Qin Jiuye stumbled as she scrambled up the dim wooden stairs. Only when she felt the rain lashing against her face did she dare to stop and catch her breath.
The sky remained pitch black. The wind seemed to have died down slightly, but the rain showed no sign of stopping.
Slowly, she raised her right hand, bringing the object she had been clutching tightly before her eyes.
Lightning streaked across the horizon, so close it felt as if someone had blown a dying ember into a bright flame right in front of her. Though it lasted only a heartbeat, it was enough for her to see the copper mirror in her hand.
The back of the mirror was not ornately decorated; it bore only two characters engraved in an ancient script: *Bu Cang*—Unconcealed.
A delayed crack of thunder exploded in her ears. Qin Jiuye’s fingertips trembled, and her heart shuddered along with them.
The reason this object had looked familiar was that she had previously bought an almost identical copper mirror from an old flower-seller in the southern part of Jiugao City.
But if she remembered correctly, the back of that mirror had been engraved with the words *Bu Shang*—Uninjured. Furthermore, she had long since tucked that mirror away at the Guoran Residence; she hadn't brought it with her on this journey into the martial world.
Who? Who had given her this mirror?
She had changed into these clothes by the shores of Lixin Lake that morning. Although she had interacted with countless people since then, those who had come close enough to touch her—aside from Auntie Huang during their haggling at Yellow Mud Bay—were only Qi Gu and Qiu Ling, who had been traveling with her since they landed on the island.
But it was impossible for them to have obtained this mirror, and even if they had, they had no reason to give it to her in secret. During the process of boarding and disembarking while reaching the island, a mirror hidden at the small of her back would surely have felt unusual; no matter how dull she was, she shouldn't have been entirely unaware of it.
Perhaps there was another possibility.
That night, when she had walked alone along the bustling Bobo Street to the banks of the Daixiao River, someone had been following her. He had bought the other mirror of the pair the old woman spoke of, yet he had waited until today to place it in her hands.
The rolling thunder faded, or perhaps it had simply burrowed into the depths of her heart. She could no longer tell if it was the sound of thunder or the echo of her own heavy heartbeat.
When escaping Zhu Fuxue, she had nearly tripped in her haste. At that moment, the "servant" leading the way had lightly supported her waist.
And after leaving the Haoran Grotto-Heaven, her attention had been consumed by the grand play directed by Di Mo, followed immediately by her concern over the tainted Da Lu wine, and then her struggle of wits and strength with Yuan Qi aboard the Fangwaiguan ship. Each event had been so tightly linked that she had no time for distractions—until the mirror fell out just now.
What did this mean? He had bought the mirror she couldn't bring herself to purchase, yet he didn't dare give it to her face-to-face. He had to wait for this moment of dire peril, this life-and-death crisis, to secretly slip it into her clothes. It was as if by doing so, she could never refuse it; she wouldn't be able to take the mirror and confront him with questions he couldn't answer, nor would she have to face the inevitable parting...
*Thud.*
A muffled sound came from nearby, snapping Qin Jiuye back to her senses.
She hurriedly tucked the copper mirror close to her body, tore off a strip of her hem to use as a makeshift belt, and checked the handful of knockout powder in her palm one last time before stepping into the curtain of rain.
Rain poured from the chaotic sky, kicking up a thick mist on the deck. Even the thickest soles would be soaked through in an instant.
The vast deck was empty. The accumulated rainwater sloshed left and right with the slow swaying of the ship. Terrible conjectures sprouted and filled her mind, but in the next moment, a familiar voice finally spoke.
"It's me."
Qiu Ling braced himself and vaulted up from the lower hold. He turned and kicked a pursuing Fangwaiguan disciple back down; the man tumbled down the ladder instantly. Qin Jiuye was quick-witted; without waiting for the man to climb back up, she slammed the hatch shut. Together with Qiu Ling, she dragged nearby sandbags over to block the hatch securely.
Furious pounding erupted against the hatch. Qiu Ling immediately looked at Qin Jiuye, his expression changing the moment he saw her disheveled clothing.
"How is it?"
