When Fang Mo entered True Monarch Qingshui's dojo with Xiao Jingsheng, he realized that he was the last to arrive.
The deputy peak masters and leaders of the other peaks had all gathered: Mo Shan and Tie Xiaochuan of Xuan Gang Peak, Venerable Thousand Feathers and Bai Wuchen of Cloud Palace Peak, Wondrous Sound and Xiao Nuo of Qingyan Peak, as well as Gu Yu and Bai Hai Zhou of Imperial Sky Peak.
They were all already seated, though it did not look like a meeting.
Everyone sat upon jade lotus seats, each with a gleaming white jade table before it. Spirit fruits lay fresh and lustrous atop them, while Jade Dew shone clear and bright. The atmosphere lacked the solemnity of formal deliberation and instead carried the air of an elegant gathering for refined conversation.
The moment Fang Mo arrived, everyone's gaze turned toward him. Tie Xiaochuan, Bai Wuchen, and the others exchanged looks with smiles in their eyes, while Gu Yu and Wondrous Sound appeared rather aloof.
"Greetings, True Monarch. We have arrived late!"
Fang Mo bowed to True Monarch Qingshui.
True Monarch Qingshui smiled, raised a hand, and pointed to the seats below. "You are not late. Take your seats! With the deputy peak masters of all five peaks gathered today, let us call this a banquet meeting!"
Venerable Qingyun sat beside True Monarch Qingshui. Dressed in an exceedingly elegant robe of green, her long black hair draped over her shoulders as she poured wine for him. At his words, her eyes flicked toward Fang Mo, though a complicated emotion lingered within them.
When she had first met Fang Mo, she had learned of his remarkable nature from True Monarch Qingshui and had already thought very highly of him.
Otherwise, she would not have allowed her two