Jiang Chulong, the Little Princess of the Yu Dynasty, the Golden Destiny

Murong Hai's pupils contracted slightly, his mind momentarily blank.

He had never thought that a true disciple of the Qingyuan Sect would be weaker than an injured notorious bandit.

If Xiao'er hadn't been ambushed and hadn't suffered from a lack of experience in the martial world, he could have won as well.

Disciples of major sects trained in systematic martial arts, inherently stronger than rogue practitioners or those from minor sects.

Li Mo, armed with a profound weapon, was undoubtedly stronger than Xiao'er.

But... this was far too effortless, wasn't it?

There were almost no traces of a battle at the scene.

Even Xue Peng's infamous Blood Blade, which had earned him quite a reputation, had been shattered into fragments.

"Old Master Murong, you’ve arrived just in time."

Li Mo casually tossed aside the Iron Swallow and said,

"Please take care of handing Cui Peng's corpse over to the authorities."

Once the authorities verified the identity, they would naturally report it to the Outer Affairs Hall, saving him the trouble.

Carrying a corpse around was unsettling just to think about.

"Brother Li, you're truly formidable."

Murong Xiao, after comparing himself, couldn’t help but look at Li Mo with admiration.

Internal energy was divided into three stages: Condensed Qi, Jade Liquid, and Mystic Core—each a world of its own.

He had sparred with a senior brother at the Condensed Qi stage before. Even with his robust physique, he had still been at a disadvantage.

Even if Cui Peng had been injured, he wouldn’t have been confident in defeating him.

"What’s this? A hidden weapon?"

Murong Xiao picked up the Iron Swallow.

Before he could examine it closely, Murong Hai slapped it out of his hand:

"Foolish boy, don’t just grab anything you see."

"It doesn’t look like it’s poisoned..."

"This isn’t a hidden weapon—it’s a Hall Swallow."

Murong Hai shook his head.

Frowning, he explained its origins, his words echoing what Shang Wu had previously mentioned.

"I don’t want to take part in any Endless Trials."

Murong Xiao shrank back, refusing to even glance at the Iron Swallow again.

"Troubled times indeed."

Murong Hai sighed, then turned to Li Mo, his expression softening:

"Those who receive a Hall Swallow from the Misty Rain Pavilion are all vicious and formidable outlaws."

"For Young Friend Li to dispatch him so effortlessly—you truly deserve the title of a prodigy."

At this, he couldn’t help but muse:

"I wonder how astonishing Ying Bing, the young lady of equal renown to you, must be."

"I owe much of my progress to her."

Li Mo’s words made him miss the "Ice Block" a little.

Two days.

Without the Ice Block’s feedback prompts, Young Li felt like something was missing.

Before long, officials arrived to clean up the scene.

Every gaze directed at him was filled with awe and shock.

What were they doing at sixteen?

Meanwhile, he had already casually slain a raging warrior at the Internal Energy stage.

[Congratulations, Host, for successfully investing in ‘Meng Can’ and saving his life.]

[Investment Feedback: One Year of Martial Insight.]

At this thought, he glanced toward the distance.

The little beggar named Meng Can stood there nervously, his eyes fixed on the fallen rice bag but not daring to pick it up.

Li Mo chuckled softly, bending down to retrieve the bag and dusting it off.

"Take it."

"Kind Sir Li, I didn’t know he was a fugitive..."

Meng Can trembled, too afraid to reach out.

Yet the young man placed the bag firmly into his arms.

"I was already looking for Cui Peng. If not for you, I wouldn’t have found him so quickly. You did nothing wrong."

"And don’t call me ‘Kind Sir Li’—it sounds odd."

Meng Can froze.

Seeing the young man’s warm smile, he felt as if bathed in spring breeze. His eyes stung, and he hastily wiped them with his small hands, smearing his already grimy face further.

"Brother Li, you’re a good person, just like the Stuttering Sister."

"Who is this Stuttering Sister? Can you take me to see her?"

Li Mo asked gently.

Meng Can’s face twisted with hesitation. After a brief struggle, he whispered:

"Stuttering Sister told us not to mention her to outsiders or bring anyone to see her."

Hmm...

Li Mo pondered.

This level of caution suggested she might be hiding from something.

Even if this "Stuttering Sister" wasn’t the person the Ice Block was looking for, she was likely no ordinary figure.

She might even be a suitable investment target.

"But she’s very sick now, terribly sick."

"Brother Li, can you save her?"

Meng Can clung to him like a drowning man grasping at straws.

The investment prodigy Li Mo smiled.

"What a coincidence—I’m an excellent healer. Guaranteed to cure her."