Qin Jiuye shook her head haphazardly, reporting breathlessly.
"Yuan Qi has already taken the secret formula. I needles him half to death and threw a face full of drugs at him. I didn't have time to look closely before I ran out..."
"I am asking how *you* are. Are you injured?"
She truly did not wish to recall the scene from just now. Qin Jiuye shook her head again.
"Let's get out of here first."
Qiu Ling hesitated, but ultimately led the way. The two of them hurried away from the large Fangwaiguan ship in the heavy rain. Naturally, they couldn't return the way they came, so they took a treacherous path along the mountainside, circling directly toward the evacuation point on the northeast side of the island.
Under the erosion of wind and rain, the cliffs at the edge of Qionghu Island were jagged and uneven. Thorny wild jujube trees grew atop the cliffs, while the base was barren, offering no place even for water birds to rest.
Qiu Ling swung his sword to clear a path through the wild grass and brambles. Once they entered the dense forest, the canopy provided cover, and the rain falling on them lessened considerably. They finally managed a moment's respite.
Qin Jiuye calmed her racing heart before she found the breath to ask.
"Did Sanlang find anything?"
Qiu Ling turned to look at her, pausing before speaking in a low voice.
"The Fangwaiguan ship was empty."
Qin Jiuye couldn't hide her disappointment, thinking their efforts had been in vain, but he continued.
"But I found something at the bottom of the hold."
As he spoke, Qiu Ling carefully took out an object wrapped in a handkerchief from inside his robes.
Qin Jiuye leaned in to look and was stunned.
It was human hair. It wasn't loose like hair shed from a comb; it was in clumps, as if it had been shorn off. However, as Qin Jiuye carefully examined the ends of the strands, she found no sharp cuts. They had all fallen out from the scalp.
"Even that old Daoist from Mount Ming wouldn't lose hair like this, let alone in a Fangwaiguan cabin."
She made a joke to find humor in their misery, but Qiu Ling’s expression was much more solemn.
"Previously, when I had He Yuanzhou detained at the manor, Old Zheng would always complain that He Yuanzhou lost a lot of hair every day, and sometimes he could even find fingernails."
The moment he spoke, Qin Jiuye recalled her previous medical examination. This led her to think of the faint, lingering scent she had smelled seeping from the floorboards in the cabin. She felt as if her throat were being squeezed; her voice became strained.
"Are you saying Yuan Qi was hiding a patient just like He Yuanzhou in his ship? And that the infected person has already left the vessel?"
"Perhaps more than one," Qiu Ling’s voice was low, but the information he conveyed was terrifying. "With the experience from inspecting the Su family cargo ship, I quickly found a secret compartment at the stern after drawing the guards away. After finding this clump of hair in the gaps of the floorboards, I carefully checked the ground and found at least a dozen marks where iron shackles and hooks had been used."
If it were just hair, there might be other possibilities, but iron shackles were definitely unusual. And if shackles were necessary, the things kept in the hold must have been in a horrific state.
Her silence affected him. Qiu Ling gripped the hilt of his sword.
"I was too cautious after all. Had I known, I shouldn't have bothered with Fan Tong’s men by Lixin Lake last night. I should have inspected the ships on the lake first. Even if the authorities investigated afterward, I would have taken the blame myself. At worst, I’d have gone back to the military camps for a few more years. It would be better than falling into such a passive position now."
He fell into a long silence.
The source of all this was the person spreading the secret formula; it was by no means his fault. Yet, because he possessed a conscience, he suffered. Qin Jiuye felt a pang of pity. Recalling how the young officers interacted at the manor, she gathered her courage and lightly patted his shoulder.
"When my grandfather was young, he was a skilled boatman, but even he wouldn't dare take a boat out on a stormy night like this. Haven't the Governor's men been watching near Lixin Lake these past few days? I suspect the things moved from the Fangwaiguan ship haven't had time to reach their destination yet. As long as we move quickly, we might still beat them to it. The outcome isn't decided yet; Sanlang, don't lose heart."
Qin Jiuye’s words were simple but effective. Qiu Ling took them to heart and immediately snapped out of his brief slump.
