Drinking Wine, Eating Meat

When Lu Huan landed, she staggered underfoot.

Daoist Feng was steadier, but the moment he emerged from the Universe in the Sleeve, he saw a hall full of strangers and instinctively took half a step back.

Once the two had steadied themselves and looked up, they found several people seated around the hall—old and young, men and women—all pairs of eyes turning toward them in unison.

Lu Huan froze for a moment. When she clearly saw the face of the black-clad, saber-bearing woman, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Nie Yun!"

With a crisp call, she broke into a run, looking up at Nie Yun with delight written all over her face.

Nie Yun did not mind Lu Huan calling her by name. Instead, she smiled.

She stretched out a palm slick with grease and rubbed Lu Huan's head, looking rather suspiciously as though she were taking the chance to wipe her hand clean.

"Well, if it isn't little Lu Huan?"

The corner of her mouth lifted. "Why have your horns disappeared?"

Lu Huan was kneaded this way and that by her, but did not dodge. She merely shook her head, rather proudly saying,

"My cultivation has improved greatly over these past two years. I lost my horns ages ago."

As she spoke, she stepped back, lifted the hem of her clothes, and spun in a circle.

"And haven't you noticed? I've grown taller."

Nie Yun sized her up twice, then nodded.

"Mm, you have indeed grown a tiny bit taller."

Satisfied, Lu Huan turned and gave the gray-robed elder a graceful bow, saying brightly,

"Hello, Grandpa."

Then she looked around the hall, searching everywhere. Finally, she looked up at him.

"Where's your cat?"

The elder stroked his beard and answered with a smile,

"When this old man came down the