I

Qing, the Zhi Jing of the Bureau of Oversight & Integrity at CangLin municipal government, tirelessly serves the people of Qian, navigating both the bright and dark sides of history. She silently bears the immense pressure of her heavy workload, concealing it behind a refined and gentle demeanor. When her work is hindered, she becomes as sharp and cold as winter, like a bright mirror reflecting and exposing any hidden corruption or filth in the hearts of her colleagues. After work—if she ever manages to leave on time—she often competes in ground calligraphy with the elderly in the square, wielding a giant brush with ease. Few people know that when WeiShi calls upon her, the brush in her hand transforms into an equally heavy and sharp blade.

II

CangLin City is the central hub of the Jiangyin region, known for its vast fertile lands and thriving industries. The daily affairs of the CangLin municipal government are extremely busy, and the Bureau of Oversight & Integrity, tasked with ensuring the propriety of its colleagues, is never idle. When Qing first arrived, the various departments of the CangLin municipal government regarded this new Zhi jing with some condescension, given their perception of her inexperience. However, they quickly experienced the other side of Qing's refined and elegant demeanor—a face of impartiality and swift action. If Qing did not receive satisfactory answers when politely inquiring the first time, she would return with documents, records, and accounts unearthed by the Bureau of Oversight & Integrity, leaving no room for evasion or obfuscation.
Because of her work style, Qing has almost never left work on time. Her office is perpetually piled high with documents awaiting her attention. Rumors from the Bureau of Talent & Recruitment suggest that if her overtime were converted into years of service, Secretary Qing would have over twenty years of seniority, making her a senior to more than half of the staff at CangLin municipal government. Additionally, it's said that the accumulated vacation time and compensatory leave owed to Secretary Qing total up to ten months. Occasionally, when the pressure becomes too much, Qing files a request for full leave in a fit of frustration, but each time the Bureau of Talent & Recruitment rejects it, citing that if Secretary Qing were to leave her post for more than half a month, the efficiency of CangLin municipal government would drop by sixty percent.

III

In the corner of Qing's office stands a giant brush almost as tall as her, with the words "Taihao" engraved on its handle. After work—on the rare occasions when she leaves on time—Qing loves visiting the square. Thanks to the rich cultural heritage of the Jiangyin region, the squares of CangLin City are always filled with elderly people practicing ground calligraphy. Qing often joins them with her "Taihao." The elders praise her strength but critique her lack of subtlety, saying, "She has the strength but lacks finesse." Qing's inner emotions are vividly reflected in her writing, not only because of her forceful strokes that seem to slice through the ground but also due to the harsh words she writes—words out of character for her usual demeanor and unsuitable for municipal government meetings. Fortunately, these words evaporate with the water in seconds, and Qing's expression gradually returns to its calm and composed state.
Few people know that Qing's practice of ground calligraphy is also a way to train her swordsmanship.
In the distant past, Qian referred to Qing's profession as "scholar-warrior"—an official proficient in both pen and sword. It is an astonishing coincidence because her current job requires the use of both pen and sword.

IV

Shortly after joining CangLin municipal government, Qing quickly stood out for her exceptional analytical and processing skills, becoming a rising star within the Bureau of Oversight & Integrity. Not long after, an organization previously unknown to Qing approached her, calling itself WeiShi.
Out of caution and rationality, Qing did not fully trust the "world behind history" they presented to her. Instead, her first assumption was that they had ulterior motives, possibly trying to extract information from the municipal government staff. So she spent a considerable amount of effort investigating this organization, only to find that outside of what they willingly showed her, there was no trace of WeiShi's existence in society.
Just when Qing was at her wit's end, WeiShi visited her again. In a modest yet elegant courtyard, Qing met the person who would change the course of her life: Yuanquan, the leader of WeiShi.
Faced with Qing's rapid-fire questions, Yuanquan responded only with a gentle smile. "What is the truth depends on what you perceive and how you interpret the connections between things. WeiShi does not require you to accept our version of the 'world', but since you are now aware of its existence, how will you explain it?"
Yuanquan praised Qing for her skepticism and investigation, saying that the spirit of seeking truth is exactly what WeiShi needs. Then Yuanquan offered her two choices: leave the courtyard and return to her previous life, with WeiShi disappearing from her life as if it had never appeared, or stay and join them, becoming a mirror reflecting the long history of Qian.
Driven by immense confusion, curiosity, and anticipation, Qing chose the latter.
"Very well, you will have time to understand your new responsibilities later. For now, choose a self-defense weapon—no, not what you're used to, as those won't work against anomalies". As he spoke, Yuan Quan ordered several weapons to be brought out for Qing to choose from.
From the start, there was only one choice in Qing's eyes: a green long sword with a simple design, almost as tall as she was. For some reason, Qing felt an unusual sense of familiarity with this sword, as if she had known it in another life. She grasped the hilt, finding it much lighter than she had expected. She carefully stroked the sharp edge, but the blade suddenly cut her finger, and her blood mysteriously merged into the green blade, disappearing instantly. Turning the hilt, Qing saw the name of the sword, "Qingyan" engraved on it, along with four faint seal script characters she could not decipher.
"'Sever the Connection Between Heaven and Earth'," Yuanquan sighed behind her as if something long suspected had been confirmed. "Qingyan is yours now. Be careful, its color is given by blood".
Qing looked at the green sword, confused. "Is there green blood in this world?"
"Since you've touched the other side of history, you'll have to think about these questions yourself", Yuanquan replied with a gentle smile.
From then on, Qing spent considerable effort tracing the legacy of Qingyan. Historical records offered only vague hints pointing back to antiquity, to the time of the first emperor of the ancient Qian Empire, but no further clues were found.