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The wheels rolled over the frozen snow crust on the official road, making a monotonous and dull rolling sound.

Yi Huawei and Shi Feixuan rode together in a simple carriage heading north. The carriage was cramped, barely enough for two people to sit facing each other. Yi Huawei leaned against the carriage wall, his eyes closed as he rested; his heavy cotton robe made him look like a silent rock. Shi Feixuan sat opposite him, her gaze seemingly fixed on the desolate winter scenery rushing past the window, but her mind was entirely on the person opposite her.

Her keen senses, though sharp and clear, were still blocked by that invisible barrier, unable to penetrate even an inch. This feeling was like a fishbone stuck in her throat. The other party's silence wasn't deliberate defensiveness, but rather a complete isolation, as if he existed in his own world. This unknown, for her, who bore a mission, was a risk that she had to explore.

Where should we begin?

Shi Feixuan's mind raced. Ordinary topics seemed to sink without a trace. Perhaps… she should talk about the recent world-shaking events?

"Brother, have you heard about the changes in Jiangdu?"

Shi Feixuan spoke, her voice clear and melodious, carrying a perfectly timed inquiring tone, like a traveler passing on a message. Her gaze turned to Yi Huawei, observing his most subtle reactions.

Yi Huawei did not lift his eyelids, and his breathing remained steady as before.

As usual, Shi Feixuan continued, "I'm talking about Yuwen Huaji of the Yuwen clan. This man used to be a tyrant in Jiangdu. But just over a month ago, he was found dead inside his camp!"

"Oh?"

Yi Huawei emitted a very short, monosyllabic sound, as if it were just a meaningless guttural noise. His eyelids remained closed.

Shi Feixuan's heart stirred slightly; any reaction was better than none. She continued, "According to scattered rumors from the Yuwen clan guards who were lucky enough to witness it, a person broke into Yuwen Huaji's camp that day. His appearance... does bear some resemblance to you, brother."

She paused, her gaze fixed on Yi Huawei's face, trying to catch any twitch of his muscles: "He was dressed in coarse linen clothes, his hair was disheveled, and he was taciturn."

The only sound inside the carriage was the rumble of wheels. Yi Huawei's face was as hard and expressionless as a stone carving.

"Rumor has it,"

Shi Feixuan lowered her voice: "After that person barged in, Yuwen Huaji seemed extremely angry and rebuked him for his audacity. But that person only said two words: 'noisy.'"

She mimicked the hoarse, flat tone of the rumor: "Then, only one finger was extended."

Shi Feixuan paused deliberately, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment. She clearly saw that Yi Huawei's previously steady breathing showed an extremely slight, almost imperceptible pause when she uttered the word "one finger." If she hadn't been completely focused on her perception of life force through her Sword Heart Clarity, she would have had no chance of noticing it.

"It was that finger,"

Shi Feixuan slowed her speech down, speaking clearly: "It is said to be as fast as a ghost, ignoring the icy profound energy gathered around Yuwen Huaji, and directly striking his brow. Yuwen Huaji didn't even have time to groan before he fell backward to the ground, dead."

After she finished speaking, the carriage fell into an even deeper silence. Only the creaking of the axles could be heard.

Shi Feixuan held her breath and waited. She could sense something indescribable flowing slowly beneath the silent shell opposite her. It wasn't murderous intent, but a deeper, more essential sense of presence that made the air in the small space seem thicker.

"Upon hearing the news, Yuwen Shang, the head of the Yuwen Clan, rushed to the scene."

Shi Feixuan's voice carried a barely perceptible tension: "Rumor has it that he saw Yuwen Huaji's corpse with his own eyes, and then he saw the intruder... The man only glanced at him, and Yuwen Shang... This master-level expert who had been famous for decades turned pale on the spot, and his famous sword 'Moon Spring' shattered inch by inch! In the end, he... actually knelt down in front of the intruder's back!"

Having finished her narration, Shi Feixuan fell silent. All her focus was on the Sword Heart Clarity, her invisible spiritual tentacles like the sharpest probes, attempting to pierce the barrier. However, it was all in vain. The person opposite her was like a bottomless well; even a large stone thrown in wouldn't cause a ripple. But that barely perceptible pause in breathing just now was enough to confirm something for her.

Time passed slowly. The carriage bumped along. Just when Shi Feixuan thought this test would once again go unanswered...

"Misinformation spreads."

A calm voice suddenly rang out in the narrow carriage. Yi Huawei said indifferently:
“Yuwen Huaji died in the suburbs, and Yuwen Shang did not kneel down.”

Shi Feixuan's heart skipped a beat! Although she had suspected it, the shock of the other party so bluntly admitting to this earth-shattering murder case, which had enough to drive countless forces to a frenzy of investigation, still made her gasp for breath. She could even feel her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, unconsciously tighten slightly. Not out of fear, but out of an instinctive wariness when encountering the extremely unknown.

"Did you do it?"

Shi Feixuan suppressed her turbulent emotions, her voice remaining as steady as Qin Chuan's, but her pace quickened slightly: "Has the Yuwen Clan offended... a senior?"

