As soon as Cai Zhao heard that voice, she put down her chopsticks and frowned, refusing to turn her head. Qian Xueshen, remembering their recently arranged “engagement,” began to pale.
The entire hall fell silent.
Typically, long-distance travelers rarely appear well-groomed, often looking disheveled and weary. Even Cai and Qian, who had arrived on a giant roc, couldn’t avoid wind-tousled hair. Yet this handsome young man looked as if he had just stepped out of an elegant study, impeccably neat.
The waiter approached with his usual smile: “Welcome, sir! Will you be dining or staying…”
“I’ll be staying. Bring in my trunk from outside,” Mu Qingyan said, bypassing the waiter and walking straight towards Cai Zhao.
The innkeeper straightened up, forcing a smile: “Welcome, esteemed guest. Forgive my lack of proper greeting…”
Ignoring him, Mu Qingyan sat beside Cai Zhao. “Zhao Zhao, was your journey these past days tiring?”
Noticing the innkeeper’s puzzled look, Cai Zhao quickly explained: “Zhao Zhao is my childhood name. My full name is Feng Xiaoyao.”
The innkeeper forced another smile: “Well, every one of status has a childhood name…”
Before he could finish, a terrified scream came from outside the inn!
An assistant stumbled in, trembling: “Qian Si and the others are… they’re all dead… their necks… crushed!”
Alarmed, the innkeeper rushed outside.
Cai Zhao wondered: “Someone died outside the inn? And who are Qian Si and the others?”
Mu Qingyan replied: “I don’t know. But they had chopsticks sticking out of their backs. Quite interesting.”
Cai Zhao realized: “Oh?”
Qian Xueshen, shaking, looked at Mu Qingyan: “You… you killed them?”
Mu Qingyan glanced at him coldly, saying nothing.
The innkeeper and several guests ran outside to find the three men Cai Zhao had shot with chopsticks earlier lying on the ground, their necks twisted at odd angles, clearly broken. Shallow, snow-dampened footprints marked their skin.
Another assistant screamed, and the innkeeper’s group rushed to the inn’s corner. There, they found the two men whose chest Cai Zhao had slashed and whose wrist she had cut also dead, their necks similarly crushed.
The innkeeper returned, dazed.
He looked at Mu Qingyan: “You… you killed them?”
Mu Qingyan bowed slightly: “I sincerely apologize. I accidentally stepped on them.”
The innkeeper’s eyes widened—this man spoke as if he had merely stepped on a few ants.
Mu Qingyan smiled apologetically: “It seems you’ll need to find new ‘scouts.'”
The innkeeper flinched, forcing a laugh: “Ha ha, please enjoy your meal, sir. I’ll have the kitchen prepare more dishes.” With that, he quickly left the hall.
“How could you kill people so casually!” Cai Zhao glared, slamming the table.
Mu Qingyan replied nonchalantly: “You casually stabbed people with chopsticks.”
“Is there no difference between injuring and killing?”
“The chest wound you inflicted—half an inch deeper, and you’d have carved out his heart,” Mu Qingyan teased. “Surely you meant to do that but misjudged your strength?”
Cai Zhao stammered: “When I pulled the knife from his chest, I noticed dried blood on it. Assuming he had killed before, I got a bit heavy-handed.”
“All five had blood on their hands,” Mu Qingyan chuckled. “Do you know what ‘scouts’ are? In the jianghu, when faced with unfamiliar territory, people often throw out a few darts to test the waters. Over the years, quite a few merchants have disappeared from this inn.”
Cai Zhao was shocked: “This is a trap for travelers?!”
Mu Qingyan explained: “Half trap, half legitimate. If a guest is formidable—like you, Zhao Zhao—the inn provides excellent service. But for vulnerable travelers without jianghu connections, well… who knows what might happen.”
Cai Zhao narrowed her eyes: “How do you know all this?”
“While you were busy asking about the Great Snow Mountain’s terrain,” Mu Qingyan said, wiping his chopsticks with a handkerchief, “I inquired about local customs. This inn was built over a decade ago. Before that, fur and medicinal herb traders were scattered. Now, all such business must go through here.”
Cai Zhao snorted, “So it’s a local stronghold.”
At this moment, two assistants carried in Mu Qingyan’s trunk.
