The moon hangs over the willow treetop, under which stands a single dog
The Flower Festival in the cities of Yao and Wei lasts a full half a month from start to finish. The most anticipated event of all — the three contests that decide the owner of the "Destiny Bond Flower" — is traditionally held on the fifth, sixth, and seventh day of each Flower Festival respectively.
According to Jiang Xuesheng's speculation, Ling Fengqing will definitely pick one of these days to make his move during this year's Flower Festival.
That is Wei City's liveliest, most spectacular time of the year. The entire city turns out, every household takes to the streets to bask in the festive, lantern-strung, joyous atmosphere, or gathers to watch the arena contests, cheering for the cultivators they've taken a liking to.
By then, the whole city will be steeped in the soft, sweet scent of blooming flowers, thousands of glowing lanterns will make every pair of eyes shine bright. Everyone will set aside their burdens for a little while, fully immersed in unadulterated delight, their spirits soaring high without a trace of sorrow or shadow, much less any guard against danger creeping up from behind.
Striking at such a time to deliver a fatal blow to Wei City could not be more perfectly timed.
"Fuer, let me test you. Guess which day Ling Fengqing will choose to attack?"
After saying goodbye to Wei Tianjiao and her mother, Shu Fu and Si Fei walked side by side out of the city lord's manor, heading down Wei City's streets at dawn.
To avoid drawing attention, Jiang Xuesheng had shed his human form the moment they stepped outside, turning back into a white snake coiled around Shu Fu's wrist.
At Jiang Xuesheng's half-teasing question, Shu Fu unfurled the "Flower Festival Participant Roster" Wei Tianjiao had given her, squinting to examine it closely.
"This year, the cities of Yao and Wei are holding separate contests. Wei City's first round is the 'Five States Q&A'... hmm, basically a cultivation world trivia contest. Ye Shusheng would absolutely love that. The second round is the two-person arena fight, that one I know is the only round suited for me. Yao City seems to be holding a single-person arena instead? The third round is the same for both places — a spell performance, where the winner is decided by audience votes."
"If it were me, I'd pick the third day."
She thought it over briefly, tapping a finger against the roster. "The scene is lively enough, flashy enough, perfect for hiding what you're up to. And by that day, all the Ling family's matches will be over, so there's nothing to hold them back."
All participants in the Flower Festival contests have to register their names, even the domineering Lingxiao City that answers to no one out in the wider world.
From this roster, Ling Xiyue signed up for the third round, while the young master Ling Fengming teamed up with one "Elder Huayue" to register for the second round. Ling Fengming, unable to sit still in Yao City, had driven over to Wei City alone in his fancy carriage early to sightsee, most likely to snoop around for information.
... Unfortunately, he only got five minutes of sightseeing before Shu Fu beat him up and sent him scurrying back.
As for that "Elder Huayue," his real name is Xie Fangnian. Rumor has it in the cultivation world that he has trouble walking, rarely leaves his seclusion, but is a master of mystic arts and formations — he can even break through the grand array set up by Elder Kongtong with ease. In Lingxiao City, Huayue's status outranks even Kongtong's, he is deeply trusted by the city lord, and even Ling Fengqing gives him deference.
Jiang Xuesheng had stopped Shu Fu from teaming up with Ji Shaoguang precisely because he knew that Ji Shaoguang, being only a half-trained formation cultivator, would have no real advantage in this contest.
As for Ling Fengqing, his name does not appear anywhere on the roster.
With his vain, glory-seeking personality, he must be plotting to "strike on two fronts": he will personally oversee Yao City, and send his younger brother to Wei City to compete on both sides, so that he can take home every single award and earn a perfect, grand reputation.
And once that reputation is secured, that's when he'll strike at Wei City.
He wants both face and profit, every last benefit he can grab. No wonder he's the kind of man who wiped out an entire clan just over a single botched mistake — his ambition and appetite are truly extraordinary.
He won't get his way, Shu Fu thought.
No matter if it's Yao City or Wei City, she swore she would never let the Ling family win a single match, earn a single cheer, much less let their plan to annex Central Continent succeed.
