The Flower God

Zhang Xiuling stepped out of the Tongqing Theater, looking somewhat dazed. Duan Shuqun and Shen Rongqing escorted her to a rickshaw. Today was the grand opening ceremony of the Tongqing Theater, and Zhang Xiuling had attended by invitation. Following the ceremony, He Jiaqing had discussed a few matters with her—matters she found impossible to accept. "Xiuling, I saw you had quite a bit to drink earlier. Please be careful on the road." Shen Rongqing handed Zhang Xiuling her handbag. Zhang Xiuling took the bag without a word and instructed the puller to set off. Duan Shuqun called out after the rickshaw, "Sect Master Zhang, I'll await your word!" Once the rickshaw had faded into the distance, Duan Shuqun turned to look at Shen Rongqing. "Rongqing, with all the years we've been friends, there are things I shouldn't need to spell out. Jiaqing sees every little move you make. Don't be fooled by his usual laughing and joking—he has never been a generous man. When he truly turns on someone, there's no fixing it." Shen Rongqing let out a cold laugh. "Sharp eyes you have. Just what did you see? Go ahead and tell him. I'd love to see what grand crime I've committed, and how he intends to punish me!" Duan Shuqun shook his head repeatedly and said no more. Zhang Xiuling arrived at the Baihua Garden, the headquarters of the Baihua Sect. Four gardens encircled a Western-style mansion, inside whose main hall the masters of every branch had gathered, awaiting Zhang Xiuling's decision. He Jiaqing had laid out his terms: from now on, the Baihua Sect would belong to the He family; its sect master would be appointed by He Jiaqing; all of the sect's businesses would be turned over to the He family's management; and each branch would receive a monthly allowance distributed on a per-person basis. Demands like these were unheard-of. He Jiaqing intended to swallow the Baihua Sect whole. He had given Zhang Xiuling three days to make up her mind, and she had no intention of agreeing. "Our Baihua Sect is one of the foremost organizations in Puluo Province. Not a single one of our past sect masters was spineless! Though I, Zhang Xiuling, am a woman, since I sit in the seat of Sect Master, I will never surrender our sect's foundation. Even if I am smashed to pieces, I will never bend the knee to the He family!" A seventh-tier Literary Cultivator and the foremost talented woman in Puluo Province, her words naturally carried immense weight. Yet when those words were spoken, not a single branch master responded. To them, something else carried far more weight than anything Zhang Xiuling could say: Han Yaomen's severed head. No matter how beautifully you spoke, He Jiaqing was truly slaughtering people. And not just Han Yaomen—over a hundred members of the Qingyun Society had been butchered before and after, their heads packed one by one into wooden crates. Seeing the mood turning grim, Zhang Xiuling dismissed the assembly. Back in her bedchamber, her thoughts were in utter turmoil. Fu Lianhong, the Master of Red Flower Hall, knocked and entered. The two had always been as close as sisters. Seeing that Zhang Xiuling was alone, Fu Lianhong spoke frankly. "Sister Xiuling, you can't hold onto the seat of sect master anymore. Leaving aside how vicious He Jiaqing is, the hearts of our people have already scattered." Zhang Xiuling stared at Fu Lianhong for a moment in silence. Fu Lianhong slapped herself across the face. "Blame my loose tongue! Sister must think I have an ulterior motive for saying this. But let me lay my heart bare: if Sister isn't in the sect, I certainly won't stay either. "As long as you make up your mind, the two of us can leave together. Over the years, I've saved up quite a bit. We can find a quiet place to live peacefully. We are scholars—why not do what scholars ought to do? Putting more effort into cultivation is better than anything. Why suffer and scramble here alongside a bunch of cutthroats?" "Scholars..." Zhang Xiuling gazed at her handbag for a moment, suddenly reminded of another scholar. Shen Rongqing had brought the bag out for her, and she had looked as though she wanted to say something at the time. Zhang Xiuling picked up the handbag and opened it. Inside the powder compact was a slip of paper. Only three words were written on it: *Find Li Qi.