The Cold and Pure-hearted Killer: She’s Smarter Than I Imagined
The night was deep. As Yuyi Yue tidied the room, she asked Fang Xun’gui:
“Speaking of which, what were you originally here for today?”
What a good question.
Only then did Fang Xun’gui realize that his original purpose had been to sever all ties with Yuyi Yue.
Now, not only had he failed to sever them, but they had become even more… intimate.
Fang Xun’gui silently placed the money pouch from his waist on the table and said:
“Today didn’t go quite as planned.”
Yuyi Yue, with her back to him as she organized the items on the shelf, nodded in understanding:
“That puts my mind at ease. I thought you killers kept nocturnal hours, working only at night, so you came to help me repair the secret chamber in the evening.”
Remembering something, she turned around and asked him:
“These past few days, you’ve been helping me guard the courtyard and also repairing the secret chamber?”
She thought for a moment, then shook her head:
“No, that’s too much. The secret chamber isn’t urgent; I can handle it myself. As for guarding the courtyard… is it really necessary?”
Yuyi Yue pointed to a nearby shelf:
“I have plenty of poisons here. Let me think… how about this? Soul-dazing smoke, colorless and odorless. Anyone who inhales it will fall unconscious within a quarter of an hour.”
Seeming quite pleased with her idea, Yuyi Yue proudly lifted her chin:
“Isn’t that a good plan?”
Fang Xun’gui rejected it without hesitation:
“No, it’s not reliable. If someone truly intends to harm you, you’d be dead long before a quarter of an hour passes.”
Without waiting for Yuyi Yue to propose any further suggestions, Fang Xun’gui decisively ended the discussion:
“It’s settled. I’ll guard the courtyard.”
He glanced at the deep night outside the window, pondered for a moment, and continued:
“It’s easy to conceal myself around here. While I’m on night watch, you should also be careful. Do you have any weapons for self-defense?”
Yuyi Yue nodded:
“I have plenty of silver needles and poisons.”
Fang Xun’gui thought for a moment, then drew a small dagger from his waist and handed it to Yuyi Yue:
“Take this for self-defense.”
It was unrealistic to expect Yuyi Yue to master swordsmanship or spear techniques in such a short time. A dagger was the best option.
Yuyi Yue hesitated briefly before accepting the dagger.
She scrutinized Fang Xun’gui from head to toe.
Fang Xun’gui felt slightly uncomfortable under her gaze. “What are you looking at?”
Yuyi Yue smiled. “I just find it rather amazing that you can hide so many weapons on your person. When you were injured and I changed your clothes, I nearly got pricked by the hidden weapons in your sleeves.”
Fang Xun’gui cleared his throat lightly. “Better safe than sorry. It’s a habit.”
Hearing Yuyi Yue’s words, Fang Xun’gui couldn’t help but recall that rainy night of their first encounter.
At the time, he was being pursued by You Ye and, exhausted, had stumbled into the deserted courtyard.
He had instinctively mistaken Yuyi Yue, who later entered the courtyard, for an enemy.
He had even thrown a throwing knife at her.
Looking back now, it was fortunate that the rain had been heavy that night, and Fang Xun’gui had been severely injured, causing his strength and aim to falter.
Otherwise, if he had truly injured—or even killed—Yuyi Yue…
Who knows what things would be like now.
Recalling that troublesome mission and the Pavilion Master’s insincere smile when assigning him the task, Fang Xun’gui grew agitated again.
Should he really be guarding this place?If the Pavilion Master or the Netherworld Hall were to discover this, they would further misunderstand the relationship between Yuyi Yue and himself, putting Yuyi Yue in danger.
But if he didn’t stay to guard her, what if another killer came?
Like today—what if Yuyi Yue hadn’t been able to protect herself? When he arrived in the courtyard, would he have seen not just a bloodstained white robe, but her corpse instead?
Ultimately, it was he who had entangled the innocent Yuyi Yue in this mess from the very beginning.
Yuyi Yue waved her hand in front of Fang Xun’gui’s face:
“Why are you spacing out again?”
Fang Xun’gui shook his head and said softly:
“I was thinking about some things. Let’s not talk about that. Where did you bury You Ye’s body?”
Yuyi Yue shook her head:
“I didn’t bury it. I dissolved him with Corpse-Dissolving Insects, on the barren hill behind the courtyard.”