"Not bad."
Jiang Xuesheng nodded, a smile in his voice. "Funny enough, I originally planned to have Zhao Yun compete in Yao City's arena, while you and Ruyi stay here in Wei City. But after that little ruckus you caused, Ling Fengqing's pride will never let it slide. He'll definitely swap places with Elder Huayue and come to Wei City to compete himself, just so he can 'personally teach that insolent little girl a lesson.'"
Shu Fu's eyes lit up. "Does that mean I get to bash his head in personally?"
Jiang Xuesheng laughed. "That's right. Hit him however you like, as hard as you like."
"Wait, speaking of which, Ling Xiyue signed up for the third round? What's he planning to perform?"
Wu Yao poked his head over to look at the roster too, and suddenly snickered. "Putting on a fireworks display for the whole city, to confess to a girl and propose to her publicly, letting all the townsfolk bear witness? Jiang Tan, don't get so wrapped up in your big plans that you don't watch your own back — you might end up with your back on fire."
Jiang Xuesheng replied lazily, "What do I have to worry about? That little fledgling isn't even fully grown, Fuer doesn't spare him a second glance. Worrying about him is a waste of time, I'd sooner worry about you."
Wu Yao scoffed. "I'd never dare to... well, forget it. Look at how pathetic you are, I won't pick on you today. It's not every day we get to wander a Flower Festival, are you really planning to stay in that form the whole time? That's going to kill the vibe."
"This form isn't so bad."
Jiang Xuesheng coiled himself around Shu Fu's wrist, his tail tip brushing lightly against her pinky. "We're together day and night, never apart. It's much easier for me to keep watch over you this way. If I took human form, moving around would be far less convenient."
"Sir, we haven't finished talking about the serious business yet."
Shu Fu pinched the restless snake's tail, dragged him out of her sleeve, and held him upside down to shake him a little. "Behave and talk properly. Stop being a tease. One of these days you'll go too far and refuse to take responsibility, and I'll cook you in an iron pot as snake stew."
"Fine, I'll continue."
Jiang Xuesheng hung head-down, tail-up in her grasp, his gaze steady and his tone not the least bit flustered. "Our top priority right now is that you didn't sleep well last night. You should go to an inn to rest first, build up your energy. If you want me to stay with you, I will. If you'd rather be alone, I'll reluctantly squeeze in with Wu Yao and the others. Whatever makes you happy, I can take that little hardship."
Wu Yao: ".................."
Can't we chop him into eighteen pieces while he's asleep???
...
In the end, Shu Fu didn't let Jiang Xuesheng stay with her. She booked a private room on her own, her sword never leaving her side, and leaned against the couch to rest her eyes.
That far-too-real "dream" the night before, plus all the running around they'd done, had worn down her spiritual energy a little. Resting up now was the smart thing to do.
But she'd saved a child, and that crying woman sitting on the side of the street. That little bit of exhaustion was a tiny price to pay for a life, for a whole family. It was more than worth it.
Shu Fu regulated her breathing, slowly letting her mind relax. Just as she was about to enter a meditative trance, she heard a loud series of "papa" sounds from the window, as if someone was slapping the windowpane.
"Who's there?!"
She jolted awake, not even lifting her head before she grabbed a rose out of the vase, and hurled it hard in the direction of the noise.
She flung that rose out fast and fierce, putting the force of a frozen steamed bun behind a delicate little flower. There was a yelp, and the uninvited guest outside the window was hit square on, flopping backward limply.
Shu Fu realized something was off with the noise, turned around, and saw at once — that was no pervert or assassin, but a small, helpless little black Pomeranian, a fancy flower note clamped in his jaws, with a huge swollen bump rising right on his forehead. Luckily he reacted in time, one tiny paw clinging tight to the window lattice, so he didn't tumble down.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, so sorry. Little Black, are you alright?"
Shu Fu recognized the dog as Ling Xiyue's. She was always clear about who she liked and who she didn't, never extending fondness to things just because she liked their owner, nor taking her grudges out on innocent pets. She quickly caught the Pomeranian, gathered the tiny soft bundle into her arms, and gently rubbed his bruised forehead.
