Nighttime Investigation of the Secret Pavilion: A Terrifying Experience
The night was as dark as ink. The ancient trees on the back mountain of Qingyun Sect rustled in the wind, like countless people whispering. Under the cover of the shadows, Mo Xiaoyu moved silently toward the Scripture Pavilion.
The manuscript in her arms felt like a red-hot iron, searing her and making her uneasy. The words "Su Clan Secret Technique" and "forced backlash" swirled repeatedly in her mind. She had to find more clues before it was too late.
The Sutra Repository is located on the most secluded northern peak of the Qingyun Sect, its upturned eaves outlining a cold and imposing silhouette under the moonlight. This is a highly important place in the sect, usually guarded by disciples, but tonight it seems unusually quiet.
Mo Xiaoyu hid in the bushes outside the pavilion, carefully observing the movements ahead. Two disciples guarding the pavilion were dozing in front of the door, one of them even snoring softly. She held her breath, waiting for the perfect moment.
Just as a wisp of cloud obscured the moonlight, she darted out like a cat, moving swiftly along the shadows of the wall. There was a small window on the side of the library that was never locked; she had discovered it by chance a few days earlier while cleaning.
The moment she opened the window, a musty smell of ink wafted out. She nimbly climbed into the room and gently closed the window.
The pavilion was pitch black, with only moonlight filtering through the window paper and casting a hazy glow. Mo Xiaoyu took out the prepared luminous pearl, covering most of its light with her sleeve, leaving only a faint ray.
She walked slowly along the aisle between the bookshelves, her fingertips brushing over the ancient books. "Chronicles of Qingyun", "Secret Records of the Sect", "Study of Ancient Tales"... Her eyes quickly searched the bookshelves, and finally found what she wanted in a corner - "The Genealogy of the Su Clan".
Just as she reached out to take it, footsteps suddenly came from outside the pavilion!
Mo Xiaoyu hurriedly extinguished the light of the luminous pearl and slipped into the deepest shadow of the bookshelf. Her heart was pounding like a drum; she clutched her chest tightly, afraid that the rapid beating would reveal her location.
"Are you sure this is the place?" a low voice sounded from outside the door.
"Yes, I saw someone slip inside with my own eyes."
It was the voice of the night patrol disciples! Mo Xiaoyu froze. How did they find out?
The footsteps lingered outside the door for a moment before fading into the distance. She breathed a sigh of relief, but dared not act immediately. She waited in the darkness for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before relighting the luminous pearl, only after confirming that it was safe.
Just as the light appeared, she suddenly noticed something unusual—a very faint, almost imperceptible lotus fragrance filled the air.
This fragrance... it's Su Qingqing!
Mo Xiaoyu turned around abruptly, only to see a white figure standing behind her, silently watching her in the darkness. Moonlight filtered through the window paper, casting flickering shadows on that delicate face.
"What are you doing here so late?" Su Qingqing's voice was still gentle, but it carried a hint of coldness that was hard to detect.
Mo Xiaoyu instinctively took a step back, her back against the cold bookshelf. Forcing herself to remain calm, she whispered, "I...I went to the wrong place..."
"Wrong way?" Su Qingqing smiled gently and stepped forward slowly. "A menial disciple sneaking into the Scripture Pavilion in the dead of night, claiming to have gotten lost—do you think anyone would believe that?"
Her gaze fell on Mo Xiaoyu's arms, where there was a slight bulge, the shape of the handwritten note.
"What are you hiding on you?" Su Qingqing's voice suddenly turned cold.
Mo Xiaoyu clutched the notebook tightly to her chest, her heart pounding. She knew she absolutely could not hand it over; the truth recorded within might be crucial to Xie Yunzhi's safety.
"You won't hand it over?" Su Qingqing's eyes turned cold, and a white ribbon suddenly flew out from her sleeve, aiming straight for Mo Xiaoyu's face!
Mo Xiaoyu hurriedly dodged to the side, the white silk grazing her cheek and creating a sharp gust of wind. She knew no martial arts and could only dodge instinctively, quickly being forced into a corner.
"Hand over the item, and I might spare your life." Su Qingqing's voice was as cold as ice, and the white silk in her hand danced like a venomous snake.
