A harmless strongman

If Old Liu had arrived, it wouldn’t have been surprising.

But Old Cui was different; he was keenly aware of the current situation involving the Xu father and son.

‘Having known this father and son for so long, how could a woman he’d never seen before suddenly appear?’

After he declared himself a Heaven’s Will Bureau patrol officer and presented his identification to prove he meant no harm, Mù Qīngyǔ frowned slightly but still led him inside the house.

Just as Old Cui was fretting over Xǔ Tiānlí’s safety, he entered the house and saw Xǔ Tiānlí descending the stairs.

“Uncle Cui, what brings you here?”

Seeing him safe and sound, Old Cui finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling able to sit down and converse properly.

After he finished recounting the mountain’s strange phenomena and the massive vortex that had just occurred, both Mù Qīngyǔ and Xǔ Tiānlí wore identical expressions.

Xǔ Tiānlí clicked his tongue in wonder, then subtly glanced at the person beside him.

“Oh, so the thunderstorm just now was caused by spiritual power?” Mù Qīngyǔ adopted an expression of sudden realization, pressing her knuckles against her chin.

‘Is she truly ignorant, or merely feigning it?’

Old Cui harbored deep suspicion towards this woman of unknown origin.

Yet, he managed to maintain a relaxed demeanor as he inquired, “And who might this young lady be?”

Mù Qīngyǔ paused to consider before replying, “Xǔ Tiānlí’s friend.”

“My name is Qín Yuè.” She felt it was better not to let too many people know about her true relationship with Xǔ Tiānlí.

‘Truly a friend?’

Old Cui fell silent, clearly half-believing her words.

He knew Xǔ Tiānlí well.

The young man had never even had a single female friend before; how could such a beautiful “friend” suddenly emerge after a series of drastic changes?

Xǔ Tiānlí, though surprised, did not refute her claim.

The strange vortex and the unfamiliar woman appearing simultaneously at Xǔ Tiānlí’s home made it difficult not to connect the two events.

Old Cui sniffed, detecting a peculiar odor, like blood.

Mù Qīngyǔ had taken a shower to remove any lingering scent from her body, but the smell on her clothes was not so easily dealt with.

‘Could she have used shower gel to mask the scent of blood?’

Old Cui’s heart sank.

If this woman before him harbored ill intentions, he would have to act, whether out of personal concern or official duty, to protect Xǔ Tiānlí’s safety.

As a storm of conflicting thoughts brewed within the patrol officer, Mù Qīngyǔ’s own heart was pounding.

‘To think a mere rainstorm would attract someone from the Heaven’s Will Bureau.’

Spirit Wielders are tasked with eliminating otherworldly demons and maintaining peace.

Initially, they operated individually, but later voluntarily banded together, forming various organizations, large and small.

Smaller factions typically operated under names like “XX Agency,” taking payment for their services in a straightforward manner.

Larger organizations, however, bore a variety of names, such as the Heaven’s Will Bureau, or the Four Sacred Courts, to which Mù Qīngyǔ belonged.

Some even integrated themselves with modern industries, guiding their Spirit Wielders onto an idolized path.

Among the numerous influential organizations within the Sacred Dynasty, the Heaven’s Will Bureau was undoubtedly the most colossal.

Its branches spanned the entire nation, effectively becoming synonymous with “official” authority.

This meant that Mù Qīngyǔ and Xǔ Tiānlí were now effectively being watched by “police for Spirit Wielders.”

‘If Xǔ Tiānlí were taken away because of this, and then his extraordinary talent discovered during the inspection, the Heaven’s Will Bureau would surely try every means to recruit him.’

‘Isn’t this just someone trying to steal my disciple?’

‘I can’t let him take Xǔ Tiānlí away under the guise of an investigation.’

‘Absolutely not.’

‘My plan has only just begun to stabilize; how can I allow others to interfere?’

With this thought, Mù Qīngyǔ took a deep breath, her gaze at Old Cui sharpening significantly.

‘Has she gotten nervous and developed murderous intent after being discovered?’ Old Cui felt a bead of sweat trickle down his back.

‘Do I stand a chance?’

However, the ability to manipulate spiritual power and alter weather on such a large scale was certainly not something a low-level Spirit Wielder could achieve.

He had encountered powerful individuals before and understood the formidable aura such people possessed.

Yet, Mù Qīngyǔ currently didn’t exude that kind of presence.

‘Perhaps she’s just putting on an act, and her actual strength isn’t that terrifying?’

Old Cui clenched his hand into a fist, held his breath, and then…

“Uncle Cui!”

Xǔ Tiānlí suddenly stood up, leading Old Cui aside for a whispered conversation.

“I want you to help me keep tonight’s events a secret, Uncle Cui.”

“Why? Who exactly is that person over there to you?”

The unspoken implication was for Xǔ Tiānlí to blink if he was being threatened.

But Xǔ Tiānlí gave him an unexpected answer: “Miss Qín Yuè is my master.”

“Master?”

Under Old Cui’s bewildered gaze, Xǔ Tiānlí recounted his entire encounter with the reclusive master Mù Qīngyǔ in the back mountains, his words brimming with gratitude and joy over their meeting.

“You rascal, are you playing a trick on me?”

“Uncle Cui, aren’t there enough clues?”

Qín Yuè had intervened in the back mountains, saving Xǔ Tiānlí from an otherworldly demon, and the timing of her action coincided with the Heaven’s Will Bureau’s observation of a red light.

