People came and went along the streets. In a little tavern near Golden Hall Street, the storyteller was recounting fresh tales from north and south as usual.
Holding Niao Niao, who had come to cadge food and drink, Ping'er sat at the table listening attentively. Beside her, Yunli lay slumped over the table, her little face flushed as she stared blankly at the wine cup before her.
Perfected Person Xuanji sat sideways nearby, propping her cheek on one hand as she poured and drank alone. Noticing Yunli's low spirits, she asked gently:
"Something on your mind?"
Zhe Yunli had no particular worries; she was simply wondering what her master and Brother Jingtang were doing. At the question, she straightened a little:
"Roaming the jianghu is still more interesting. I used to think Aunt Lu was spinning yarns, but on this trip I discovered there really are fish a hundred feet long in the Eastern Sea..."
Perfected Person Xuanji smiled brightly. "The jianghu is a long road. Travel slowly, stopping along the way, and you'll always discover something new. If you explore the whole world in ten years like I did, that's when it truly becomes dull."
Zhe Yunli blinked. "You've seen everything, Aunt Lu?"
At this, a trace of pride appeared in Perfected Person Xuanji's eyes:
"Mm-hmm."
"Have you ever kissed a man, then?"
"?"
Perfected Person Xuanji's worldly expression stiffened slightly. Her lips moved, but she found that rather difficult to answer.
Sitting nearby, Ping'er interjected:
"Fairy Lu is a Daoist. Like Guardian Zhang, she observes the Daoist Sect Five Precepts. Um... killing, stealing, lust, falsehood, and drinking. How could she have kissed a man?"
Perfected Person Xuanji set down her wine cup and assumed a mature, intellectual air:
"Why are you asking about that?"
Zhe Yunli simply felt