in his hand.

His gaze had already been drawn to another blade in the shop.

It was an almost pure black long saber.

The moment he took it down from the wall, the owner’s eyes immediately lit up.