As soon as Chu Ruo pushed the door open, she was nearly choked to death by the thick clouds of dust billowing inside. She waved her hands frantically to clear the air while stepping in front of Nan Muxue to shield her. "Good grief, there’s so much dust! Wait a moment, let it air out before you come in. Stay behind me so you don’t breathe it in—watch your clothes, too."
Nan Muxue didn't say a word, but she cast a glance at Chu Ruo, her lips curling into a subtle, elegant arc.
"We have guests." A voice creaked out. The atmosphere was exactly like a horror movie—a gloomy, desolate place and a trembling old woman with a hunched back, shuffling slowly toward them. "Please, come in."
Chu Ruo carefully supported Nan Muxue as they entered. The interior was even more dilapidated than she had imagined. Aside from a man sitting at the counter smoking a dry pipe, there wasn't a soul in sight. Thick dust coated the tables; on two of them, the faint outlines of where plates had recently sat were visible, along with a layer of greasy, blackened grime from years of neglect. Cobwebs hung from every corner. Even if this wasn't a "black inn," the environment alone was enough to make anyone turn tail. However, they had been traveling for days, sleeping in the carriage. Chu Ruo didn't mind the hardship, but she worried Nan Muxue’s body couldn't take it. She was terrified that one wrong jolt might disturb the "little worm" in her master's belly.
"Let's just stay here. We'll make do for one night. What do you think?" Chu Ruo asked. She had originally hoped to rest for a couple of days, but seeing this dump, she decided they should leave as soon as morning came.
"Mhm," Nan Muxue replied softly.
Chu Ruo turned to the old woman. "Do you have a room?"
The woman smiled, her expression appearing ghastly pale in the dim light. "Usually, the whole place is empty. But today is a rare coincidence—people have been swarming in like they all made an appointment. Business is good. You’ve arrived late."
*No way,* Chu Ruo thought. *Who would actually stay in a place like this? And she’s saying it’s full?* Just as she was about to speak, the old woman gave a greedy grin. "But you’re in luck. There’s one room left. Twenty taels of silver for the night."
"Twenty taels? You might as well just rob us!" Chu Ruo barked. A black inn—this was definitely a textbook black inn. The only question was how "black" it was. If it was just overcharging, she could deal with it; she just hoped they weren't the type to murder guests for their belongings.
"Hehehe~" The old woman’s laugh was so violent that Chu Ruo feared her frail skeleton might rattle apart. "Did you see the name of my shop? The Fortune Inn. If you could find anywhere else to stay, you wouldn't have stepped foot in here. It’s not easy running an inn in a place like this. If you don't want to stay, you’re free to leave. There’s a thunderstorm coming tonight, mark my words. Someone else will be along shortly. I’m not worried about finding a tenant."
Before she could even finish, as if on cue, two men walked in. They looked like typical thugs. Upon seeing Nan Muxue, they scanned her with lewd, predatory eyes. Perhaps deterred by the presence of Chu Ruo—who was dressed as a man—they didn't act immediately, instead loudly demanding a room.
Hearing this, Chu Ruo quickly interjected, "We’ll take the last room."
"Hehehe, in that case, the price is now fifty taels."
*Damn it,* Chu Ruo cursed internally. *Profiteers exist in every era.* She handed over a silver note. "Fine!"
***
Once they finally entered the guest room, Chu Ruo was surprised to find that while the lobby was a filthy wreck, the room itself was passable. At least there wasn't as much dust, and the bedding was clean without any scent of mildew. The old woman lit a candle for them. "The latrine is to the south, hot water is to the west. Fetch it yourselves. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving."
Chu Ruo rubbed her stomach. She had been eating nothing but dry rations lately and was getting tired of it. "Is there food?"
"There is," the woman said, extending her hand. "Hot dishes and hot soup. However..."
"Here we go again," Chu Ruo sighed. "How much this time?"
"Not much. Another fifty taels."
*You old bat...* Still, being away from home, Chu Ruo wasn't the type to dine and dash. As the old woman said, running an inn out here was "hard work," and they likely survived by fleecing every traveler who passed through. With a pained heart, she handed over another fifty-tael note. "Make it quick."
