In the Pavilion in the Imperial Garden.
The Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning held his teacup without drinking, merely swirling it in his hand and watching ripples spread across the tea.
The smile from when he had scolded Wen Ning still lingered on his lips, though it had taken on a different flavor.
Footsteps came from the cloud corridor.
Wen Zhong had returned.
He had left with brisk, decisive strides, and his pace was no slower on his return. Only now, someone followed him.
Dipper Mother stepped across the clouds into the Pavilion, her Daoist robes woven from starlight flickering in and out of sight amid the mist. Her face was serious, but undisguised curiosity shone in her eyes.
Wen Zhong stopped before the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning and bowed.
Dipper Mother bowed as well, then settled onto a nearby stone stool without ceremony and poured herself a cup of tea.
"Grandmaster."
Wen Zhong spoke with his usual respect, though a question lurked beneath it.
"There is something this disciple does not understand."
The Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning finally brought the tea he had been swirling for so long to his lips and took a sip without even raising his eyes.
"Speak."
Wen Zhong frowned slightly, weighing his words.
"Why was someone from the Phoenix Clan placed at Wen Ning's side?"
He paused, then added another remark.
"Though Huang Yin has taken the form of a weapon, she is still the princess of the Phoenix Clan. Her status is no small matter.
"Now that the calamity is approaching, why would the Phoenix Clan, after so many years in seclusion, choose this moment and this method to return to the world? Or have you made other arrangements?"
Dipper Mother's hand paused slightly around her teacup, and she looked up