Hearing her beloved disciple’s name, Yueqin’s willow brows shot up: “What did you say about Meng Ying?”

“Hmph,” Xuan Lingzi snorted: “You keep a stern face all the time, so your hall’s disciples probably don’t dare discuss things in front of you. But word has reached our hall that there’s something between Meng Ying and Cengxiao.”

…

After just one trip to Li’er Kingdom, the gossip was getting more and more outrageous.

However, none of these outrageous rumors reached Zanxing’s ears, probably because these days she was out early and back late, either looking for Mu Cengxiao or on her way to look for Mu Cengxiao. Even when she returned to Miaokong Hall at night, after washing up and getting into bed, she would hide under the covers, secretly reading those demon realm leisure books. Being so occupied, naturally, she had no mind to observe the surrounding gossip.

Lao Niu said from the side, “Young Miss, everything is packed properly.”

After staying at the Taiyan Sect for several days, Lao Niu should return. He was getting old and wasn’t used to living on Gufeng Mountain – he’d be more comfortable back in Yue City. Before leaving, Zanxing had Hong Su prepare some local specialty foods to take back, so he could show off when he returned.

A mule beside them mooed twice, and Lao Niu secured the packed luggage on the mule’s back.

This mule was a gift from Xuan Lingzi to Lao Niu. Mules from Gufeng Mountain ate and drank grain and water nourished with spiritual energy, naturally very different from ordinary mules. At least their speed was much faster – it was said that roads ordinary mules took three days to travel, this mule could cover in one day.

Lao Niu asked Zanxing: “Young Miss, please give this mule a name before I leave, so I’ll have something to say when the master asks.”

Zanxing: “……”

She said: “Then let’s call it Shunfeng.”

“Shunfeng? Smooth wind and water – that’s an auspicious name.” Lao Niu happily took the reins and bid farewell to Zanxing: “Young Miss, cultivate peacefully on the mountain. This old servant will take good care of Shunfeng and the master.”

After seeing off Lao Niu, Zanxing returned to Miaokong Hall. Hong Su was coming out from inside carrying Mimi. Seeing her, she said: “Young Miss, Zi Luo Xianzi came looking for you just now. She said there’s a lotus viewing tonight and was afraid you’d forget, so she came specially to remind you.”

Zanxing nodded: “I understand.”

On Taiyan Sect’s mountain, a pool of red lotuses was planted. The red lotuses were seeds that Yushan Shengren brought back to the sect after he chanced upon a fairyland in his youth and saw blooming lotus flowers brilliant as red jade light. Though it wasn’t yet summer, flowers on Gufeng Mountain bloomed earlier than at the mountain’s foot. Every year at this time, when the red lotuses bloomed perfectly, the martial uncles would set up banquets to view the lotuses.

Cultivation was inherently tedious. Occasionally getting a moment’s leisure to look at lotus flowers, feel the evening breeze, drink some wine, and eat some snacks not only helped foster relationships between disciples and relax their minds, but also helped those lovers who found it hard to speak their hearts gain courage.

When Zanxing first heard Zi Luo mention this, she found it quite strange. Wasn’t this just a company-organized department mixer? But Gu Baiying had once said that Taiyan Sect disciples weren’t allowed to pursue romance. How was it that the rules had changed now?

But regardless of whether they’d changed, it didn’t concern her much. After all, she was now a demon realm illegitimate daughter harboring a demonic object – one careless move and she’d be executed on the spot by the righteous path.

Better to keep a low profile.

Hong Su opened the chest Lao Niu had brought and picked out the most dazzling dresses to place on the bed: “Young Miss, choose one.”

“You want me to wear this?” Zanxing looked at the black gauze dress decorated with crystals in Hong Su’s hands. “Isn’t it a bit too flashy?” This looked like something for clubbing.

“Naturally, the flashier the better!” Hong Su nodded seriously: “Tonight it will be dark and the lights dim, but the crystals on your dress will sparkle. Their sect’s clothes are all drab gray – we can’t be too conspicuous or overly bright, so black is good. With these crystal decorations, it won’t seem boring either. If you apply your lip rouge more vividly and don’t comb your hair too neatly, for the whole evening, who else will those disciples look at if not you?”

Hong Su truly understood the essence of clubbing – she even grasped the atmosphere. Zanxing said, “What do I need all those people looking at me for?” She casually picked up the gray sect gauze dress she usually wore: “I’ll wear this.”

“That won’t do!” Hong Su became anxious: “Tonight, Miss Liu, Meng Xianzi, and that Putao from Xiangling Sect will all be going. Miss Liu is delicate and slender, Meng Xianzi is stunningly beautiful, and Putao is more gorgeous than flowers – we can’t lose!”

Zanxing sighed deeply: “Hong Su, I didn’t expect you to be so competitive.”

“When we were in Yue City before, when it came to beauty, when did you ever lose, Young Miss? Though you have a scar on your face now, you can’t just give up. Once a person becomes lazy, they’ll become increasingly slovenly in the future. Young Miss, you weren’t like this before!”

Zanxing’s heart jumped.

Right, the original “Miss Yang” wasn’t like this. Her constantly looking so disheveled was vastly different from “Miss Yang” – could this also be spurring the Heavenly Dao’s pursuit of her?

