Chapter 19: Lightness Skill
The bundle brought back from Yushu Manor contained a set of night-walking attire and a veiled curtain.
At first glance, the fabric of this outfit appeared white, yet once worn, it blended seamlessly with the surroundings, offering even better concealment than black clothing—a truly remarkable feature.
Night had deepened. In the west wing room, Jiang Cijing had just extinguished the candle and was about to rest when suddenly three knocks sounded at the door.
“Who is it?”
“The one who acts on your behalf.”
Jiang Cijing picked up the sword from beside the bed and opened the door.
Standing outside was a youth clad in white, his face veiled, with strikingly beautiful eyes and brows.
He paused for a moment, suddenly feeling that those eyes seemed familiar, yet he couldn’t recall where he had seen them before.
Mu Bai unfolded the wanted poster and showed it briefly to Jiang Cijing: “May we speak inside?”
Jiang Cijing quickly stepped aside to let him in, and as they brushed past, he noticed the sword scabbard on the stranger’s back bore ancient carvings inlaid with lustrous white jade, suggesting the blade within was no ordinary weapon.
He had originally come to Yushu Manor merely to try his luck, never expecting anyone would actually accept the bounty notice. Seeing how young this youth appeared yet seemed to carry significant stature, he asked, “Might I inquire about your name, young hero?”
“Ta Xue.”
Jiang Cijing nodded, then moments later widened his eyes in shock: “You’re the one who slew that old villain Wei? Ta Xue?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Hero Taxue, you are the champion of Jialan!” Jiang Cijing grasped Mu Bai’s hand, exclaiming excitedly, “That villain Wei is a thorn in the side of our Wanjing Bureau. Year after year, he commits countless crimes, yet no one dares to investigate him…”
Mu Bai awkwardly withdrew his hand. “No, let’s not talk about that. I came today to discuss the bounty notice with you.”
“Oh right, the bounty notice.” Jiang Cijing remained somewhat exhilarated. “I was originally worried the mission was too risky and no one would dare take it. But now that I’ve met Hero Taxue, I can rest easy!”
“Don’t celebrate too soon.” Mu Bai unfolded the wanted poster, pointing to a spot on the paper. “Sneaking into Master Luo’s room—what evidence were you seeking?”
At the mention of the case, Jiang Cijing’s expression turned serious. “To be honest, I have been investigating a disappearance within Lingyun Palace recently. The one who asked me to look into this matter is Luo Ziyi, Master Luo’s eldest disciple…”
Mu Bai already knew this, yet still listened as he continued.
“In recent days, through multiple investigations, visits, and inquiries among those in Lingyun Palace, I have gathered some intelligence. Ziyi and Miss Ling meet secretly behind the mountain on the fifteenth of every month. Few have witnessed these encounters, but regarding Miss Ling’s physical features, their descriptions are largely consistent.”
Mu Bai leaned forward slightly.
Jiang Cijing’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke with some difficulty: “Miss Ling… is very tall, about the same height as Ziyi, and perhaps even a bit taller than you, young hero.”
Mu Bai nodded: “It’s rare for a woman to be so tall; Luo Ziyi has truly found a treasure.”
“…Yes, and her martial arts skills are also exceptional,” Jiang Cijing continued, “even surpassing Ziyi’s.”
“Oh—” Mu Bai clapped her hands. “Impressive, truly impressive.”
“I once asked Zi Yi about Lady Ling’s disposition. He said she is cold by nature, speaks little, and enjoys sparring with swords. Whenever they met in private, it was always blades flashing and swords dancing, with Zi Yi being chased and beaten by Lady Ling… In his own words, ‘We fought our way into love?'”
Mu Bai fell silent.
“Zi Yi’s exact words were: ‘I confessed my feelings to Lady Ling, and she did not reject me. Although she still constantly draws her sword to strike me afterward, beating signifies affection and scolding denotes love; this must mean she cares for me deeply.'”
After hearing him out, Mu Bai finally understood: “So you suspect that Miss Ling… is actually Sect Master Luo in disguise?”