Fang Xun’gui repeated her words in confusion:
“Dissolved?”
Yuyi Yue nodded and added an explanation:
“Corpse-Dissolving Insects can break down a corpse, almost like eating it. I used them to dispose of the body, then burned You Ye’s clothes. He also had a wooden token, a sword, and a pile of hidden weapons—I threw them all into the fire. Whatever couldn’t be burned was buried in the back hill.”
Fang Xun’gui’s heart sank further as he listened.
The wooden name tokens of the Netherworld Hall were specially treated and couldn’t be burned.
If You Ye’s token was still in the back hill, things weren’t too bad yet.
But if the token wasn’t there, it meant that someone other than You Huo was already targeting Yuyi Yue, or that You Huo had already taken You Ye’s token back to the Netherworld Hall to report.
He had to go to the back hill.
But before that, there was another matter.
Fang Xun’gui pressed further:
“The Corpse-Dissolving Insects you mentioned—can you show them to me?”
This time, Yuyi Yue unusually didn’t agree to his request right away.
She hesitated before answering:
“The Corpse-Dissolving Insects were given to me by someone else. That person specifically warned me never to let anyone but me get hold of them, or things could get complicated.”
After explaining, Yuyi Yue asked Fang Xun’gui:
“Why are you curious about the Corpse-Dissolving Insects?”
Fang Xun’gui remained silent, not answering.
Corpse-Dissolving Insects… The name and effect sounded eerily similar to a poison he had heard of: Corpse-Dissolving Powder.
The only time Fang Xun’gui had seen Corpse-Dissolving Powder was in Fang Yunmo’s possession.
But Yan Zuoxiu had said that there was only one dose of Corpse-Dissolving Powder.
It was Yan Zuoxiu’s secret formula, the only one in the entire martial world, and it had been lost in the imperial city nine years ago along with Fang Yunmo’s death.
So what was it that Yuyi Yue had in her possession?
…Better to deal with the immediate problem first.
“What about You Huo, the one who tried to kill you earlier? Did you handle him the same way?”
“Not yet. You Huo is in another room. I was worried the back hill wasn’t safe, so I didn’t go out again.”
“Is he dead now?”
“He’s still alive, but under the control of a Truth-Telling Gu.”
“Is it secure?”
“Yes, I placed a few Soul-Control Gu outside the room. Even if someone tracks him there, they’ll be controlled.”
Fang Xun’gui wanted to ask more but ultimately held back.
Yuyi Yue was smarter and more cautious than he had imagined. He shouldn’t underestimate her.
Besides, when it came to Gu Insects, Yuyi Yue was far more experienced than he was.
The thought of Yuyi Yue being forced to ingest who knew how many types of Gu Insects made Fang Xun’gui’s heart ache.
He took a deep breath, picked up his longsword, and said to Yuyi Yue:
“Understood. First, take me to the back hill.”Yuyi Yue was somewhat surprised, “Now?”
Fang Xun’gui was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Yuyi Yue was different from him, someone who was active at night and rested during the day.
At this hour, she should be resting no matter what.
But the night was far safer than the day.
Fang Xun’gui cleared his throat lightly and asked Yuyi Yue:
“Where exactly is the location? I’ll go find it.”
Yuyi Yue immediately replied:
“Northwest of the back mountain. It’s easy to find—only that area is covered with ground ivy.”
Fang Xun’gui nodded:
“Alright.”
Then he pressed further:
“What does ground ivy look like?”
Yuyi Yue stared at him for ten seconds before bursting into a helpless laugh:
“I’d better take you there myself.”
…
【As expected, the mission world of a killer is prone to sleep deprivation.】
【Master, if I recall correctly, you already used points to evolve away the need for sleep.】
【Tsk, that’s an entirely different concept, okay?】
【Whatever you say is right.】
【Good girl.】
【Master, are you revealing the clue about the Corpse-Dissolving Insect now?】
【Yes, his favorability has been stuck for a while. It’s time to give it a push.】
【But regarding what happened nine years ago, it seems he doesn’t want you to get involved?】
【I insist on getting involved. If the scab isn’t torn off, the wound in his heart will never heal. If he doesn’t dare to do it himself, then I’ll do it for him.】