"There aren't many ships capable of transporting that kind of cargo. We must return to the city outskirts as soon as possible and notify Zican and the others to tighten the search. We can still turn the tide."
He hesitated no longer and quickened his pace. Just as they rounded a patch of dense forest, he suddenly stopped, his long sword ready to strike.
A cold glint flashed, and Qin Jiuye instantly grew tense. In the next moment, the bushes ahead shook, and several drab, small pellets rolled out.
Qiu Ling was about to charge with his sword, but Qin Jiuye pulled him back.
She waited for a moment, and seeing that nothing happened, she carefully picked up the pellet closest to her.
It was an "expired" smoke pellet circulated at the Qingyang Market. Because it had become damp, it had long since lost its effect. It was the same kind that had nearly left her stranded on the Su family cargo ship; no wonder it looked familiar.
"Qi Gu?"
She called out tentatively. A familiar head immediately popped up in response. The yellow-weasel-skin hat had a single tuft of fur that quivered in the wind and rain.
"It's me, it's me!"
The figure in the bushes stood up, her voice tinged with the joy of a survivor.
The two parties identified each other, confirming they were friends rather than foes, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Didn't I say we should meet directly near the northern cliffs? Why did you run all the way here?"
Qi Gu looked at Qin Jiuye, seemingly very dissatisfied with her questioning.
"Tonight, this island isn't the deserted island it used to be. There are patrolling disciples from the Villa everywhere. Only the treacherous paths along the edge are still passable, so of course I had to come this way." Halfway through her sentence, she remembered something. She opened her palm, looked at the remaining smoke pellets, and cursed, "That smoke pellet seller is truly unscrupulous. How dare he charge thirty wen for damp goods? Luckily I didn't buy more..."
Qin Jiuye was focused on the task at hand and didn't care to bicker. She asked immediately, "The goods? Did you get them?"
Hearing this, Qi Gu waddled out from her hiding place, turning in a circle with great pride. Only then did Qin Jiuye see with astonishment that the woman had a *lei*—a large wine vessel—strapped to her back with strips of cloth.
Qiu Ling clearly saw it too. After a long pause, he spoke uncertainly.
"This is..."
"The wine you wanted!" Qi Gu said, then added a guilty explanation. "I didn't want to take the whole pot, but this thing is deep and heavy. How was I supposed to pour it into my narrow-necked wineskin? Scooping it out ladle by ladle would have taken forever, and I would have been caught. In my haste, I had no choice but this. Luckily it has a lid, otherwise even Qi Gu would have been helpless."
Qin Jiuye narrowed her eyes, judging the other woman with a "villainous heart."
"You didn't happen to take a fancy to the vessel itself, thinking to have the two of us escort you so you could sell it for a good price once we're out, did you?"
Her intentions exposed, Qi Gu snapped back in embarrassment and anger.
"You—you person! I kindly helped you do your work, yet you treat me like someone who only cares for money and fears death! I was even thinking of sharing a shortcut off the island with you two, but now..."
While she spoke, Qin Jiuye had already efficiently transferred the wine from the vessel into another small jar she carried. Ignoring Qi Gu’s protests, she unceremoniously emptied the remaining wine. After checking it several times, she signaled Qiu Ling to prepare the payment.
"The goods are delivered and the money is ready. You can leave if you wish."
Now it was Qi Gu’s turn to be stunned. She stammered for a while, not daring to reach for the money, then changed her tone and acted like a seasoned elder.
"One person traveling is fine, but three people together isn't bad either. Don't panic; I was very alert on my way here. I definitely wasn't followed. We just need to leave this place quickly, and everything will be fine..."
Fine? How could they be at ease?
Qin Jiuye looked around; indeed, there were no signs of pursuers.
But the night was a bit too quiet. Everything was going suspiciously smoothly.
Could it be exactly as Qi Gu said—that she was alert and had a stroke of luck, so she wasn't discovered even while carrying that wine vessel?
As she was thinking this, Qiu Ling also sensed something was wrong. He asked immediately.
