Xue Yu’s group left the Western Tower before dawn broke, rushing toward the sea area where Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion had encountered trouble.

The carriage was affixed with Earth-Shrinking Swift Talismans, racing like lightning through the thick fog of early morning.

Inside the spacious and comfortable carriage, Xue Yu had immediately leaned into a corner and closed her eyes upon getting in, presenting an appearance of not wanting to talk and keeping strangers at bay.

She seemed perpetually in a bad mood, coldly rejecting people from a thousand li away.

Liang Yan and the others exchanged the information they had gathered. Compared to what Liu Niang had said, the girls in the building knew much less – most of it was hearsay passed down through word of mouth, containing exaggerated elements that made it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Seeing Xue Yu frowning in contemplation, Liang Yan was the first to carefully and quietly step down from the carriage. Qing Luo and Su You followed closely behind. Only Chao Nian, whose feet had already touched the ground, hesitated for a moment at the spot before diving back into the carriage with a whoosh.

“Young lady,” Chao Nian silently slipped to sit beside Xue Yu, his voice completely different from his usual boisterous manner, sounding serious and solemn: “Have we made an enemy of Chi Shui? Should we re-examine the prisoners they sent over?”

“No need.” Xue Yu reached out to rub the area of her left shoulder bone and said, “No matter how brainless Lu Chengze is, he still knows what can be done and what cannot be done.”

“Just follow normal procedures – interrogate those who should be interrogated, execute those who should be executed.”

“Yes.” After learning this was merely personal grievances between Xue Yu and that Sacred Son of Chi Shui, not meaning hostility between the two lands, Chao Nian breathed a sigh of relief, then said: “Earlier when you hadn’t returned yet, Su You sought me out to ask about Sacred Land manuals.”

“You answered him?” Xue Yu opened her eyes, her pupils misty like they were shrouded in thin smoke. She seemed to finally perk up a bit, with some fluctuation in her tone.

“I answered.” Chao Nian chuckled and said: “Young lady only does good deeds but never speaks well of herself. I was worried about encountering some unclear-headed people who would maliciously speculate about your intentions, so I spoke plainly and clearly. This Su You – no matter how utterly heartless he was in the past, from now on, if he has even a bit of conscience left, he cannot do anything harmful to you, young lady.”

Xue Yu was silent for a moment, then said: “Why say such things?”

“Young lady is busy and too lazy to waste words with others. I’m not busy – I have plenty of time to talk.” As he spoke, Chao Nian asked with considerable curiosity: “Actually, not only does he not understand, I can’t figure it out either – why is the young lady so good to that demon ghost?”

The corner of Xue Yu’s mouth moved slightly, and she rarely said a few more words: “Weren’t you just proclaiming to the whole world that I’m kind-hearted? Kind-hearted people are good to everyone.”

“It’s not quite like that.” Chao Nian scratched his head, carefully choosing his words and only speaking after confirming they were correct: “How should I put it – a young lady’s kindness to people also distinguishes between good and evil.”

“Like the demon ghosts and evil creatures who committed crimes in the great prison – no matter how they wail and say their backgrounds are pitiful, no matter how they guarantee they’ll never commit crimes again, a young lady never feels compassion.”

Chao Nian’s gaze fell on Xue Yu’s flawless, slender palms. He had seen with his own eyes how these two hands, when dropped toward the sky, would bring down goose-feather-sized snowflakes, piece by piece, like the butcher’s knife raised high by the god of death. Wherever they passed, blood flowed into streams.

Clear in rewards and punishments, combining kindness with authority, some demons called her sworn brother, while others hated her to the bone.

Following beside Chao Hua, Chao Nian had known since childhood that Sacred Land inheritors saw blood most often. Even if born with a good heart, they couldn’t scatter kindness everywhere.

“Young lady kept Qing Luo because she was forced by the wolf demon, but didn’t do anything to harm people, and in the end, released those villagers.”

But that demon ghost had committed the crime of destroying an entire sect.

This kind of offense, even if placed in Yedu’s great prison, was unforgivable.

Xue Yu saved him, healed his injuries, and gave him the most profound mental cultivation methods. Could it be because that demon ghost was good-looking?

From Chao Nian’s perspective, his young lady hadn’t even looked seriously at his face a few times.

“The human world is vast as the sea of smoke. Those brimming with evil aren’t numerous, but they’re not few either. Why did the Heavenly Secret Book specifically choose them?” Xue Yu lazily lifted the curtain inside the carriage with one hand, looking at the mountain peak rapidly approaching in the distance: “The Heavenly Secret Book is a sacred object that can penetrate worldly affairs. If it’s willing to give a chance, why should I kill them all with one blow?”

In her previous life and this life, she had brought two people down from the Judgment Platform.