* This was Shen Rongqing's hint to Zhang Xiuling. Fu Lianhong glanced at it and nodded repeatedly. "That is an option. Setting aside the various deities above the clouds, the only person left in the mortal realm who can contend with He Jiaqing is Li Qi." Zhang Xiuling went to Xiaoyaowu, but Li Qi wasn't there. When she asked where he had gone, no one knew. Zhang Shuning, a manager at Xiaoyaowu who greatly admired Zhang Xiuling, gave her an idea: "Go to the newland to find Fifth Master. If you have any trouble, tell it to him." Zhang Xiuling thanked him repeatedly, then took a vehicle to the Lu Family Mansion. Fu Lianhong was perplexed. "Didn't he say to go to the newland to find Ma the Fifth? Why are you going to the Lu residence?" "Do you know the price of asking Ma the Fifth for help?" Fu Lianhong stamped her foot in exasperation. "At a time like this, you're still worried about that? Ma the Fifth is young and accomplished. How many young women want to cozy up to him and can't even find a way in?" "Seeking out Li Qi is fine, but not Ma the Fifth. I'm not that shameless." Zhang Xiuling refused. She was heading to the Lu Family Mansion to look for Duan Shaoxia. In the past, whenever Duan Shaoxia encountered trouble, Zhang Xiuling had spared no effort to help her, facing mountains of blades and seas of fire without the slightest hesitation. The two of them had been as close as sisters. Now, upon hearing that Zhang Xiuling was in trouble, Duan Shaoxia had packed her bags overnight and fled to her hometown. Zhang Xiuling found no one. Fu Lianhong said nothing, having no heart to mock her. Zhang Xiuling returned to Baihua Garden and ordered her subordinates to arrange flowers. They selected one hundred fresh blossoms from the four gardens, every single flower of a different variety. Arranging these flowers together, Zhang Xiuling knelt amidst the blossoms and prayed silently. She wanted to summon the Flower God. Regarding the origin of the Flower God, there were two accounts. One held that the Flower God was the founder of the Baihua Sect, who had transcended the mortal realm upon reaching a certain level of cultivation. The other held that the Flower God was never from the mortal realm to begin with, but an exquisitely beautiful celestial maiden of the heavens; because the Baihua Sect cherished and revered flowers, they received the Flower God's protection. Legend had it that if the Sect Master of the Baihua Sect prayed amidst a hundred flowers, they could obtain the Flower God's power. Yet this was merely a legend, unlike the situation with the Qingyun Society. Bei Wushuang had once been the Dragonhead Master of the Qingyun Society, and he had truly watched over them. Whether the Flower God had ever truly looked after the Baihua Sect, on the other hand, was nearly impossible to verify. In the past, people claimed past masters had indeed received power during their prayers, but whether that truly came from the Flower God remained unsettled. As Zhang Xiuling prayed devoutly among the flowers, Fu Lianhong pleaded earnestly beside her. "Sister Xiuling, let's not waste our time here. No one even knows if the Flower God is real or fake. All of our past masters were Literary Cultivators; our sect has never produced a Flower Cultivator. What use is praying to a flower god?" "It is of use! The wisdom roots of every past master were bestowed by the Flower God!" "That tale was made up to fool outsiders—how did you end up fooling yourself too? Sister Xiuling... Sister—" After nagging for a long while, Fu Lianhong noticed that Zhang Xiuling hadn't said a word. She was startled. *Could she truly have received the Flower God's power?