Chapter 37

"Another 500. It seems I might have guessed correctly after all."

"Also, is 500 the current daily limit for rewards?"

Jiang Sishui pondered, then suddenly had a strange thought: "Right, why can't 'Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu' directly add martial arts experience? Is it because it wasn't obtained as a system reward? Or is its grade too low?"

"Conversely, if I cultivate 'Heaven-Slaying Sword-Draw Art' myself to strengthen my sword intent, how much martial arts experience would a day of hard work be equivalent to?"

One question after another arose, and Jiang Sishui couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Shaking his head to cast aside these thoughts, the figure of a gentle and graceful young girl inevitably floated into Jiang Sishui's mind.

Bai Bai Bai Axiu, the ice-and-snow maiden from that drama of his childhood, had always been the white moonlight in his heart.

Lost in thought, he unknowingly fell asleep.

The next morning, the escort convoy continued its advance.

Following the precedent set the day before, Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying took Jiang Sishui and deliberately avoided Zhao Zhao Zhao Mengjiao, having no desire to listen to the cold sarcasm of this second sister, who was so prone to jealousy.

This action truly enraged Zhao Zhao Zhao Mengjiao; gnashing her teeth and stamping her foot, she ran off to sow discord with Zhao Zhao Tianhao.

But Zhao Zhao Tianhao, having lived many years, already knew the score in his heart and paid no heed.

Helpless, Zhao Zhao Zhao Mengjiao could only slowly let go of her schemes.

Meanwhile, at Mount Wuliang Mountain in Yunzhou, Yao Yue was flying into a rage.

Her Ming Jade True Qi was yin-cold and chilling; fierce and violent palm strikes continuously landed on the lake surface, as if trying to overturn the entire lake, venting the fury in Yao Yue's heart.

Two days!

After searching thoroughly for two full days, not even a shadow of the secret manual had been found.

She had already guessed it: either there was no secret manual here at all, or it had long been taken by someone, possibly even earlier than when Jiang Sishui wrote his diary.

In other words, she had traveled thousands of miles only to come away with nothing.

How could Yao Yue not feel utterly depressed by this?

Mu Mu Wanqing and the other five women watched Yao Yue "fishing by exploding the water" from the side, their moods equally poor.

After all, they had come filled with expectation, and upon discovering the cave, they had been so excited they could not contain themselves.

Now that their efforts had come to naught, who could find peace with it?

Suddenly, Yao Yue stopped her movements, swept her gaze over the women, and said coldly, "Yue Nu."

Hearing her name, Hua Yue Nu stepped forward: "This servant is present."

"Go, call them all back. There is no need to search further."

"Great Palace Master?"

"Hmph, my Shift Flower Palace's 'Ming Jade Art' and 'Shift Flower Receiving Jade' are not necessarily inferior to those two martial arts. I have had enough of this game of hide-and-seek."

"Yes, Great Palace Master."

Detecting the resolve in Yao Yue's words, Hua Yue Nu turned and departed to obey the order.

Yao Yue suddenly thought of something; her form drifted into the stone chamber, approaching the jade statue.

After giving it one last look, Yao Yue snorted coldly: "What work of some stinking man, casually defiling a woman's image? It would be better to destroy it and be done with it."

As her voice fell, she suddenly struck out with a palm, shattering the jade statue into pieces.

Yao Yue scanned the broken fragments with her eyes; finding nothing else, she immediately hesitated no longer, leading the maids of the Shift Flower Palace away without looking back.

Watching Yao Yue's retreating figure, Zhong Ling said to Mu Mu Wanqing, "Sister Mu, since so many sisters from the Shift Flower Palace searched for so long and found nothing, I'm afraid the secret manual isn't here."

"Anyway, with the diary copy protecting us, we don't need to worry about others harming us. Why don't we just stop looking?"

"Let's go to Suzhou to find Big Brother Jiang. Perhaps if he mentions us more often, we might receive rewards."

Hearing this, Mu Mu Wanqing felt somewhat tempted but still said proudly, "Hmph, if you want to go, go yourself!"

Saying this, she turned and walked away directly.

"Sister Mu, wait for me! Where are you going?"

"I'll go wherever I please—Zhezhou, Jingzhou, Qingzhou, Nanzhou—no one can say for sure. What business is it of yours?"

"Then what about Suzhou? Are we going to Suzhou or not?"

"You little imp, asking for a beating!"

Watching the two girls playfully depart into the distance, Senior Senior Dugu Senior Senior Dugu Yiren smiled faintly and said to Lan Lan Xiaodie and Mei Mei Jiangxue, "I am going to Suzhou. Do either of you two sisters have any interest in joining me?"

Lan Lan Xiaodie shook her head: "Thank you for your kind offer, sister, but I still have a matter to attend to. Please excuse me."

Saying this, she cradled her pipa and departed with a graceful sway.

