At the summit, in the Book and Sword Pavilion.
The Purple Emblem Mountain Sect Leader's study occupied the highest level of the Book and Sword Pavilion. Nangong Ye spent most of her time away, and there was no one inside. Several sword stands stood empty, while the shelves were filled with all manner of books.
The white-haired Daoist nun appeared silently in the doorway. Without disturbing the disciples studying late into the night in the main hall, she slipped into the study.
At the sight of the tidy, austere room, she backed out and took another careful look. Only after confirming she had the right place did she enter again, planting both hands on her hips!
After all, this had once been Qixia True Person's office, filled with trophies from demon-slaying and evil-exorcising-and confiscating illicit gains along the way-as well as complete collections of unofficial histories and tales of the strange.
Now look at it: shelves of the Various Sects' scriptures on all four sides, a large desk against the wall, and the standard ascetic Daoist Sect aesthetic. All it lacked was a calligraphy scroll on the wall reading, "The righteous path through the mortal world is one of vicissitudes." Just looking at it felt like serving hard time...
But several dozen springs and autumns had passed in a blink, and this place no longer belonged to her.
Qixia True Person did not mind her junior changing the decor. She even thought her eldest disciple Nangong was quite proper, more like a leader of the Daoist Sect than she was. She strode over to a bookshelf, took out the volumes recording important sect affairs, and began reading while calling out:
"Night Immortal Maiden?"
"Mm-hmm~"
The familiar, soft, seductive voice sounded beside her.
Dressed in a fiery red gown, Ye Hongshang