Moreover, she couldn’t bear to refuse Hong Su’s good intentions, so she said: “Alright, but let’s choose a different color…”

…

That night, Gufeng Mountain was rarely lively.

Inner sect disciples were usually busy with cultivation and assessments, rarely having such leisurely relaxation time. Everyone dressed up brightly and gathered in small groups of three or five.

On Duoluo Terrace, long banquet tables were set up. The tables were covered with banana leaves woven into flower patterns – the menu was personally composed by Xuan Lingzi, as no one in the Taiyan Sect understood entertainment better than him.

In the nearby pavilion hung flowing firefly lanterns – spiritual power created firefly afterimages placed within glass lamps. At night, they needed no fire, yet gave off a glimmering light.

Further down was Changchun Pool. The pool water was spring-like year-round, with lotus leaves covering the entire clear pool. Looking up, in early summer, it was a sheet of shimmering green with light red flowers dotting the lotus leaves. The red lotus petals were slender, curling and unfurling, floating with a delicate fragrance.

On such a night, even without wine, one’s heart would be intoxicated. Familiar disciples naturally sat together. Tian Fangfang was seriously comparing which table had the largest pastries with Mendong, hesitating between two tables, when someone walked over and sat down without even looking.

“Martial Uncle, why did you come?” Tian Fangfang was stunned.

Gu Baiying said in bad humor: “What, I can’t come?”

“No, Junior Brother said you weren’t coming, and I was disappointed. Then let’s sit at this table.” He pulled Mendong to sit at Gu Baiying’s table.

Mendong looked at Gu Baiying and leaned close to ask quietly: “Martial Uncle, have you never participated in lotus viewing? What made you think of it today?”

“None of your business.” Gu Baiying looked to be in a bad mood. After a pause, he added quietly and angrily: “If the sect leader hadn’t called me, I wouldn’t have wanted to come.”

So it was Shaoyang Zhenren who called him here.

Mendong understood and coughed lightly: “Did Master call you here to match you with Senior Sister Putao from Xiangling Sect? The whole sect has been spreading this recently, saying Master broke off his engagement with Aunt Rongshuang, so now he has to give you to them as compensation.”

Gu Baiying cursed: “Who told you such nonsense?”

“Hey, don’t blame Junior Brother – our hall is spreading it too.” Tian Fangfang chewed the apricot flower cake in his mouth while saying: “Don’t you think our sect has had a lot of gossip lately? For example…”

Gu Baiying’s expression paused as he leaned forward, about to listen carefully, when he saw Tian Fangfang wave behind him: “Senior Brother Mu, Miss Liu, over here!”

It was Mu Cengxiao arriving. Liu Yunxin walked beside him, wearing a goose-yellow long brocade robe. Her brows and eyes were all gentle and refined – at first glance, she was incomparably clear and elegant.

Mu Cengxiao had gained some fame in the Taiyan Sect recently. First, his piece of scrap metal, Mieshen Saber, had somehow transformed into a superior spirit artifact capable of slaying great demons. Second, he seemed deeply devoted to his childhood friend one moment, ambiguously involved with Meng Ying the next, with Zanxing devotedly following him – no matter how you looked at it, he truly seemed legendary.

As soon as Mu Cengxiao arrived, the surrounding disciples immediately began whispering.

“…Really can’t understand – he’s just slightly better looking, so why does even Senior Sister Meng fancy him?”

“Exactly. Speaking of good looks, isn’t our Seventh Martial Uncle even more handsome? Yet Seventh Martial Uncle is still a lonely bachelor.”

“Don’t talk nonsense – our Seventh Martial Uncle is about to be sent to Xiangling Sect as compensation, so he’ll at least have a dao companion in the future.”

“Sigh, Master is heartless. How can he make a disciple pay for his romantic debts?”

Cultivators naturally had excellent hearing, so these whispers immediately reached the ears of those at the table. Gu Baiying’s face immediately darkened. Mu Cengxiao also felt awkward, but Liu Yunxin beside Mu Cengxiao looked completely calm.

The two sat down.

As soon as they sat, someone nearby called: “Senior Sister Meng!”

Meng Ying had also come out.

Meng Ying hadn’t dressed up specially – she still wore white robes with a black long sword at her waist. But with her natural beauty, adding cosmetics would only tarnish her original color. Mendong waved at her and called, “Senior Sister, sit here!”

Meng Ying paused, saw them in the crowd, then walked over.

When she came near, Mendong smiled and pointed to the empty seat beside Mu Cengxiao, smiling: “Senior Sister, sit down!”

The table was round. Mu Cengxiao had Liu Yunxin on one side – if Meng Ying sat on the other side…

Tian Fangfang couldn’t help covering his face.

Mu Cengxiao felt uncomfortable.

Meng Ying’s gaze swept across the table. Without saying anything, she sat beside Tian Fangfang.

Tian Fangfang breathed a great sigh of relief.

However, before he could finish sighing, Zanxing’s voice came from behind everyone: “I looked for so long – so you’re all here.”

Everyone turned back to see Zanxing wearing a jade-green silk flower dress decorated with silver stars. In the dim lamplight, she shimmered as she walked.

The firefly light also blurred the black scar on her face, making it indistinct, so that her face showed a few points of stunning beauty.

Tian Fangfang called out: “Junior Sister…”

The next moment, she naturally sat down beside Mu Cengxiao.

“Sorry, I’m late.” She smiled.