Clearly, she too had given up on the secret manual that may or may not still exist here.

Mei Mei Jiangxue, even colder in demeanor, nodded slightly in greeting to the two women before activating her lightness skill and departing.

"Miss, are we really going to Suzhou?" asked Zhu Tao from behind.

Senior Senior Dugu Senior Senior Dugu Yiren glanced at her and said, "Suzhou and Yunzhou are separated by tens of thousands of li. By the time we arrive, he may no longer be there."

"Ah? Then we aren't going?"

"Whether we go or not is beside the point. First, we leave Yunzhou and wander about. If fate allows, we will meet; if not, then so be it."

"Should we leave now, or return to inform the Master?"

"Inform him of what? What is there to inform? I am grown now, not a child. Let's go!"

"Yes, Miss."

Not long after the women departed, another group of uninvited guests arrived at Mount Wuliang Mountain, following clues down to the base of the cliff.

"Little Princess, is this the place you were looking for? Are there treasures here?"

A coldly beautiful young woman, about sixteen or seventeen years old, turned to look at a little girl two or three years younger than herself, her eyes filled with doubt.

The little girl had faint eyebrows and long eyelashes, a small mouth and a straight nose; her clear, bright eyes sparkled with innocence and naivety. Dressed in magnificent skirts and robes, she carried an inherent nobility that was nonetheless not oppressive.

She was none other than the Little Princess of the Mu Manor—Mu Mu Jianping.

That cold, beautiful young woman was Fang Yi, Senior Sister to Mu Mu Jianping.

Both were characters from *The Deer and the Cauldron* who later became wives of the protagonist Wei Xiaobao, while the Mu Manor was an organization dedicated to overthrowing the Great Qing and restoring the Great Ming.

However, in this world, the Mu Manor possessed a different background.

Over a century ago, the Mu family ancestor followed the Hongwu Emperor in conquering the realm; due to his outstanding merits, he was granted a hereditary dukedom.

Just before the Hongwu Emperor was set to abdicate, in order to remove obstacles for the Crown Prince who was about to ascend the throne, he launched a massive purge of the imperial court.

Among those kings, marquises, generals, and founding heroes, how many had clean hands?

Usually, the Hongwu Emperor turned a blind eye, and all was well, but once the time came and he dug up old accounts in earnest, every single minister counted was guilty without exception.

In those days, the heads of meritorious officials and veteran statesmen were chopped off crop after crop.

Because the Mu family ancestor maintained strict discipline over himself and his subordinates, refusing to mingle in corruption, he alone escaped disaster.

Yet, seeing those old brothers who had fought alongside him being killed—even though their crimes were proven beyond doubt—the Mu family ancestor still felt deep sorrow, so he submitted a memorial requesting resignation, wishing to retire to his hometown.

The Hongwu Emperor granted permission.

On the journey back to his hometown, the Mu family ancestor happened upon an old friend, Duan Duan Siping.

Duan Duan Siping had always harbored great ambitions and wished to establish a kingdom, so he asked the Mu family ancestor to lend a helping hand.

However, having witnessed the entire process of the Hongwu Emperor slaughtering his meritorious subjects, the Mu family ancestor no longer wished to involve himself in such affairs.

Duan Duan Siping departed in regret.

Two years later, the Mu family ancestor passed away, and Duan Duan Siping came to offer condolences.

Unwilling to live out their days in mediocrity and waste their lives, the descendants of the Mu family ancestor seized this opportunity to express their intentions to Duan Duan Siping, willing to struggle alongside him to found a nation.

Duan Duan Siping naturally agreed with delight.

Thus, the Mu family moved to Yunzhou and assisted Duan Duan Siping in establishing the Kingdom of Dali.

Afterwards, to commend the Mu family's achievements, Duan Duan Siping, now enthroned as Emperor, personally issued an edict conferring the title of King upon them.

Thus, the Mu Manor was born.

Continuing to the present day, it boasted a history of nearly a hundred years!

However, because the Mu Manor was located in the southern part of Yunzhou, somewhat far from Mount Mount Wuliang, it took the Little Princess Mu Mu Jianping several full days to arrive.

Upon seeing the situation at the scene, Mu Mu Jianping's heart went cold.

Unaware that there were no martial arts secret manuals here, she assumed that other owners of diary instances had beaten her to it, and her small face immediately displayed a look of vexation.

"Ah, Senior Sister, there was originally a treasure here, but now it should be gone," Mu Mu Jianping said, dejected.

Fang Yi looked at her suspiciously. "Little Princess, how can you be so certain there was a treasure here?"

A few days ago, Mu Mu Jianping had forcibly dragged her along, guaranteeing with full confidence that Mount Mount Wuliang held a treasure, which had struck her as very strange at the time.

Because Mu Mu Jianping, as the Little Princess of the Mu Manor, held a noble status and was still young, she rarely ventured out.