Come, Carve a Bloody Gash in Me! Hoo.
Inhale.
A white dragon circled between his nose and mouth.
Three steps away, the candles atop the nine-branched beast-head candelabrum did not flicker in the slightest. Fubo lay across his knees, its rippling light flowing in rhythm with his breathing. The night moon was waning. Liang Qu used meditation in place of sleep, conserving his strength and sharpening his spirit.
Gurgle, gurgle. Water boiled, steaming.
Long E Ying set down her brush, lifted the teapot, and poured a cup of Little Enlightenment Tea, a specialty of Hanging Temple.
This should have been Ta Ta Kai's job, but ever since Scarface had knocked it out with a single blow and carried it back, it had been appearing and vanishing like a ghost. Before dawn each day, it disappeared without a trace. No one knew where it went.
In a small courtyard less than a hundred zhang away.
The candlelight was dim as Cha Qing read aloud, word by word and sentence by sentence, the purpose of their western journey.
"Above the Huai River, the Snow Region Lotus Sect refuses control and secretly plots with the Northern Court, seeking to stir trouble in the stagnant pool. You three shall rely on Blue Lake's Hantai Prefecture, infiltrate the local area, investigate the local forces, and thoroughly uncover the truth.
"Remember this well: the White Clan of Hantai Prefecture is a mixed-blood clan and cannot be fully trusted. After reading this letter, you are not to drink yourself drunk again, nor are you to seek prostitutes and spout nonsense. Those who violate this order shall be beheaded, whether they leak secrets or not..."
Cha Qing looked at Kou Zhuang. Kou Zhuang looked at Fan Zixuan. Fan Zixuan's brows were tightly furrowed.
"What does... 'stir trouble in