Heavenly Charm Mountain, in the plaza before the Heavenly Charm Palace.
"What do you think of my Heavenly Charm Palace, little brother?" the Heavenly Charm Palace Master asked Ning Xuan, her voice gentle.
"Not much. The whole place reeks of fox. Besides, I'm not a 'little brother.' I'm eighteen!" Ning Xuan retorted, not buying her act.
The Palace Master's smile didn't waver. She extended an invitation. "Your name is Ning Xuan, correct? I'm sure there's something inside that will interest you. It's up to you whether you come in or not."
As she finished speaking, her figure rapidly faded, melting into the black clouds and miasma until she vanished completely. In the distance, however, a massive gate, dozens of feet high, began to slowly swing open.
"Ooh, there are goodies inside! Junior Brother, let's go check it out!" Wawa knew nothing of fear, only boundless curiosity.
