Mu Jianli

The two walked side by side, slowly making their way out of the Hundred Flowers Garden and stepping back onto the bustling main thoroughfares of the Capital City.

The surroundings remained as vibrant as ever, with the calls of street vendors drifting through the air and a martial arts ring drawing a crowd not far away.

In truth, it had only been three days since he arrived in this world. Clearly, nothing had changed, so why did it feel as though an eternity had passed?

Yue Xiaochan smiled brightly. "Xue Mu..."

It wasn't "Uncle" anymore, which caught Xue Mu off guard. "Hmm?"

Yue Xiaochan didn't seem to mind, asking casually, "Do you ever feel that time is a strange thing? Sometimes it slips by in a flash, and you can't even recall what you did during those years. Yet at other times, every moment is packed with so many things, so many thoughts you want to express, but it's all a tangled mess that you can't quite put into words."

It seemed they were thinking of the same thing. Xue Mu sighed, "Yes. It feels like these three days have been a very, very long time."

Yue Xiaochan said offhandedly, "How long do you think it takes to remember someone?"

Xue Mu thought for a moment and replied in a low voice, "Perhaps just a single glance."

Yue Xiaochan continued, "Then how long does it take to forget someone?"

Xue Mu remained silent.

"That's why time is so strange." Yue Xiaochan turned to look at him, her smile lingering. "Just like how it takes only a glance to remember, but a lifetime to forget."

Xue Mu's heart gave a violent jolt. A thousand words were stuck in his throat, but he couldn't utter a single syllable.

Yue Xiaochan spoke as if nothing had happened, "Don't be so quiet. You're always trying to keep your distance from Xiaochan, but we are uncle and niece, aren't we?"

Xue Mu could only say, "That was a profound statement; I didn't know how to respond."

"Uncle isn't usually this dull and speechless." Yue Xiaochan suddenly switched back to calling him "Uncle," giggling, "People don't like fools like that. Just like that person over there... look."

Xue Mu followed her finger and turned his head.

A girl of seventeen or eighteen in white robes, with a long sword strapped to her back, walked slowly through the city gate. Her figure was slender and upright. The white robe was made of coarse cloth, washed until it was pale and patched, and the straw sandals on her feet were worn through. She looked incredibly destitute, the picture of a typical ascetic, yet no one dared to show her the slightest bit of disdain; instead, they held their breath in awe.

Because she herself was like a drawn blade. Her phoenix eyes were sharp and piercing, and her steady gait was accompanied by a soaring sword intent that radiated outward, sharp enough to make the faces of passersby sting. Before that fierce sword intent, all her shabbiness and simplicity seemed so insignificant that even the most magnificent finery could not compare.

At this moment, Xue Mu truly understood why Xue Qingqiu, with her peerless cultivation, had said she couldn't guarantee his safety.

This overwhelming sword intent seemed to seep into the marrow of one's bones, and this was even with the city's formation suppressing her power by fifty percent. He had no doubt that out in the open, this girl could leave him riddled with holes with just a single glance, and not even a deity could protect him.

Yue Xiaochan clicked her tongue. "She actually came to the Capital... Is she just passing through on her pilgrimage of swords, or is she here to cause trouble over the 'uniform incident'..."

Xue Mu's expression was grave. "Who is she?"

"Mu Jianli, the leader of the Ten Hidden Dragon Prodigies of the Righteous Path. She is the most outstanding disciple of the Sword Inquiry Sect—and indeed the entire Righteous Path—of this generation, a genius most likely to achieve the Dao through the sword."

"So she is Mu Jianli." Xue Mu recalled Qianqian's attire from the day before; it was exactly the same. But this sword intent—never mind Qianqian, no one could imitate this.

Seeing Xue Mu's solemn look, Yue Xiaochan giggled. "Don't be so nervous. Mu Jianli's sword path isn't complete yet. Once she truly masters it, she will return to simplicity and won't look like a walking sword anymore."

Xue Mu couldn't help but ask, "Can you beat her?"

