Harmless Killing Intent

When Yun Jingheng woke up, it was already noon. He stood at Cai Yue'er's door, unsure whether to go in or not.

Go in... it's already midnight, I'll definitely get yelled at if I go in, but if I don't go in... she's been waiting for me until midnight, I'll get yelled at if I don't go in either.

Yun Jingheng stood in front of Elder Cai's door for a full two minutes.

Raise your hand, then lower it.

Raise your hand again, then lower it again.

He took a deep breath and was about to raise his hand for the third time when the door suddenly opened from the inside.

Cai Yue'er stood at the door, her silver-white hair neatly coiled behind her head, looking at him expressionlessly.

"How long have you been practicing your skills at the entrance?"

Yun Jingheng: "Good morning, Aunt Cai."

"Morning?"

Cai Yue'er stepped aside to clear the doorway. "Come in."

Yun Jingheng braced himself and went inside, only to find that Cai Yue'er wasn't alone in the room.

Zhuo Shi was sitting on the sofa drinking tea. When he saw Zhuoshi come in, his hand holding the teacup paused, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

You little rascal, sleeping in again?

Yun Jingheng blinked.

Young, sleepy.

"I overslept," Yun Jingheng confessed sincerely.

Cai Yue'er walked back to her seat, took a sip of her tea, and said slowly, "I was attacked yesterday afternoon, so I understand why I stayed up late last night."

Yun Jingheng was taken aback.

That's... over?

"But," Cai Yue'er put down her teacup and glanced over.

"Next time, if you make an appointment but can't come, please let us know in advance. It's impolite to keep people waiting."

"Okay, I've got it."

"Please sit down."

Yun Jingheng breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the sofa opposite Zhuo Shi.

Cai Yue'er didn't get straight to the point; instead, she poured him a cup of tea first.

Yun Jingheng accepted the tea with both hands, took a small sip, and found it to be a fine tea with a clear, refreshing aroma and a sweet aftertaste.

"What were your impressions of those Black-Robed Figure yesterday?" Elder Cai finally spoke, "?"

Yun Jingheng's grip on the teacup tightened slightly as he carefully considered his words: "Very close."

"Closeness?" Zhuo Shi raised an eyebrow.

"Um."

Yun Jingheng nodded. "Yes... it's a sense of closeness emanating from the Martial Soul level. My Martial Soul is responding when I see them. It's like... I know them."

Elder Cai and Zhuo Shi exchanged another glance.

"Jing Heng, do you have any offensive Soul Tool?"

Cai Yue'er suddenly blurted out something.

Yun Jingheng was taken aback. "Yes."

"What kinds of things are there? Let me see."

Yun Jingheng nodded, extended his right hand, and a discreet silver bracelet on his wrist gleamed slightly.

He took out the first item.

It was a short blade about twenty centimeters long, entirely black, but with a cold, silvery sheen at the edge, and a milky-white soul guide gem the size of a grain of rice was inlaid at the hilt.

"Soul-Fixing Spike, a disposable level 5 Soul Tool. After being infused with Soul Power, it can fire three invisible Soul Power needles with a range of up to thirty meters, capable of breaking through energy shields."

Zhuo Shi took the Soul-Fixing Spike, examined it in his hand, and nodded slightly. "The workmanship is acceptable, and the explosive power is sufficient, but you need to control the accuracy yourself."

Yun Jingheng then took out a second item from the bracelet.

Three silver beads, each the size of a longan, with fine patterns engraved on their surface, felt heavy in the palm of your hand.

"Thunder Sound Bead, a level 5 Soul Tool, can be activated instantly when crushed, with area-of-effect damage; targets within a five-meter diameter will be subjected to a dual shockwave of lightning and sound waves."

Cai Yue'er nodded.

The third item.

Yun Jingheng took out a ring with an antique design. The ring face was a deep blue gemstone with faint flowing light patterns inside.

"This... is not offensive, it's defensive and counter-attacking."

He put the ring on his right index finger. "' Mirror Reflection Ring,' it can absorb an attack of no more than level six and reflect it back intact. I found the inspiration in the library."

Zhuo Shi looked around, but his brows furrowed slightly. "That's all?"

Yun Jingheng blinked and took the Storage Soul Tool off his right hand.