As the old woman turned to close the door, she left them with a strange, unsettling smile. "Wait a while. I have to prepare it fresh for you."
"Hey, you—"
"Let her be," Nan Muxue, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "If you are hungry, eat some dry rations first."
"I was worried you were hungry."
"You asked so readily," Nan Muxue remarked. "Are you not afraid the food in this inn might be inedible?"
Now that they finally had a roof over their heads, Chu Ruo’s mood relaxed. She walked over and playfully tilted Nan Muxue’s chin up in an ambiguous gesture. "You’ve taught me for so long; I can tell if something is poisoned or not. Besides, I have you. And even if all else fails, I still have the Heart-Clearing Dew Zhi’er gave me..."
Nan Muxue narrowed her eyes. "You treat those few measly pills of hers like a precious treasure?"
"Well, Zhi’er meant well. There’s no harm in keeping them. They’re very rare; I saw her spend ages refining them just to make four pills, and she gave them all to me..."
Nan Muxue’s expression grew increasingly cold, her face turning grim. "So, you’re quite touched by her gesture, then?"
Chu Ruo finally realized she had stepped on a landmine. She laughed nervously to change the subject. "Let’s not talk about that. Anyway, we have to wait for the old woman to bring the food. I’ll go fetch some hot water so you can wash up. It’s been days."
"No rush. Rest for a bit first." Fortunately, Nan Muxue seemed genuinely tired and didn't press the issue. *Thank the heavens,* Chu Ruo thought. One cold glare from her master was enough to scare anyone to death.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I’m not that tired, I just want to sit for a while."
"Do you think this place is really a black inn? Bah, what am I saying? Of course it is. I mean, do you think it’s the kind where people check in but never check out...?"
Nan Muxue actually smiled. "Does it matter? I find this place rather interesting."
"Huh?"
Nan Muxue rolled her eyes. "You blockhead."
"You’re scolding me again! I wonder if those two men from earlier have left. How dare they stare at you like that? If I catch them doing it again, I’ll gouge their eyes out!"
"Since when did my Ruo’er become so... scorpion-like and cruel? Hmm?"
"Well, they say you become like those you associate with. Near a Little Scorpion, one becomes a scorpion! Hahaha..."
"The antidote for the Hundred Flowers Gu..." Nan Muxue threatened softly.
"..." Chu Ruo shut up instantly.
***
"Well? Are they asleep?"
The old woman, having just left the guest room, grabbed the man smoking the pipe. "Go, tell Maozi and the others to cook up some dishes and send them up. Make sure they’re clean."
The man replied in a thick local accent, "Did I hear you right, Ma? We’re actually gonna cook and serve 'em? Why? It ain't like we don't have fresh meat ready. That fat guy we slaughtered this morning..."
"Keep your voice down!" she hissed. "We can't afford to provoke those two. Give that meat to the other guests. We’ll just squeeze some silver out of these two and let 'em leave in the morning. Don't you dare lay a finger on 'em."
"Who you tryin' to scare..."
"Hmph," she sneered. "Before you could finish half a bowl of tobacco, either one of those two could slaughter everyone in this inn. Killing you would be easier for them than puffing on that pipe. If you don't believe me, go ahead and try."
"Don't go tryin' to spook me. They're really that good? Are they kin to one of those idiots who came lookin' for revenge?"
"When has your mother’s eye ever failed her? Those two are incredibly dangerous. Even ten bags of our drugs wouldn't take 'em down. And they aren't here for us."
"Then what’s people like that doin' in a place like this?"
"Didn't you see the woman’s belly? It looks a bit strange. People come here either to hide from enemies or to find the Miaojiang people. Those two are definitely the latter."
"Lookin' for the Miaojiang again... all these years, and not a single one’s ever come back. These people..."
"Enough of your nonsense! Go tell the boys in the back—do NOT mess with them. Now move! Get their food made and sent up, fast!"
