"First, it was my face," Yuwen Yue said. Now, he looked at his hand, which was holding a familiar sword.
"Master brother, do you know what sword you're holding?" Zuo Zong asked. Yuwen Yue continued to stare at his hand, his cold eyes fixed on the sword.
Yuwen Yue, lost in deep thought, recalled the earlier events: the woman with the red mask, Zuo, the whip, the woman with the indigo scarf, and her sword. His thoughts then came to a pause.
Yuwen Yue was left speechless and confused. His mind jumped from the sword in his hand to the woman with the indigo scarf, who had caused him to instinctively defend her from an arrow. Now, he was holding his own sword, the Poe Yue Jian—the very sword his mother had given to his father, Yuwen Hao.
Yuwen Yue never imagined that, at a moment of need, the sword would simply fall at his feet from a woman he didn't even know. He remembered that the woman had impressive skill, leaping high to cut the rope. However, the focus soon shifted to the woman with the red mask and then to Zuo.
Another spy approached Yuwen Yue, saying, "Master brother, we found this. The woman in the red mask might have dropped it when they quickly took the white lady away."
Yuwen Yue looked at the item—it was a map labeled "Qinghai."
"There's no coincidence in spy work. They want us to follow them," Yuwen Yue said, remaining calm.
Suddenly, Yuwen Yue remembered the cavalry from earlier and told Zuo, "We're being followed! The other half of our team was exposed. We need to hurry."
As they rushed forward, they encountered the junior spy who had escaped from the other half of their team.
"Master brother, I've got good and bad news," the spy said, gasping for breath.
Zuo handed him some water and said, "Take it easy, my brother."
Yuwen Yue's eyes grew cold as he asked, "Report the good news first!"
"We followed your instructions and managed to get ourselves to safety," the spy reported. "But the bad news is that the woman with the long whip took them. It seems she's receiving orders from someone whose face we couldn't see, and she also has a long sword."
The junior spy from the Rapid Blade group then noticed the sword in Yuwen Yue's possession.
"Master brother, why are you carrying that sword?" the junior spy asked.
Zuo Zong replied, "We encountered the owner earlier, and Master brother ended up with it after it was abandoned."
Yuwen Yue, who used to own the sword but chose not to mention it, was focused on tactical movements. Every minute was crucial, and he had to adhere strictly to the plans and rules.
Suddenly, Yuwen Yue, no longer visibly worried, had to quickly adapt his plans to direct their next moves. The half of their team they had been protecting had been taken, and their heaviest arms and possessions had been seized by two women.
"This is insane!" Zuo Zong exclaimed, growing angry. "We've survived against a thousand troops, but we lost our smart spy to these two women? Help me understand. Master brother, did I miss something?"
Yuwen Yue said, "Behind a man's spying, there's often a woman lurking."
Zuo asked, "Have you encountered something like this before?"
Yuwen Yue replied honestly, "Yes," then turned to the junior spy and asked, "Did you see how the two women captured half of our brothers?"
"Yes, Master," the spy answered. "There was no violence or threats. The woman just opened her scarf, and all the men suddenly went dizzy. I recognized the scent as the best fragrance I've ever smelled."
"How did you escape?" Yuwen Yue asked, intrigued.
"I used this," the spy said, showing the handkerchief tied around his right arm, which also covered a scarred wound and displayed their band's creed. "I noticed the brothers were becoming dizzy, so I covered my nose and mouth."
"Good thinking," Yuwen Yue said. "Zuo, we need to head to their hideout and find out what really happened."
Upon reaching the hideout, Yuwen Yue examined the area meticulously, as if investigating a crime scene with no apparent crime. He found no signs of struggle or blood, just footsteps that seemed to vanish. It looked as if the trail had been swept away by the wind.
He thought it impossible for a sharp wind to erase their tracks unless some magical power was involved. Frustrated, Yuwen Yue threw a stone, expressing his angst.
Zuo, familiar with the eastern spy network, explained to Yuwen Yue, "The underworld spies are quite magical. They possess supernatural powers that are strongest at night and only half as effective during the day. The place looks neat, but I feel a chill."
Yuwen Yue responded, "I'm aware of the spies working for the Eastern Empire, weakened by its Queen, and how its middle kingdom was devastated and divided by the Wei and Liang Empires. There are also stories of a secret princess and an oracle from the middle kingdom who are said to rise one day."
Zuo listened attentively, understanding the deeper implications of Yuwen Yue's observations.
Zuo Zong sat on a rock and said, "Master brother, those old stories are from the past. But I know a spiritual healer who has all the answers. He comes to Shangxi port to trade and provide information. You can pay him for secrets, but he always stays hidden. I can arrange a meeting for you."
Yuwen Yue asked, "How do you contact him?"
Zuo replied, "Buy a special mooncake at the port. Inside is a note that says: 'See me, I need secret information.' The note will be passed to him. He runs a shop on the border of Wei and Liang states."
"Where do you meet him?" Yuwen Yue inquired.
"In the Thousand Caves," Zuo said. "Only registered spies can enter. At the entrance, there's an old woman called the Skyshadow Gatekeeper. You need to give her a gold coin. Once you enter, you can't turn back without facing severe consequences."
The others shivered at the description.
The stick warrior added, "Don't worry, she's human, but very tough."
Yuwen Yue knew these stories and the dangers of the fragrant poison that kept people away. He had spent a quiet year gathering intelligence, blending in with all levels of society, and learning many secrets.
