It was evening.
Inside Yao Light Hall, candles blazed brightly.
Rather than reclining on her couch as usual, Princess Taiping stood before a huge map of Chang'an City.
She wore everyday clothes, her coiffure slightly loose. Clearly, she had been alone for some time. Only when she heard footsteps did she turn around.
"You're here."
Her gaze swept over Lu Changfeng. She waved away his bow, then gestured toward a seat. "Sit."
Once Lu Changfeng was seated, her gaze returned to the map. As though asking in passing, she said, "The household guards told me you left the residence this afternoon with Qing Dai and that Heavenly Spider Envoy from the Five Immortals Cult. Did you go somewhere interesting?"
Lu Changfeng knew no movements within the residence could escape her notice, so he candidly gave a concise account of his purpose in visiting Li Mountain, his encounter with the Crimson Flame Wyrm, and his subsequent clash with Wu Lingyun and Shang Poyue.
Princess Taiping listened quietly.
When she heard that Lu Changfeng had slain the Dragon Gate Seven Swords with a single stroke, admiration flashed in her eyes. When she heard how Wu Lingyun had swaggered about, treating human lives like weeds, contempt crossed her face. And when she learned that Lu Changfeng had actually used the Mind-Control Art to turn the tables on Wu Lingyun, forcing Shang Poyue to hesitate like a man afraid of smashing the vase while striking the rat, and finally escaped at his leisure, she first froze, then could not help clapping her hands and laughing softly.
"Well done."
Her eyes shone. "That daughter of Wu Sansi normally has her nose in the clouds and throws her weight around, though she does have some hidden cleverness. Seeing her suffer such a crushing defeat at your