The Master’s Guidance

The sword Mù Qīngyǔ held in her hand was named the “Green Fish Sword.”

It hadn’t been purchased locally in Wufeng City; rather, it was one of the “pocket money” items she’d brought along when she slipped away from home.

According to the images in her memory, her father had gifted her this spiritual weapon on one of her birthdays.

From that day forward, Mù Qīngyǔ always carried it into battle.

After she carved out a small reputation for herself, people around her could recognize her almost instantly just by seeing the sword.

‘So, I used to be a swordswoman?’

Mù Qīngyǔ unsheathed the longsword with a swift flourish, its blade reflecting a dazzling brilliance in the sunlight.

Since it was a spiritual weapon, it undoubtedly possessed unique qualities.

Unlike Xǔ Tiānlí’s black long saber, the Green Fish Sword was incredibly light.

When Mù Qīngyǔ first gripped it, she even had the illusion that her hand was empty.

However, its reduced weight did not signify a compromise in its other attributes.

Whether judged by its feel or its sharpness, the Green Fish Sword could effortlessly surpass a multitude of ordinary weapons.

‘Sword techniques?’

‘I have absolutely no recollection.’

Perhaps her head had accidentally struck something during her transmigration, as Mù Qīngyǔ could never fully recall her past.

No matter how hard she tried, it only resulted in a throbbing headache.

She attempted to remember any sword techniques she might have practiced, even trying a few times, hoping her body retained some muscle memory.

Yet, all her efforts proved fruitless.

Should someone suddenly approach the Four Sacred Courts and challenge her to a sword duel, Mù Qīngyǔ would find herself in quite the awkward predicament.

‘The Return to the Void One-Strike Decapitation is a saber technique, but it should be usable with a sword, right?’

Mù Qīngyǔ muttered to herself, then casually swung her sword at a nearby large tree.

She felt almost no resistance, and the strike produced not a single sound.

The tree, which had stood firm moments before, was severed into two halves and crashed to the ground.

The cut was perfectly smooth and even, to a degree that Mù Qīngyǔ herself couldn’t help but marvel at it.

After delivering a new weapon to Xǔ Tiānlí, she realized she couldn’t continue fighting bare-handed.

Lady Luck wouldn’t favor her every single time.

Against truly formidable foes, one needed the means to fight back.

Mù Qīngyǔ laid the blade across her hand; its touch was icy cold, but she dared not grip it tightly.

‘Should I also get myself a new weapon?’

Xǔ Tiānlí likely had no idea what the Green Fish Sword looked like.

Even if Mù Qīngyǔ brazenly used it right in front of him now, he wouldn’t recognize it.

However, who could truly predict the future?

Mù Qīngyǔ had a persistent premonition that before the three-year pact arrived, she was bound to encounter Xǔ Tiānlí in her true form.

If he saw his enemy and his master wielding the same sword, even a fool would realize what was happening.

‘What a nuisance.’

‘It’s truly difficult to live under a new identity.’

Just as Mù Qīngyǔ sighed with this thought, she suddenly heard a commotion nearby.

As a Tier-2 Spirit Wielder, though she hadn’t yet fully grasped how to utilize her powers, her senses and perception, far exceeding those of ordinary people, were still functioning normally.

“Who’s there?”

As she spoke, she sheathed the Green Fish Sword, concealing it behind her, her gaze fixed intently on the direction from which the sounds emanated.

The bushes rustled twice, and two strangers emerged from the other side, wearing benevolent smiles.

“Hello, Miss, we mean no harm.”

Seeing that they wore the Heaven’s Will Bureau uniform, Mù Qīngyǔ’s expression relaxed somewhat, but she still gripped the Green Fish Sword tightly.

“What is someone from the Heaven’s Will Bureau doing here?”

A month had passed since the upheaval in the back mountains.

Most citizens had forgotten about the Spirit Wielder who almost split the entire mountain, turning their attention to fresher matters.

The Heaven’s Will Bureau had also lifted the lockdown on the back mountains.

Mù Qīngyǔ had taken advantage of this opportunity to come up here, seeking a quiet environment free from disturbance.

She hadn’t expected to encounter patrols from the Heaven’s Will Bureau again, even before she could begin her peaceful retreat.

“Hiss, aren’t you…”

One of the patrols, after getting a clear look at Mù Qīngyǔ’s face, showed a surprised expression.

“I remember you, Xǔ Tiānlí’s master, Master Qín Yuè, correct?”

“Who are you?”

Mù Qīngyǔ narrowed her eyes slightly.

She did find the man’s appearance somewhat familiar but couldn’t place him at the moment.

The man’s expression grew a little awkward, but he still explained, “My surname is Cui.”

“I’m a friend of Xǔ Tiānlí’s father.”

“We met a month ago.”

A month ago?

Mù Qīngyǔ’s thoughts drifted a bit, but she did indeed recall it.

On the night she and Xǔ Tiānlí first met, a patrol had indeed come to their door looking for trouble.

She remembered Xǔ Tiānlí calling him “Old Cui.”

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Is something the matter?”

Mù Qīngyǔ noticed that Old Cui’s complexion wasn’t quite right.

“Are you looking for something here?”

“Would you mind sharing it with me?”

Though she tried her best to offer a friendly smile, it still made Old Cui and his colleague’s scalps tingle.

The two couldn’t help but exchange a few whispered words:

“Should we tell her?”

“Won’t that be leaking confidential information?”

“I don’t think so.”

“She’s Little Xǔ’s master and she’s helped the Heaven’s Will Bureau before.”

“There shouldn’t be any issue telling her.”