* A cold wind blew past, and a glistening, translucent strand drifted from the corner of Zhang Xiuling's mouth. She was asleep, drooling profusely in her slumber. Fu Lianhong sighed. "Fine, then. Get a good sleep. Once you wake up clearheaded, you'll know what to do." *** Li Qi requested a batch of dark-energy carriers from Shen Jingye, materials meant for crafting the rope. Gauze covered Shen Jingye's face as he examined the requisition form Li Qi had submitted. "You need this much?" "Xiao Shen, that's not very friendly of you. We're solid friends." "Just asking offhand." Shen Jingye waved his pen and signed the requisition. He wasn't worried about Li Qi failing to return the goods; Li Qi had gone through official channels, so there would be a paper trail on the books. Li Banfeng looked at the gauze on Shen Jingye's face, dark red blood seeping through in places. "What happened to your face?" Shen Jingye chuckled. "Broke out in a bunch of pimples the past couple of days. My wife couldn't keep her hands off them, insisted on popping them all, and ended up mangling my face." "That looks pretty bad. Your wife has quite a heavy hand." Shen Jingye gave a series of wry smiles. "She's a good person at heart, but her temper..." Li Banfeng was in no mood to hear about his wife. Returning to his residence, he was just about to carry the pile of carriers back to the companion dwelling when he felt the Judge's Brush shiver at his waist. "Something the matter?" Li Banfeng took up the Judge's Brush and asked. "Yes," the Judge's Brush swayed. "What is it?" "Forgot." "No rush. Tell me when you remember." After storing the dark-energy carriers in the companion dwelling, Li Banfeng spent over two hours helping his wife make the rope. Suddenly, as though having recalled something, the Judge's Brush drifted over to Li Banfeng and asked in a deadly serious tone, "Do you think I look like a flower?" The room fell silent for a second. A second later, starting with his wife, everyone in the room burst into uncontrollable laughter. Only Li Banfeng didn't laugh. He knew the Judge's Brush was being serious. "Did you remember something?" The Judge's Brush strained to recall. "I think... I once grew a lot of flowers." *** When she woke up, Zhang Xiuling was indeed much more clearheaded. Taking the roster of the Baihua Sect and the Great Seal of Baihua, she handed both over to He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing did not decline, accepting them directly. "Sister Xiuling, don't blame me. I'm doing this for the Baihua Sect, for its long-term future." "The brothers are all willing to follow you. Leaving the sect in your hands puts my mind at ease as well." Zhang Xiuling spoke the truth. When she had proposed handing the Baihua Sect over to He Jiaqing, not one of the branch masters had objected. Fu Lianhong added, "Young Master He, from now on, you are the Chief of the Baihua Sect. This will be the only time I address you as Chief. From this day forth, the two of us sisters are quitting the Baihua Sect. Its affairs no longer have anything to do with us." He Jiaqing looked deeply regretful. "Sister Xiuling, why go so far? I'm only serving as a figurehead sect master. The sect's internal affairs will still be up to you." Zhang Xiuling bowed her head with a faint smile. "Young Master He, no need for pleasantries. At least leave me a bit of dignity. Let's leave it at that." Zhang Xiuling left Baihua Garden that very day, and the Baihua Sect officially passed into He Jiaqing's hands. He Jiaqing wasn't surprised in the least by this outcome. He knew full well the caliber of these major gangs, and he knew their backers would not show themselves easily. This incident caused yet another sensation across Puluo Province. The front-page headlines of every major newspaper featured He Jiaqing. He meticulously flipped through each paper. The reports from the various presses pleased him greatly, with the sole exception of the one from his own establishment, which fell a bit short. *"Baihua Sect Installs New Master: Whence the Rising Turmoil?"