"This is the Peaceful Heaven Palace, the Dao Master's residence."
The Nine-Tailed Fox demon put away her seductive smile and coquettish bearing, and her red clothes transformed into red Daoist robes.
Now she was cool and pure, her expression devout, with ice skin and jade bones. She looked more like a Daoist True Lord than a Daoist True Lord did.
While the Nine-Tailed Fox demon went inside to announce him, Xuanming surveyed the Daoist palace. It looked no different from an ordinary one.
It merely bore the weathered marks left by accumulated years, along with a touch of Divine sanctity because it was the Dao Master's residence.
Looking up at the plaque, he found the three characters for Peaceful Heaven Palace utterly unremarkable, as though they were ordinary writing.
But Xuanming knew it could not be that simple. Could ordinary writing endure countless ages without fading?
The Nine-Tailed Fox soon emerged and solemnly bowed to Xuanming. "Fellow Daoist, the Dao Master invites you inside."
With that, she walked out of the palace.
Before taking flight in a streak of light, she suggested:
"If you are willing, fellow Daoist, you might bring Chang Ning to our Peaceful Heaven Sect and let her see what this world is like.
"The child may not say it aloud, but deep down, her identity as a half-demon weighs on her. Once she spends some time here, her inner demons will crumble and melt away like ice."
After a pause, the Nine-Tailed Fox added, "Rest assured, unless she volunteers, I will not force her to join the Peaceful Heaven Sect. Besides, it is time she saw her father."
After returning her bow, Xuanming watched her streak of light recede and said thoughtfully, "I will consider it."
Laughter like silver bells drifted back.
"Thank you, fellow Daoist."