After they had decided, Old Cui stepped forward to answer Mù Qīngyǔ’s questions.

They weren’t searching for anything, but rather maintaining a perimeter.

Just recently, a team of Heaven’s Will Bureau patrols had entered the back mountains to investigate the culprit behind a series of murders.

The team was divided into two groups: one responsible for the primary mission, and the other patrolling the surroundings to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the scene.

Old Cui and his colleague had rushed over after hearing the commotion from this area, only to unexpectedly run into Mù Qīngyǔ, who was alone here.

Truthfully, Old Cui wasn’t particularly surprised by Mù Qīngyǔ’s presence.

After all, she was a reclusive master living deep in the mountains, and her mysterious, unknown residence was also located within these back mountain forests.

“If we’ve disturbed Master, we will leave immediately.”

Old Cui and his colleague said, turning to depart, but Mù Qīngyǔ’s sudden voice stopped them.

“Wait, why do you believe the culprit can be found in the back mountains?”

To be honest, after hearing their explanation, Mù Qīngyǔ felt a chill run down her spine.

If the Heaven’s Will Bureau’s intelligence was correct and no one had warned her, wouldn’t that mean she was practically under the same roof as the murderer?

Facing her inquiry, Old Cui smiled.

“We’re not entirely sure.”

“Perhaps Master would like to come with us and speak directly to our leader?”

“Your Branch Head?”

“No, it’s a young woman named Qiao Yíng.”

Hearing that familiar name, Mù Qīngyǔ was momentarily stunned.

She hadn’t expected to meet her here.

Qiao Yíng, too, could not have imagined that she would actually encounter Mù Qīngyǔ in the back mountains.

“Master Qin, it’s truly been a long time.”

“Only half a month, I’d say.”

Even before entering the back mountains, Qiao Yíng had considered searching for the secluded master’s small wooden hut.

She never thought the master herself would appear before her.

Qiao Yíng felt a touch of nervousness, worried that her subtle intentions had been seen through and that Mù Qīngyǔ had specifically come to reprimand her.

However, after chatting with Mù Qīngyǔ for a few moments, she realized that the master seemed to have no intention of seeking redress.

Her hanging heart temporarily settled.

When Mù Qīngyǔ inquired about the Heaven’s Will Bureau’s intelligence, Qiao Yíng became animated, eagerly explaining the current situation to her:

“We have always believed that Otherworld Demons are involved in this incident.”

“Is that so.”

Qiao Yíng observed Mù Qīngyǔ’s expression, which remained unchanged.

It seemed Master indeed knew more than they did.

She was unaware that Mù Qīngyǔ’s mind was already in a frenzy of complaints:

‘Why are otherworldly demons involved now?’

‘This isn’t right.’

‘Has the original plot deviated this much already?’

‘Why are otherworldly demons appearing at this point?’

“We have been investigating traces of otherworldly demons, and it wasn’t until midnight yesterday that we discovered a clue in the back mountains.”

“Although it was only a fleeting reaction, we did observe the appearance of demonic energy.”

Even if it might be a false detection, the Heaven’s Will Bureau would not let any opportunity slip by.

The back mountains were indeed very suitable for hiding all sorts of small secrets.

“If the intelligence is accurate, then the audacious culprit is truly bold, hiding right under your nose, Master.”

“It is quite close indeed.”

Of course, Mù Qīngyǔ wasn’t referring to a secluded mountain dwelling, but rather the proximity of the back mountains to the orphanage and Xǔ Tiānlí’s home.

‘So, I’m not under the same roof as the culprit, but I’m its neighbor?’

“Master, though it might be a bit brazen, I still wish to ask for your guidance: what should we do next?”

Qiao Yíng’s intention was clear: she wanted to extract some useful information from Mù Qīngyǔ, even if the master only spoke in riddles.

With the help of a master, how could they fail to catch the culprit?

‘What should we do?’

‘You ask me, who should I ask?’

Mù Qīngyǔ’s only desire at that moment was to make a swift escape, returning only after the Heaven’s Will Bureau had apprehended the dangerous individual hidden in the back mountains.

However, seeing Qiao Yíng’s sparkling eyes, and noticing the expectant gazes of the surrounding patrols, Mù Qīngyǔ knew she couldn’t refuse.

‘If I were to flee now, wouldn’t I arouse suspicion?’

Mù Qīngyǔ detested such situations.

Why was she always being propped up, placed at a height that didn’t belong to her?

Initially, she only wanted to be an inconspicuous background character to the protagonist, yet she inexplicably became the important figure they relied upon.

‘Clearly, I’m the one who needs to rely on others the most.’

Complaints aside, Mù Qīngyǔ still asked Qiao Yíng to report on the current progress.

She listened, nodding as if everything was under control.

Yet, Mù Qīngyǔ understood almost nothing.

‘Where am I supposed to find otherworldly demons for you all?’

Looking at the map of the back mountains that Qiao Yíng handed over, Mù Qīngyǔ couldn’t help but marvel at their efficiency.

This map had actually been hand-drawn on the spot, vividly depicting the terrain of the back mountains.

It wasn’t drawn by an ordinary person, but by a Spirit Wielder.

Could there truly be such Spirit Wielders?

After staring at the map in a daze for a while, Mù Qīngyǔ suddenly remembered the last time Féng Yè had called her for help.

Back then, a similar map was laid before them, and Féng Yè had asked for her opinion.

She quietly glanced around.

Féng Yè wasn’t present.

Perhaps repeating the same trick wouldn’t be seen through?

Mù Qīngyǔ took a deep breath, her fair fingertips tapping a spot on the map.

“Here.”