They unconsciously changed their address for Yi Huawei to "senior".

Yi Huawei slowly opened his eyes.

Shi Feixuan instantly met a pair of eyes. Deep within those pupils, there was no longer indifference, but a profound stillness like the dawn of the universe. There was no killing intent, no smugness, only a chillingly pure calm, as natural as crushing an ant.

"He's blocking the way."

Yi Huawei's voice was flat and even: "And his Ice Profound Force... is quite interesting."

The last half of the sentence sounds like it's evaluating the material of an item.

Blocking the way? Interesting?
Is this the only reason he so casually annihilated a powerful figure and intimidated a grandmaster? Shi Feixuan felt a chill rise up her spine. This person's logic was completely beyond the realm of common sense.

Shi Feixuan took a deep breath, trying her best to maintain a calm demeanor:
"Senior... your methods are astonishing. May I ask what brings you to Chang'an?" She needed to know the purpose of this terrifying figure.

Yi Huawei's gaze pierced through the swaying carriage curtain, pointing north, and he clearly uttered four words:
"Cihang Jingzhai".

"what!"

Shi Feixuan's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand! Cihang Jingzhai! What was he doing there? An unprecedented sense of alarm instantly exploded in her mind. Qin Chuan could barely maintain his facade, his voice carrying a dryness she herself didn't even realize:
"Cihang Jingzhai? Brother, are you going to that secluded place of cultivation... to find someone? Or...?"

Yi Huawei's gaze finally returned from the void of the North to Shi Feixuan's face, as if piercing through her clumsy disguise as a man and looking directly into the tremor deep within her soul.

"I've heard,"

His voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable penetrating power: "Your esteemed residence possesses a jade disc called the He Shi Bi. It contains extraordinary power that can help people break through illusions and glimpse the origin."

Shi Feixuan's pupils suddenly contracted! The He Shi Bi! He actually came for the He Shi Bi! It was the treasure of Jingzhai Sect, and a sacred object that carried the mission of choosing a master on behalf of Heaven! This person's intentions were crystal clear!

"senior."

Shi Feixuan's voice turned completely cold, and for the first time, the pure and holy aura belonging to the Cihang Jingzhai lineage faintly peeked out beneath her deliberately feigned gentleness: "The He Shi Bi is a sacred object worshipped by my sect, bearing the mandate of heaven, and cannot be compared to ordinary mortal objects. I'm afraid..."

"I'd like to borrow it for a look."

Yi Huawei interrupted her, his tone as indifferent as if he were asking to borrow a bowl of water: "By the way, take a look at your so-called 'Compassionate Sword Manual' and see what's so mysterious about it."

"Borrow"? Perhaps you should take a look at the "Sword Manual"?
Shi Feixuan felt an absurd and overwhelming rage, mixed with a tremendous sense of crisis, surge straight to the top of her head! This person regarded Yuwen Huaji as an ant, and the Yuwen clan as nothing, yet now dared to speak of the Jingzhai's supreme treasure and unparalleled martial arts with such disdain and almost predatory tone? Her sword heart trembled violently; she clearly felt the matter-of-fact indifference in the other party's words. It wasn't arrogance, but... a condescending gaze based on absolute strength and a difference in understanding!
Inside the carriage, an invisible pressure suddenly increased. Shi Feixuan's fingers, hidden in her sleeve, had already quietly formed a sword incantation. The true energy of the "Compassionate Voyage Sword Manual" flowed silently within her body, and her pure and holy sword intent was poised to be unleashed.

At this critical juncture, when tensions were about to escalate, Yi Huawei paid no heed to her almost tangible hostility. He didn't even glance at her again, his gaze returning to the fleeting gray scenery outside the window, as if his words, which had shaken the entire righteous martial arts world, were merely a trivial matter mentioned casually.

His voice rang out again, but it was no longer the hoarse, flat tone. Instead, it carried a strange, almost warm quality, like a mountain stream, flowing calmly and clearly through the carriage, each word carrying an indescribable weight.

"Cihang Jingzhai... a secluded place, acting as the chosen master on behalf of Heaven. For a thousand years, it has claimed to be the leader of the righteous path, holding the reins of the martial world and controlling the changing of the world's divine artifacts. Miss Feixuan, do you think this... is reasonable?"

The moment the words "Miss Feixuan" were uttered, Shi Feixuan's fingers, which were gripping the sword incantation, trembled violently! Her disguise had been completely exposed! Not only did the other party know her identity, but they were also scrutinizing, even judging, her very existence, pointing directly to the very essence of Jingzhai! The indifferent condescension hidden beneath that gentle tone sent a chill down her spine more intensely than any murderous intent.

"Senior, what do you mean by this?"

Shi Feixuan's voice had completely lost the gentle warmth of "Qin Chuan," regaining its unique cold and ethereal quality, carrying a stern question: "Our Jingzhai's lineage masters have always cared for the common people, upheld the Way of Heaven, and in the midst of chaos, chosen a wise ruler to end the war and restore peace to the world. This is a great merit and great compassion! How can there be a question of 'reason'?"

