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

Finding Qiao Yiying’s whereabouts wasn’t difficult, but even after discovering her destination, Green Robe’s expression remained grim. She had been ordered by her Master to stay by Qiao Yiying’s side, observing her every move.

Before she could uncover anything, Qiao Yiying had already sensed something amiss about her identity and fled immediately. The thought made Green Robe grind her teeth in fury. How was she discovered? How did she escape so quickly?

Despite her burning resentment, Green Robe knew that failing to report to her Master promptly would be worse than death. So, while mentally cursing Qiao Yiying, she hastily sent a message to her Master via carrier pigeon.

“Achoo!”

“Achoo!”

“Achoo!”

Inside the carriage, Qiao Yiying sneezed repeatedly. Heh, Green Robe must be cursing me behind my back, she thought, without a moment’s hesitation. At least sneezing didn’t count toward her daily word limit. Otherwise, with her quota already exhausted, her mission progress bar might have regressed.

Previously, Qiao Yiying hadn’t been particularly concerned about completing her tasks quickly. She knew she could finish them eventually, and the System, with its near-infinite lifespan, didn’t mind the extra time. But now that she knew she could return to that fateful day with enough energy, how could she possibly remain calm?

Qiao Yiying took several deep breaths, forcibly suppressing her excitement. I can’t ruin the image of the Divine Calculator, she reminded herself. It would jeopardize the mission.

Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Grandfather and Grandmother, wait for me. Qiao Yiying clutched the Jade Flute tightly, her eyes sparkling with joy.

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

Qiao Yiying used the Jade Flute to push open the carriage window and waved her hand.

“Good to see you’re alright, Miss Qiao. Please let us know if you need anything,” Chief Escort Wang added.

His attentiveness stemmed from two reasons: Qiao Yiying had saved his life, and her reputation as a Divine Calculator was legendary. Even if she never divined for him again, befriending such a renowned figure in the Jianghu could only be advantageous.

Chief Escort Wang saw nothing inappropriate in his behavior. This sentiment was shared by everyone in the Escort Agency.

Qiao Yiying tapped the carriage window twice to signal she understood, then withdrew her hand. She sighed inwardly. In the past, she would have already struck up conversations with all the escorts surrounding the carriage before they even left the city gates. Before long, the entire caravan would be filled with her acquaintances.

Such was the power of her gift for gab. Once she started talking, she could chat about anything—from what they ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to which horse had the most beautiful mane. No matter the topic, whether mundane or bizarre, Qiao Yiying could always find something to talk about.

But now, she was confined to the carriage, forced to play the role of a silent, mute Divine Calculator. It was truly unbearable.

Today was another day the Dumb Divine Calculator longed to speak.

Seeing that Qiao Yiying had no further requests and fearing his excessive concern might become annoying, Chief Escort Wang rode his horse to the front of the caravan.

Among the escorts bringing up the rear was a newcomer from out of town, unfamiliar with the Jianghu’s customs and unaware of Qiao Yiying’s reputation. He watched Chief Escort Wang’s attentiveness, but when the person inside the carriage remained completely silent, he grew indignant.

“Who is this person, acting so high and mighty? Not even acknowledging the Chief Escort’s greeting,” the new escort muttered, lowering his voice slightly, aware he was gossiping.

The veteran escort beside him quickly nudged him with his elbow. “Don’t talk nonsense! Chief Escort Wang will hear you and kick you out of the Escort Agency.”

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

The veteran escort gave him a pointed look. “I’ve told you before to socialize more, get out and see the world. But all you do is train, train, train. Now you’re completely clueless.”

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

“If that were true, why isn’t there a single escort who’s the world’s greatest martial artist?” The veteran escort rolled his eyes. “For an escort, understanding people and navigating social situations is far more important than martial skill. Protecting the cargo comes second.” This naive kid has a lot to learn.

The veteran escort decided to change the subject and began explaining just how formidable the person in the carriage was. Because of her meteoric rise to prominence, her past had been thoroughly investigated, and even the veteran escort knew the details.

