.
Turmoil had struck the now-quiet Tea Haven, yet a man sat calmly in the corner, drinking alone.
He wore a wide bamboo hat, with a black veil that covered his face. Dressed head to toe in black robes, from his inner layers to his boots and belt, he was like a shadow in the candlelight.
He ignored the intruder completely and poured himself another cup of wine.
"You there!" the cultivator shouted, his face flushed with anger. "Am I being ignored?! This fellow won't even give me face!"
The man was Meng Zhuguo, a late-stage Blue Realm cultivator of the Shuiliu Sect. He drew his sword with a sharp *shiiing*.
"You must be Xue Shengren!" he bellowed, brandishing the blade. "The heavens have caught up with you! You'll pay today for your sins against the dragon clans!"
Xue Shengren dug a finger into her ear, bored. "You're too loud," she muttered. "Can't a man drink in peace?"
With a wave of her hand, the last two gourds of wine vanished into her *qiankun pouch.
(*Qiankun pouch: A small, palm-sized pouch that contains a massive storage space inside, and a cultivator can pull out anything from weapons, and even furniture, depending on its size!)
She slammed down the cup, then raised the last gourd to her lips, tilting her head back for a deep drink.
As she drank, her bamboo hat slipped off, revealing her black hair tied tightly into a bun, with the ends of a long white ribbon trailing down her back.
She dropped the empty gourd, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and turned to face Meng Zhuguo.
Meng Zhuguo's face went stiff. He stumbled backward.
"Th-this is...!" The person in front of him didn't look like a dangerous killer at all.
The wind outside howled through the silence as Meng Zhuguo stood frozen.
'Is he a man or a woman?' he wondered. But for some reason, his mind insisted - this was a man!
No, not even a man. A boy.
He looked no older than seventeen. His figure was small, his waist narrow, and his body delicate.
His face was stunning. Bright eyes, framed by long lashes, shimmered with mischief. His lips were a soft, natural red and heart-shaped.
The only color on him was the white ribbon behind his head, and despite the simple cut of his robes, the material was clearly of high quality.
"Fat man," Xue Shengren said lazily, eyes twinkling with amusement. "If you're gonna stare at men like that, isn't it a little shameful? Should I put on *rouge and powder so you can save face?"
(*dress like a woman)
Meng Zhuguo frowned, but then burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha! You're just a child, so I'll let you off! No way you're the Bloody Sage!"
Xue Shengren ignored him.
Meng Zhuguo's smile faltered. "Little boy, I'm Meng Zhuguo! Tier Three cultivator from the Shui clan! I'm looking for an older man, someone with years of cultivation! Where is he? Is he your master?"
'Little boy?' Xue Shengren frowned.
The man was chubby, with a pot belly and weak aura. Peak Blue Realm at best. And yet he was flailing around like a fool.
She sighed.
"Tsk tsk tsk... are you really a cultivator? Or just playing dress-up? You say you're looking for Xue Shengren?
"What if he ran off with the crowd when you scared everyone out? He could be with your own men by now, while you're here with the empty tables."
"You-!" Meng Zhuguo opened his mouth, but stopped.
He looked stunned, realizing his own stupidity.
Xue Shengren smiled. "Just give up on cultivation. Don't worry, though. There's still hope for your bloodline. Maybe your children... no, your great-great-great-great-great grandchildren might be talented!"
"You bastard!" Meng Zhuguo roared, lunging with surprising speed. His sword was already in motion.
But Xue Shengren didn't move, as his reflection grew larger in her eyes.
"You really dare to attack someone like me without thinking?"
Thunk!
Meng Zhuguo's eyes went wide.
He didn't even see what happened.
All he knew was the hilt of a sword had struck his chest - and he was sent flying backward.
A shameful way to be defeated. He hadn't been hit like that since his youth!
Outside, the other cultivators had heard his earlier laughter.
"Lord Meng must be teaching Xue Shengren a lesson," one disciple said.
"Sure he is," another replied with heavy sarcasm. "He chased everyone out like an idiot. What if Xue Shengren ran off with the crowd? He'd be fighting chairs and empty bowls right now."
The speaker was Shui Junho, cousin of Shui Chenlin and current Head Disciple.
"What kind of cultivator doesn't read the situation before jumping in?" he asked bitterly, but Master Lu Fengho lightly smacked the back of his head.
"Head Disciple Shui, be respectful. You might both be Tier Three, but Lord Meng is older. His son is your friend!" He reprimanded Junho.
Sects ranked their members by realm:
Tier One: red and orange realms, usually young children.
Tier Two: yellow and green realms.
Tier Three: blue realmers, both disciples and cultivators.
Tier Four: purple realm.
Tier Five: white and black realms - elders and leaders.
Tier Six: light realm.
Invincible Tier: heaven realm. Extremely rare.
Shui Junho groaned.
"Master Lu, even Meng Zhuli knows I can't get along with his father. And what if there were hostages in there? What if Lord Meng had rushed in and got someone killed?"
"Still talking? Hmm?" Lu Fengho asked softly, blue qi rising around him.
Junho clapped his hand over his mouth and stepped back. That "gentle" aura could turn deadly.
Lu Fengho said nothing more, but he agreed deep down. Lord Meng acted recklessly. On their trip to the East, he had nearly sunk their boat with a failed spell!
Originally, this mission wasn't theirs. The disciples had been on a task near Xu Province, two days from Camellia City, but one of the criminals they chased had led them straight to the Zhao manor.
Coincidentally, the order to capture Xue Shengren had come down, and they were the only Shui cultivators nearby.
Chenlin had wanted to ignore it, since they were unprepared, but Lu Fengho thought it was a good experience.
"Chenlin, you can handle Xue Shengren! Just use your Heaven's Water Phoenix technique. I'll cover you with my shields, and the disciples will learn."
But Fengho hadn't expected Lord Meng to be part of the team.
Their clan leader had basically dumped him on them.
"Chenlin, if anyone can handle him, it's you! Hahaha!" the old man had said.
Now, Lu Fengho turned to Chenlin. "Lord Meng is having too much fun in there. He remembers the order not to kill Xue Shengren, right?"
Then they heard it.
"You bastard!" came a shout from inside.
A second later, a shockwave burst from the inn, followed by a crash, and Meng Zhuguo flew through the doors, landing hard on the street.
"Lord Meng!" Disciples rushed to him.
He sat up and coughed blood.
"That scoundrel..." he growled, clutching his chest.
His robe was torn, revealing a large, purple bruise. He'd been hit hard and would need days to recover.
Shui Chenlin and Lu Fengho exchanged a look, then stared at the swinging doors.
They hadn't expected Xue Shengren to be weak. Still, it was clear now that they needed to take this seriously.
If Xue Shengren had wanted, Meng Zhuguo would be dead.
The restaurant doors swung open again and someone came out, gliding with *qinggong. She spun midair and landed lightly on the steps, back facing them.
(*Qinggong: a movement technique. Often exaggerated to allow superhuman leaps, brief flight, or walking on water.)
"Wah! So graceful!" a disciple whispered.
But the effect was ruined when Xue Shengren staggered slightly, then rubbed her arms.
"So cold!" she muttered. She had left her outer cloak inside and had to circulate her qi for warmth.
Then she paused and sniffed.
Something in the air made her blood run cold.
'What is that strange aura...?'
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