It was already mid-August, and the moon that had just risen above the distant mountains was nearly full.
Ye Jingtang walked along the familiar dirt road, carrying Sabre.
After paying respects, Niao Niao had perked up again and sat on his shoulder, chattering away. "Coo-coo, chirp-chirp~"
When he reached the entrance to town, Ye Jingtang looked up and saw someone standing on the earthen slope, gazing out over the countryside.
The figure wore a snow-white dress, its hem dancing gently in the night breeze, looking quite ethereal. Yet against the yellow earth and the thoroughly rustic town behind her, she looked every bit a Northwest wife watching at night for her man to return from the fields.
Ye Jingtang smiled a little and quickened his pace, reaching the foot of the slope.
"Fairy Lu, what are you doing here?"
Perfected Person Xuanji stood with her arms folded, a gauzy Veil Hat on her head. She glanced at the main road leading toward Tianlang Lake, then looked toward town.
"I think I came here before. Hmm... I passed along the road just below."
"Oh?"
Ye Jingtang leaped onto the slope and stood behind Perfected Person Xuanji, looking out over the flat, open countryside.
"Really? When I was little and bored, I wandered around here every day. When did you pass through, Fairy Lu? I might have seen you."
"About ten years ago, at noon one summer day..."
Perfected Person Xuanji thought back, then turned toward the man beside her, who stood half a head taller.
"I was wearing Jade Void Mountain's Taoist robes and riding past here. I ran into a vacant-looking little brat with a sprout sticking up on his head, snot running from his nose, standing here with a few little fish in his hand. He grinned like an