Hurriedly, we reported back on the incident. "Master," Lin Jian bowed, his face tight with tension, "The accident at Jade Falls... it was no mere mishap."
Master Xinyue's brow furrowed in concern, but he barely acknowledged Lin Jian's report. His eyes turned toward me, sharp and probing. "Tell me everything, child."
I recounted the events, my voice tight, heavy with the weight of truth I wasn't sure I wanted to share. A chill ran down my spine as Master Xinyue's gaze lingered on me, analyzing me, as though he could see right through me. "And who do you suspect, child?"
"I... I believe the culprit might be within our sect," I stammered, my words hesitant, my heart pounding as the suspicion settled deeper in my mind.
A flicker of displeasure passed across his face, quickly masked by an expression of authority. "Do not speak lightly of such matters, child. False accusations are a grave offense."
"Master, hear me out," I insisted, my voice tinged with urgency. "The wounds on the bodies, they bear similar cuts from a weapon I once forged. Perhaps..." Before I could finish, he placed a hand on my shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle.
"That's yet an assumption of yours," Master Xinyue said quietly, his tone soft but firm. "Before we make accusations, let me confirm it."
His gaze held a strange depth, something I couldn't quite decipher. Was it concern? Or was he simply trying to protect me from the dangerous truth? He was both guarding me and holding me back, all in the same breath.
"Master," I pleaded, my voice trembling slightly. "Let me help. I will give you the truth."
He shook his head, his voice firm yet tinged with sadness. "You will do nothing of the sort. The investigation is in my hands. The truth will eventually come out. Creating accusations now will only create chaos, Yinuo."
He said my name for the first time in years. When I was young, he had stopped calling me by my name and referred to me only as "child," as if to distance himself, yet now, there it was. His voice, soft with the weight of familiarity.
"Child, promise me you'll stay out of this," he added, his eyes steady but his words edged with something softer, almost like a plea.
He was shielding me, yes, but shielding me from what? The dangers of the truth? Or perhaps the harsh reality of what might be uncovered? A knot of defiance tightened in my chest. Master Xinyue thought he was protecting me, but I would find the truth, even if I had to go behind his back. There was no way I was going to let this mystery go unsolved.
I nodded reluctantly, not wanting to anger him, but a resolve was hardening inside me. I would find a way. I just needed to be clever about it.
Afterward, we were dismissed, and Lin Jian left, his face etched with an unreadable expression. The door clicked shut, and Master Xinyue turned his gaze to me.
We stood there for a moment, our eyes meeting in silent acknowledgment.
"You know," I began, breaking the silence, a smirk tugging at my lips, "You can be so overbearing sometimes, Master."
Master Xinyue's lips twitched into something resembling a smile, but his eyes remained calm. "It's for your own good."
"Is it?" I raised an eyebrow, unable to stop myself from pressing. "I'm not a child anymore. I can handle a bit of danger. Maybe I should be the one leading the investigation. After all, who better than me?"
He sighed, as if anticipating my response. "You're still young, Yinuo. You don't understand the weight of what's happening. It's my responsibility to protect you from these things."
"Protect me?" I scoffed, my voice dripping with arrogance as I crossed my arms. "How many times have you protected me from everything, only to spoil me with your food and comfort? You've raised me like a doll, Master. But I'm no doll. I'm stronger than you think. I can handle whatever comes my way."
His eyes softened, a faint glint of something like regret crossing them. "You have potential, Yinuo. But potential means nothing if you're reckless with it."
I bit my lip, trying to hide the smugness that threatened to spill from me. "I'll be careful. I just want to know who did it, and why. It's not about the investigation—it's about the mystery."
Master Xinyue watched me quietly, as if seeing me for the first time. A long pause stretched between us before he spoke again. "You've always been curious, haven't you? Even when you were younger, you would always ask questions. But be cautious, Yinuo. Some mysteries... are better left unsolved."
I narrowed my eyes. "Not this one."
There was a long, weighted silence. He sighed deeply, as if he knew I wasn't going to let this go. "I can't stop you, can I?"