Qiao Yiying, a woman who suddenly appeared in Jiangnan half a year ago. It was the dead of winter when she stepped into an inn, dressed in a light skirt and blouse. At first, people found her attire odd but paid little attention, some even speculating she might be a martial arts master.

After all, those with sufficient Inner Strength could withstand extreme temperatures. However, their curiosity soon faded when she began telling fortunes.

“Hong Tao,” Qiao Yiying said, her expression indifferent as if discussing someone else’s fate, “you will die by the blade of a Peerless Swordsman—a single strike. Your blood will drip from his sword tip onto a fallen yellow leaf.”

Anyone would bristle at being told they would die by another’s sword, especially with such finality. Hong Tao, known for his volatile temper, immediately drew his weapon, intent on killing her. But before he could even approach Qiao Yiying, an invisible force flung him backward.

Qiao Yiying merely glanced coldly at Hong Tao.

The inn’s patrons gasped. Externalized Inner Strength! A Peerless Master!

Hong Tao likely reached the same conclusion, retrieving his weapon and preparing to leave.

“Wait,” Qiao Yiying called out, stopping him. “Are you trying to stiff the Diviner’s fortune-telling fee?”

Even those present, though stunned by Qiao Yiying’s martial prowess, couldn’t help but comment. They had never seen anyone declare someone’s imminent death, then send them flying with a single strike, and finally accuse them of trying to cheat the diviner out of payment.

Hong Tao was naturally furious, but knowing he couldn’t defeat Qiao Yiying, he could only bitterly leave his money pouch behind. To prove his dignity, he tossed the pouch onto a nearby table before fleeing in haste.

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

“What happened next?” the new escort pressed, noticing the old escort had trailed off, lost in thought.

“Next?” The old escort chuckled. “Qiao Yiying settled in Jiangnan, offering only three fortunes a day. Though she initially divined for common folk, every prediction proved accurate, and soon wealthy families sought her services.”

“What about Hong Tao?” The new escort was more concerned about the man whose fortune had been foretold.

“Dead,” the old escort said, drawing a sharp breath as if reliving the day he heard the news. “Hong Tao died by Ximen Chuixue’s sword, exactly as predicted—within a day. Someone checked after Ximen Chuixue left and found Hong Tao’s blood indeed dripping onto the fallen yellow leaves.”

Hong Tao’s death had occurred some time after Qiao Yiying’s fortune-telling. When everyone had begun to doubt her accuracy, the news of his demise sent shockwaves through the Jianghu. From that moment on, martial artists flocked to Qiao Yiying for divination.

She could see through the past and glimpse the future, her origins shrouded in mystery. She possessed unfathomable martial arts prowess but rarely used it, leaving her fighting style impossible to discern. No one knew her true background; all they knew was that her fortune-telling was divinely accurate. Some flocked to her like moths to a flame, while others avoided her like the plague.

Regardless, the number of those seeking her divination grew steadily.

Qiao Yiying adhered to a strict rule: she would only perform three divinations per day. After that, no matter who came seeking her, she would remain utterly silent. Initially, some tried to force her to break this rule, but like Hong Tao, they were all sent flying with a single strike.

From then on, no one dared compel her to divine against her will. They could only plead with her. Yet she had another peculiar rule that left those seeking her fortune-telling in a state of constant frustration: her selection process was utterly unpredictable, changing daily or remaining the same for several days at a time.

Despite their discomfort, those seeking her aid knew they had to maintain a respectful demeanor. Still, the lingering unease earned Qiao Yiying the moniker “Dumb Divine Calculator.”

Yet Qiao Yiying remained indifferent to such labels. No matter how renowned a hero or villain in the Jianghu stood before her, she seemed to regard them with equal indifference. The veteran escort master once mused that she was like a wandering soul adrift in the world.

But today, something seemed different about her. The seasoned escort master, his instincts honed by years of experience, sensed this subtle shift, though he couldn’t quite grasp its cause.

“Hiss.” The new escort master gasped, “Is she really that formidable?”

The veteran escort master glanced at him dismissively. If she weren’t formidable, why would so many people fawn over her?