Song Heng, though ungrateful, Xue Yu admitted he was a good person – at least, he had once saved many people.

She thought the Heavenly Secret Book wouldn’t give chances to those truly beyond redemption. Deep in their bones, they all harbored unknown soft sides.

Those few words from Shan Su back then were enough to explain some things.

Since she knew there might be hidden circumstances, since that demon ghost had already suffered his due punishment, since she had saved him.

She wouldn’t deliberately suppress him, humiliate him with words, or use this to establish authority.

She wasn’t someone idle enough to create trouble for herself, nor did she have any hobby of taking pleasure in tormenting people. If she wanted to do that, she might as well not have saved him.

“I know what you want to ask.” Xue Yu raised her eyes, many layers of scenery flowing through her pupils like quicksand: “Yedu’s mental cultivation methods differ from other manuals – they follow the path of clear distinction between good and evil. If his Dao heart isn’t firm and he can’t suppress the evil thoughts in his bones, he won’t be able to cultivate to profound realms and won’t amount to much.”

If he truly managed to cultivate successfully, it wouldn’t be a waste to have saved him.

Chao Nian was now completely at ease, stepping out of the carriage feeling light and relaxed.

When they arrived at Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion, dawn was breaking faintly. The horizon showed pale grayish-white, and because they were near the sea, the oncoming wind carried the moist essence of seawater, drifting cool and misty against their faces. Before long, one or two crystal dewdrops hung on Xue Yu’s long eyelashes.

She blinked them away expressionlessly, lightly leaping to a slightly elevated mountain peak, squinting as she gazed toward Thunder Sea, then turned to look at Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion in another direction.

“Let’s go.” Xue Yu quickly made her decision, her sleeves billowing in the wind like thousands of white velvet flowers blooming in the air: “First to Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion.”

Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion was a renowned cultivation sect with numerous disciples, holding significant influence in the surrounding area.

Mist wreathed the mountains, and the mountain path was lined with many unknown wildflowers, blooming in clusters in the late winter and early spring morning wind, their subtle sweet fragrance accompanying them until they reached the mountain gate, where it quietly and peacefully faded.

The mountain gate had just opened. A menial disciple held a bamboo broom half as tall as a person, sweeping fallen leaves before the gate while drooping his eyelids and yawning. In the distance was the morning practice field, already bustling with quite a few people. Both inside and outside the mountain showed vigorous vitality.

Seeing more people coming up the mountain early, the menial disciple spoke without lifting his eyes to carefully observe their clothing and appearance: “This year’s entrance examination has already passed. If you want to join the sect, come early next year in the first month.”

Liang Yan stepped forward and spoke gently in consultation: “Little brother, we have matters to inquire about with inner disciples. Could you provide some convenience?”

“No.” This time, the menial disciple looked up at them. Seeing this group’s extraordinary clothing and exceptionally good appearances, he assumed they were wealthy young masters and misses from some city below the mountain. His words remained unforgiving: “Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion has its rules. Regardless of what matter it is, non-sect members cannot enter.”

Xue Yu didn’t have so much time to delay. She flipped her palm downward, the identity token in her palm facing up. The token’s surface bore green-faced, fang-toothed patterns, bizarre and eerie, its unique spiritual pressure rippling outward like water patterns.

She spoke clearly: “Sacred Land case investigation. Lead the way forward.”

The sect disciple took one look and immediately lost all sleepiness. He threw his broom to the ground, cupped his hands in salute, and said repeatedly: “Forgive this one’s blindness. Please, honored ones, come in quickly.”

Another menial disciple flew into the gate like lightning to report the news.

Before long, a dignified white-robed man came to greet them. Upon arrival, he lifted his sleeves and bowed to Xue Yu at the front, saying in a clear voice: “Not knowing of the Sacred Land’s visit, we failed to welcome you from afar. We hope all honored ones will forgive us.”

The disciple who brought them over introduced: “Honored ones, this is our Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion’s eldest senior brother, the sect master’s first disciple, Sikong Jing.”

Xue Yu calmly accepted this courtesy, directly skipping pleasantries and getting straight to the point: “We are now taking over the investigation of the Worldly Lamp theft at Thunder Sea. We heard your honorable sect previously sent people to resolve the phenomenon of uncontrolled lightning in the sea, so we came specifically to understand the situation.”

“When my sect disciples came to report, I guessed you honored ones came for this matter.” Hearing this, Sikong Jing smiled bitterly: “Unfortunately, I was one of that group. If the young lady has anything to ask, please speak freely.”

“Whose is the Worldly Lamp?” Sikong Jing had originally thought she would ask about what they encountered during that trip to Thunder Sea, the whole sequence of events. He didn’t expect her opening question to be this.