"Alright, alright. I’m goin' to tell Maozi and the rest now."
***
While Chu Ruo was out fetching hot water and Nan Muxue was resting in the room, the door was rudely kicked open. It was the two men from the lobby—one bald and one pockmarked, one fat and one thin. Both looked utterly repulsive.
"Little lady, all alone? Where’s that fair-skinned little brat who was with you?"
Nan Muxue had been sitting at the table with her eyes closed, resting her spirit. Hearing this, she said tonelessly, "Get out. Before I lose my patience."
The pockmarked man gave a filthy grin. "Tsk, tsk. Look at this face. Must be hard traveling out in the elements, eh? We brothers just came by to show you some concern."
Seeing her hand move toward *Ice Soul* on the table, the bald man used his heavy saber to pin the scabbard down. He stepped onto a stool and laughed loudly. "Beauty, in a place like this, your fancy martial arts won't do you much good. Ooh, this is a nice sword. Second Brother, we’ll take this later and trade it for some wine money. Hahaha... Come on, beauty, just give in to us~"
Before his hand could even graze the hem of Nan Muxue’s sleeve, a *shoo* sounded as a sleeve-arrow flew through the air. Though the bald man looked bulky, he was agile; he actually caught it. He turned toward the door and cursed, "Damn it, playing these tricks on me... Oh, the little brat is back. I thought you had some skill, but this is it?"
*Clang.* He threw the arrow to the floor with a look of utter disdain. "Pathetic." He turned back toward Nan Muxue.
The pockmarked man also roared with laughter. "Trivial tricks, nothing more."
The bald man continued boastfully, "Kid, go outside and keep watch. Once I’ve had my fun..."
"Heh~" Chu Ruo let out a cold laugh as she walked into the room. She raised her foot and kicked the door shut.
"Oh? You actually dare to come in? Fine, fine. Once we’re done enjoying her, it’ll be your turn."
Chu Ruo set down the hot water. "Two stray dogs insisting on seeking death. I shall grant your wish." In the martial world, she could usually gauge a master's level by their stance and aura. Even a mediocre fighter should have realized these two women were not ordinary, especially with legendary weapons like *Ice Soul* and *Ice Fiend*, which were symbols of status. But these two fools were as blind as they were stupid. She knew this was why Nan Muxue hadn't moved—it wasn't just that they were disgusting; they weren't even worth dirtying her hands over.
"Hah! Big words! With a frame like yours, I could send you to meet your ancestors with one swing of my blade!"
Chu Ruo sat down unhurriedly across from Nan Muxue. She took two chopsticks and a spoon from the container on the table, then poured herself a cup of tea. As she sipped, she said calmly, "Gouge out your own eyes."
"What did you say?" The bald man and the pockmarked man spoke in unison before bursting into laughter, as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world. The bald man pointed a finger at Chu Ruo. "I said—AAAGH!"
The pockmarked man looked down in horror. He hadn't even seen her move; there was just a whistling sound and a cold sensation. By the time the pain registered, the bald man’s finger was gone, and blood was spraying everywhere.
Enraged, the pockmarked man swung a palm at her. Chu Ruo’s free hand caught his wrist and slammed it onto the table. In the blink of an eye, she picked up a chopstick and drove it straight through his palm, pinning it to the wood.
"AAAGH!"
***
"Ma, listen! That room..."
"Mind your business! Who told 'em to be so blind? If they get slaughtered, it saves us the trouble of doing it ourselves. We can just go collect the spoils later."
"Then do I still send the food?"
"Are you stupid? Wait until the noise stops. You think those two bodies don't need cleaning up? They’ll call for us, don't worry. Hey, why are you taking the food back?"
"I’m gonna keep it warm. What if they get angry if it’s cold?"
"I swear you’re a total moron. One minute you’re fearless, the next your head is full of mush. Go, go, but watch the noise. Don't go up until they call."
"Oh."
