"Senior Brother Lu, Senior Brother Lu, how could you be so careless?" An Xiaoman lamented, beating his chest and stamping his feet.
The matter was of great importance and the situation urgent. He dared not delay, swiftly writing a secret report by lamplight and using the Golden Wings that contacted his sect to urgently send the news out.
Afterward, he paced about the room as all manner of thoughts surged through his mind. How much influence did Liu Lu have over Zhou Shou Xian? What would Zhou Shou Xian do to him? After weighing every consideration, An Xiaoman still decisively chose to leave. If nothing happened, he could return later; if he waited until something did happen to consider leaving, it might already be too late.
He did not even extinguish the lamp in the room. Having packed his things and called his fellow disciples, he vanished into the vast night under cover of darkness...
Outside the window, thin mountain mist drifted in and out of sight.
Before the dressing table, Niu Youdao sat upright, watching the woman in the mirror comb and coil his hair. The Bronze Mirror's clarity was limited. He had intended to say that, when he had the chance, he would get her a mirror with clearer illumination as repayment or something of the sort. But considering her face, would giving her a mirror that showed her clearly not be rubbing salt into the wound? So he suppressed the thought.
"Daoist Master, Mr. Lan has arranged everything. We can depart at any time after breakfast," Shang Shuqing reminded him.
"Good!" Niu Youdao answered. After sitting with his eyes closed in silence for a while, he suddenly opened them. "I'll go eat at the Prince's place later."
Shang Shuqing froze for a moment, then nodded. "All right!