Encounter IV

There's a saying that's been circulating in Qingchuan Prefecture for years.

Star Perch Moonlit Nightless, Falling Yellow Silkworm Sand for Wine.

It describes the four most prosperous areas in Qingchuan. They are also the four places with the most decadent lifestyle and the most lively nightlife.

Star Perch Tower is one of them.

Nighttime.

At 9:57, people were coming and going in Star Perch Tower. The six-story tower with its pointed roof was brightly lit on every floor, and the walls facing outwards were decorated with landscape, flower and bird paintings.

Beautiful dancers, singing girls offering drinks, melodious zither music, and graceful poetry recitations.

Many famous poems and songs of Great Ling were occasionally sung softly by the singers on each Star Perch Tower, accompanied by music, fine wine and delicacies, and light veils covering their bodies.

Those who manage to enter are often dazed and intoxicated, their spirits high, immersed in this special atmosphere where they are surrounded by enjoyment.

At the main gate of the building, magnificent carriages and horses came and went, and every guest who came in and out was dressed in rich clothes.

With a whoosh.

The carriage door slid open.

Zhang Rongfang stepped down from the carriage, stood up straight, and looked at the magnificent little building in front of him with its red tiles, white walls, and silver bells hanging from it.

There was First Squad people seeing off guests in front of the building. The elderly man leading the group had white hair and an imposing presence. He was chuckling and saying a final, polite goodbye to the departing guests.

Laughter could be heard coming from the lobby near the window on the second floor. It sounded like a child was drawing lots for their birthday and had drawn something fun, which made everyone laugh.

On the third floor, there was a Jianghu swordsman, holding a long, black leather sword with an elegant scabbard, leaning against the window with a full beard, quietly listening to the mournful lyrics and music of a singer coming from inside the room.

The fourth, fifth, Sixth Floor all have special glass windows that are closed off, making it impossible to see what is happening.

However, there were silver star patterns on the glass window, which shimmered under the light.

Perhaps this is the origin of the so-called "star dwelling".

As soon as Zhang Rongfang out of the car, his 2.5-meter height attracted the attention of the doorman.

These burly guests are mostly martial arts practitioners with considerable skill, so they've seen them many times and know that although these guests have bad tempers, they are usually generous in their actions.

The two immediately rushed over.

"Sir, please come in. Are you here on an appointment or alone?"

"I have an appointment," Zhang Rongfang replied casually.

"What is your surname?"

"My surname is Zhang."

Just as the two doormen were about to start looking up information in their notebooks, a Blue Dress Woman quickly came out of the building to greet them.

"It's Lord Zhang. I'll take care of things here." The woman instructed the two doormen, then approached Zhang Rongfang and bowed respectfully.

"Sir, the guests have arrived ahead of schedule. Please follow me."

Zhang Rongfang nodded and followed behind.

The two walked from the first floor all the way up to the top Sixth Floor.

The higher the floor, the less noise you hear.

Upon reaching the top floor, only a faint, gentle sound of guzheng music remained.

Quiet and serene.

The sixth floor is a large, open space.

The space features Rockery, streams, gardens, and even some free-roaming, colorful birds that fly freely.

Several peacocks strolled leisurely in the hall.

The walls are covered with various handicrafts woven by people, some of them animals, and some of them objects.

In the very center, a large, gray-white stone table with a square-shaped pattern quietly occupies at least one-fifth of the space.

A petite woman in a black dress with long hair was kneeling on Prayer Mat with her back to Zhang Rongfang, quietly holding a cup of hot tea in her hands.

The door slid open silently.

Zhang Rongfang stared intently at the woman's back.

He recognized the other person at a glance.

Standing in front of the door, he suddenly stopped and did not continue forward.

The woman paused, put down her teacup, and slowly turned around.

"Haven't seen you for a long time"

The face that appeared when he turned around was one that Zhang Rongfang remembered very well.

The Heavenly Maiden Tong Zhang.

"I am Heavenly Maiden." The woman gave a calm and polite smile.

However, this one sentence instantly pulled Zhang Rongfang out of his recollection.

For many, the name "Heavenly Maiden" might be an honor, a positive title.

But in reality, in the eyes of those at the top, in the Western Sect, and even in Tong Zhang's own eyes, this title was a scar. A humiliation.

Therefore, she generally dislikes being called Heavenly Maiden by those close to her. She also rarely refers to herself as Heavenly Maiden.

Many things flashed through Zhang Rongfang's mind at that moment.

But in the end, he calmly stepped through the door.

The door was gently closed behind them by a maid, and the two of them were the only ones on the Sixth Floor.

"Please sit down." The Heavenly Maiden pointed to the Prayer Mat opposite her on the table in front of her.

Zhang Rongfang felt something was off.

Although the person was indeed that person, for some reason, he felt extremely unfamiliar with him.

He slowly walked over and sat down cross-legged on another Prayer Mat.

A cup of tea had already been placed in his spot, but it was long since cold.

"I'm sorry, I didn't calculate your arrival time correctly." The Heavenly Maiden smiled apologetically.

"It's alright. Come to think of it, you were my mentor and my teacher. These are all minor details."

