The Virgin Mary in the Book: I Decide My Life with Two Swords

Cangyue Kingdom Yunzhou Teahouse

The nights in Yunzhou City are brightly lit, comparable to the capital, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. All this is thanks to Nangong Chen's governance.

Ye Ling, dressed in black men's clothes, left the inn quietly. Even the pigeons didn't notice her leaving. She stopped and walked along the way and bought a lot of things. From now on, she can cook in the space, which makes her feel great just thinking about it.

Inside a small teahouse, a few tables were sparsely occupied by guests, all of whom were apparently scholars and poets. At an unassuming square table in the corner, Xia Mu leisurely sipped his tea.

Not long after, Ye Ling arrived at the teahouse, accompanied by Jiu You. As soon as they entered, they saw Xia Mu and immediately stepped forward to bow, "Greetings, Uncle Master."

Xia Mu looked relieved: "Hurry up and sit down."

"Thank you, uncle-master," they said at the same time and sat down. Jiuyou picked up the teapot and poured tea for the three of them.

Xia Mu said, "Ling'er, congratulations! You're ranked sixth on the Langya List. Work hard. Senior Brother will definitely be very happy in heaven."

"Thank you, uncle master. I will definitely work hard," Ye Ling replied with a smile.

Xia Mu nodded slightly and looked at Jiuyou: "Child, if you survive a great disaster, you will surely have good fortune in the future."

"Uncle Master is right," Jiuyou agreed with this statement.

"Uncle Master, why are you in Yunzhou?" Ye Ling asked.

"When traveling around the world, naturally, wherever you go is where you belong. Ever since I heard that you were going to compete with Nangong Chen, I have been walking and stopping along the way until I came to Yunzhou, hoping to see you. I was unable to catch up with your master on his deathbed, and when I arrived at Langya Pavilion, he was gone, and you two left too. Alas, what a cruel fate! Of the three brothers, I am the only one left alive in the world." Xia Mu felt a little sad about the past.

"Uncle Master, please don't say that. Master left you a letter before he died."

"Your senior brother gave me the letter. Life is too short, it passes in the blink of an eye."

"It was very short," Ye Ling agreed. "Master, I wrote you a letter before, but it might still be in Langya Pavilion and unsent because they can't pinpoint your exact location. But since we met today, I have something to tell you. The paradise on Shaoyang Mountain in Nanlai is our home. I've expanded it. If you get tired of wandering around, just come home. You know how to get through Stonehenge. We'll be waiting for you."

Xia Mu was a little tearful: "My child, thank you, uncle. Don't worry, I will go home when I am tired."

"Then, Uncle Master, can you come back this year? We can celebrate the New Year together. When I go to Langya Pavilion this time, I will bring Master's spirit tablet back so that I can talk to him anytime."

"Okay, Master, you must go home for the New Year," Xia Mu agreed. Perhaps deep down in his heart, he wanted to have a home.

"That's great." Ye Ling was very happy seeing this, because she promised Feng Qingyang that she would take care of Xia Mu until his death. This was her master's only wish before his death.

"You are still the same, your emotions are all on your face."

Ye Ling smiled slightly: "I don't keep secrets."

"Master, you are lying!" Mengmeng shouted.

Ye Ling cursed inwardly, then continued with a smile, "Uncle Master, I have something else I want to ask you. How much do you know about Gong Yue?"

"Master of Yunzhou Hall?"

"Yes, I think... he is actually a good person. Maybe we can be friends in the future." Ye Ling said this without changing her expression. The reason she said this was because she didn't really trust Xia Mu.

"I know a little about this person. He's a veteran of Langya Pavilion. I think he used to be a captain of the Renzi Hall. Later, somehow, he became the head of Yunzhou Hall."

"The captain of the Human Hall?" Jiuyou finally spoke up. "Aren't all the local branches selected from the Earth Hall? How could the captain of the Human Hall be appointed?"

"I'm not sure about that. As you two know, I was directly appointed as the head of Nanlai Hall, and I'm not very familiar with the people in Langya Pavilion."

"Okay," Ye Ling thought for a moment, "Uncle Master, do you know anything about the Taoist Master Xianhe from Shuiyun Temple? I heard he's a famous figure in the martial arts world."

"I know a little about this uncle, and we've met twice before." Xia Mu took a sip of tea and continued, "The Taoist Xianhe is an absolute martial arts fanatic. He became a Taoist monk entirely for the sake of Taoist martial arts. He has a very bold personality and speaks in a loud voice."

"If he is such a person, why does he turn a blind eye to the murder of his own brothers?" Jiuyou said.

"That's unknown. Oh, and he also has a very special mark: a cross-shaped knife mark on the base of his right hand."

"Thank you, Uncle Master. I've made a note of that. Uncle Master, what do you think is the reason why the two sects in the martial arts world were destroyed this time?"

Xia Mu thought for a moment and then slowly said: “For this kind of big move to wipe out a family, the first thing to consider is the enemy seeking revenge.”

"Fenglei Sect and Feihu Hall should have no enemies, right?" Jiuyou asked.

Xia Mu nodded: "Yes, from what I know about these two sects, they have never had any grudges with anyone, unless there are enemies behind them that we don't know about."

"Uncle Master, is there any other possibility?"

"Yes, this incident is very similar to one that happened more than fifty years ago."