* He Jiaqing looked at Shen Rongqing. "Did you write this piece?" Shen Rongqing nodded. He Jiaqing sighed. "Are you mad at me?" Her head bowed, Shen Rongqing said, "How would I dare? The article was written in too much haste, so the phrasing was somewhat improper." He Jiaqing was visibly dissatisfied with this explanation. As the atmosphere grew tense, Duan Shuqun hurriedly changed the subject. "I heard Zhang Xiuling is leaving Green Water City in the next few days. Should we continue keeping her under surveillance?" "No need for surveillance," He Jiaqing said, shaking his head. "Take her out." Shen Rongqing could hardly believe such words had come from He Jiaqing's mouth. "Zhang Xiuling has already backed down and surrendered the sect to you. Can't you spare her life?" He Jiaqing shook his head. "As long as she draws breath, the hearts of the Baihua Sect will never settle." Shen Rongqing took a deep breath. "Jiaqing, Zhang Xiuling is the foremost talented woman in Puluo Province. If you kill her just like that, how will people view you?" "That doesn't matter. Everything I do is for Puluo Province." Shen Rongqing turned and walked away. He Jiaqing sat on the sofa, continuing to read the newspapers. Duan Shuqun sat beside the sofa, at a loss for words. In the midst of the awkwardness, an accountant arrived to report financial issues. Zhang Xiuling wasn't particularly skilled at business management; the Baihua Sect's commerce was a tangled mess with plenty of problems. This accountant proved a savior for Duan Shuqun. "Jiaqing, I'll go check the account books first." Finding an excuse to leave, he departed, leaving only He Jiaqing and Big Head in the hall. Big Head felt no awkwardness. While He Jiaqing read the paper, he read along. After a while, He Jiaqing spoke up: "Puluo Province is just like this. People only learn fear once blood is spilled. Once they fear you, their eyes never leave you. Right now they fear me and watch me constantly. Mr. Kongfang and the Thief Patriarch both fear being seen by others, so neither will come looking for me. Aside from that, guess what other benefit I gain?" Big Head couldn't guess. He Jiaqing chuckled. "Deceiving the world to steal renown—whether genuine fame or false, whether fair or foul, the greater the renown, the fiercer the momentum!" Big Head didn't understand the essentials of the technique Deceiving the World to Steal Renown, nor did he grasp what "the fiercer the momentum" meant. Above the clouds, each had their own methods of cultivation. Only He Jiaqing himself could sense that his cultivation was advancing by leaps and bounds. *** Zhang Xiuling and Fu Lianhong hid in a secondary residence, not daring to show their faces for days. Thinking the heat had died down, Fu Lianhong had travel permits and train tickets arranged, intending to lay low in Moxiang Shop for a while. Zhang Xiuling possessed immense renown among scholars; once in the sanctuary of scholars, He Jiaqing surely wouldn't dare act recklessly. Not daring to take a vehicle, the two carried Traveler Cultivator spirit items and ran straight toward the train station. As they passed through a deep alley, Zhang Xiuling's legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. Fu Lianhong bent down to help her up, and when she looked up, He Jiaqing was standing right in front of them. When had he arrived? Fu Lianhong prepared to draw her weapon, but Zhang Xiuling held her back. He Jiaqing said, "Sister Xiuling, I'm hosting a literary salon. I'd like to invite you over to have a look." Zhang Xiuling gave a strained smile. "I have an urgent matter. I really can't attend today." "If the foremost talented woman in Puluo Province doesn't attend, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold the floor." "How could I be the foremost talented woman? That title ought to belong to Rongqing." Zhang Xiuling shielded Fu Lianhong behind her, signaling her to flee. "In letters there is no first; in martial arts there is no second. How about this: you and Rongqing can hold a contest tonight, and we'll see who truly deserves the title!" He Jiaqing glanced pointedly at Fu Lianhong behind Zhang Xiuling and pressed down with his palm, indicating she shouldn't move. Neither of them was going anywhere. Fu Lianhong recognized the situation as well. Pulling a brush from her waist, she prepared to use Counting Ink and Tracing Lines. Among the escape techniques of Literary Cultivators, Counting Ink and Tracing Lines was the most effective. With her sixth-tier cultivation, Fu Lianhong's mastery of the skill was exquisite. She didn't need to write stroke by stroke; a flick of ink would transform into characters to encircle He Jiaqing. Yet though she swung the writing brush repeatedly, not a single droplet of ink came out. *Did I forget to fill it before leaving?