I got the previous chapter number wrong. It can only be corrected when the editor gets to work. Sorry, or2--
Inner City, Fengyi River.
The Fengyi River lay east of the Imperial City, very close to the Directorate of Celestial Observation, with riverside residences lining both banks.
As the Purple Emblem Mountain Sect Leader, Nangong Ye often had business in Capital City. He could hardly keep staying at inns or borrowing rooms at the Prince's Manor, so he had bought a waterside residence along the river long ago. To keep idle visitors from disturbing his quiet cultivation, almost no one knew about this secret base.
At midnight, the autumn wind ruffled the river's reflection of the stars.
A veiled figure dressed in black abruptly landed on the riverside terrace, staggering slightly before clutching his chest and swaying his way inside. Halfway there, he raised his right hand slightly, and the Glazed Lamp in the room lit itself, illuminating every corner.
Warm yellow curtains hung in the room. Instruments, including a qin, a zither, and a pipa, stood along one wall, while bookshelves on the other side were filled with books about evil demons and unorthodox paths. A yellow-brown Sword Case stood before a portrait of the Patriarch, with a Bronze Incense Burner below it.
"Whew..."
Nangong Ye removed his veiled hat. His once ice-cold face had turned scarlet, and scorching heat radiated from his entire body. He stumbled over to the Bathing Tub in the bedroom, took a Black Jade Bead from a brocade box, and tossed it into the tub.
Whoosh~
The Black Jade Bead gave off a bone-piercing chill. After it fell into the Bathing Tub, a faint layer of condensed mist rose from the water, followed by tiny ice crystals spreading outward from the center.
Splash~
Gritting