If You Ask When I'll Return

"Wield kindness and authority together—take them in as dogs."

Boundless clouds, black as ink, stained the distant sea, like an abyss poised to devour its prey.

Ever since Li Yunqing had arrived in this port city, the rain seemed never to have stopped. A light rain every other day, a downpour every five. At first, he had found Sea Border's winter rains beautiful, but after seeing them for so long, irritation was inevitable. Yet by now, he had grown used to them—after all, who could blame him for living under another's roof?

He casually tossed the secret letter he had received into the charcoal brazier at his side, then turned to look at the envoy sent by this place's ruler and sighed.

"Ancestral methods truly never go out of date. They can be used on love between men and women, on servants, even on a colossal entity like the Sword Sect. But Mr. Qi, I'm about to leave. Why are you still reporting this rotten business to me?"

Though the matter of the Tianyuan General Assembly was confidential, it still could not be concealed from those who cared to look. As someone who had once commanded the Imperial Shadow Guard, Li Yunqing had fortunately become one of them.

Through one of his former subordinates, one of the Imperial Shadow Guard's ten-thousand commanders.

The man called Mr. Qi, Xiao Mochen, was around thirty. Tall and straight-backed, with refined, handsome features, he carried a touch of cold severity and unfathomable depth between his brows. He wore a black robe, its lapels and cuffs embroidered with the dark-gold cloud patterns that represented the Imperial Shadow Guard. A belt of black jade circled his waist, lending him an air of steadiness and mystery. He now sat upright, his voice respectful and solemn.

"Great Yan