"Martial arts secrets" Jiuyou continued.

"What martial arts secret book?" Ye Ling really didn't know.

"In the past fifty years, someone has killed many people for martial arts secrets, and one family was wiped out," Jiuyou explained.

Xia Mu thought for a moment before continuing, "The Wind and Thunder Sect and the Flying Tiger Hall both have their own unique secret manuals, just like your master's Jade Snow Thirty-Six Swords and your Yin-Yang Sword Manual and Immortal Secret."

"Senior sister, these two things are secret manuals that have been lost for nearly a hundred years," Jiuyou said.

"You two mean that they might kill me and steal the secret book?" Ye Ling asked.

"If someone really wants to improve their martial arts in this way, then this possibility is not impossible. However, if they want to snatch you, they have to consider their own abilities," Xia Mu said.

"But my master doesn't allow me to tell anyone about the Immortal Art. No one knows that I know the Immortal Art unless they have fought with me. Usually, when I kill small thugs, I use my master's internal force and rarely use the Immortal Art," said Ye Ling.

"There is no wall that is impervious to ventilation. Some people in the martial arts world have started to spread the word that the reason why you, as a woman, can stand out among the men is entirely due to the Immortal Secret and the Yin-Yang Sword. You must understand the saying that it is lonely at the top and a tall tree attracts the wind," Xia Mu said.

Ye Ling nodded: "I understand, but I'm not afraid. There are so many people in this world, just like ants. If anyone wants to die, then come on."

"It's easy to dodge an open attack, but hard to guard against an arrow from the dark. You still have to be wary of those around you."

Ye Ling was thoughtful: "Master, do you know something that we don't know?"

Xia Mu smiled and said, "Kid, you must know that trouble comes from the mouth and disease comes from the mouth. What the uncle wants to say is that you should not have the intention to harm others, but you must be on guard against others."

"Thank you for the reminder, uncle. I'll remember it."

"Alright, it's getting late. You should go back and get some rest. You can leave tomorrow. The world is already in chaos, so there's nothing to be surprised about. All you have to do is stay out of trouble."

"Okay, then Uncle Master, don't forget to go home!"

"Don't worry, I won't forget."

A moment later, Ye Ling was alone on the street again, strolling back. She entered the room through the back window of the inn. The first thing she noticed was someone at the door. She walked forward and opened the door.

"Miss Ye, you're back?" The innkeeper looked like he had been waiting for a long time.

Ye Ling's face was cold: "What's the matter?"

"Miss Ye, Hall Master Gong and a Taoist priest are looking for you. They have been here for more than half an hour and are waiting on the first floor now," replied the innkeeper.

Ye Ling was not very happy. She went out and went downstairs. She looked at the two people sitting at the round table on the first floor and felt extremely disgusted.

Gong Yue was the first to speak: "Miss Ye, where are you going so late at night?"

"Where I go has nothing to do with Hall Master Gong, right? Why? Do I have to report it?" Ye Ling still spoke in a cold voice.

Gong Yue was a little embarrassed for a moment. He didn't expect Ye Ling to be so direct.

The Taoist priest beside him stood up and said, "Miss Ye, I am the Taoist He."

Ye Ling looked the man up and down, not even letting go, and was sure in a moment that this guy was a fake. She wanted to laugh in her heart, two fakes, but her expression was calm and she said: "If you say it is, then it is. Anyway, I have never seen you, and I have never heard of you before. What do you want to talk to me about?"

The Taoist priest and Gong Yue looked at each other, neither of them expected Ye Ling to react like this.

Gong Yue could only speak again: "Miss Ye, now that Taoist Xianhe has returned, will you give the child to him?"

Ye Ling was speechless. "Master Gong, are you hard of hearing? I've made it very clear today. The child is not with me. I came to the competition alone. Also, escorting Gu Enze is your Langya Pavilion's business. What does it have to do with me? I never do such thankless work. Taoist Xianhe, you should leave for Langya Pavilion as soon as possible to bring your nephew back."

"But..." Gong Yue was a little anxious and told another lie: "Miss Ye, I received a pigeon this afternoon saying that the child is with you."

"Whose pigeon did you receive? I'm going to kill him. Damn it, stop spreading rumors like that. Does this have anything to do with me?"

"Miss Ye..."

"Alright," Ye Ling interrupted Gong Yue, "I'll say it again, the child is not with me. Please don't bother me anymore. Goodbye."

Seeing the people going upstairs, Gong Yue and the Taoist priest's expressions changed. The Taoist priest whispered, "Is the child really not in her hands?"

"My information cannot be wrong, but she did come to Yunzhou alone. This matter... it's not easy to find a breakthrough when encountering someone like Ye Ling!" Gong Yue said.

"So what should we do? We can't beat her, and we can't talk her out of it. Should we just let her go?"

"What if you don't let her go? Can you stop her?"

"I have the will but not the courage. Her personality is really as weird as the rumors say!"

"Isn't it strange that a prince could be chopped into pieces in public? This woman is a lunatic. Take your men to follow her tomorrow and see if she has a child."

"Okay, I'll be the best person to follow you. If you're discovered, just say you're going to Langya Pavilion."

"Let's go, let's go back tonight. I have to tell the higher-ups that this matter is beyond our plan. To be more precise, it was Ye Ling who disrupted all the plans. Sigh~"

The two returned dejected and without success.