The pills he carried were, at the very least, six-mark quality.

For external injuries, there was Hundred Flowers Dew Ointment; for internal injuries, Five Elements Purple Spirit Pill; for poison, Toxin-Cleansing Elixir... and even for... delicate conditions, there was Tiger Bone Vitality Wine.

Any illness could be treated = excellent healer.

No flaws in that logic.

......

Mudhorn Alley.

The courtyard was dilapidated, its walls crumbling in several places, exuding an air of decay as if nature was reclaiming it.

"Why isn’t Brother Can back yet?"

"Did something happen to him?"

"Old Scarface said there was a kind soul giving out rice porridge on the streets today. I’m so hungry... wuwu..."

"Ah-bah ah-bah."

A few grimy, ragged little children peeked out anxiously, waiting.

Like a courtyard devoid of any decent possessions, none of these little kids were ordinary children—some had crippled legs, others missing an arm, and some had lost their tongues, rendering them mute.

"Has Xiao Can not returned yet?"

A slightly older beggar boy with all his limbs intact stepped inside, setting down the scraps and wild vegetables he had just scavenged.

The children shook their heads in unison, their eyes filled with helpless confusion.

"How is Stuttering Sister's condition?" he asked again.

"She's still feverish. I just changed the damp cloth on her forehead."

"She was in pain earlier but has fallen asleep now."

"Should we try to find a physician to see Stuttering Sister? She seems to be suffering terribly..."

"Seeing a physician costs at least several taels of silver. We have no money..."

"Ah-bah ah-bah."

Listening to their jumbled voices, the older beggar boy raised his hand and carefully pulled out a small, yellowed lump of salt from his tattered clothes.

"You all go prepare the meal first," he said before stepping into the room.

The children brightened as if they had stumbled upon treasure, suddenly full of life, bustling about as if it were New Year's—some fetching firewood, others grabbing the half-broken earthen pot, all working together to start a fire.

Inside the room—

If it could even be called a room, given that it lacked a door and the overcast sky was visible through the gaps in the roof—

On a pile of dry grass lay a teenage beggar girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her tattered clothes barely retained traces of their original pale blue hue, her face smeared with grime, and a cloth strip tied over her eyes.

Hearing footsteps, her ears twitched slightly.

"Stuttering Sister, it's me. Are you feeling any better?"

"N-no... I'm fine... Don't... worry about me."

"Just... need to rest... a little longer."

Her hoarse voice came in broken gasps, and now, weakened by illness, even a simple sentence seemed to drain all her strength.

"Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll call you when it’s time to eat."

The beggar boy sighed and turned to leave.

But before he could step out, a voice called weakly from behind—

"Don’t... don’t go... stealing..."

"I know."

Only then did Jiang Chulong's breathing steady slightly as she curled into herself.

Her entire body burned with fever, yet an icy chill seemed to seep in from all directions.

Her chest—where she had once carried the source of her confidence, where she could faintly hear the resonance of ten thousand swords—

Now felt like an invisible abyss, devouring her bit by bit with endless emptiness.

"Am I... going to die?"

The thought crossed Jiang Chulong's numb mind.

A pang of sorrow struck her, but hunger and exhaustion had robbed her of even the strength to feel love or hatred.

Would death reunite her with those she could never see again?

Mother...

Suddenly, clamoring voices erupted at the entrance.

"Brother Can, you're back!"

"Wow, it's rice!"

"Who’s this big brother? Why did you bring a stranger here?"

"He’s the kind man who gave us food! He can help Stuttering Sister..."

Just as Meng Can was hastily explaining—

Li Mo's gaze swept past the children and landed on the blindfolded beggar girl lying inside the ruined house.

The moment his Heavenly Fate Divine Eyes fell upon her—

His breath hitched for an instant.

[Name: Jiang Chulong]

[Age: 15]

[Root Bone: Celestial Emperor Sword Bone (Lost), Wildgrass Sword Bone (Emerging).]

[Cultivation Realm: None.]

[Fate: Gold]

[Evaluation: Youngest daughter of the Great Yu Emperor, born with a natural sword constitution. At fourteen, her elder brother, the Crown Prince, seized her sword bone. Yet the sword bone existed because of her—she was not defined by it. If she can cleanse the dust from her heart and mend herself, she may draw closer to the origin of the sword path.]

[Recent Circumstances: Exiled by the Great Yu’s Emperor Jingtai to a political marriage, she escaped en route with the aid of her mother’s old allies. Currently hunted, her stolen sword bone has caused her vitality to wane, damaging her foundation—an irreversible blow to her future.]