"And this too, but I don't recommend you remove the Soul Guidance Bomb inside."

Zhuo Shi frowned. "Hiss... the bomb you threw out yesterday was taken from here?"

"Yes, the Soul Guidance Bomb inside were specially made by me to fit the bracelet. They will automatically activate once they leave the Storage Soul Tool."

Cai Yue'er responded to the damage caused by Yun Jingheng yesterday, "Close to level six?"

"Um."

"Do you have Fixed Soul Guidance Cannonball?"

"... there are also..."

"Alright, then... remember this: if we encounter someone we can't defeat while we're in the Star Luo Empire, whether Fixed Soul Guidance Cannonball or anything else, just throw it in their face."

Yun Jingheng blinked, not reacting for a moment.

"Aunt Cai, that thing explodes indiscriminately, friend or foe."

Cai Yue'er picked up her teacup, her expression as indifferent as if she were discussing dinner. "That's why I let you use it when 'we're not nearby'."

Zhuo Shi clicked his tongue beside him and winked at Yun Jingheng: "She means your life is more important than all those messy rules. Do you understand?"

Yun Jingheng opened his mouth and looked at Cai Yue'er.

Cai Yue'er did not deny it, but simply took a sip of tea with a blank expression, her gaze sweeping over the edge of the teacup with an undeniable certainty.

"Understood." Yun Jingheng nodded obediently.

"Repeat it." Cai Yue'er put down her teacup.

"... If you encounter someone you can't defeat and you're not nearby, just throw all the Fixed Soul Guidance Cannonball in their face."

"Alright, go have fun, but don't go too far, or we won't be able to get there in time if something happens."

Yun Jingheng put his things away, put the silver bracelet back on his wrist, and only after confirming that everything was in order did he get up and walk towards the door.

"I'm going to play now. Goodbye Aunt Cai, goodbye Grandpa Zhuo."

Zhuo Shi, with his legs crossed, waved at him.

Cai Yue'er hummed in agreement, picked up her teacup, and continued drinking her tea.

Yun Jingheng opened the door--

A person is standing at the door, raising their right hand as if to knock.

Their eyes met.

Yun Jingheng's pupils contracted slightly. With an extremely subtle movement, his right index finger touched the bracelet on his left wrist, and a palm-sized mechanical weapon silently slid into his palm.

It was a small crossbow that he had modified himself. It was matte black all over and had a special sound-absorbing structure. You could hardly feel its weight when you held it in your hand.

Three short arrows, tempered with concentrated Moonlight, are in place, safety engaged, and within range, they will not miss.

His finger was on the outside of the trigger guard, his expression unchanged, even with a polite smile on his lips.

The other person clearly noticed the change in his gaze.

He was a man who looked to be in his early thirties, wearing a dark gray trench coat. He had a handsome face and a scholarly air about him, and didn't seem like the kind of person who would be found in a hotel corridor.

His gaze fell on Yun Jingheng's slightly tense wrist, his pupils contracted slightly, clearly sensing something.

"Don't be nervous," the man said immediately, his voice gentle and calm, with a magnetic quality that made it difficult for anyone to feel hostility.

"I'm here to see Elder Cai, I mean no harm."

Yun Jingheng didn't move; his finger remained near the trigger.

"I represent the Star Luo Imperial Family," the man added, pulling a token from his trench coat pocket. The token bore the Star Luo Empire's emblem. "Elder Cai knows me."

However, at this moment, Zhuo Shi and Cai Yue'er's mental channels were:

Zhuo: Xiao Jing Heng reacted so quickly?! By the way, is that thing really a threat?

Cai: Isn't that a great reaction time? That crossbow bolt... there's something on it.

Zhuo: Huh? What is that?

Cai: I'm not sure, but I think it's something he made from the back of the Martial Soul Moon Negative. If you get hit at close range, even Soul Saint would be in trouble.

Cai Yue'er's voice came through just in time. "Jing Heng, let him in."

Yun Jingheng released his finger from the outside of the trigger guard and silently slid the small crossbow back into the storage space of the bracelet. The whole process took less than half a second.

He stepped aside from the doorway, his expression still as harmless as ever.

"Please."

The man glanced at him, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just nodded and stepped into the room.

Yun Jingheng nodded and went out.