“I won’t hide it from the young lady – the Worldly Lamp is my master’s spiritual treasure, and it was he who placed that lamp in the sea tower.”

Sikong Jing’s master was Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion’s sect leader.

“If so, why doesn’t he search for it when the Worldly Lamp disappeared?” Xue Yu’s voice was clear and cold, almost taking on the tone of interrogating prisoners in Yedu’s great prison for a moment. She belatedly noticed this and gradually softened her tone: “Have you sent people to search?”

“We have not.” Sikong Jing had a good temper. When Xue Yu asked, he answered, still maintaining his refined and elegant manner as he slowly explained the reason: “After my master learned of this matter, he only said its purpose had reached its end, no need to search further – even if found, it could no longer suppress the thunder in that sea.”

So what lamp was the Heavenly Secret Book having her search for?

Xue Yu almost instantly furrowed her brow.

“Is the young lady taking on a Heavenly Secret Book mission to search for the Worldly Lamp?” Seeing her sudden silence, Sikong Jing made some guesses and asked this question.

“Exactly.” Liang Yan always wore a gentle smile, speaking so courteously that it was physically and mentally comfortable: “If the young sect master has any clues, we hope you’ll provide convenience. We would be infinitely grateful.”

Various bizarre events occurred daily in this world, and because of this, missions from the Heavenly Secret Book emerged endlessly. Not only Xue Yu, but pillars of sects like Sikong Jing also had to leave their mountain gates to accept missions.

So he could guess at once.

“If the mission difficulty star rating is high, perhaps the young lady could understand it from another angle.”

Sikong Jing calculated the time for this year’s mission settlement, then seemed to remember something, looking at Xue Yu with somewhat sympathetic eyes: “Four days ago, during the Wind Prayer Festival, along with the Worldly Lamp, a Buddhist treasure from Golden Light Temple in Mist Arrival City also disappeared. That temple has been open for several hundred years, having ferried many wronged souls and departed spirits. As soon as the Buddhist treasure disappeared, the troublesome entities in the temple showed signs of reawakening.”

“After this happened, the temple’s abbot had to come out of seclusion to personally suppress them. Now, Mist Arrival City has strictly limited the number of people leaving the city and deployed many to search.”

“So is it possible—” Sikong Jing looked at Xue Yu’s ice-cold beautiful face and said hesitantly: “The Heavenly Secret Book doesn’t want the young lady to find the Worldly Lamp, but wants her to find the missing Buddhist treasure while simultaneously wanting her to calm the turmoil at Thunder Sea, preventing whatever’s inside from causing more trouble.”

Put bluntly, it meant both resolving Thunder Sea’s matter and finding the missing Buddhist treasure.

Xue Yu’s expression was about to freeze over.

Sikong Jing smiled bitterly: “This is just my speculation, after all… I’ve received such missions before.”

The moment he understood the mission’s core, he had also cursed without any grace.

After a moment of silence, Xue Yu looked up and said briefly: “Thanks.”

Having said this, she led her people out of the inner gate like a drifting cloud.

After they left, an inner disciple beside Sikong Jing frowned: “Weren’t these people a bit too arrogant? Senior brother, you’re at least the proper first disciple of the sect master, and our Purple Myrtle Cave Mansion’s reputation isn’t weak either. For random people to come and speak like that—”

Sikong Jing good-naturedly interrupted him: “Sacred Lands are all like that.”

“Moreover, if it’s truly a high-star mission,” several horrific scenes flashed through Sikong Jing’s mind: “Anyone given such a task would be like that.”

After leaving the mountain gate, Xue Yu leaped out as lightly as a swooping cloud swallow, with the others following closely behind, until they stopped at a shallow beach at the mountain’s foot.

She casually tossed the Heavenly Secret Book into her hand to Su You, who was following leisurely behind.

The latter was slightly stunned, his long fingers holding that thin scroll. His upturned peach blossom eyes, through the mountain mist that hadn’t completely dispersed, carried mountain wind-like coldness when looking at people, yet this was forcibly suppressed by his delicate features, creating a contradictory sense of both flamboyance and docility.

“Open it and look,” Xue Yu raised her delicate chin, her voice as cold as her mood: “How many stars?”

Su You lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes falling like small fans, making the skin at his eye corners appear snow-white.

He looked at his palm where the scroll of extraordinary texture lay quietly. What met his eyes were four bright stars.

“Four—” He had only said one word when the stars above began to flicker, dancing rapidly in his water-deep gaze before forcibly writhing out half another star.

“Four and a half stars.” He slowly completed his words.

Looking up, he saw that Yedu princess who remained unchanged even when mountains collapsed close her eyes in unbearable frustration, her thin, deep red lips pressing tightly together for a moment.

This was the first time in these few days he had seen her display such vivid and lively expression.