You Are the Mute [Comprehensive Martial Arts] - Chapter 5

Finding Qiao Yiying’s whereabouts wasn’t difficult, but even after learning her destination, Luyi’s expression remained grim. She had been ordered by her master to stay by Qiao Yiying’s side and observe her every move.

Before she could uncover anything, Qiao Yiying had detected something amiss about her identity and immediately fled. The thought made Luyi gnash her teeth in frustration. How had she been discovered? And how had Qiao Yiying escaped so quickly?

Despite her seething anger, Luyi knew that failing to report this to her master promptly would be worse than death. So, while silently cursing Qiao Yiying, she hurriedly sent a carrier pigeon to her master.

“Achoo—!”

“Achoo—!”

“Achoo—!”

Inside the carriage, Qiao Yiying sneezed several times in succession. Heh, no doubt Luyi was cursing her behind her back—that went without saying. At least sneezes didn’t count toward her daily word quota, otherwise, her mission progress bar might regress if she used up all her words today.

Previously, Qiao Yiying hadn’t cared much about this. She believed she could complete her tasks slowly, and since the System’s lifespan was nearly infinite, time wasn’t a concern. But now, knowing that sufficient energy could take her back to that day, how could she not feel urgent?

Qiao Yiying took several deep breaths to suppress her excitement. No, she couldn’t ruin the Divine Calculator’s image—that would hinder her mission.

Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, wait for me. Qiao Yiying tightly gripped her Jade Flute, her eyes sparkling with joy.

“Miss Qiao, are you feeling unwell?” Chief Escort Wang rode his horse closer to the carriage and inquired cautiously.

Qiao Yiying pushed open the carriage window with her Jade Flute and waved her hand.

“It’s good that Miss Qiao is fine. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Chief Escort Wang added.

His attentiveness stemmed partly from Qiao Yiying being his savior and partly from her abilities. Even if she might never divine for him again, befriending such a renowned Divine Calculator couldn’t be a bad thing.

Thus, Chief Escort Wang saw nothing wrong with his attitude. Not just him—the entire Security Escort Agency shared this sentiment.

Qiao Yiying tapped the window twice to acknowledge his words before withdrawing her hand. She sighed inwardly. In the past, she would have already chatted up all the escorts around the carriage before even leaving the city gates. Given a bit more time, she’d be acquainted with everyone in the convoy.

That was the power of a chatterbox—once she started a conversation, she could keep it going. From breakfast, lunch, and dinner topics to which horse had the most beautiful mane, no subject was too mundane or bizarre for Qiao Yiying to chime in on.

But now? She had to stay in the carriage, playing the mute Divine Calculator. It was truly agonizing.

Another day of the mute Divine Calculator yearning to speak.

Seeing that Qiao Yiying had no further needs and was wary of overstepping, Chief Escort Wang rode ahead to the front of the convoy.

At the rear of the caravan, among the escort guards keeping watch, there was a new recruit—an outsider unfamiliar with the ways of the martial world and utterly ignorant about Qiao Yiying. Seeing the Chief Escort’s solicitous behavior toward someone who didn’t even deign to respond from inside the carriage, the new guard grew indignant.

“Who does this person think they are, putting on such airs? Not even bothering to reply to the Chief Escort,” the new guard muttered, though he kept his voice low, aware he was speaking out of turn.

An older guard beside him quickly jabbed him with an elbow. “Stop talking nonsense! If the Chief Escort hears you, he’ll throw you out of the Security Escort Agency.”

The new guard looked puzzled. “Huh? Is the person in the carriage that important?”

The veteran gave him a sidelong glance. “I’ve told you before—spend more time mingling with people, go out and see the world. But no, all you do is train, train, train. No wonder you know nothing.”

“But isn’t martial skill the most important thing for an escort?” The new guard scratched his head. “My father always said that as long as your martial arts are strong enough, you’ll make a good guard.”

“If that’s the case, then why isn’t the world’s greatest martial master working as an escort?” The old guard rolled his eyes. “For us, understanding human affairs comes first. Protecting the goods is second.” This kid still had a lot to learn.