The heavy chest, nearly half as tall as a person, was made of bright, expensive lacquered wood inlaid with intricate mother-of-pearl. Despite its obvious value, the few remaining guests in the hall didn’t dare glance at it.
If Cai Zhao’s earlier display had made them wary, Mu Qingyan’s ruthlessness now filled them with terror.
Cai Zhao sighed dramatically: “Ah why is traveling so difficult? Why are there so many bad people in the world? It’s hard for good people like us to even leave home safely.”
“Indeed,” Mu Qingyan agreed, placing a chicken leg in Cai Zhao’s bowl. “I’ve always said the outside world is treacherous. One misstep and you could fall victim to someone’s schemes.”
The assistants and guests: …
Mu Qingyan turned, smiling, his gaze cold and menacing.
The assistants immediately scattered, hiding in the side corridors. The remaining guests hurriedly finished their meals and retreated to their rooms upstairs.
In moments, the once-bustling hall fell silent, leaving only Cai Zhao’s table occupied.
“You’re avoiding the issue,” Cai Zhao turned back. “Why are you here? I’ve made myself clear—we’re not on the same path. We should go our separate ways.”
Mu Qingyan replied: “What if I said I also have a business on Snow Mountain?”
“What business?” Qian Xueshen asked curiously.
Mu Qingyan frowned slightly, his jade-white hand on his chest: “Actually, my injury hasn’t fully healed. I need a specific medicinal herb from the Great Snow Mountain for treatment.”
Even Qian Xueshen, a man, felt his heart skip a beat at this captivating display.
But the girl across the table remained unmoved: “I don’t believe you. You’re making this up—even if it’s true, you climb your mountain, I’ll climb mine. We’re not going together. If people find out, it’ll confirm the rumors of Luoying Valley colluding with the Evil Sect!”
Mu Qingyan sat up straight, dropping his pained expression. He said, “In that case, pay me back first.”
Qian Xueshen was confused: “What money?”
A flash of guilt crossed Cai Zhao’s eyes.
Mu Qingyan continued: “Let’s not count the food and lodging at Qingzhu Residence—that’s basic hospitality. But what about that large bag of silver in young Cai’s possession before leaving?”
Qian Xueshen’s eyes widened as he turned to the girl, “You left without bringing any money?”
Cai Zhao shrugged: “I earned money along the way, but carrying heavy silver was inconvenient. I had four silver notes but lost two in a fight, one was soaked in blood, and the last one tore at the seal.”
Qian Xueshen was incredulous: “So Lord Mu has been covering our expenses these past days!”
Cai Zhao looked innocent: “In novels, they say jianghu people share their wealth freely.”
“You’re basing your jianghu experience on novels?!” Qian Xueshen’s hair nearly stood on end—he realized his earlier impressions of her thoughtfulness and capability were completely misguided!
“What do you have to say for yourself, young Cai?” Mu Qingyan asked casually.
Cai Zhao replied: “Nothing to say. If you hadn’t lent me money, I would have had to ‘rob the rich to help the poor.’ I’d have gotten the money eventually, but it would have delayed us by a few days. So I thank Lord Mu for his generosity. However, righteousness and evil cannot coexist. As a disciple of Beichen Gate, I cannot associate with the Young Lord of the Evil Sect.”
Mu Qingyan’s smile faded: “You eat my food, spend my money, and even use my golden-feathered giant roc, and you think a simple ‘thank you’ settles it? Ask around—who in my sect would dare borrow my roc? I despise people who try to avoid paying their debts. Anyone thick-skinned enough to try will never wear human skin again in their next life!”
The harsh words made Qian Xueshen uncomfortable.
Cai Zhao suppressed her urge to curse back, stubbornly maintaining her stance: “No matter what you say, I won’t agree to travel with you.”
Mu Qingyan chuckled softly, then sighed: “There’s something I’ve wanted to say for a while. I’ve been holding back, fearing it might upset you.”
Cai Zhao stiffened: “Say what you want. It won’t change my mind.”
“Actually,” Mu Qingyan looked at the girl, “my cultivation level is higher than yours.”
Qian Xueshen’s jaw dropped.
“What… what did you say?” Cai Zhao thought she had misheard.