Mo Xiaoyu bit her lower lip, suddenly threw the notebook in her arms deep into the bookshelf, and turned to run away. However, Su Qingqing was faster, and the white silk ribbon wrapped around her ankle as if it had a life of its own.
She fell heavily to the ground, and before she could get up, Su Qingqing had already walked up to her and looked down at her.
"You think throwing it away will solve everything?" Su Qingqing sneered. "Once I've dealt with you, I'll naturally find that notebook."
A short sword had appeared in her hand without her noticing, its blade gleaming with a ghostly blue light under the moonlight. Mo Xiaoyu closed her eyes in despair, the image of Xie Yunzhi flashing through her mind.
At this critical moment, a clear shout suddenly came from outside the pavilion:
Who is it?
It's Xie Yunzhi's voice!
Su Qingqing's expression changed slightly. She hurriedly sheathed her short sword, and the white silk ribbon in her sleeve was also instantly withdrawn. She quickly tidied her appearance and returned to her gentle demeanor.
Xie Yun stormed into the pavilion with his sword in hand. His gaze swept over the two people before finally settling on Mo Xiaoyu, who was sitting on the ground, and he frowned slightly.
"What's going on?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion.
Su Qingqing spoke first, her tone gentle: "When I was on night patrol, I discovered this handyman disciple sneaking into the Scripture Pavilion. I was just about to apprehend her for interrogation."
Xie Yunzhi turned his gaze to Mo Xiaoyu, seemingly waiting for her explanation.
Mo Xiaoyu lowered her head, her mind racing. She couldn't tell the truth, at least not now. Su Qingqing held a high position in the sect; no one would believe the words of a lowly disciple.
"I...I just wanted to borrow a book..." she said weakly.
"Borrowing books?" Su Qingqing chuckled lightly. "Sneaking in late at night, acting all sneaky—is that how you borrow books?"
Xie Yunzhi was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Since there's nothing else, everyone can leave."
Su Qingqing was clearly taken aback by his words and paused for a moment, then said, "Yun Zhi, this..."
"A menial disciple like her can't possibly cause any trouble," Xie Yunzhi interrupted her, his gaze never leaving Mo Xiaoyu. "Next time you need to borrow books, remember to use the main gate."
Mo Xiaoyu looked up in disbelief, meeting his deep eyes. In those eyes, she seemed to see a faint...concern?
Su Qingqing's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure: "Since Yun Zhi says so, then we'll let it go this time." She turned to Mo Xiaoyu, her tone gentle yet carrying a warning, "Don't let it happen again."
Mo Xiaoyu nodded hurriedly and got up to leave. As she passed Xie Yunzhi, she heard him say very softly:
Be careful.
These three words exploded in her heart like a thunderclap. She dared not linger and quickened her pace, disappearing into the night.
After she left, Su Qingqing said softly to Xie Yunzhi, "Yunzhi, you're too soft-hearted. Such a suspicious person should have been thoroughly interrogated."
Xie Yunzhi gazed in the direction where Mo Xiaoyu had disappeared and said calmly, "She's just a menial servant; why make such a fuss?"
Su Qingqing wanted to say something, but Xie Yunzhi had already turned and left. She watched his retreating figure, a sinister glint flashing in her beautiful eyes.
Under the moonlight, her fingers gently caressed an object in her sleeve, a cold smile playing on her lips.
At this moment, Mo Xiaoyu was hiding behind an ancient tree not far from the Sutra Pavilion, watching the two people leave one after the other, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
Why did Xie Yunzhi help her? Did he truly recognize her, or was it merely out of pity? And what did the blue-glowing short sword in Su Qingqing's sleeve signify?
She looked down at her sleeve, torn during her escape, a faint bloodstain barely visible. Tonight's experience made her realize that this covert struggle was far more dangerous than she had imagined.
But no matter what, she had to keep going. For the boy who smiled at her in her memory, for the person who held her tightly in her illusion.
Night deepened, and the mountain wind brought a biting chill. Mo Xiaoyu wrapped her thin clothes tighter and walked towards the servants' quarters. Behind her, the outline of the scripture pavilion appeared particularly eerie in the moonlight, like a huge mystery waiting to be unraveled.
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