Heroine, don't turn back, I'm just a farmer.

When we got back to the inn, it was already past midnight.

Before reaching the Dharma Aspect realm, combat in the martial world is simple and direct, giving the opponent no chance to make a second or third move.

In a life-or-death struggle, allowing the enemy to hold back is irresponsible to oneself, which gave him a more direct understanding of the so-called martial arts world.

And there was also the blade light he unleashed himself...

After sitting and thinking for a long time, until the sky was just beginning to brighten, Lu Guo took a deep breath and decided to turn back.

It has to be said, he was tempted by that knife.

We entered the villa quietly and found the courtyard where the Buddhist hall was located again. The courtyard was very quiet, and the candles were still lit, emitting a faint light.

He jumped down from the wall, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he heard a voice coming from behind him.

Have you thought it through?

He turned around abruptly.

Ming Suxue stood behind a pillar in the corridor, now dressed in plain clothes. She held no knife and stood there quietly, like a gentle, jade-carved beauty.

"Madam," Lu Guo straightened up and removed his right hand from the hilt of his sword, "I've changed my mind."

"Oh?" Ming Suxue tilted her head slightly, her voice gentle. "Changed your mind?"

"I'm not leaving," Lu Guo said. "I'm going to stay at the villa for a few days, and then go to Jingmiao Nunnery with my wife."

Ming Suxue remained silent for a moment, her face expressionless.

"This isn't an inn," she said calmly. "If you want to stay here, I'm afraid you can't afford it."

"I can trade it for something."

"What is it?"

Lu Guo pointed to his face.

"..."

Ming Suxue examined his face closely.

"Come in and speak."

After saying that, she turned and went into the main room, leaving the door open.

Lu Guo followed him inside and closed the door.

This time, instead of going into the Buddhist hall, we went to a quiet room next door.

It was much larger than a Buddhist temple, but the furnishings were very simple.

There was a carved wooden bed with neatly folded bedding. A book sat beside the pillow, its pages already turned, indicating it was frequently read. A copper lamp sat on the table, and the plain robe that had been in the courtyard earlier was draped over the back of the chair.

There was a wooden shelf in the corner, and a knife was placed on it.

The scabbard was black and undecorated, but the silk thread wrapped around the hilt was of the finest quality, and a small piece of white jade was inlaid at the end of the hilt. The jade was warm and lustrous, and a tiny character was engraved on it.

"Snow".

Ming Suxue noticed his gaze, walked over discreetly, took the knife off the shelf, and put it into a wooden box.

"Sit down." She gestured to the armchair and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Lu Guo sat down and glanced around the room—under the bed was a pair of small cloth shoes with thicker soles than ordinary cloth shoes; the wardrobe door was half open, and inside hung a row of clothes, all plain white, including a bellyband.

"..." Lu Guo.

This place, though called a quiet room, is more like her private chamber.

Without hesitation, he spoke directly.

"Madam," he said, "I'm not here to investigate a case; I'm here to find someone."

Ming Suxue looked at him, her gaze becoming complicated.

That complexity wasn't feigned; it was genuine, heartfelt complexity—like weighing the pros and cons, or hesitating about something.

"Young Master Lu," she finally spoke, "why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I feel that the information Madam wants me to know is not false," Lu Guo said. "I have what Madam wants, and Madam has what I want."

Ming Suxue remained silent for a long time.

The flame of the copper lamp, which had burned all night, finally went out, and the light in the room dimmed.

"You should know who I am."

"Who you are is not important; what is important is that there is something of value in our cooperation."

"What are the conditions?"

"My condition is simple: I want to know more about my master."

As a descendant of the Heavenly Blade, all clues related to the Heavenly Blade constitute the main storyline that the swordsman character needs to experience. Knowing more is always beneficial during unexpected encounters.

"Was Master's death related to Shen Henian?" he then asked.

"Not entirely related," Ming Suxue said. "What happened back then is related to a secret matter of the imperial court. It was a scheme orchestrated by Shen Henian and the Demonic Sect."

Why?

"Because your master possesses many things that people desire." Ming Suxue stood up. "Those things are relics, and now you have them."

How could I not know what this thing is?

Lu Guo thoroughly reviewed the swordsman's memories but found no information related to the relic.

I know I don't have any relics, but other people don't know that I don't have any relics. So where did the relics go? What's going on?

Could it be that Madam Ming knew about my ability to constantly revive, and that she mistook it for the power of the relic?

If the relic truly possesses the power of resurrection, then the power levels of this world are probably not as simple as he imagined, and there might be more than one such treasure.

Thinking of this, Lu Guo secretly kept a watchful eye on things.

Ming Suxue waited for a while, and seeing that he didn't speak, she sighed softly.

“You are more composed than your master,” she said. “If your master had been more composed back then, he wouldn’t have ended up in that situation.”

That tone.

This Lady Xue is probably...very old.

I don't even know how much older he is than me.

"What exactly does Madam know?" Lu Guo finally asked.

"Your master may still be alive, but I don't know where he is. The Demonic Sect has been sending people to look for him. I also know—" She paused, "The royal family has something that your master left behind. That thing is related to your life and death."

"What is it?"