“Exactly.” Jiang Cijing glanced toward the door and lowered his voice. “Once Sect Master Luo learned I was investigating this matter, he kept me under tight surveillance, leaving me no opportunity to look into him. Yet without concrete evidence, we cannot jump to conclusions.”
“Sigh, it’s just poor Ziyi who remains completely unaware. His heart is entirely devoted to his Miss Ling; imagine how devastated he would be if he ever learned the truth.”
Mu Bai tugged at the corner of his lips.
Jiang Cijing is indeed sharp when solving cases, but unfortunately, he is not very accurate in judging people. Luo Ziyi may not be deeply scheming, but he is certainly cunning; he likely realized long ago that Miss Ling was in disguise.
It’s just unclear what his purpose was in inviting Detective Jiang to expose this matter.
Surely he didn’t intend merely to watch his master lose face?
“So, you’re asking me to sneak into Master Luo’s room to find evidence of his impersonating Miss Ling? But what if I find nothing?”
“Then I can only accept my fate,” Jiang Cijing said. “Rest assured, young hero, even if we fail to find it, I will still pay the reward in full.”
“Good.”
After leaving Jiang Cijing’s bedroom, Mu Bai climbed onto the roof above Su Mo’s quarters, gently lifted a single tile, and peered down.
The lamp inside had been extinguished; a blurred figure lay on the bed, seemingly already asleep.
Mu Bai felt a pang of disappointment and was about to replace the tile when suddenly the person on the bed spoke: “Since you’ve come, why not step inside and sit for a while?”
His eyes immediately curved into a smile: “I knew you weren’t asleep yet.”
Su Mo chuckled softly, sat up, and lit the candle holder with a fire starter.
Mu Bai entered the room without any sense of being an outsider, picked up the purple clay teapot, poured himself a cup of tea, and asked while drinking, “Did I wake you?”
“No, I wasn’t asleep yet.” Su Mo lay half-reclined, turning to look at him. “Speak, what do you need from me?”
“Can’t I visit you even if there’s no particular reason?” Mu Bai smiled ingratiatingly as he approached the bedside. “Dear brother, my lightness skill is utterly terrible; could you please give me some guidance?”
“Oh, so you’ve taken a fancy to the Qinghe Sect’s lightness skill.” Su Mo chuckled. “My master never forbade teaching it to outsiders, so I suppose I could instruct you. But this time, what will you offer me in return?”
Mu Bai pondered for a moment before asking, “Is there anything you desire?”
Su Mo gazed at him for a while, then lowered his eyes halfway. “Never mind. I’ll teach you first; we can settle the payment once you’ve mastered it.”
Assuming Su Mo simply couldn’t think of anything he wanted right away, Mu Bai nodded in agreement.
Su Mo got off the bed, and only then did Mu Bai notice he was wearing a loose black silk undergarment, the neckline slightly open to reveal faint contours of his chest and abdomen—surprisingly… quite well-built.
Mu Bai quickly shook his head, tossing away those strange thoughts.
Su Mo picked up the folding fan from beside the bed and tapped Mu Bai’s abdomen: “Lighten your body and lift your qi.”
“Starting already?” Mu Bai realized what was happening and adjusted their breathing according to his instruction.
“To elevate your lightness skill, you must first solidify your fundamentals.” Su Mo placed his hand on Mu Bai’s waist to adjust the posture. “Your breath is unsteady; you need more practice.”
He stood extremely close, slightly taller than Mu Bai.
A casual glance revealed an open collar, deep-set collarbones, and raven hair cascading messily down the side of his neck—a sight that inevitably stirred wild imaginings.
Mu Bai shifted his gaze away, moving it upward.
His chin was slender, his lips pale, and a teardrop mole graced the corner of his eye, lending him an air that was both aloof and alluring.
Yet this man seemed utterly unaware of how captivating he looked; instead, he continued to guide Mu Bai by holding his waist, instructing, “Tuck in your abdomen and sink your qi to the dantian.”
