The city lord's residence in Haiqing City was enormous. After leading Cheng Xinzhan inside, Qingyu turned her hand over and released a cloud carriage. She invited him aboard, then stepped onto a huge leaf to lead the way.
The cloud carriage traveled through the residence for quite a while before reaching an elegant courtyard. Three characters were inscribed on the plaque above its gate:
Idle-Fighting Pavilion.
That was an interesting name for a courtyard.
The two alighted, and Qingyu put away the cloud carriage before leading Cheng Xinzhan inside.
Just past the screen wall, they saw a woman standing gracefully there like a white magnolia. She wore a simple, light dress, her dark hair cascading down like a waterfall. It still looked a little damp, as though she had just washed it and it had not quite dried.
She wore no powder or rouge, and her oval face was rosy beneath its fairness. Her brows were slightly lowered, but her eyes looked upward at the Daoist, who was considerably taller than her. It was no affectation, yet there was a distinct hint of shy timidity about her.
With this casual appearance, she had a little less of the authority she possessed as a proprietor in Peacock City and a little more gentleness.
"Shi Yiniang, greetings."
Cheng Xinzhan smiled.
They often exchanged letters and were already quite familiar with each other.
"Greetings, Qieqing. You're someone different wherever you go, Xinzhan. In Peacock City, you were Sanyuan; in Western Kunlun, you were the Righteous Talisman; now you call yourself Qieqing. Are you planning to make a name for yourself as Qieqing too?"
Shi Yiniang was no sheltered young lady from a modest household, but an extraordinary woman who could run a business far from home and name her own courtyard "Idle-Fighting." She