Yi Huawei continued to gaze out the window, his voice unhurried and deliberate, as if he were telling a story unrelated to himself:

"The Way of Heaven? The Way of Heaven is elusive and has never been clearly defined. The so-called 'choosing a ruler on behalf of Heaven' is nothing more than you, Jingzhai, imposing your own understanding of 'enlightened ruler' onto the 'Way of Heaven.' What are your criteria for choosing a ruler? Is it benevolence and righteousness? Is it bravery and martial prowess? Is it wisdom? Or... is it closeness to Jingzhai? Who sets these standards? You, Jingzhai, set them. In the end, is it you, Jingzhai, acting on behalf of Heaven, or is Heaven acting on behalf of Jingzhai?"

He paused, seemingly giving Shi Feixuan time to think, or perhaps simply stating an obvious fact:

"Throughout history, have the 'wise rulers' you've chosen truly been chosen by Heaven? Was there no selfish motive? No weighing of options? No consideration for the continuation of Jingzhai's own position? Your support for one side and suppression of another, your intervention in the rise and fall of dynasties, is itself the greatest interference in politics. You place the martial arts of the Jianghu above the will of the people, using the name of 'Heaven's Way' to exercise judgment. How is this essentially different from those demonic sects that you speak of as wreaking havoc on the world? It's just that one wears the cloak of sainthood, and the other acts more blatantly."

Shi Feixuan was struck dumb!
Yi Huawei's words were like a cold scalpel, peeling away layer by layer the most fundamental, and most unwillingly confronted, contradictions beneath the thousand-year-old sacred cloak of Jingzhai. She wanted to refute him, but found that his words were logically sound and went straight to the heart of the matter.

"Jingzhai chose its master solely to end the chaos of the world and save the people from suffering! It has never been for personal gain!"

Shi Feixuan's voice carried a hint of excitement that she herself was unaware of: "If it weren't for the tireless efforts of the predecessors of Jingzhai, who knows how much more blood would have been shed in the world!"

"End the chaos?"

Yi Huawei's voice remained gentle, yet carried an unspeakable hint of irony: "What caused this chaos? Ultimately, it was the old dynasty's loss of morality, the fragmentation of power among powerful clans, and the decline of the people's livelihood. Ending this chaos required a wise ruler to govern diligently, soldiers to fight valiantly, and the people to recuperate. What did Jingzhai do? You selected a 'wise ruler,' and then what? Would you help him govern the country? Would you help him appease the refugees? Would you help him reclaim wasteland?"

He shook his head slightly, as if sighing at the naivety of a child:

"No. You merely used your swords and the 'divine mandate' halo of the He Shi Bi to clear away the 'obstacles' you deemed to have for him. Once your chosen one sits on the dragon throne, your 'mission' is complete. As for whether he becomes a wise or foolish ruler, whether the world is peaceful and prosperous or plunged into chaos again, that is none of Jingzhai's concern. Because you have already 'acted on behalf of Heaven,' you have retired successfully, and will continue to hide on Emperor's Peak, awaiting the next call of 'divine mandate.' Miss Feixuan, tell me, what kind of ending to the chaos is this? This is merely transferring the power of the world from one group of ambitious men to another group of ambitious men you have 'crowned.' And you, Jingzhai, will always remain the high and mighty arbitrator, detached from worldly affairs, yet wielding the power to overturn the world."

"You...you're slandering me!"

Shi Feixuan's face paled slightly. The scene Yi Huawei described created a huge rift between her and the sacred image of Jingzhai, who was compassionate and benevolent, in her heart. She had never considered Jingzhai's actions from this perspective before.

"slander?"

Yi Huawei slowly turned his head, his deep eyes calmly landing on Shi Feixuan's face, devoid of anger, only displaying an all-knowing indifference:

"Think about it. Every time you 'choose a ruler on behalf of Heaven,' do you truly bring lasting peace and stability? Or do you merely initiate a new cycle, equally fraught with strife and hidden dangers? Your very existence is one of the greatest sources of chaos. Because your existence reveals a 'shortcut' to the world—as long as you gain the approval of Jingzhai and the 'mandate of Heaven' for that jade disc, you can obtain immense prestige and military support, and gain an advantage in the struggle for supremacy. Isn't this indirectly encouraging ambitious individuals to vie for 'Jingzhai's approval,' instead of truly considering how to govern the country and benefit the people?"

He leaned forward slightly, his gentle voice carrying an invisible pressure, clearly reaching Shi Feixuan's ears:

“True peace is not determined by a transcendent ‘arbitrator.’ True destiny cannot be decided by a jade disc. It is the will of the people, the goodness of the system, and the result of the combined power of the ruler and the people. Jingzhai places itself within this cycle, wielding the power to interpret ‘destiny’ and formidable military force, believing it is restoring order, but in reality, it is hindering the world from moving towards true order. Your existence forces all ambitious heroes to consider your will, seek your approval, and guard against your interference. This in itself is the greatest disruption to the world's order.” (End of Chapter)