On this day, months after his arrival in the Jade Capital, he was practicing his sword in the back garden.
A figure rounded the side gate, graceful and willowy, carrying a food box.
Hou Niao had long since sensed someone approaching. The entire North Courtyard lay within his perception, every inch of it.
He had already given instructions that he did not welcome interruptions, so no one had dared come over. Having lived in the Jade Capital for so long, no one dared turn a deaf ear to a cultivator's requests.
When the woman stopped hesitantly in a distant corner of the garden, unsure whether to advance or retreat, or whether to call out a greeting, Hou Niao stopped swinging his sword and turned his head.
A woman of considerable charm stood some distance away. Though past her first youth, she retained her allure. Judging by her attire, she was elegant and appropriately dressed, making it difficult to find fault with her.
"You are?"
The woman approached softly, set the food box on a nearby stone table, and bent her knees in a curtsy, her bearing graceful in every way.
"I am E Huangshi, the owner of this residence. Please forgive me for disturbing your cultivation, Venerable Master."
Hou Niao had guessed as much. The landlady had come to see whether her tenant was reliable, and whether he had damaged the furnishings or the flowers and plants in the garden.
This was particularly relevant to Sword Cultivators. It was precisely why stone houses were popular throughout the Shan Kingdom: they could take a beating!
But now, in the woman's eyes,
this Venerable Master Hou seemed quite steady. The furnishings indoors were entirely undamaged, and the garden's flowers and plants remained lush and green. The weeds had clearly been meticulously trimmed,