Zhang Rongfang.

"I have been worried about you ever since you disappeared from Great Capital."

"I'm fine, thank you," the Heavenly Maiden replied politely.

For a moment, neither of them had anything to say; they simply sat facing each other in silence.

Zhang Rongfang didn't know what to say.

The Heavenly Maiden simply didn't know how to begin.

Several minutes passed.

She gently stroked the outside of the teacup with her fingers and spoke softly.

Actually, I've forgotten a lot of things, things from before.

A hint of natural bewilderment appeared on her pretty face.

"Someone told me that we need you, so they asked me to invite you to join us."

They said, "If it were me, perhaps you would agree. But I think that such an important decision should be carefully considered by everyone."

Zhang Rongfang remained silent. Could Reverse Time Society?

He had indeed guessed before he came that the Reverse Time Society try to win him over.

Unexpectedly, they actually found Tong Zhang. If he had only looked at the handwriting before, he might have thought it was a fake, but now that he saw the person in person, he understood that the Reverse Time Society was not simple.

"I'm doing very well right now," he replied after a moment's thought.

"Joining you means nothing to me. But if it's your personal request, Tong Zhang, I can grant your request and lend a hand if necessary."

"So that means I was very good to you before?" The Heavenly Maiden raised her head slightly upon hearing this.

She was very clear about the nature of the organization she belonged to and the tasks they were tasked with.

Even so, the person on the other end was still willing to agree to this extent for me.

Aside from the feelings from back then, there shouldn't be any other reason.

"It's settled," Zhang Rongfang replied calmly. "It's for the kindness of imparting knowledge, teaching skills, and resolving doubts."

"But..." The Heavenly Maiden paused, somewhat bewildered. "But why do they say that the affection we shared back then wasn't enough?"

"So they need you to persuade me?" Zhang Rongfang retorted.

"Perhaps, they want me to rely on my beauty?" The Heavenly Maiden tilted her head slightly, puzzled.

Zhang Rongfang was equally astonished.

They both laughed at the same time.

"To be honest, I can't remember many things from before. But it's alright, it's alright that you still recognize me," the Heavenly Maiden said with a smile.

She stared at Zhang Rongfang across from her.

"To be honest, before you came, I was ready to run away at any time. I was worried that you would report me to the authorities and have the people from the Jade Void Palace arrest me."

"No," Zhang Rongfang said with a smile. "Although this area is under the influence of the Jade Void Palace, I will not allow anyone to do so."

He gently lowered his eyes.

"Here, no one can make me do something I don't want to do."

"You're quite domineering," the Heavenly Maiden laughed.

She is completely different from before.

At that time, she was calm and indifferent, carrying a kind of desperate sorrow.

But now she's just like an ordinary, innocent girl who has forgotten everything.

"Yes, I'm just doing what I think is right," Zhang Rongfang replied.

"So, do you think everything the Great Ling has done in this world is right or wrong? Are the Gods and Buddhas who control everything and divide people into different classes right or wrong?" The Heavenly Maiden suddenly changed the subject.

"Of course it is," Zhang Rongfang replied.

"Why?" The smile on the Heavenly Maiden's face faded.

"Because the Ling Ting is strong enough, that's all." Zhang Rongfang's answer made her pause slightly.

Simple and straightforward.

The rules set by the strong are naturally correct.

Yes. That's exactly the point.

The Ling Ting is backed by the Spirit Flight Teaching, and all the Divine General originate from the Spirit Flight Teaching. So many of the Worship God in the Snow Rainbow Pavilion are from the Spirit Flight Teaching.

Beyond the Imperial Clan, many high-ranking Noble have top-tier experts, and this is also the Spirit Flight Teaching.

"So, you're willing to live in a world like this?" she asked again.

"I don't care what's going on outside. I only care about what's going on around me," Zhang Rongfang replied.

"But the outside world is constantly changing, and it will inevitably affect those around you. Like you, like me, like the current Great Dao Sect, and even more so like your Elder Sister and Brother-in-law and everyone around you."

The Way of the Heavenly Maiden.

"Everything in this world is interconnected; you may not care, but they do."

People act because they care, and with action comes the risk of getting hurt. At that point, will you still be able to so casually say, "I don't care"?

"No." Zhang Rongfang paused for a moment before saying.

"You can't control everyone you care about. You'll just be passively drawn into different unexpected vortexes, unable to extricate yourself, caught off guard," the Heavenly Maiden continued.

"So I'm working hard," Zhang Rongfang replied.

"It's pointless. One must plan ahead. As the pharmacist often says, the best medicine is to treat illness before it occurs. You can't prepare for everything," the Heavenly Maiden said.

"Most problems are caused by people. I just need to deal with the people who create the problems," Zhang Rongfang said.

The Heavenly Maiden opened her mouth, but suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Actually, do you know? We value you very much internally."

"I can see that," Zhang Rongfang nodded.

"They said they'd offer any conditions as long as you agreed to join us. As long as we could do it," the Heavenly Maiden continued. "We've sacrificed so much for the Great Wish that everyone has been hoping for."