A middle-aged man in white robes walked out of the Academy. Though at first glance he appeared to be an ordinary private tutor, when he raised his eyes, a sharp killing intent instantly radiated out, startling the sparrows in the trees by the gate into frantic flight.
Su Muyu’s robes fluttered slightly as he tilted his head. “And you are, sir?”
“Chen Ru, Director of the Academy,” the middle-aged man said gravely.
Su Muyu bowed his head. “So it’s Director Chen. I’ve long admired you.”
“I assume you’re the Umbrella Ghost of Dark River. For an assassin, concealing one’s identity and movements is paramount, yet you seem to be announcing to all of Tianqi City that Dark River’s Umbrella Ghost has entered,” Chen Ru said softly.
“Tianqi City is filled with Heaven-realm masters. How could a minor figure like me cause such a stir?” Su Muyu shook his head. “Sir overestimates me.”
“Even the mightiest Heaven-realm master fears a blade in the darkness, especially the sharpest one.” Chen Ru sneered. “What brings Young Master Su to the Academy?”
“Long-held admiration brought me to see it,” Su Muyu said slowly. “In my childhood, my father once brought me past here. Pointing at the Academy’s plaque, he told me that when I grew up, he would send me here to learn from the world’s finest teachers. I asked if he wasn’t the strongest in the world. He said that while he could touch the heavens of the mortal realm, within the Academy lay the heaven above heaven.”
“Your father? Which member of Dark River was he?” Chen Ru asked.
“My father wasn’t from Dark River. His surname was Zhuo.” Su Muyu turned around. “I’ve already seen the Academy and met Director Chen—I’m most fortunate. I’ll take my leave.”
“Won’t you come in for a look?” Chen Ru smiled.
Su Muyu smiled back. “If Director Chen’s invitation is sincere, naturally I could.”
“Master Su is an interesting person. I was being petty,” Chen Ru said slowly.
Su Muyu bowed respectfully before turning to leave.
“He went to Thousand Gold Platform earlier?” Chen Ru called out loudly, clearly addressing Tu Er, who was skulking in the shadows.
Seeing his presence discovered, Tu Er no longer hid and walked out directly. “Yes, then he came to the Academy. What did he tell you, Director Chen?”
“Where did he go before Thousand Gold Platform?” Chen Ru ignored Tu Er’s question.
Tu Er took out a note from his robe and spread it open, revealing the words: Carved Tower Pavilion, Lei Mengsha. He smiled wryly. “This Su Muyu couldn’t really be here just for sightseeing, could he? Visiting all the famous places in a single day?”
Chen Ru smiled. “Then where do you think Su Muyu’s next stop will be?”
“Surely not the Imperial Observatory?” Tu Er waved to Chen Ru. “No matter where he goes, I must keep following!”
In the Imperial Observatory, a white-haired Daoist holding a horsetail whisk opened his eyes and smiled slightly. “A ghost from Dark River dares to cause trouble here?” He raised his hand, and a yellow talisman fell into it. He wrote several strokes on it with his finger, then with a sudden wave, sent it flying through the window, across half the Observatory, straight toward the young man carrying the paper umbrella.
Su Muyu looked up and reached out, catching the talisman.
On it was a single character:
Please.
“Please” was an interesting word.
It could mean “please leave,” “please enter,” “please get lost,” “please come,” or even “please die”—it all depended on interpretation. But misinterpreting it would completely reverse the sender’s meaning.
Su Muyu held the talisman, watching the distant Observatory, hoping for a second talisman.
After waiting a full quarter hour with no second talisman appearing, Su Muyu sighed and turned around. “It seems the Imperial Advisor doesn’t welcome me.”
Hidden in the shadows, Tu Er trembled, wondering: Who is he talking to?
“After visiting so many places today, I must be tired. Might I ask which is Tianqi City’s finest inn?” Su Muyu asked respectfully.
Tu Er secretly surveyed the surroundings and saw no one else besides Su Muyu. He stated: “Could he be talking to me?”
“Friend from Thousand Gold Platform, no need to hide anymore,” Su Muyu said helplessly.
Tu Er sighed and leaped forward to appear before Su Muyu, extending a finger to strike.
“The Ice Finger technique—well executed.” Su Muyu nodded slightly and extended his finger to meet Tu Er’s. A sound like cracking ice rang out, and Tu Er withdrew his finger, retreating three steps. Looking down at his finger now covered in frost, his voice trembled slightly: “You also know…”
“It’s not particularly sophisticated martial arts,” Su Muyu said flatly.
Tu Er used his left hand to brush away the frost from his finger. “Three li from here is an inn called Morning Arrival. It ranks among the better ones in Tianqi City. You can stay there.”
“Thank you. I am Su Muyu, Head of the Su Family of Dark River, here at another’s invitation to see Tianqi City. I’m not here to kill anyone, so please don’t worry,” Su Muyu said, bowing his head.
Tu Er started. “Dark… Dark River’s Su Family Head?”
“Yes. I was once known as the Puppet—you must have heard my name.” Su Muyu turned to leave.
Tu Er’s legs trembled slightly. “Damn that Tu Da, nearly got me killed.”
Su Muyu soon arrived at the Morning Arrival Inn that Tu Er had mentioned. He requested the most spacious upper room and moved in. Though usually quite frugal, and accustomed to sleeping on others’ roof beams during missions to maintain secrecy, now knowing he possessed mountains of gold and silver, he spent freely. He even ordered a table full of wine and dishes sent to his room, as if expecting guests.
But until the night watch bell rang for curfew, no one knocked on his door. He sighed and was about to rise when a golden card flew through the window and landed in his hand.
It was identical to the one the Three Officials had given him at the Yellow Springs Inn.
Immediately after, a black-clad figure flipped through the window, pressing a sword to Su Muyu’s chest. “You’ve been here just one day, yet every important figure in Tianqi City knows of your arrival!”
“Because they all know I’m here, anyone visiting me tonight won’t seem strange to them,” Su Muyu pushed the sword aside. “To them, you’re just another person trying to discover my purpose in Tianqi City.”
The black-clad figure laughed and sheathed the sword. “You’re clever. Because for us, once you revealed yourself, we would be the first to seek you out. For we are the ones who guard the shadows of Tianqi City.”