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

Was I flirted with?

Lu Guo was shocked!

He's always the one flirting, but today he's the one being flirted with.

This Lady Snow is far more skilled than him.

Ming Suxue picked up her teacup, pursed her red lips, and took a sip. The tea steamed, and her eyelashes seemed exceptionally long in the heat.

"You stayed up late last night." Her tone was light, her expression calm. "That's why the ginger and dried tangerine peel in the porridge are for dispelling the cold. You were lying on the roof for half an hour, with heavy morning dew and a strong wind. You don't take it seriously when you're young, but you'll understand when you get older that the cold accumulates."

"Did Madam make this herself?"

Ming Suxue did not answer the question.

"Madam." Lu Guo put down his spoon.

"Um?"

"Are you like this with all your so-called 'collaborators'?"

Ming Suxue turned her gaze back to him.

What do you think?

I don't think so.

"Then it isn't."

She lowered her head and finally began to eat her piece of mandarin fish. Although it was cold, she didn't care at all. She took a small bite, chewed slowly, and then put down her chopsticks.

"My kindness to people comes with conditions," Ming Suxue said calmly. "After I exposed you last night, you didn't get angry or embarrassed, you didn't argue, and you didn't beg for forgiveness. Your character is still acceptable."

"As for your last question..."

"Few people ask me this question. Most people, after I expose them, either want to kill me to silence me or try to escape. But you..."

What does this mean?

"It shows you have some sincerity. In this treacherous world, this is the most precious and important thing."

"So this bowl of porridge is a thank you?"

Ming Suxue thought for a moment and nodded.

"I guess so."

"Is that so?"

"Well, I guess so—" She paused, picked up her teacup, and covered half her face with it. "Never mind, I'll just drink your porridge."

"Aunt Liu, we can talk about my matter later." Lu Guo put down his wooden spoon. "Right now, I just want to know—the identity of my master?"

Ming Suxue remained silent for a moment.

"The best swordsman in the world," she said, "and one of the leaders of the rebel army."

"Rebel army?"

Right, Lu Guo remembered. The game's background is mixed, with the imperial court's position similar to that of the late Northern Wei and late Tang dynasties. This design was intentionally made to provide players with a better experience, adding official military generals and civil officials as characters.

It seems this involves a crucial decision about the future.

"What were his plans at the time?"

"Overthrow the imperial court and establish a new dynasty." Ming Suxue's voice was calm. "This is your master's wish; he is a member of the Demonic Sect."

"what?"

Lu Guo suddenly understood what Ming Suxue meant when she said that her cheap master couldn't keep his temper in check.

With the title of the world's number one swordsman, such a high reputation in the martial arts world, he has both strength and prestige, is a member of the demonic sect, and has also formed a righteous army with power. It's obvious what he's up to.

If I were the emperor, even if you were my master, I would still find a way to get rid of you.

Lu Guo's fingers tightened slightly.

"Why did you tell me, madam?"

"Because you need to know now." Ming Suxue put down her teacup. "The emperor has the second half of the 'Five Styles of Thunderclap' and the second half of the 'Heavenly Demon Manual.' These are the two things you need, but the emperor won't give them to you—unless you accomplish something."

"What is it?"

"Kill someone."

"Who?"

"Imperial Attendant Zhao".

"Who?!"

Lu Guo's pupils contracted slightly, and he could no longer hold back, so he stood up abruptly.

Zhao Yuqian is the de facto ruler of the court in the later stages of the game.

He is the absolute ceiling of NPC characters' combat power in the game. Unless the player joins the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect, there is no chance of defeating him. To become emperor, one must get past him.

To put it more directly, the Imperial Guard was the commander of the emperor's personal guards. However, this is secondary. The important thing is that his character was based on Zhao Kuangyin.

Zhao Kuangyin was a martial arts master who conquered four hundred prefectures with a single dragon-patterned staff, a pinnacle figure who could be called a martial arts grandmaster and founder of a school.

"You want me to kill Imperial Guard Zhao?"

Lu Guo pointed to himself, "His martial arts are the best in the world, who can kill him?"

"You may not be able to, but someone definitely can."

"Who?"

"Heavenly Blade," Ming Suxue said, "your master."

Lu Guo looked at her.

"He is the best swordsman in the world. Ten years ago, he fought Zhao Yuqian to a draw. Although he was ambushed, it is still unknown who will win or lose ten years later."

"Then why didn't my master kill him?"