I tilted my head, the edge of a smile forming. "No, you can't. But you'll still spoil me, won't you, Master?"
He chuckled softly, a rare sound that felt almost like a personal secret between us. "I suppose I will. I always have."
I gave him a teasing smile, my respect for him still clear despite my defiance. "Well then, I'll be sure to make good use of your... generosity."
I went back to my chambers, immersed in the situation, I crafted an approach when Lin Jian hove into the view of my window. "You! Don't sneak in like that, you can use the door!" my words with a mixture of anger, relief and surprise.
"Oh," he chuckled slightly knowing he scared me, "I wanted to be mysterious. Besides, it's not appropriate for a junior to come at the seniors' quarters. Have you forgotten? I'm a junior, miss senior Yinuo. " He addressed sarcastically, leaning on the wall.
I paused at his point. Looked up at him, I hate to admit it but he had so much potential and is as talented as me, maybe even more, why isn't he a senior disciple yet? He's admitted and trained in our sect since he was 14 years old. Its been 6 years, it was enough time for him to reach senior level, some reached at a span of 5 years at most. Me, 8 years; our time at the sect doesn't define seniority, strength and power does. It took a lot of time for me but it's okay. I wasn't really bright as a child yet my passion and perseverance ushered to work hard until I got here.
"What? Are you really mad at me? I don't mean that, I just meant to tease you." he uttered, untangling his crossed arms, seemingly worried that I was mad at his remark?
"Did you find anything from your investigation?" I asked, my gaze now fixed on the flickering candle that illuminated the room. "That's it! I was worried for a second." he sat down across me, relieved. Somehow after the incident we had seen, we tried to actually work together, this time for real. Like me, he wanted the truth. So, before taking action, he told me his plan. I bought him time, I was the best candidate to distract my fellow seniors, and he investigated.
Lin Jian's face was etched with weariness as he talked "As I sneaked into the mortuary today, the body.." his voice hushed, "Such brutality it chilled me to the bone." Although we were cunning, we weren't evil.
"How can you say that?" I curiously asked.
He hesitated, then launched into a detailed account of his findings. He spoke of the intricate workings of the murderer and how the energy threads is derived from the body of the victims. For the most part, it was all quite mundane, devoid of any tangible leads.
"It seems that demons near the Jade falls are the culprit, else why would they need energy threads from humans?" Lin Jian concluded, his voice tinged with exasperation.
"I don't think so," I countered, my tone firm. "I believe the culprit is far more human than you think."
I outlined my own theory, the one that had been gnawing at me since the news of the murder reached us. My suspicions centered on Hua Lin, a senior swordswoman from the second faction of ranks. Her blade - a weapon that I crafted - bore a chilling resemblance to the wound on the victim's body.
Lin Jian listened intently, a flicker of understanding crossing his eyes. "What's your plan?"
"Find evidence." I said with determination.
"But getting closer to Hua Lin would mean crossing paths with the turf of the Shadow Walkers. I and you," he pointed at himself and me, "we are not Shadow Walkers! Even if your a senior, you can't just run around at their turf. Aren't they tight about that? We cannot risk it." he warned.
"I know," I sighed, the weight of our situation pressing down on me. "That's why we need Yueqing." Yueqing was an old companion who had helped raise me, but ever since he became a senior, we had drifted apart. He was a Shadow Walker, and his connections could make our plan possible. "He's the only one who can get us close to Hua Lin."
We spent the rest of the night strategizing. Yueqing's help was crucial. His ties to the Shadow Walkers could give us the leverage we needed to approach Hua Lin. It was risky, but the only option that seemed to have any chance.
"I'll talk to Yueqing tomorrow," I said with a resolute look in my eyes. "I'll tell him everything. Hopefully, he'll understand how urgent this is."
Lin Jian gave a slow nod, his gaze flickering with a mix of concern and something else. "Yeah, I get it," he said, his tone quiet but steady. The dim candlelight cast long shadows across the room, mirroring the weight of what we were about to do. But neither of us hesitated.