“You’ll know once we’re inside.”

After speaking, Chu Li led Mu Yunjin as they used their lightness skill to easily leap over the city wall, landing steadily on the ground.

After regaining her balance, Mu Yunjin was surprised by the scene before her. She looked around at the bustling street that resembled a marketplace, with people coming and going. She turned to Chu Li and asked, “Black market?”

“Mm.” Chu Li wasn’t surprised that Mu Yunjin could accurately identify what this marketplace was. He casually acknowledged with a sound.

Mu Yunjin looked ahead. The reason she knew this street was a black market was that the people coming and going were dressed unlike ordinary citizens.

In the past, when she had carried out missions abroad, she had visited many black markets, and the scene before her was quite similar to those.

Mu Yunjin followed Chu Li forward a few steps, constantly surveying the surrounding environment. After walking a short distance, she noticed that gambling houses and pawnshops were the most common establishments, occupying nearly half the street.

Seeing the gambling houses, Mu Yunjin couldn’t help but recall what Zixiang had told her earlier at the Xiang residence—that Mu Yiyang was fond of gambling and had secretly sold one of Minister Xiang’s houses in Zhangzhou City. This must be the place.

As Mu Yunjin walked, a man suddenly approached from the opposite direction and bumped into her shoulder. The man then bowed to Mu Yunjin and said, “Miss, I apologize! I’m in a hurry to get to the Yunti Gambling House up ahead. Master Huang, the supreme hand, is there today. I’m sure to make a profit!”

…

…

After speaking, the man walked toward the Yunti Gambling House ahead.

Mu Yunjin crossed her arms, and just as she was about to ask Chu Li if they should check out the Yunti Gambling House, someone else bumped into her from behind. “Oh my! I was walking too fast. There’s a master at the Bailan Gambling House today who hasn’t lost all morning. I’m heading to the pawnshop to redeem the antiques I pawned earlier.”

After speaking, that person also hurried away.

Having encountered two people in succession, Mu Yunjin looked at Chu Li with some astonishment. “Is the business competition so intense here?”

Chu Li nodded. “Gambling is the most prosperous industry here.”

“Then…” Mu Yunjin paused, then continued, “When you said we’re here to get gold, you don’t mean you’re bringing me here to gamble, do you?”

After speaking, Mu Yunjin looked Chu Li up and down. No matter how she looked at him, he didn’t seem like someone who would be fond of gambling.

Chu Li shook his head, glanced at Mu Yunjin, and continued walking forward.

Unable to understand Chu Li’s meaning, Mu Yunjin could only follow alongside him. When she saw strangers approaching, she had grown wiser this time and skillfully avoided their collisions.

In her heart, she often cursed silently: Couldn’t these bird-brains be more civil in their greetings? If she were bumped like this all day, she’d need to apply bruise medicine when she got back.

Chu Li kept walking and led Mu Yunjin into a teahouse.

On the third floor of the teahouse, Chu Li and Mu Yunjin didn’t sit in a private room but chose a window seat. The third floor was bustling with people coming and going. Mu Yunjin looked at those people, each emanating an aura of aggression.

Soon, another group of people came up, found an empty seat, and slammed their swords and knives on the table, cursing angrily, “Damn it! We wanted to settle accounts with that Huang bastard, but he ran away!”

“Are you also looking for that Huang fellow?” People at a nearby table heard and immediately came over.

“Of course! That little rat won all my savings. I don’t even have money for the trip back to the city. I’ll slaughter this bastard when I find him!”

“Same here. We lost all our family fortunes. I heard this guy appeared at the Yunti Gambling House a few days ago. By the time I went there specifically, he had already run away.”

Hearing these people’s words, Mu Yunjin snorted in disdain, raising her eyelids contemptuously. They lost money due to their gambling addiction but blamed it on someone else.

As she was pondering, a fair-faced scholar walked up the stairs. He had delicate features and a refined demeanor, walking step by step toward Chu Li.

“Greetings, Young Master.” The scholar bowed slightly to Chu Li.

When he noticed Mu Yunjin sitting nearby, he also politely smiled and nodded at her in acknowledgment.

Just as Mu Yunjin was trying to figure out who this person was, a loud shout came from nearby, “Huang Yan! I’ve been looking for you for so long, and now you’ve delivered yourself to my doorstep!”

After those words, the customers who had been sitting nearby all surged forward, knives and swords in hand.

Mu Yunjin was somewhat surprised. Taking another look at the newcomer, she realized this fair-faced scholar was the “Master Huang” those people had been discussing.

But this person looked more like a bookworm. How could he be a reckless gambler? And he even knew Chu Li.

Mu Yunjin was momentarily perplexed.

“What do you all want with Grandpa Huang?” Huang Yan poured himself a cup of water, not even sparing those people a glance.

Hearing Huang Yan’s impolite words, the leader drew his large knife and placed it against Huang Yan’s neck. “You little punk, just return everything you won from me, and I’ll spare you. Otherwise, I’ll make you bleed on the spot today. You won’t live to spend those things!”

“That’s right! As long as you spit out our silver, we’ll let you go!” Someone else chimed in.

Mu Yunjin rested her chin on her hand, thoroughly despising these people’s behavior. But seeing the knife at Huang Yan’s neck, she turned to look at Chu Li.