"On your way here, did you truly not encounter anyone from the World's Number One Villa?"
Qi Gu turned her head away, her voice evasive.
"Because my timing was perfect. But even if I did run into them, I, Qi Gu, have plenty of ways to escape..."
If she hadn't personally seen Di Mo today, Qi Gu’s explanation might have been somewhat believable. But after witnessing the methods of the Master of the World's Number One Villa, this didn't hold up.
Perhaps it wasn't a matter of timing, but because the disciples guarding the island had been diverted elsewhere for something important. And for the World's Number One Villa to temporarily adjust its defenses and redeploy its men, something major must have happened somewhere on the island.
A strange sense of unease welled up in Qin Jiuye’s heart. The last time she had felt this way was on the flower boat on Lixin Lake. At that time, she had sent Li Qiao to pursue the Ciyi Needle, but by some strange twist of fate, she had followed him to the center of the lake and ended up pulling the youth out of the water...
"If you don't tell the truth, I can only suspect the origin of this wine is unknown, and the remaining silver..."
Before Qin Jiuye could finish, Qi Gu broke. She glared at her fiercely before revealing the truth.
"I did run into them, but they were all being diverted to the south, so they didn't notice me."
The south? Wasn't that where the various sects had landed? That was where the ships were docked; why would they suddenly need more men there?
Qiu Ling glanced at the expression on Qi Gu’s face and followed up sharply.
"How do you know they were being diverted rather than just performing a routine patrol? Did you hear something?"
Cornered by this "couple," Qi Gu’s face could no longer maintain its composure. After a long while, she said reluctantly.
"I was far away, so I didn't hear clearly. It seemed they said the Qingwu Blade had been stolen. Di Mo is so petty; he must have gathered everyone on the island to chase the thief." Qi Gu’s tone shifted as she rubbed her hands and urged them, "If you ask me, now is our best chance to leave the island. Let's not stand here talking about this and that, lest we miss our window..."
Qi Gu continued to babble, but Qin Jiuye felt as if she couldn't hear a single word.
The Qingwu Blade... Li Qingdao’s weapon... Qingdao.
In a flash of insight, she finally remembered where she had heard those two words before.
That night in the hold of the Su family cargo ship, she had been cornered by the Ciyi Needle. Li Qiao had broken into the ship to fight him. In the firelight, the Ciyi Needle seemed to have mentioned those two words. At that time, there were only the three of them in the cabin; it was obvious who those words referred to. And just a short while ago, she had met him in that cave, disguised as a disciple of the Villa...
"Miss Qin?"
Qiu Ling’s voice sounded at the right moment. Qin Jiuye raised her head in a daze, only to find Qi Gu pulling at her hand. Her feet felt as if they were nailed to the spot, her body stiff, her eyes staring unblinkingly at the storm-ravaged horizon in the distance.
She didn't need a mirror to know her face must look terrible right now.
Seeing this, Qi Gu’s expression grew even more anxious as she paced around her.
"Right now, everyone on the island is rushing south. If we don't leave now, when will we? If we dawdle until the World's Number One Villa reacts, even if we're lucky enough to escape, we won't avoid a fierce battle. I, Qi Gu, am still young; I don't want to be buried on this deserted island..."
Qin Jiuye opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
She wanted to say: No, she couldn't leave. She had to go south to see what had happened.
She wanted to say: She was just going to be a bit late leaving the island. Even without Qiu Ling, she could find Xu Qiuchi and take his boat. It wasn't a reckless move.
She wanted to say: Her hesitation wasn't because of anyone else, it was just... because... because...
She couldn't say the reason. Because this time, there was no reason that could serve as an excuse to hide her true intentions.
The secret formula was already in hand. She had seen through Di Mo’s schemes, and Qiu Ling had found new clues. The Opening Ceremony was over. The situation in the south was clearly an unexpected event, not something triggered by the World's Number One Villa, so the possibility of it being related to the secret formula was low. They had the wine with the formula, and the Fangwaiguan ship was in chaos. The priority was definitely to leave Qionghu Island and head toward Jiugao City before the Villa’s assassins were fully deployed, rather than lingering.
