The Incense Path's Plans

Behind Jade Luan Manor, among the quiet bamboo groves.

A breeze swept through, and fallen leaves drifted down without a sound.

Purple Plume sat beside a round stone table, resting her chin in one hand as she idly toyed with the dead leaves on its surface.

To her, these days at Jade Luan Manor were even more tedious than her time at Greedy Wolf Mountain.

At Greedy Wolf Mountain, at least everyone from top to bottom knew one another.

If she felt like causing a ruckus and stirring up trouble, someone would be there to bail her out.

Even if she went too far, given her status, no one dared say anything...

But here, in Eight Hundred Miles of Linked Clouds, the surrounding demons were all strangers.

Especially these past few days.

The thriving incense before the stele on the main peak had been stolen, roots and all.

Everyone at Jade Luan Manor was seething with murderous intent.

The Gong sisters had spent their days leading people around the mountains, searching and investigating. With tensions this high, even Purple Plume, bold as she was, wouldn't dare cause trouble under the noses of these fox demons, who were already on edge.

All she could do was obediently hole up in the guest rooms on the back mountain, never setting foot outside.

As for that little bald monk, Kongming...

Purple Plume glanced sideways.

Kongming sat beneath the bamboo grove with his eyes closed, chanting under his breath. All he did was repeat scriptures she couldn't understand.

It was so dull she could hardly bear it...

Just as Purple Plume let out a long sigh and prepared to pull out her storybook for another read,

a figure appeared in the distance.

The girl's slender figure seemed to have changed a little since they'd