***
Inside the room, the pockmarked man and the bald man were in agony. They never imagined that entering this inn—or this room—would lead to this. They had done this many times before, but they never expected this frail-looking man to be so ruthless. The coldness in Chu Ruo's eyes made them break into a cold sweat. Even more terrifying was the woman; she hadn't said a word since the beginning, but in this moment, she looked equally formidable.
The pockmarked man tried to flee, but his hand was nailed to the table. Even a slight movement felt like it would kill him. He could do nothing but let out piercing howls. Seeing this, the bald man ignored his missing finger and bolted for the door.
Just as he reached it—*shoo!* Another chopstick grazed his ear and embedded itself firmly into the wall outside.
A cold voice came from behind him. "Move again, and the next one goes through your leg."
His legs shook so hard he froze. Chu Ruo set down her teacup. "There are plenty of chopsticks here. We can play for a long time."
*Thud.* Whether out of a plea for mercy or because his legs gave out, he fell to his knees. "Spare me... spare..."
"Earlier, Xue’er told you to leave, but you refused. You made your choice." Chu Ruo casually picked up another chopstick. The two men were now pale as ghosts, shaking like sieves. "There is no gate to hell, yet you forced your way in. Hey, Baldy, what did you say about Xue’er earlier? What was it you wanted to do?"
"Mercy, mercy..."
Chu Ruo shook her head. "Why is it always like this? You only start begging once things turn out this way. I remember now. You said you wanted to 'have some fun,' right? This saber of yours is quite nice. Ah, very sharp. Cut off your own tongue, and I’ll let you go."
"I..."
"Don't get blood everywhere. It’ll make the room filthy, and we need to sleep here tonight."
"Please..."
"I’ll count to three. Three!"
With a flash of movement, *Ice Fiend* flew out. The pockmarked man watched his companion collapse. There wasn't a single drop of blood on the blade. Chu Ruo turned back to the pockmarked man. "Killing him was a bit too easy. You choose: do you want a quick death, or do you want to use this spoon to gouge out your own eyes?"
The pockmarked man trembled. "If... if I gouge them out, will you... will you let me go?"
"The choice is yours. The decision is in your hands. I’ll count..."
Before she could finish, the pockmarked man stared at the spoon, took a ragged breath, and used his free hand to drive it into his own eye socket... "AAAGH!"
"I was just talking. You actually did it?"
"You!"
"Get lost. Before I change my mind. Oh, and take that bald head out with you. If you’re too slow, I might reconsider."
Enduring the agonizing pain, the pockmarked man wrenched his hand off the table. He tried to run but kept falling because he could no longer see. He crawled frantically, fumbling until he found his companion’s corpse, then dragged it toward the door with everything he had.
Chu Ruo stood up and followed him step by step. Once they were out, she called for the inn staff. The man with the pipe rushed over with the food. She told him to clean the room. He quickly summoned two others, and they worked with practiced efficiency. In moments, the blood was gone, and the metallic scent had vanished.
"You guys seem very experienced," Chu Ruo joked. "Do you do this often?"
The man froze for a second before forcing a smile. "No, no, you’re joking. If there’s nothing else, we’ll take our leave. Please rest well."
"No charge this time?"
"No, no need. Please enjoy your rest."
Outside, the pockmarked man was still dragging the bald man’s body, crawling forward. Someone blocked his path. He couldn't see, so he croaked, "Who is it?"
"Hehehe," the old woman’s laugh was terrifying. The man with the pipe and the others arrived. "One piece of fresh meat, one piece of dead meat. Maozi, drag them away."
"You... you!" But no one listened. Those were the last words the pockmarked man ever spoke.
"Ma, those two are really something else."
"Stop yapping. I told you they weren't to be messed with. How much did you charge them for the cleaning?"
"I didn't charge 'em nothin'. They’re so scary, I didn't dare ask."
"!!! You really are a moron! You’re gonna be the death of me! Get out of my way!"
"Ma, where you goin'? To ask 'em for money?"
"To sleep!"
***
Back in the room, the recent events clearly hadn't dampened Chu Ruo’s mood. "It’s all vegetarian dishes. Fifty taels for this? That old woman is a crook. Xue’er, come eat. There’s hot soup; have some to warm up."