As long as they could leave quickly, this mission to the island could be considered a complete success.
But why? Why was her heart so strange and heavy, devoid of even a shred of joy after such a success?
Before finding that copper mirror, even if her intuition was strong, she couldn't be absolutely certain that the servant who led her through the cave was Li Qiao. She could have comforted herself that she couldn't make a decision based on that.
But at this moment, the copper mirror tucked against her body reminded her every second that if she turned and left now, she would be leaving him behind. What would happen afterward, where the two of them would go, and even whether they would meet again were all unknowns.
Perhaps that was also why he had insisted on giving her this mirror.
But if he had already decided to leave, what was the point of doing this?
And she clearly knew he had always belonged to another world. Why did she still waver and struggle at these life-and-death moments?
A person can go to great lengths to hide their face, voice, scent, and even all traces of their existence, but they have no way to hide their true heart.
The heart reveals itself in details beyond expressions, words, or scents. It is boundless, formless, silent, and tasteless. Once given, it is hard to take back, and those who are heartless will never see it.
But she had seen it.
Even if she wanted to avoid it ten thousand times, the truth stood before her like bronze and iron. If she insisted on turning over the side engraved with the truth, she would see her real self reflected on the bright side.
The self that had clearly been moved but always avoided it.
Qi Gu’s complaints continued incessantly in her ears. Qin Jiuye slowly clenched her fists, but Qiu Ling’s voice suddenly rang out.
"Qionghu Island is not Lixin Lake. Tonight’s situation is very different from last night. Xu Qiuchi is preoccupied and cannot be relied upon. My Senior Sister should have prepared a boat when she landed; if you truly have a reason to stay, I can help you find her. Or..." He paused for a moment before finally speaking as if he had made a decision, "...or if you need me, I can..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but Qin Jiuye was stunned.
For a moment, she almost felt that this investigator with his formidable methods and sharp intuition had known all along about everything that happened by Lixin Lake last night—even the reason for her current hesitation was clear to him.
But if that were the case, why would he say these things to her?
In fact, it wasn't just her; even Qi Gu was shocked.
She looked left and right, her face filled with confusion, her voice turning shrill with tension.
"Is Lord Duan Yu playing a joke on me along with Shopkeeper Qin? Didn't we agree to leave the island together after meeting up? If you want to seek death together, I won't stop you, but you must first settle the silver you owe me..."
Halfway through her shouting, she felt her palm grow heavy. The man before her had handed over the remaining half of the silver. But from beginning to end, he never looked at her; he only stared into Qin Jiuye’s eyes.
"I cannot leave you alone on this island. You are not like Zican and the others. Since I brought you onto this island, I must ensure you leave safely."
Aside from Qin Sanyou and Auntie Yang, no one had ever so solemnly placed her life in such an important position. At any other time, she would likely have been moved to tears and choked with emotion.
But right now, she had no time to be moved.
She felt as if she were being torn in two by the two voices fighting fiercely in her mind. Emotion told her to stay and find out if the thief was safe, but logic scolded her that such an action was absurd and irrational.
Qiu Ling’s gaze was like rain falling into the depths of her eyes. Qin Jiuye hurriedly lowered her head, hardly daring to meet his eyes.
"But..."
But the things from the bottom of the Fangwaiguan ship were still missing, and the wine with the secret formula had to be sent out as soon as possible. If Di Mo discovered their actions...
Before Qiu Ling spoke, she felt she had almost made a choice. But his words instantly pulled her back to the starting point.
She wasn't just that youth’s "cheap older sister"; she was also the shopkeeper of the Guoran Residence, an assistant helping the authorities investigate the case, and a member of Dingweng Village outside Jiugao City.
After tonight, if the secret formula spread through the martial world, would the tragedy of the Qingping Road be repeated? And if the things from the Fangwaiguan ship flowed into Jiugao City or the surrounding villages, the consequences would be even more unimaginable.
Tonight, she had landed on the island as an investigator alongside Governor Qiu Ling, not as Qin Jiuye to have a private entanglement with her young man. If she was to be true to her decision to enter the martial world, she had to hold onto that original intention.