Yuwen Yue had learned many secrets about Wei, Liang, and Yanbei, including some that were stored in the Eyes of God repository, which was destroyed when Yuwen Huai accidentally activated the self-destruct button.
He never believed these stories until now. As the keeper of ancient secrets, Yuwen Yue had traveled widely and grown up around such tales.
Meanwhile, Chu Qiao, in her dark burgundy royal paladin, and Viper, managing three horses, were being followed by a cavalry unit. Viper used her power to hypnotize them, making them follow like prisoners with black iron cuffs and chains linking them together.
Viper knew her control wouldn't last forever and that the warriors would soon wake from their trance. Chu Qiao reflected on a previous fight where she struggled with the Poe Yue Jian sword, feeling weakened and unable to fully use her powers against a rugged man who seemed familiar.
Chu Qiao wasn't too worried about losing the sword since she had already taken half of the cavalry from their leader. She knew they would come for it, and the Qinghai map was intentionally left behind to lure them into a trap.
Zuo Zong, frustrated, complained, "It would have been easier to face a thousand men than deal with these two women capturing our brothers. I'd rather have physical pain than this headache," he said with a sarcastic grin, feeling helpless.
Yuwen Yue responded, "This delay is frustrating, but our brothers' safety is more important than our plans. We'll camp here and figure out our next move. I never thought the stories about the underworld spies were real, but it seems they're still active even after my father's 'celestial warfare.'"
Zuo then noticed Yuwen Yue's sword and asked with curiosity, "Master brother, you haven't answered my question from earlier."
Yuwen Yue didn't reply but instead whistled for his Yuwen parrot, which had been following them from behind the trees.
The Yuwen Parrot landed on Yuwen Yue's shoulder, repeating, "Xinger, Xinger, Xinger."
Zuo, curious, echoed, "Xinger?"
Yuwen Yue glanced at the bird with irritation, not wanting to reveal too much about his past. He hoped to address it with his grandfather later.
The stick warrior asked, "Master, are you not surprised by the sword you're holding?"
Yuwen Yue, who had been avoiding questions, finally replied, "It was mine. My father gave it to me."
Zuo Zong stood up, narrowing his eyes and trying to downplay his surprise with a smile, "Master brother, don't tease us. You know I'm gullible when it comes to you."
The stick warrior was also surprised, exclaiming, "You must be joking, Master brother."
Yuwen Yue was relieved to shift the focus from the parrot to the sword. It wasn't the right time to discuss his past.
Smiling slightly, Yuwen Yue said, "I don't tell stories, I just act…"
Suddenly, he cut a nearby tree branch with a swift motion. He leaped, cutting the branch expertly and landing in a stance reminiscent of a Jian swordmaster.
The stick warrior, smiling and raising his hands in surrender, said, "Master brother, I can't fight you. I'm only good with sticks. Please don't be angry."
Feeling the fire in his heart, Zuo Zong grabbed the stick warrior's staff and joined Yuwen Yue in a friendly spar. The band of brothers gathered to watch the impressive display of martial arts.
Yuwen Yue remained expressionless, as did Zuo. During the fight, Yuwen Yue was about to break the staff when Zuo threw it into the air. Yuwen Yue mirrored his actions, catching the staff with his right hand while thrusting his sword with his left.
"Now you're out of arms, what will you do?" Yuwen Yue asked coldly.
Zuo, smiling, said, "Not today, Master brother. You win this time." He was using a mix of praise and strategy to outsmart Yuwen Yue, who knew what he was doing.
Yuwen Yue grinned slightly and turned to sit on the old rock. Zuo tapped the staff in his hand, and Yuwen Yue playfully slapped him on the butt. Zuo yelped in pain, "Ouch! I was just playing with the staff, Master."
Yuwen Yue smirked and said, "I knew you were just playing, so I slapped your butt."
Zuo, still holding his sore butt, smiled and said, "Even if you didn't say it, we know you own this sword. The Poe Yue Jian is a significant sword in Eastern history, known for its unique grip and the finest craftsmanship. When you used it to block the arrow and protect the woman, it was clear you knew its use well."
Yuwen Yue turned away, pretending not to hear. Zuo then grabbed one of his feet and bowed his head, saying, "Master brother, we don't know who you really are or where you've come from, but the sword you're holding belonged to the Qinghai King and was given to his son."
Zuo sobbed for a moment, but Yuwen Yue said, "Enough! Get off my feet, I can't walk." Zuo quickly stopped crying, wiped his eyes, and stood up, asking, "What now, Master brother?"
Yuwen Yue asked, "Are you acting again?" He sneered with indifference.
Patting Zuo's shoulder, Yuwen Yue said, "Haven't we done enough acting already?" He then noticed the stick warrior looking at him with admiration, and Zuo had revealed the significance of the Poe Yue Jian sword. All eyes were now on Yuwen Yue.
Feeling the weight of their respect, Yuwen Yue said, "Brothers, I am who I am. We will uncover the story behind this sword together."
He gave a brief speech, aiming to reassure his band of brothers and not burden them with the full story of the Poe Yue Jian sword or his position as the heir to the master of the Eyes of God in Wei. Only Zuo Zong knew this, having received a handkerchief from Yuwen Yue.
The band of brothers felt relieved and moved closer to Yuwen Yue. He tapped their shoulders, and they prepared to move forward to rescue their captured brothers.