Mu Bai could no longer restrain himself: “…Dear brother, could you please put your clothes on first?”
Su Mo raised his eyes: “Why?”
“You look like…”
Su Mo curved the corners of his eyes: “Like what?”
Mu Bai closed her eyes briefly and whispered, “Like after the deed.”
“After the deed?”
“Just, after indulging in desire.”
“What does it matter?” Su Mo gently held his waist. “I am guiding you in lightness skills, not doing anything else.”
“But like this, I cannot focus my mind.”
Su Mo pressed even closer, his warm breath brushing against Mu Bai’s ear: “Self-control must also be trained. Calm your spirit and steady your qi.”
Hearing his reminder, Mu Bai closed his eyes, focused his mind to regulate his breathing, and tried his best not to think of anything else.
Su Mo released him and sat down at the table.
After a while, he instructed Mu Bai to lift one leg, balancing on a single foot, and practice qi cultivation in different postures.
Mu Bai held the stance for an entire hour before sweat began to bead on his temples.
With eyes tightly shut and body swaying slightly, he suddenly sensed Su Mo behind him; a hand reached around his chest, lifting his slumped shoulders back into position.
After standing like this for about the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, Mu Bai could no longer hold on; he swayed, then collapsed entirely, falling toward the ground.
Su Mo caught him, saying softly, “That’s enough training for today. It’s getting late; let’s go back.”
“Alright.” Mu Bai picked up his sword. “Should I come at this same time from now on, or earlier?”
“As you wish.” Su Mo suddenly remembered something and added, “Just don’t come during those two days of the Qiqiao Festival.”
Mu Bai was taken aback. “Why?”
“I need to get up early to wash and prepare.”
“So particular?” Mu Bai licked her canine teeth. “It’s just the Qiqiao Festival, isn’t it?”
Su Mo spoke gently, “What matters is not the festival, but the person who asked me out.”
Mu Bai felt a pang of guilt, murmured a soft “oh,” and slipped out the door.
–
On the day of the Qiqiao Festival, Mu Bai rose early. After washing up, she carefully applied her rouge before the bronze mirror, tried on several layers of silken gowns, and finally tied her hair into a simple bun before stepping out.
Though her hairstyle was simple, a crescent-shaped forehead ornament adorned with lustrous white jade rested between her brows, enhancing her features so that every glance sparkled with life.
On the way to the small hall, disciples of Lingyun Palace caught sight of Mu Bai and found themselves unable to move another step.
A few days before the Qiqiao Festival, the threshold of Mu Bai’s room was nearly worn down by visitors, yet each disciple returned defeated; eventually, no one could even get through the door.
After he had walked away, a few disciples who had come together finally came to their senses and began speculating in a clamor about which young master Lady Qin had arranged to meet today, their words brimming with envy.
When Mu Bai stepped into the small hall, only Huamei was present inside.
She looked up upon seeing him, paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “Oh, Little Sister Xiaobai, all dressed up so flamboyantly—who are you off to see?”
Mu Bai lowered her eyes: “Isn’t it a festival?”
Huamei drew out the sound of “Oh” with a lingering tone.
Just then, Jiang Cijing stepped through the palace doors.
He seemed to have come prepared; the moment he entered, he walked straight toward Mu Bai and, with a sharp “click,” clapped handcuffs onto him.
“Miss Xiao Bai, you are under arrest.”
“???”
Mu Bai thought to himself, “No way? Could I have been recognized the night before last?”
He turned around to see Jiang Cijing, face flushed, saying, “The charge: thief of hearts.”
Mu Bai: “…”
Huamei spat out her tea.
“No, big brother, could you let go of me first?”
Jiang Cijing obediently released him and asked softly, “How was that line of sweet talk Ziyi taught me?”
Mu Bai rubbed his arm. “It’s a bit cold.”
“Cold?” Jiang Cijing strode to the table, poured a bowl of water, and brought it over. “Then drink more hot water!”