And facing Qiu Ling, who trusted her so much that he had personally handed his jade pendant to her, how could she trample on his sincere heart and let a precious sword forged for the people of the world become a tool for her private interests?
She had never been a selfless person.
But at such a critical moment today, she didn't want her selfishness to ruin everything.
Qin Jiuye finally raised her head.
"Apologies. The rain was heavy just now and got in my eyes."
"I don't think it was rain in your eyes; I think your head is full of water. What on earth is wrong? Did you lose some silver on the island? I’ll ask you one last time: are you going or not?"
Qi Gu stood with her hands on her hips, glaring. Beside her, Qiu Ling looked away.
Qin Jiuye took a deep breath and smiled at Qi Gu.
"It’s really nothing. Naturally, I’m leaving with you." At this point, she looked toward Qiu Ling again. "Since I came to the island with Lord Duan Yu, we should naturally advance and retreat together."
The moment she said this, Qi Gu didn't have time to pull back her fierce expression; her features twitched several times before finally settling into a blank stare.
"Is this how all you Jiugao people speak and act? Fickle and repetitive—it’s exhausting."
Qin Jiuye reached out and flicked the wet tuft of fur on the other woman’s hat, retorting unceremoniously.
"When did I say I wasn't going? I just had something in my eye. You were the one jumping to conclusions, wishing you could take the silver and run immediately."
Qi Gu lost the argument and had her thoughts exposed. Her face turned red, and after a long while, she could only comfort herself with the money, carefully hiding the newly acquired silver inside her small hat.
Seeing this, Qiu Ling finally spoke calmly.
"This is no place to linger. Since the decision is made, let us board the boat and leave the island quickly."
He spoke and led the way into the dense forest to clear a path, returning to his usual manner as an investigator. No emotion could be seen on his face.
But perhaps only he knew that when he heard the woman say she would leave with him, it felt as if a massive stone had dropped in his heart, the echo of it refusing to fade for a long time.
He was a man who was always clear-headed; no one understood the weight of responsibility on his shoulders better than he did. To fulfill that duty, he could cast anything aside, even his own life.
He never spoke out of spite, nor did he use words to test the feelings of others.
But a moment ago, he had almost let such impulsive words slip out. He couldn't be sure that if she had said she wanted to stay, he wouldn't have defied logic, abandoned his responsibility, and made the same choice as her—even knowing her choice was likely because of another man.
He felt ashamed of his abnormality and uncertainty.
But a moment later, he began to feel an irrepressible joy at her choice. This joy, under the influence of shame, bred a boundless sense of guilt. Three distinct emotions took turns tormenting him, making him suddenly very silent.
Qin Jiuye, traveling with him, knew none of this.
She only assumed he was worried about the case. She turned and told the still-babbling Qi Gu to shut up so as not to be a nuisance.
Just before entering the dense forest, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but look back toward the south.
On this wind-swept and rain-drenched night, the sky was a chaotic black. She could see no clues, hear no strange sounds, and receive no response.
But strangely, even though they had only met once tonight, she felt as if he had been by her side all along.
Thinking carefully, if not for this sudden storm over the stolen blade, her and Qiu Ling’s evacuation might not have been so smooth, and it would have been impossible for Qi Gu to succeed and escape so easily without drawing pursuers.
In the dark, it was as if he had seen her predicament from afar and had spared no effort to help her.
Just as he had done before in the Haoran Grotto-Heaven.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
不藏 | Bu Cang | "Unconcealed" or "Not Hidden." The name of the copper mirror given to Qin Jiuye.
不伤 | Bu Shang | "Uninjured" or "Not Hurting." The name of the matching copper mirror Qin Jiuye previously bought.
青芜刀 | Qingwu Blade | The legendary blade belonging to Li Qingdao.
罍 | Lei | A large, ancient Chinese wine vessel.
断玉君 | Lord Duan Yu | "Lord of Severed Jade" or "Jade-Breaker." Qiu Ling's formal title/honorific.