"Because he doesn't have the second half of 'Five Styles of Thunderclap.' Just like you, without the second half, his swordsmanship can't reach its peak, and without reaching the peak, he can't defeat Zhao Yuqian."

Lu Guo opened his mouth, but felt that the way people in the martial arts world thought was somewhat narrow-minded, so he hesitated to speak.

"Therefore, the second half of the scroll in the emperor's possession is the key."

This is probably the prerequisite for the Swordsman to unlock the official storyline?

"Yes," Ming Suxue said. "Someone might use the second half of the scroll as a hostage to force your master to show himself. If your master doesn't show himself, they'll keep holding onto it. If your master does show himself, they'll use the second half of the scroll to exchange for your master's life. Of course, it's also possible that they'll give it to you."

"and then?"

"Then—your master killed Zhao Yuqian, plunging the world into chaos. The rebel armies of the Sixteen Northern Garrisons seized the opportunity to rise up. If the major sects of the martial arts world were to fall into further chaos, the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall political landscape or social order) would be altered." Ming Suxue's voice was calm. "That's the plan behind it all."

Lu Guo remained silent for a long time.

"Aunt Liu," he finally spoke, "if the rebel army falls into chaos, the imperial court will inevitably be constrained. If the Yan-Yun region loses its protective barrier, what will happen if foreign tribes invade? I've heard that the ten demonic sects are all located outside the pass. Could this be a huge conspiracy?"

Ming Suxue did not answer. She hadn't expected that Lu Guo's perspective would be different from hers.

Even so, this is not the issue you need to be thinking about right now.

"Okay, what role do you play in this plan?"

"Some people are the chess players," she said. "I am a chess piece, your master is a chess piece, and Zhao Yuqian is a chess piece."

"And what about me?"

"You are a pawn too."

Lu Guo stood up.

"I will not be a pawn," he said.

Ming Suxue looked at him with deep eyes.

"If you won't be a chess piece, then you'll be the one playing the game."

"How do I do it?"

"Obtain the second half of the Five Styles of Thunder, give it to your master, and let him kill Zhao Yuqian, or you kill Zhao Yuqian, or you kill them together, unify the righteous and demonic paths, and only with strength can you decide what to do."

"If this is related to the Demonic Sect, does the Demonic Sect have any noteworthy adversaries?"

Lu Guo thought for a moment and then asked again, as he had some information he wanted to clarify.

"The Demonic Sect?" Ming Suxue pondered for a moment. "There is one. The Demonic Sect has someone who is evenly matched with your master."

"Who?"

"The number one demonic sect outside the pass, the master of the land of ten thousand horses, the mountain lord of Rongxiuchuan, Erzhu Rong."

Lu Guo took a deep breath.

"I see."

He is now absolutely certain that he has been transported into the game world.

In the game, Erzhu Rong is the first boss of the Demonic Sect outside the pass, Zhao Yuqian is the first boss of the Central Plains Great Sheng, and the first boss of the Southern Dynasty is said to be a monk. There are also various masters from small countries and the prototypes of many famous generals and beauties.

What merit or ability does my master possess?

There are only three major bosses in this game, and he provoked two of them all by himself.

"Don't you have any other questions?" Ming Suxue was somewhat surprised, wondering why Lu Guo's expression had changed so drastically. "You trust me so much today?"

[Options appear]

1. "Of course."

2. "I trust your wife as much as I trust the knife in my hand."

3. "Madam, this is a question I should be asking you."

"I trust Aunt Liu as much as I trust the knife in my hand."

Ming Suxue was stunned for a moment.

"The knife will not betray you," Lu Guo said, "as long as you hold it tight enough."

"You've certainly learned to talk today."

"Didn't you say last night that I'm prone to overthinking?"

"That was yesterday; you've finally figured it out today."

Lu Guo thought about it for a while, but couldn't figure out where he had suddenly gotten it.

Forget it, let's just focus on the present. You have to take things one step at a time.

"Alright then." Ming Suxue waved her hand. "Eat quickly, and I'll teach you how to use your knife after you finish."

"The abnormality of your body will definitely be discovered. Tianluoxiang knows your strength very well, but Wuji Demon Sect may not. Cultivate well these days, and I will teach you some more techniques."

"When I was meditating earlier, Guo'er noticed something unusual." Lu Guo thought for a moment, then looked at Ming Suxue: "It seems that many people have infiltrated. What are they after?"

"Oh?" Ming Suxue became serious. "Do you know who they are?"

When she gets serious, her mind works very well, and she instantly understands Lu Guo's subtext.