“My cultivation is above yours,” Mu Qingyan’s eyes were clear as a painting. “I must climb this Great Snow Mountain, and I must do it with you. If young Cai refuses, we could always settle this with a few rounds of combat.”
…
The innkeeper and four assistants hid behind the curtain, peering at the only occupied table in the hall.
“What are they saying? I can’t hear anything.”
“Who can hear from this far? Oh, looks like they’re arguing… now they’re fighting…”
“What’s the relationship between this deadly young master and Miss Feng?”
“Siblings?”
“But they don’t look alike at all.”
“Childhood sweethearts engaged to be married?”
“Are you crazy? That Wan guy is Miss Feng’s fiancé!”
“To be honest, Wan doesn’t suit Miss Feng at all!”
“That’s true.”
“I’ve got it!” One assistant slapped his palm. “Miss Feng was this new young master’s fiancée, but she fell for Wan and ran off with him!”
The other three assistants immediately attacked him, believing he must be out of his mind. Miss Feng would have to be blind to choose the cowardly Wan over the formidable new young master!
“Enough!” The innkeeper’s face darkened. “I must have the worst luck, getting these two deadly guests one after another. From now on, serve them well, and don’t even think about crossing them. If anything goes wrong, none of us will survive!”
…
The innkeeper personally led Cai Zhao and the others to their rooms upstairs, treating them with the utmost respect. He dared not ask any questions or linger, nor did he dare tamper with the rooms.
More deadly than an evil person is one without limits. He might be evil, but this new young master seemed limitless.
Two of Qian Si’s group had blood on their hands, yet the handsome young master crushed them like insignificant insects, casually explaining it away as if it were nothing.
Such a person was not to be trifled with.
As the innkeeper left and Mu Qingyan was inspecting the adjacent room, Qian Xueshen hurried to Cai Zhao’s side: “Hey, can you not beat that guy?”
Cai Zhao pouted, sitting at the table: “I don’t know his true strength yet. We’d have to fight to find out. But even if I won, I’d likely be seriously injured. We’ve come so far, and I haven’t even seen a single hair of the Snow Scale Dragon Beast. Fighting to the death now—forget it. I’ll stick with this Evil Sect young lord for now.”
Qian Xueshen leaned in: “Young Cai, earlier you refused his polite requests, but as soon as he showed his fist, you immediately gave in. Don’t you think you’re being a bit of a bully to the weak and a coward to the strong?”
To his surprise, Cai Zhao replied matter-of-factly: “Of course I am. Who isn’t? For instance, you, Young Master Qian—did you come to this frozen wasteland out of a sense of righteousness and chivalry?”
—Of course not. Brother Qian was here because this pair of deadly stars had him by the throat.
“Fine, go ahead and mock me,” Qian Xueshen smacked his lips. “But I advise you to be careful of Lord Mu next door. I think he…”
“Zhao Zhao, Zhao Zhao, where are you? Come here quickly.” Mu Qingyan’s voice called from next door, clear and gentle, warm and appealing—a stark contrast to his earlier cold and acerbic demeanor.
Qian Xueshen sighed, finishing his thought, “I think Lord Mu is mercurial and unpredictable. You’d best keep your guard up.” Though he and the girl had been at odds for days, he knew she was probably the only good person in the entire inn.
Cai Zhao also sighed: “You think I just realized today that he’s moody and unpredictable?”
When her aunt first entered the jianghu, she met generous heroes like the Shi brothers or hidden dragons like Qi Yunke. But she, fresh out of Luoying Valley, had run into this half-madman Mu Qingyan.
What more could be said?
The two walked into the adjacent room.
In mere moments, the humble earthen house had been transformed. A separate bathroom had been sectioned off, with two large tubs of hot water. A silver-threaded charcoal stove stood in the center of the room for warmth. On the table sat an elegant pink porcelain vase filled with fresh, fragrant yellow plum blossoms.
Having dismissed all the assistants, Mu Qingyan smiled, beckoning to Cai Zhao: “Zhao Zhao, come sit. You’ll stay in this room, and the next one is for Brother Qian.”
Thinking of the cold, dreary room next door, Qian Xueshen couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
After a moment, he suddenly realized, “Where will Lord Mu stay?”
Mu Qingyan replied casually: “I’ll stay in this room with Zhao Zhao.”