Yue Xiaochan looked up and thought for a moment. "Two days ago, I definitely couldn't, but now, it's hard to say."

"Oh?"

"The moment someone changed from Xue Mu to Uncle, Xiaochan broke through the barriers of the Spirit Return Realm and entered the Hua Yun Realm, becoming the youngest Hua Yun expert in history." Yue Xiaochan said leisurely, "Mu Jianli is only seventeen. No matter how much of a genius she is, her cultivation is only a small realm higher than mine. I'm not afraid of that gap. Even if I can't beat her, I can leave her with a memory she'll never forget."

Xue Mu's mouth hung slightly open as he turned to look at Yue Xiaochan, truly shocked. The youngest in history... what kind of concept was that?

With such a peerless genius, it was no wonder Xue Qingqiu had been so nervous back then. If she had truly ruined Xiaochan's martial path, the price would have been beyond redemption—being hacked into meat paste would have been the least of it.

But thinking about how he had been the catalyst for Xiaochan's breakthrough and had witnessed the whole process, he didn't know what to feel.

"Speaking of which, Uncle played a big part in this. How was it? What did it taste like?" Yue Xiaochan asked the same question, her dimples sweet as she smiled.

Xue Mu managed to squeeze out, "Do you need a hanger-on for your thigh? I'm great at cheering you on."

"?" Yue Xiaochan didn't understand the slang, but she knew he was using humor to mask his thoughts. She didn't press him, instead laughing, "Master is the real thigh to hold onto; you'd better hold tight."

As they spoke, the two brushed past Mu Jianli.

Mu Jianli suddenly stopped and said in a low voice, "For such a young girl to have reached the Hua Yun Realm, it is unheard of in this world. Looking at this aura of shifting moons and hidden stars, of dim and ghostly nights, could you be the Young Sect Master of the Star Moon Sect?"

"Huh?" Yue Xiaochan didn't even look back. "Take care, Sister Mu. There's an armory ten yards ahead. It's full of swords; go pay your respects, and you might just gain a new technique. This little sister has urgent business, let's have tea another time."

As she spoke, she pulled Xue Mu along and drifted out of the city, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Mu Jianli stood in place for a while, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she muttered to herself, "Strange... I thought my sword heart was stirring because I sensed a strong enemy, but looking closer, it was actually directed at the man beside her... That man clearly has no cultivation at all... Why is that?"

She stood still for a moment, unable to fathom it, then shook her head and continued on her way.

Over there, Yue Xiaochan pulled Xue Mu out of the city, only landing gracefully once they were outside the range of the formation. She turned to look at Xue Mu and smiled, "Your training should be put on the agenda. You really are too weak."

Xue Mu said "Hmm." "I'll start training when we get back. Otherwise, I really feel like I won't live for many more days. If she had stabbed me just now, you probably couldn't have protected me."

Yue Xiaochan laughed. "You think I'm talking about safety? No, no, that's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"Master's physical cultivation has reached the limit of a mortal; she has no weaknesses. To you, Master is practically a stone woman—you wouldn't even be able to break through her defenses to fulfill your deepest desires."

"..." Even though he knew the Star Moon Sect viewed these matters as normal academic topics, Xue Mu, coming from the modern world, felt flustered and spoke insincerely, "What desires could I possibly have..."

"Don't you?" Yue Xiaochan gave him a charming sidelong glance. "Then what was the story about Qing'er and Xiao Mu?"

"Cough... actually, it was nothing."

Yue Xiaochan didn't press the matter, turning her gaze toward the road ahead as she said languidly, "I want a story too, the kind where I'm the female lead, and it has to be very steamy."

Xue Mu's mouth twitched. "That's not appropriate for a child."

"Is that so?" Yue Xiaochan smiled again, a smile of extreme, bewitching allure tinged with an indescribable mockery. "Then tell me, what is your hand holding right now?"

Xue Mu's heart skipped a beat. Only then did he realize that ever since she had pulled him out of the city, he had been holding her small hand the entire time, never letting go for even a second.