Just then, a voice rang out: "Deputy Director Zhao of the Discipline Department has arrived with the other honored guests to offer his congratulations!"
Steward Zhang smiled faintly. "Brother Jiang, how long has it been since Deputy Director Zhao last ventured out? He's gone to extraordinary lengths for this occasion. We should hurry and welcome him."
"Ah, yes, yes. We must welcome him."
Jiang Tingyu said hurriedly, his thoughts already a tangled mess.
He could no longer make sense of the situation before him, and his panic only grew. This feeling of losing control was truly unpleasant.
They said they must welcome him, but they had yet to go meet him when Deputy Director Zhao arrived at a breakneck pace, his face like an angry lion's. In the blink of an eye, he was in the middle of the gathering, followed by more than a dozen Second-rank and Third-rank Star Officials.
Deputy Director Zhao spotted Miss Wen at once. His lion-like face broke into a genial smile, and he cupped his fists from afar. "Miss Wen, you honor us with your presence. Zhao came late—please forgive me. This small gift is but a token of my respect."
With that, Deputy Director Zhao waved his hand. Each of the dozen-odd Second-rank Star Officials held out a jade box, some large, some small. The boxes opened in unison, and a brilliant glow spilled forth.
Thousand-Year Sea Extreme Jade Ink, used for copying paintings, naturally gave off a watery vapor. It was a first-rate treasure for painters.
Chi Heart Essence: when a Chi Demon died in a land of extreme cold, its heart's blood would take a thousand years to condense into a clump no larger than a fingernail. A breath turned it to clouds, and the clouds could solidify into forms. It