“W-what?” Qian Xueshen nearly choked. “How… how can that be…”
Cai Zhao sat motionless, either composed or resigned. “It’s not a big deal. I was planning to share a room with you anyway. In the jianghu, we needn’t fuss over such details. Besides, I have a fiancé named Zhou. He’s young, handsome, gentle, and kind, with a house and land. Someone of Lord Mu’s status will surely observe proper etiquette and not cross any lines.”
Mu Qingyan glanced at her: “Indeed. Even if young Cai decides to stray, it would be from Zhou’s house. It has nothing to do with Brother Qian.”
Cai Zhao shot him a look. Mu Qingyan smiled enigmatically, and Qian Xueshen kept quiet.
After this exchange of barbs, Mu Qingyan prepared to send Qian Xueshen out. Before he left, Mu gave him a small, bright red pill.
“Here, Daqiang, take your medicine,” he said with a smile.
Qian Xueshen grew fearful: “What… what is this?”
Mu Qingyan frowned in thought: “Is it called the Soul-Chasing Pill or the Soul-Snatching Pill? Hmm, perhaps the Soul-Seeking Pill? Well, something like that. Hurry up and take it, or I’ll have to force you.”
“Th-this… I-I…” Qian Xueshen’s teeth chattered as he trembled.
Cai Zhao stood up, uncertain and alarmed.
Mu Qingyan coldly stated, “Do we need to watch you every moment? We don’t have time for that. You must take another pill every ten hours. When it’s time, come find me. Once this is over, I’ll give you the antidote.”
Qian Xueshen turned pale with fright.
Cai Zhao hesitated, “Do you… do you have an antidote?” She didn’t want to take Qian Xueshen’s life.
Mu Qingyan immediately responded with displeasure, “Should I take one myself to ease Miss Cai’s mind?”
Cai Zhao opened her mouth but then turned and sat down.
Seeing Mu Qingyan’s cold gaze swept over him, Qian Xueshen gritted his teeth and swallowed the pill. Before he could fully swallow, Mu Qingyan swiftly struck his back.
Qian Xueshen coughed repeatedly—the pill had slid down his throat.
After sending Qian Xueshen away, Mu Qingyan closed and bolted the door, carefully checking both windows for drafts.
Cai Zhao couldn’t help but mock, “Isn’t young master Mu being too particular?”
Instead of retorting, Mu Qingyan began to undress.
Cai Zhao was stunned.
Yes, undress.
He set aside his heavy fur cloak, then removed his gold-threaded belt, fragrance pouch, medicine bag, gold incense ball, jade pendant with twin chi and phoenix heads, gold-inlaid jade knife, and snow-white brocade robe with hidden patterns…
“What… what are you doing?” Cai Zhao straightened up, staring.
Mu Qingyan continued undressing until he revealed his snow-white silk undergarments. He then found a long sash to tie up his sleeves. Standing before the mirror, he slightly bent his tall frame, preparing to bind up his flowing sleeves.
Hearing Cai Zhao’s question, he bit one end of the sash and turned his head, giving a slight smile. With his long eyebrows and deep eyes, snow-white skin, and red lips, he replied, “How can I tidy up without dressing properly? Besides, it’s warm in here. You don’t need to wear so much either.”
Cai Zhao barely heard what he said, her heart racing.
After tying up his sleeves, he effortlessly lifted the heavy wooden chest to the bedside.
As he walked past Cai Zhao, she noticed his long, strong arms with faint blue veins visible, disappearing into the gathered sleeves. His upper arms, hidden by the sleeves, showed rippling muscles.
She tugged at her collar, feeling the brazier was too hot.
Mu Qingyan took out a plain bundle from the wooden chest and handed it to Cai Zhao, showing a rare blush. “… These are clean clothes. You should freshen up. Once we’re in the mountains, we won’t have such luxuries.”
Cai Zhao held the bundle, dumbfounded.
Mu Qingyan pushed her towards the hot water barrel in the corner, then brought over a folding screen and set it up.
Through the gaps in the screen, Cai Zhao watched him swiftly remove the original bedding, tossing it aside. He then took out two sets of clean, soft new bedding from the large chest and carefully made up the bed and the wooden couch by the window.
