Chapter 361: Is it a mule or a horse?

Mu Yuanzhi looked up and saw a magnificent building ahead, with the two characters "Mysterious Palace" carved on its plaque.

She had heard the Qilin say that Juechen Valley was divided into four palaces—Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow—and when the sect flourished, each palace master was renowned in the martial world; now only the Heaven Palace master remains, who is also the valley lord, while the other three palaces have long lacked successors.

"The inside has already been cleaned; I hope you'll be comfortable staying here. If you need anything, just call me—light the purple brazier outside and I'll know." Qiao Chu said.

"Where is your master? When will the little Qilin arrive?" Gu Rongjin asked Qiao Chu.

Qiao Chu paused, then said: "Wait for the master to finish his affairs; he'll definitely come see you both shortly."

"Where exactly is the Qilin?" Mu Yuanzhi asked, her expression tightening. "Young Master Qiao, are you hiding something from us?"

"Just call me Qiao Chu, Uncle." Qiao Chu corrected.

"Since you call me Uncle, you ought to be frank with me!" Mu Yuanzhi stared at Qiao Chu with sharp eyes.

Gu Rongjin crossed his arms, looking at Qiao Chu, and scoffed: "Could it be that you've betrayed your master and ancestors, seized control of Juechen Valley, lured us here, and are plotting something?"

"Young Master Gu, you're overstating it!"

"So you do know who I am? You pretended not to earlier—what exactly are you after?" Gu Rongjin's gaze turned cold.

Qiao Chu looked at them, wanting to speak but hesitating, finally letting out a sigh and saying: "Actually, it's nothing much—the miasma in the valley has worsened, and the master's newly improved Bai Ling Grass Pill has side effects that flare up every fifteenth of the month, so today he can't come see you all."

Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin exchanged a glance and asked: "What side effects? Are they serious?"

"It's pretty serious—one loses all martial ability, and the hair and skin turn deathly pale." Qiao Chu said. "Although this is a secret of Juechen Valley, Uncle, you're not an outsider, so telling you is fine, but the master doesn't want you to worry, which is why he repeatedly urged me to keep it from you."

Gu Rongjin relaxed his aggressive posture and said: "Losing all martial arts is no different from being an ordinary person; it's certainly not something to take lightly."

"Has he still not found a solution?" Mu Yuanzhi asked.

Qiao Chu shook his head. "Even Master Yuan Yan is at a loss."

"Even Master Yuan Yan has no recourse..." Mu Yuanzhi stroked her chin, pondering: "But Juechen Valley has been like this for centuries—why has the miasma suddenly worsened?"

Qiao Chu: "It might be related to something that happened three years ago."

"What happened?" Mu Yuanzhi asked.

"Three years ago, before the Hanlu Stronghold was founded and established as a sect, their chief came here, claiming to be an old acquaintance of the master, but the master didn't recognize him and therefore didn't let him enter the valley."

"Do you know who he was?" Gu Rongjin asked.

Qiao Chu: "He only said two words: Shuangjiang."

Gu Rongjin and Mu Yuanzhi exchanged a glance, both showing doubt.

Shuangjiang!!

Gu Rongjin had long suspected as much—Hanlu is the solar term preceding Shuangjiang; could it really be connected to Shuangjiang?

Yet he couldn't fathom how anyone associated with Shuangjiang could degenerate into running a killer organization like some evil heretical sect!

Although Shuangjiang had disbanded, he deliberately avoided contact with them.

"Besides that, any other suspicious spots?" For some reason, Gu Rongjin instinctively didn't want to suspect the Shuangjiang people, or perhaps he didn't believe they would act against Juechen Valley.

Qiao Chu fell silent for a moment, then said: "If I must speak, three years ago a convoy escorting exiles passed through here, and coincidentally, the person who called himself Shuangjiang came to see the master at that very time; I remember it because the master specially descended the valley to see off an old friend."

"The only exile worthy of being seen off by the Qilin could be Xiao Yichen!"

"Could it be that Xiao Yichen, as an exile, is still stirring up trouble—having turned the Shuangjiang people to work for him?"

Mu Yuanzhi hadn't expected Xiao Yichen to still be active, or perhaps it was merely a coincidence.

"First take us to see your master; if we don't meet him, we'll only worry more!" Mu Yuanzhi said.

Gu Rongjin nodded.

Although he complained about the Qilin, he still placed this cheap disciple in his heart.

Qiao Chu finally nodded as well; he also wanted Uncle to see the master, in case Uncle had a solution!

The Heaven Palace is far from the Mysterious Palace; at this moment snow fell without warning, so Mu Yuanzhi didn't let the children follow, instructing them to stay in the Mysterious Palace and not run about.

The snow fell heavily, soon blanketing the entire Juechen Valley in a vast white expanse; looking out, the endless white snow resembled a fairyland mountain.

But Mu Yuanzhi had no mood to admire the scenery; she wanted to know how the Qilin was doing.

"The Heaven Palace is right ahead." Qiao Chu said.

"Little junior brother, how did you bring people here?!" a tiny girl who looked only eight or nine, with two buns, spotted them from afar and ran over, hands on hips, demanding an explanation.

Qiao Chu: "We can't keep it hidden any longer; besides, Uncle might have a solution." Qiao Chu said.

A little girl calling a tall, burly person "little junior brother"—this scene looks strange no matter how you view it.

After hearing that, the little girl looked again at Mu Yuanzhi, took a deep breath, and called out "Uncle."

For some reason, Mu Yuanzhi felt that this little girl seemed a bit hostile toward her.

"How old are you?" Mu Yuanzhi asked.

"I'm already sixteen! I'm just naturally short, being of the dwarf race, so I look like a little imp." The girl straightened her back, as if that would make her a bit taller.

Gu Rongjin chuckled: "Sixteen is still a little imp."

"When the Young Master first met Uncle, Uncle was also sixteen—how can you feel shy about a little imp?" the girl said, crossing her arms and humming.

Gu Rongjin blinked: "This little brat has quite a sharp tongue."

Just like the Qilin, no wonder he's a disciple!

"I'm not a little brat; I'm Yue Yun—Yue for the moon, Yun for the clouds—a name given by the master!" Yue Yun lifted her head proudly.

Qiao Chu: "All right, senior sister, I still need to bring Uncle and the others in to see the master."

Yue Yun pursed her lips, reluctantly stepping aside, and muttered: "You're acting on your own—watch out, or the master will punish you!"

"Even if I'm punished, the master comes first." Qiao Chu said, striding forward and pushing open the doors of the Heaven Palace.

Gu Rongjin couldn't help but whisper to Mu Yuanzhi: "From what they say, the master doesn't match up with the Qilin at all; I have a vague feeling he's someone else, and we've all gotten it wrong."

"After three days apart, one should look at a person with new eyes—besides, the Qilin is quite responsible, isn't he? Him single-handedly holding up Juechen Valley is no lie." Mu Yuanzhi couldn't help but defend her junior brother.

Gu Rongjin raised an eyebrow noncommittally: "Whether it's a mule or a horse, I'll have to go in and see for myself!"