Blade

"Xinyao, what has you in such a hurry?"

A gentle, placid voice drifted out from the side room of the inner courtyard.

Seated behind the desk in the side room, Xu Yuan glanced at the door that had been shoved open.

Morning light spilled into the room beneath the eaves. Xu Xinyao, who had rushed over to deliver the news, seemed terribly anxious. Her face was flushed as she bent over by the door, hands braced on her knees, her full chest heaving continuously with breath.

In stark contrast to her was the young man inside the room, whose expression remained as still as an ancient well.

After taking several deep breaths, Xu Xinyao raised a hand to wipe away the fine sweat beading on her forehead and quickly said:

"Third Brother. Chief Lou wasn't allowed into the inner courtyard, so she had me notify you. She said... she said Sister Qingmo's master has died."

Upon hearing this news, Xu Yuan showed no sign of panic. He merely said softly:

"Calm down."

"But—"

"The gift box the court sent to the Sword Sect—I learned of it long ago."

Xu Yuan raised a hand, cutting off Little Four's anxious words. "Though Father has removed all the cumbersome official duties from my shoulders these past days, he occasionally still sends me scattered bits of important information. That gift from the court was among them."

Hearing this, Xu Xinyao studied her older brother's expression. Only after seeing that he truly revealed no unusual reaction did she hesitantly ask:

"Then... aren't you worried about how Sister Qingmo will react?"

With unhurried movements, Xu Yuan set down the ancient tome titled Black Scale in his hand. After pondering for a moment, he quietly said:

"Of course I'm worried. But before matters of state and nation,