Cai Zhao had done this kind of work before, but with Mu Qingyan’s height and long arms, what took her and her aunt two people to smooth out, he accomplished with a single shake.
That night, she slept on the bed while Mu Qingyan took the wooden couch by the window.
“… Do you often do chores at home?” she suddenly asked.
Mu Qingyan replied softly, “Mm, I’ve done various household tasks.”
His thoughts were somewhat jumbled. Earlier, when she had jumped behind the curtain, he had caught a glimpse of her small, pink feet. Though it was just a glance, he couldn’t stop thinking about how soft and delicate they must be… and her slender ankles, which could easily be encircled by one hand. Her skin, was so tender it was almost translucent—what would it taste like to bite? Would it be juicy?
He felt hot and aroused—quite aroused.
He hated this reaction, reminding him of how Nie Zhe kept sending beautiful maids to serve him, just as Nie Hengcheng had successfully given Nie Zhe endless courage. Unfortunately for them, he wasn’t his father, and he didn’t mind killing.
“I thought you lived a life of luxury in the Demon Sect, with servants at your beck and call,” Cai Zhao imagined the Demon Sect to be filled with gold bricks, silver tiles, and jewels everywhere, in a nouveau riche style.
“That kind of life isn’t difficult to achieve, but Father doesn’t like the noise of too many people. He says there’s great joy in cleaning every inch of your room and organizing your books,” Mu Qingyan’s thoughts finally settled as he spoke of his father.
Cai Zhao lay on her side, hands under her head. “Sounds like your father lived quite leisurely.”
“He’s a gentle, detached person. He loves rainy days. Every time it rains, he sets up a small red clay stove in the corridor to brew tea and wine. Well, more often wine. When he gets drunk, he lies among his books, saying he dreams of the joys of life and immortal realms from the stories. I tried to learn to drink from him but didn’t do well. After Father passed, I rarely drink, fearing it might interfere with my work.”
“Father also taught me to raise and tame some rare and exotic creatures. Besides the golden-feathered giant roc, most were useless things. Father said they should have lived in the era of the Northern Chen ancestor, but with the changes in the world, their reproduction became increasingly difficult. They were destined to gradually disappear from this world. What we do is to ensure their final journey is one with dignity.”
The young man’s voice was particularly distant in the quiet night.
Cai Zhao listened intently. “… I admire your father.”
She had thought sleeping in the same room with Mu Qingyan would be awkward, but the pre-sleep atmosphere was unexpectedly soft and warm.
As her eyelids grew heavy, she vaguely felt she had forgotten something.
“Hey, are you asleep?” She propped herself up on her shoulder. “We’ve talked so much about your father, but what about your mother? Is she still alive?”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed.
The soft warmth disappeared completely, replaced by an indescribable silence.
“She’s living very well, with servants at her beck and call, in luxury and splendor.”
Even without light, Cai Zhao could imagine the sarcasm on Mu Qingyan’s face.
She dared not ask more.
After a moment of scattered thoughts, she couldn’t help but sigh softly.
Mu Qingyan heard and asked why.
Cai Zhao said sorrowfully, “Although we jianghu folk aren’t bound by small conventions, sleeping in the same room with you at night seems somewhat disloyal to Brother Yuqi.”
“Aren’t you called Feng Xiaohan now, with no connection to the Cai family?”
“That may be so, but I know in my heart.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“Next time when Madam Min criticizes me, I should endure it a bit more.”
“That’s spineless.”
“Next time when Min Xinrou flirts with Brother Yuqi, I’ll just close my eyes and not make a fuss.”
“That’s acceptable.” His voice now carried a hint of amusement.
“Also, next time we duel, I’ll try to defeat Brother Yuqi after 200 moves. Men need a face, after all—do you think that gives him enough face? I’m not sure, should I add another 50 moves?” She thought it best to consult a man about men’s face issues.
Muffled laughter erupted from under the quilt as Mu Qingyan’s shoulders shook with suppressed mirth.
Realizing she had asked the wrong person, Cai Zhao turned over angrily and went to sleep without another word.
Mu Qingyan lay quietly on his back, listening to the steady breathing of the child sleeping behind the bed curtain. He felt peaceful and calm, his arousal and tension gradually subsiding.
He thought, if only Father could meet her, he would surely be delighted.