"The second half of 'Five Styles of Thunder'," Ming Suxue said. "Your master only passed on the first half to you, right? Without the second half, your swordsmanship will never reach its peak, and someone has hidden the second half away."

"..."

Actually, Lu Guo wasn't particularly concerned about sword techniques or anything like that.

As long as he has enough achievement points, he can take on many jobs and identities, and he has the opportunity to learn all kinds of martial arts in the world. But what this information reveals is probably not as simple as just the lack of sword techniques.

This Madam Ming has a lot of quest lines on her.

"How did you know, Madam?"

"Someone told me," Ming Suxue said, sitting down again. "We know each other."

Why did that person tell you?

"Because she can't see you in person," Ming Suxue's voice lowered, "so she can only use me to pass on the message to you."

"..."

Lu Guo fell silent, processing the information.

Why is it that if you don't have enough affection for a female character, you can't unlock the next part of the story?

Now that you know all this, do you still want to cooperate?

[1. "Deal, but I need to see your sincerity first." (Conditional acceptance)]

2. "No, I won't kill for someone who won't even reveal their true identity." (Refusal forces her to reveal her hand)

3. "I'll consider the cooperation. But first, Madam, can you tell me—who exactly is that person?" (Shifting focus)

"Who exactly is that person?"

"Young Master Lu," she said, "shouldn't you ask who I am first?"

"Will the lady tell you?"

"My name is Ming Suxue," she said. "I am a member of Tianluoxiang, not a disciple, but a traitor."

Lu Guo was not surprised by this. Based on the previous conversations, he could deduce some information.

"I know the people from Tianluoxiang," Lu Guo said. "They're after you."

"right."

"The lady is hiding here for the 'Heavenly Demon Codex'."

"right."

"Madam knows who I am."

"right."

"Madam helped me because someone gave you information about me. She wants to use me to find the relics, or her master, or perhaps to solve her predicament. And you also have something to ask of me."

Ming Suxue narrowed her eyes slightly; this was the first time she had shown a genuine expression of surprise—not an act, but a genuine surprise.

"You're very smart," she said. "Smarter than I thought."

"No one helps someone for no reason. If someone helps you, it's because you're useful."

"Your master," she said slowly, "taught you many things."

"I learned this myself."

Ming Suxue walked to the window, pushed it open, and the morning breeze rushed in. She stood in front of the window, and the dim light shone on her, making her profile look like a painting—a high nose bridge, a slightly upturned chin, jade-like skin, full breasts, and pert buttocks, which was very alluring.

"Young Master Lu," she said without turning around, "are you sure you want to come with me?"

"certainly."

"Aren't you afraid I'll set a trap? I lured you here, maybe to sell you to the Demonic Sect, maybe to sell you to Tianluoxiang. You know nothing, yet you dare to stay?"

[1. Therefore, in order to avoid arousing suspicion, I should take even closer care of my wife.]

[2. I didn't stay willingly; I only stayed for the divine power and the secret.]

[3. To be honest, I fell in love with you at first sight, and I desire your body.]

4. I once loved someone who bore a resemblance to my wife...

[6, ...]

Lu Guo looked at the options and began to ponder.

These options seem increasingly outrageous.

If he could save and load at will, he would definitely try them all.

but……

Once you've made a choice, there's no going back, so be careful.

He hasn't seen any increase in his favorability towards Madam Xue yet, which suggests that she must have a very complex personality and be a very experienced person; simple tricks definitely won't work.

Trying to outsmart someone like that is futile; you can't win against her. Someone with such a complex background needs genuine sincerity in return.

You must have a sincere heart towards her.

The woman asked him if he was afraid, and to be honest, he really wasn't.

So what if you die? Being able to resurrect is tough.

He desperately wanted some extraordinary encounters and opportunities to increase his strength, and he was even willing to be killed by experts a few more times.

By clashing with true masters, he can learn more about the martial arts of this world, increase his practical experience, understand their techniques, and comprehend the martial arts philosophy of this world.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Guo stood up.

He walked up behind Ming Suxue, at a distance of just an arm's length—at this distance, if she wanted to make a move, he would have time to draw his sword; if he misjudged, he could simply revive and try again.

Winning over such a complex person naturally involves a more complicated process.

"I'm not afraid," he said.

Why?

"Because my intuition tells me that your wife isn't that kind of person."

Ming Suxue turned around and looked at Lu Guo. The two were very close and could see each other's eyes clearly.

How do you know what kind of person I am?

"Because of what Madam said," Lu Guo said. "Although I am stupid, I can see that Madam has gone to great lengths to collect classic texts and master martial arts, all she wants is to 'do as she pleases'."

"A person who pursues their own way, who is not bound by constraints, would not be so bored as to set up such a shallow trap."

Ming Suxue was stunned for a moment.

"You see things very clearly. People in the martial arts world know my background. They're either afraid, greedy, or want to kill me. But you're good enough to cooperate with me."

After she finished speaking, she laughed—the corners of her mouth curved up, her eyes curved up, and even her eyebrows were smiling.

Lu Guo didn't speak or agree, he just looked at her in the morning light.

[Ming Suxue's favorability +10, 5/100.]

[Current status: I prefer to get to know you.]

Lu Guo: "?"