* This writing brush was Fu Lianhong's most vital weapon, containing a specialized cavity within the shaft for storing ink. Weighing it in her hand, she knew more than half the ink remained. Yet the ink simply wouldn't fling out. Fu Lianhong whipped it several more times. The brush grew lighter and lighter, yet not a drop of ink appeared. As Fu Lianhong grew frantic at being unable to execute her technique, Zhang Xiuling cut open her fingertip and squeezed out fresh blood, preparing to use A Word Worth a Thousand Gold. This was Zhang Xiuling's specialty. Characters written in blood possessed formidable combat prowess. Zhang Xiuling was confident she could tie He Jiaqing down for a brief while, buying Fu Lianhong a chance to escape. Her bleeding fingertip traced across the wall, yet not a single character formed. The wall remained spotless, without a trace of blood. He Jiaqing extended a hand and pointed at the ground, gesturing that Zhang Xiuling could try another spot. Zhang Xiuling's hand trembled. Squatting down, she wrote with her fingertip on the ground, yet still no blood appeared. *What on earth is happening?* He Jiaqing looked around. "Why don't you try somewhere else?" Zhang Xiuling gritted her teeth, quietly scooping up a handful of sand from the roadside. Straightening up, she asked He Jiaqing, "Why won't you give me a way out?" He Jiaqing looked at her right hand and smiled faintly. "Trying to write on the ground with sand? How many words do you want to write? I'll wait right here." Fine sand trickled through Zhang Xiuling's fingers; she was indeed writing with sand. He Jiaqing was utterly arrogant. Having seen through her methods, he didn't even bother to stop her. With a tremor of her fingertips, Zhang Xiuling finished forming the character "Blade" on the ground. With a flick of her wrist, Zhang Xiuling prepared to send the character flying at He Jiaqing's face. But what use could a single character be? Ordinary people didn't understand Zhang Xiuling's techniques, but Fu Lianhong did. That single "Blade" character would shatter before He Jiaqing into fragments as tiny as sand grains. Every grain of sand would become a razor-sharp blade. By Zhang Xiuling's estimate, under such an onslaught, He Jiaqing would need at least twenty seconds to parry the daggers, giving the two of them a window to flee. The plan was crystal clear. Zhang Xiuling swept her hand, yet the "Blade" character failed to rise from the ground. Where had it gone? Zhang Xiuling looked down. There was no "Blade" on the ground at all—not even the sand she had just scattered was anywhere to be seen. He Jiaqing rubbed his fingertips together, and grains of sand trickled down from them one by one. He had stolen the sand. He had stolen the sand right in front of them, and neither had noticed. It wasn't just the sand he had stolen. As He Jiaqing rubbed his fingers, droplets of ink welled up on his fingertips. That was why no ink had flown from Fu Lianhong's brush. Next came droplets of blood—Zhang Xiuling's blood. Every single drop that had seeped from her fingertip had been stolen by He Jiaqing, which was why she hadn't been able to write on the wall. As the head of the Baihua Sect, Zhang Xiuling had seen her share of storms, but at this moment, she was terrified. The sheer disparity in their power left her suffocating. "Sister Xiuling, come to the salon with me. I'm inviting you in all sincerity—" He Jiaqing couldn't help stifling a yawn. Perhaps to him, this battle was simply too boring. Zhang Xiuling grabbed Fu Lianhong, turned, and bolted. She knew she couldn't escape, but in this moment, her actions were purely instinctual. He Jiaqing pursued them at an unhurried pace, his steps remarkably slow. Zhang Xiuling didn't know what He Jiaqing was scheming. Gripped by overwhelming terror, all she knew was to drag Fu Lianhong forward in a desperate sprint. *Whoosh!