"Three Flower Lady."
"Meow?"
"Quit sticking your foot up. Let's go."
"Mm..."
Three Flower Cat immediately got up and followed him.
The martial folk around them all found it curious.
As Sect Leader Chen watched Song You leave, he savored the thought for a moment before withdrawing his gaze and glancing at Heroine Wu. "A meeting in the martial world is fate, especially with such an extraordinary man. Why didn't you keep him for supper? If word gets out, people will think our Xishan Sect is too stingy to spare a meal and doesn't know how to treat guests."
"Your ears are bad, Sect Leader."
Heroine Wu cupped her hands in a show of utmost respect. "I already asked him, but he had matters to attend to and wouldn't eat with us."
"He thinks our food's bad?"
"He said the Daoist priest at the temple where he stayed last night had gone up the mountain and picked a few mushrooms. They agreed this morning that he'd return early to eat mushrooms."
"Wild hemp mushrooms? If they're stewing them with chicken, then that really is a bit better than our fare. If they're making tofu-and-egg soup, it's about the same. But if they're just stir-frying them alone, then they're worse off than us." Sect Leader Chen slowly rolled his neck as he spoke, his dialect thick. "Still, since he gave his word, it wouldn't be right to throw cold water on it."
"That's what I said."
"He's staying at a Daoist temple? There aren't any Daoist temples in the city."
"At a Daoist temple outside the city."
"There's only Walking Dragon Temple outside the city."
"Most likely."
"Walking Dragon Temple isn't an easy place to ask for lodging..."
Sect Leader Chen's eyes flickered. He looked up again at the swallow endlessly