"Aren't you going to see what happens outside?"
"What’s there to see? I doubt he’ll make it out of this inn. Come, I’ve poured it for you. Drink."
Nan Muxue looked at her, then simply sat on her lap. "You certainly have an appetite."
"Is there any reason I shouldn't?"
Nan Muxue shook her head. "You’ve changed."
Chu Ruo personally fed her a spoonful of soup, blinking innocently. "Are you referring to what just happened?"
"Before, you didn't even dare to watch someone being killed. But ever since the incident with the sects..."
"Whether it was that incident, the Martial Arts Assembly, or what your mother did to you when we returned to the Palace... all of it made me realize one thing: the kind are bullied by others. If you don't want to be bullied, you must be strong. Isn't that what you taught me?"
Nan Muxue lightly flicked her chin. "Did your Master teach you to gouge out eyes?"
"Of course. Back then, whenever I looked at you, you said you’d gouge my eyes out. I’m just a diligent student of my Master’s teachings."
"Shameless. Blaming everything on me."
"Yes, yes. Whatever Master says is law. This disciple follows your instructions faithfully. But for now, let’s eat and get some sleep."
***
At the third watch of the night, both had settled down. Chu Ruo stared at the woman in her arms for a long time before finally speaking. "Xue’er."
Nan Muxue was nestled in her embrace, one hand clutching Chu Ruo’s collar. She looked quite adorable—though only when she was like this. She stirred slightly and murmured, "Mhm?"
"Why aren't you asleep?"
Nan Muxue countered, "And what about you?"
Chu Ruo asked cautiously, "About tonight... do you dislike me being like that? Do you think I was too cruel?"
Nan Muxue opened her eyes. "Is that why you aren't sleeping?"
"I..."
"No," Nan Muxue actually smiled. "If that’s what you’re worried about, then listen well: no. I’ve told you before, I am not a good person. I have personally done things ten or a hundred times more cruel and agonizing than that. Besides, I don't think you were wrong. I didn't step in because I wanted to see what you would do. Although it was a bit different from what I expected, I found nothing improper about it."
"But you said I’ve changed. Do you dislike my cruelty? Do you feel like I’m not myself anymore—like I’m becoming like the others in the Palace?"
"You are my Ruo’er, and that is enough. For people like them, the word 'cruel' isn't even cruel enough." Nan Muxue’s hand caressed Chu Ruo’s face. "I have never wanted to force you to do anything you didn't want to do. Just as you didn't want to kill before, I didn't force you. But now that you have, I do not blame you. Because you are my Ruo’er. No matter what you do, you always will be."
"I’m just afraid... that you’ll think the kind version of me is gone. I’m afraid you’ll hate me."
"The kindness in your heart has always been there; it just depends on who you’re facing. Besides, do you really think what I fell for was your 'kindness'?"
"If not that, then what? I have no money, no skills, I’m foolish, I’m easily kidnapped, and I’m always getting poisoned... whether in the modern world or here, I’m useless..."
"What I fell for is your heart. Because right here..." She touched Chu Ruo’s chest, feeling the slight thrumming even through the layers of clothing. Wanting to be closer, she pulled aside the collar and slid her hand inside, resting it directly over the heart.
Chu Ruo grew flustered. "Xue’er, let’s not... this inn is too low-quality. Let’s just rest..."
"In here, there is me," Nan Muxue whispered, leaning her head against Chu Ruo to listen to the heartbeat. "There always has been."
*What on earth am I thinking about all day? I guess spending too much time in bed really does make my mind wander,* Chu Ruo thought. "Xue’er..."
"Don't you understand yet? If you are a good person, I will stay by your side and block all the evil. If you are not, I will slaughter the entire world for your sake." *Chu Ruo, I will never let you go. And I will certainly never let you leave me.*
Moved, Chu Ruo kissed her. "We are one. We’ll never be apart again."
*Knock, knock, knock!*
Someone knocked on the door in the middle of the night. It seemed a peaceful sleep was not on the agenda for tonight.
***