* A sudden chill wind blew in, and snow began to fall. Amidst drifting snowflakes, He Jiaqing watched the two women slowly disappear into the distance. It was snowing—should he still give chase? A bit of snow was hardly a big deal, so why had he suddenly lost the desire to pursue them? Was it because he had touched Zhang Xiuling's blood...? He Jiaqing came to a halt. He looked at the trace of blood on his fingertips, then at the snowflakes whirling in the wind. In weather like this, one ought to wrap themselves in a quilt, curl up in bed, drink a bowl of hot soup, and enjoy a sound, deep sleep. At the thought, He Jiaqing yawned again. *** Zhang Xiuling wanted to head for the train station, but He Jiaqing's men were everywhere along the way. She tried to take Fu Lianhong back to the secondary residence, only to find it had already been burned to the ground. They tried to go to Red Flower Hall, but the branch had already been seized by He Jiaqing's subordinates. They found an inn hoping to spend the night, but Big Head tracked them down before long, inviting Zhang Xiuling to attend the salon. He Jiaqing had stolen a great deal of Zhang Xiuling's stamina, leaving her thoroughly weakened, while Fu Lianhong had been injured by He Jiaqing's underlings, her condition precarious. With nowhere left to go, they finally fled to the vicinity of Xiaoyaowu. Zhang Xiuling hesitated outside, debating whether to enter. In her current state, stepping into Xiaoyaowu would bring disaster upon Li Qi and Ma the Fifth. Yet if they didn't go in, they wouldn't survive the night. Weighing it over and over, Zhang Xiuling ultimately turned away. She and Li Qi were friends—very good friends. Even if she were doomed to die tonight, she didn't want to drag a friend down with her. "Lianhong, I'll escort you to the station in a moment. If we run into He Jiaqing's men, I'll hold them off. Don't fight—just run." "Sister, what are you saying? I've followed you half my life. If we're leaving, we leave together!" "I can't get away. They're after me!" "Then I'll die right alongside you." True sisters! Snow fell thick and fast. Zhang Xiuling embraced Fu Lianhong. "Listen to your sister. You have to live. You must stay alive..." Holding an umbrella, Ma the Fifth shielded the two of them from the falling snow. "Ladies, if you want to stay alive, come with me to Xiaoyaowu." Zhang Xiuling looked up at Ma the Fifth. Ma the Fifth smiled. "I'm not the one inviting you. Old Seven is. When he arrives, you two can take your time catching up." Zhang Xiuling was unwilling to go. Ma the Fifth furrowed his brow. "Xiaoyaowu is my and Old Seven's domain. In there, I can still keep He Jiaqing at bay. But if you stall out here on the street, you really will drag me down." There was truth in his words. After Ma the Fifth urged them a bit more, Zhang Xiuling finally agreed and followed him into Xiaoyaowu with Fu Lianhong. Ma the Fifth first settled the two in and summoned a Healing Cultivator to treat their injuries. There were still details he wanted to ask Zhang Xiuling about when Manager Zhang Shuning suddenly came to report, "Fifth Master, Young Master He wishes to see you." "He came this fast!" Ma the Fifth straightened his clothes and followed the manager to the small circular hall. He Jiaqing held a wine goblet and greeted Ma the Fifth. "Junyang, it's been a long time since I came to drink at Xiaoyaowu." Ma the Fifth chuckled. "You rarely came in the past either. As I recall, you came once for the grand opening, and once before leaving to study in the Outer States. Just those two times." "Only twice? Surely not? Among our generation, we two were always the closest. Of course I'd support your business." "We were the closest?" Ma the Fifth thought it over carefully. "Then what about Lu Xiaolan?" He Jiaqing frowned. From his expression, it looked as though he cared about Ma the Fifth's joke, but in truth, his concern was the button on his chest. The button had been buzzing incessantly, but it wasn't convenient for him to answer. The two chatted and joked for quite a while before He Jiaqing offered Ma the Fifth a cigarette. "Is Zhang Xiuling here with you?" "She is." Ma