The old guard decided to drop the lecture and instead enlighten the clueless youngster about just how formidable the person in the carriage was. Her rise had been so meteoric that her past had long been scrutinized—even he knew the details.

Qiao Yiying had appeared suddenly in Jiangnan half a year ago. It was the dead of winter, yet she strode into an inn wearing only a light dress. At first, people merely found her attire odd but paid it no mind, even speculating she might be some martial arts master. After all, those with profound internal energy could remain unaffected by heat or cold.

But soon, they stopped caring about that—because she told a man his fortune.

“Hong Tao, you will die by the sword of a peerless swordsman—with just a single stroke. Your blood will drip from the tip of his blade and land upon a yellowed leaf.” Qiao Yiying gazed at the man named Hong Tao with indifference, as though she weren’t foretelling his death.

Naturally, anyone told they’d be killed by another’s sword—and in just one strike—would be furious, let alone someone as hot-tempered as Hong Tao. He immediately drew his weapon to attack, but before he could even get close, something sent him flying backward.

Qiao Yiying merely cast him a cold glance.

The entire inn gasped in shock. Externalized internal energy—a supreme master!

Hong Tao must have thought the same, for he picked up his weapon and prepared to leave.

“Wait.” Qiao Yiying’s voice stopped him. “Are you trying to skip out on paying the Diviner’s fee?”

Even as the crowd marveled at her martial prowess, they couldn’t help but think this woman had just declared a man’s death, sent him flying, and then accused him of skipping payment—they’d truly never seen anything like it.

Hong Tao was naturally displeased in his heart, but knowing he was no match for Qiao Yiying, he could only resentfully leave his purse behind. To show his unyielding spirit, he immediately threw the purse onto a nearby table before hastily fleeing.

Qiao Yiying picked up the purse, opened it, and sighed. “Short.”

“And then?” The young escort, seeing the old escort lost in thought and no longer speaking, quickly pressed for more.

“Then?” The old escort chuckled. “Qiao Yiying settled down in Jiangnan, offering only three divinations a day. Though they were mostly for common folk, every reading proved accurate. Gradually, even the wealthy and noble sought her out for fortune-telling.”

“What about Hong Tao?” The young escort wasn’t interested in that—he cared about the man who had been the first to have his fortune told.

“Dead.” The old escort drew a sharp breath, as if reliving the day he had heard the news. “Hong Tao died by Ximen Chuixue’s sword—exactly one day later, just as predicted. After Ximen Chuixue left, someone went to check, and sure enough, Hong Tao’s blood dripped onto yellow leaves.”

Since Hong Tao’s death came some time after his divination, when everyone had assumed Qiao Yiying was wrong, the news struck like a thunderbolt. From then on, martial artists began seeking her out for divinations.

She could see through the past and glimpse the future, her origins shrouded in mystery. Though she possessed unfathomable martial prowess, she rarely used it, making her techniques impossible to discern. No one knew Qiao Yiying’s true background—they only knew her divinations were godlike. Some flocked to her, while others avoided her like the plague.

Regardless, those seeking her divinations grew in number.

But Qiao Yiying had one rule—she only performed three divinations a day. After that, no matter who came asking, she would remain silent. At first, some tried to force her to break this rule, but in the end, they all met the same fate as Hong Tao—sent flying with a single strike.

From then on, no one dared to pressure her—they could only plead. Yet she had another strange rule that left seekers frustrated. Her selection method had no pattern. One day it might be one way, the next another, or she might use the same method for several days in a row.

Though it rankled, those seeking her help had to swallow their pride and endure. But the resentment lingered, earning Qiao Yiying the nickname “The Silent Divine Calculator.”

Yet Qiao Yiying never cared. No matter how renowned the visitor, she seemed to regard them all with indifference. The old escort sometimes wondered if she was a wandering spirit detached from the mortal world.

But today, she seemed… different? The old escort, wise with age, sensed it keenly—though he couldn’t fathom why.

“Tsk.” The young escort sucked in a breath. “That incredible?”

The old escort gave him a sidelong glance. If she weren’t, would so many people revere her?