After Qín Yuè returned home with Xǔ Tiānlí, a vortex bringing heavy rain appeared on the street, and the timing also matched.

Whether the woman calling herself Qín Yuè was truly a reclusive master remained debatable, but she was certainly a high-level Spirit Wielder.

The thought of almost confronting her sent a shiver of dread down Old Cui’s spine.

“The vortex and storm were probably just an accident.”

“My master doesn’t wish to attract attention, so please, Uncle Cui.”

This was Xǔ Tiānlí’s deduction based on Mù Qīngyǔ’s earlier behavior.

“Aren’t you afraid she might harm you?”

“Uncle Cui, is there anything valuable about me?”

“She wouldn’t be Mù Qīngyǔ’s subordinate sent to trick me, would she?”

As long as it wasn’t that outcome, even being used wouldn’t matter; Xǔ Tiānlí had long made up his mind.

“If she truly wanted to harm me, that storm just now would have taken my life.”

Although the vortex looked terrifying, it only brought a localized downpour.

Moreover, because it occurred at night, it caused no harm to residents.

“You rascal…”

“Besides, she genuinely has things to teach me.”

“You can rest assured, Uncle Cui.”

Witnessing his sincere and excited demeanor, Old Cui’s questions remained lodged in his throat.

Since his family’s misfortune, he realized it had been a long time since he had seen Xǔ Tiānlí display such an expression again.

Old Cui didn’t trust Mù Qīngyǔ, but he was willing to trust Xǔ Tiānlí.

He could agree to Xǔ Tiānlí’s request, but once the branch chief returned, this matter likely couldn’t be kept secret.

“Take good care of yourself, and don’t disappoint your father.” Before leaving, Old Cui didn’t forget to cast a glance at Mù Qīngyǔ.

She remained unchanged, giving him the feeling she could crush him with a mere flick of her finger.

“I promise, Uncle Cui.” Xǔ Tiānlí smiled as he saw Old Cui out.

Completely unaware of being eyed with suspicion, Mù Qīngyǔ quietly exhaled a breath of relief.

She had thought he was there on official business, but it turned out he merely wanted to catch up with an acquaintance.

‘Never mind, who cares?’

‘It’s good that he’s gone.’

“Master, I succeeded with the Qi Accumulation Art you taught me!” The returning Xǔ Tiānlí eagerly shared his achievement.

“Hmm, that’s good.”

Mù Qīngyǔ’s expression was calm and unruffled.

If the fellow had come back with a long face, reporting failure, that would have genuinely surprised her.

“But don’t get too arrogant.”

“You haven’t even taken the zeroth step yet, understand?”

“Understood.”

“It’s truly an honor of a lifetime to meet such a wonderful person as you, Master.”

“It would have been even better if I’d met you sooner.”

‘I love hearing that, more please.’ The tail of a certain person standing nearby began to wag.

“I feel refreshed now, and I could practice all night.”

“If Mù Qīngyǔ were right in front of me, I’d definitely give her a good punch in the face, and then…”

A certain person’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.

“Now you should go to sleep.”

“Huh?” Xǔ Tiānlí was stunned. “But…”

“No ‘buts’.”

Mù Qīngyǔ’s tone was stern, but she raised her hand and firmly tapped his forehead with a fair finger.

“The first lesson is over.”

“As your master, I’m rewarding you with good rest.”

“Work and rest in moderation, understand?”

‘Is this considered a reward?’ Xǔ Tiānlí still didn’t quite grasp it.

“I’m sleeping with you, doesn’t that count as a reward?” Mù Qīngyǔ raised an eyebrow.

“Ah?!” Xǔ Tiānlí thought, ‘No way.’

Xǔ Tiānlí noticed she truly seemed to have showered; he could smell the lavender-scented shower gel from their home when he got closer.

“But, my house only has two bedrooms, and Father’s room is still very messy…”

“No need to clean it.”

“I’m not sleeping there.”

‘Could it be…?’ Xǔ Tiānlí’s eyes widened slightly, and a normal male’s stirrings began to rise within him.

However, this stir, watching Mù Qīngyǔ climb onto the sofa right in front of him, turned into a tiny flicker of disappointment.

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Do you want to share the same bed?”

Propping her head with her hand, Mù Qīngyǔ, lounging languidly and leisurely, curved her lips into a mischievous arc.

“No, nothing of the sort! I’ll go get a blanket for Master!” Xǔ Tiānlí, so embarrassed he wished he could burrow into the ground, quickly ran off.

Mù Qīngyǔ let out a delicate huff.

‘Who told him to say such frightening things?’

‘A little retaliation is merely a token of my regard.’

‘I hope he was just talking.’

Not long after, the lights in the living room dimmed, and Xǔ Tiānlí returned to his room to sleep.

Wrapped in a blanket, Mù Qīngyǔ gradually let down her guard and felt drowsiness creep in.

‘Tonight turned out to be quite eventful, but thankfully, the first lesson passed without incident.’

‘That patrol officer’s mention of the vortex is worth noting.’

‘Who exactly is causing trouble, almost harming me?’

‘Speaking of which, the Qi Accumulation Art can also cause small changes in air currents, almost like a giant Qi Accumulation Art…’

‘No!’

Mù Qīngyǔ’s eyes snapped open, all drowsiness gone.