the Fifth accepted the cigarette and lit it. "I'd like to invite her over to my place. I'm hosting a literary salon. Shen Rongqing has already arrived. If I bring her along as well, Puluo Province's two great talented women will both be there." Ma the Fifth poured He Jiaqing a cup of liquor. "The two great talents gathered together—that really is a rare occasion!" He Jiaqing took the cup. "Isn't it? Shen Rongqing has been waiting for quite some time. Why don't you bring Zhang Xiuling and come sit with us?" "What a coincidence," Ma the Fifth replied. "I'm just about to hold a concert here. Jiang Mengting is ready, and Zhang Xiuling is ready. If you call Shen Rongqing over as well, the diva and the literary talents will all be assembled." Holding his cup, He Jiaqing took a large gulp, his tone no longer as easygoing. "Junyang, you should know about my business with the Baihua Sect, right?" Ma the Fifth shook his head. "I've been in the newland lately. I haven't paid much attention to anything else." "If you claim you don't know, then I'll tell you now: I'm taking Zhang Xiuling with me, and no one will stop me today." "That depends on whether the lady wants to go. We're both civilized gentlemen. If someone doesn't want to go, you can't just kidnap her, can you?" "Civilized gentlemen?" He Jiaqing drained the rest of the cup. "Ever since I walked through this door, I've been perfectly civilized. I've given you all the face in the world. Now, in all sincerity, let me say something not quite so civilized: could you not refuse face when it's given?" Ma the Fifth downed his drink as well. "Since you're being so sincere, let me speak from the heart as well. This is Xiaoyaowu. Who the fuck do you think you are, daring to run wild here?" Sitting face-to-face, smiles on their faces, cold glints flashed in their eyes. Feng Daiku stood guard by the entrance, ready to strike at any moment. He Jiaqing set down his cup and tapped the button on his chest. Before making a move, he wanted to know who was so desperate to contact him. "Jiaqing, the shipment we sent to the Outer States was intercepted by the Garrison Office at Santoucha! Someone from the Garrison Office just arrived, saying our goods don't match our permits, and they're going to shut down our operations." He Jiaqing raised a hand, cutting off the transmission. Picking up the bottle, he poured Ma the Fifth another drink. "Had too much to drink, spoke too hastily. Don't take it to heart." Ma the Fifth smiled. "We've been friends for so many years. Why would I hold it against you?" Finishing his drink, He Jiaqing left Xiaoyaowu. Big Head waited outside and asked in a low voice, "What about Zhang Xiuling?" "Can't take her," He Jiaqing sighed. "Nothing we can do. Someone's got us by the throat." *** Inside the ballroom, Ma the Fifth drank a glass of ice water, taking quite a while to calm his nerves. Feng Daiku helped wipe away his sweat. "Learned to be afraid now?" Ma the Fifth shook his head. "You were right outside the door. What did I have to fear?" "I was the one who was afraid," Feng Daiku said, pulling a thread of sentiment out of thin air. "More than half of the sentiment threads I placed in that room were stolen by He Jiaqing. His cultivation is probably higher than mine. If we really came to blows, I might not have beaten him." "It wasn't going to turn into a fight. Old Seven said he had already made arrangements, though I have no idea what those arrangements were." Ma the Fifth poured another glass of ice water and downed it in one breath. *** Li Banfeng was on his way to Green Water City, conversing with the Judge's Brush as he walked. "You're saying you lent a portion of your power to Zhang Xiuling, and that power isn't even residing within you?" "Yeah!" Li Banfeng sank into deep thought, twirling the Judge's Brush several times. The Judge's Brush protested, "Stop spinning, I'm dizzy!" "I really can't wrap my head around it. If your power isn't within you, where else could it be?" "The heavens." Having uttered those two words, the Judge's Brush had no desire to answer any more of Li Banfeng's questions, slipping into his sleeve to fall asleep.