Chu Li maintained a calm expression, sipping his tea as if he hadn’t heard anything.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow and looked at Huang Yan again, thinking to herself: Could it be that the gold Chu Li mentioned refers to these people’s gambling money?

This Huang Yan seemed to be an old acquaintance of Chu Li’s.

Mu Yunjin was somewhat shocked by her thoughts. Just as she was about to ask Chu Li, a lecherous voice came from nearby, “Oh, this Huang brat even knows such a beauty. Let’s take her back too. We can sell her to a brothel for a good price.”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin frowned and cast an impatient glance at those people. Then she suddenly slammed the table and shouted, “Get the hell away from me!”

She still wanted to ask Chu Li about the gold, but these people were interrupting!

Seeing that Mu Yunjin showed no fear of these troublemakers, Chu Li’s eyes contained a hint of amusement. “Mu Yunjin, deal with them, and you can get the gold.”

“What?” Mu Yunjin found Chu Li’s words hard to believe. “You want me to deal with them?”

Chu Li nodded, his gaze calm as he looked at Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin’s heart sank as she looked at Chu Li, her expression gradually darkening. Was Chu Li testing her, or did he already know she was skilled in martial arts?

Otherwise, why would he say such things unprovoked?

Mu Yunjin narrowed her eyes, a nameless anger welling up in her chest, along with a sense of humiliation at being led by the nose. “Chu Li, are you playing with me?”

Mu Yunjin spoke with displeasure. Chu Li’s words were all too familiar to her.

In the past, when she was in the counter-terrorism unit, those who regarded human lives as worthless had also spoken to her in the same casual and indifferent manner—

“Mu’er, take them out, and this money is yours.”

Now, those unbearable memories surfaced in her mind again. How was the current situation any different?

No matter where she went, was she always just a killing machine for money?

Seeing Mu Yunjin suddenly angry, those troublemakers laughed loudly, “Little girl, come with us. Look at how they’re treating you… Ah!”

Before the man could finish speaking, he was struck in the throat by a silver needle that shot from between Mu Yunjin’s fingers. The needle entered his throat, and he fell to the ground, instantly dead.

Throughout this process, Mu Yunjin didn’t even turn her head, relying solely on her intuition to easily kill a person.

Seeing this, those who had originally come to cause trouble revealed a trace of fear in their eyes and immediately stepped back.

At this moment, Mu Yunjin was emanating killing intent, her eyes showing coldness as she looked at Chu Li. “Your Highness, the Sixth Prince, how is it? Are you satisfied with my skills?”

“If you’re not satisfied, I can show you a couple more moves.”

Mu Yunjin laughed coldly, her wrist turning to reveal a dagger that had been hidden in her sleeve. Just as she was about to thrust it toward one man’s heart, her wrist was grabbed.

“What?” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow, looking at Chu Li with a trace of mockery in her eyes.

Seeing the playful smile on her face, Chu Li’s eyes gradually grew cold, his hand gripping her wrist with increasing strength.

“You are pure. Killing doesn’t suit you.” Chu Li’s gaze was intense, his words filled with certainty.

Mu Yunjin was stunned, meeting Chu Li’s gaze with disbelief. The two’s eyes connected in the air, both feeling something indescribable.

Pure?

This was the first time anyone had said that about her.

“Huang Yan, I leave this to you.”

After leaving these words, Chu Li gripped Mu Yunjin’s wrist, his toes lightly tapping as he carried her and leaped out of the third-floor window.

Chu Li brought Mu Yunjin to a rural area by a mountain stream. After they landed, Chu Li led Mu Yunjin to a small brook. “Go wash your hands.”

“What?” Mu Yunjin didn’t quite understand Chu Li’s meaning.

“Wash your hands.” Chu Li repeated.

Only then did Mu Yunjin turn her gaze to the small brook before her. The water was crystal clear, with no impurities at all.

Wash her hands…

Mu Yunjin looked at her own hands and didn’t move for a moment, asking calmly, “When did you know?”

“The first time I saw you.” Chu Li stood calmly by the brook, watching Mu Yunjin through the water’s reflection.

Mu Yunjin pursed her lips. Upon hearing Chu Li’s words, she let out a light laugh. “So my disguise was that poor.”

After speaking, Mu Yunjin stood up and raised her eyes to meet Chu Li’s. “If that’s the case, you could have just said so directly. Why did you test me just now?”

“The True Scripture of Mystic Spirit will bring you trouble. It’s best not to touch it lightly.” Chu Li stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Mu Yunjin expressionlessly.

Mu Yunjin’s heart tightened. After a moment, she laughed self-mockingly. “Indeed, nothing can be hidden from you.”

After speaking, Mu Yunjin felt somewhat dejected. She crouched down, sat by the small brook, and put her hands into the cold water, washing them over and over.

Seeing this scene, Chu Li suddenly laughed softly. He reached out to rub Mu Yunjin’s head and sighed lightly. “This Prince will not harm you.”

Mu Yunjin kept her eyes downcast. Upon hearing Chu Li’s words, her hands paused slightly. Looking at the ripples in the water, her entire being seemed to freeze.

After a moment of silence, Mu Yunjin glanced at the figure beside her and slowly asked, “How do we get the gold?”