"Yii yii wuuu... I, my name isn't Little Black, it's Xuan."
The Pomeranian was tearing up from the pain, whimpering to correct her, "Little Black is a cat's name. The Third Young Master's cat is called that."
Shu Fu: What a coincidence, I also know a cat named Little Black, but he's from an animation.
"Alright then, Xuan. What are you doing all the way out here? Delivering another letter for your master?"
Not one to pass up a free chance, Shu Fu asked while she pinched the Pomeranian's soft little ear, "I told you before, don't sneak up right behind me, it's dangerous. Last time your master took an elbow to the face from me, his nose gushed blood like a waterfall, and he almost broke his nasal bone."
"Sorry, I forgot."
The Pomeranian sighed mournfully, his black grape-like eyes full of woe, "Because A-Yue didn't mind it at all, he was even happy for ages, saying 'if she's willing to hit me, that means she's finally noticing me'. Watching him act like that, I somehow forgot that a broken nose hurts so terribly."
Shu Fu: ...
My fists are so tight right now.jpg
But what good does it do to be mad?
Ling Xiyue loves exactly that kind of reaction.
If she didn't hit him hard enough, he'd probably be unsatisfied, and even beg her for a pair of brass knuckles to go another round.
The dog was innocent, Shu Fu couldn't bear to make him go back empty-handed and disappointed. So she unfolded the fancy note he brought, shaking her head and sighing, "Xuan, go ask your master later what exactly he likes about me. As long as it's not something too impossible, I'll change it for him."
Right after the words left her mouth, she glanced down absentmindedly, and saw a line of neat, elegant characters at the top of the note:
"Miss Jiang, the thing I like most of all is the way you look at me like I'm nothing."
Shu Fu: ... Are you kidding me, you're just playing endless loops with me???
"A-Fu, I'm telling you the truth."
The Pomeranian blinked his big eyes innocently, looking completely helpless, "Why A-Yue likes you so much is a total mystery, even for a dog... ahem, even for me, I can't figure it out. But I know A-Fu is really lovely, it's totally normal that people like you, you can't stop that even if you try."
Shu Fu: ...
— Excuse me, can someone normal fall for me for once?
She kept reading the rest of the note: "'With immortal bones you know no winter or summer, a thousand years of meeting feels but a day and dusk. Fallen flowers have chased the wind away, the flowers have no heart, yet the nightingales sing for themselves'... Pfft, that poem is clearly for two old friends pouring out their feelings after being apart, not for him to hit on people with. What's this supposed to mean? Which one of us is the wind, and which one is the flower? If I'm the flower and he's the wind, then if I marry someone else, is he going to come pollinate me?"
The Pomeranian: ...
Every day I want to tell my master to just give up.jpg
By the last few lines, Ling Xiyue finally sounded a little normal. Out of all the flowery, sappy lines he wrote, she could pick out one or two actual useful points.
Cutting through all the fluff, it basically boiled down to one sentence:
"Tonight is the Flower Festival, there's a fairy market in Wei City, I hope to meet you there."
Shu Fu: Oh, he's asking me out on a date to go wandering the streets.
Right after I dealt with his older brother, he comes to ask me out. Obviously his motives aren't pure.
Shu Fu has no feelings for Ling Xiyue, no feelings meaning total indifference. She doesn't exactly hate him, but she doesn't want to give him pointless hope either.
But he is Ling Fengqing's own younger brother, and a scheming little black lotus who's dead set on killing his brother to take his place. He's a valuable partner to work with. This time Ling Fengqing is plotting some big scheme, and Ling Xiyue lives so close to him, there's no way he hasn't got a plan of his own.
If Ling Xiyue's hiding a knife to stab his brother with, Shu Fu wouldn't mind helping him sharpen it, get a nice edge on it.
Alas, such a good little troublemaker, why does he have to fall for me? Why can't we just talk about money instead?
She'd even pay a handsome price herself for Ling Fengqing's head.
Ling Xiyue's thought process was way too convoluted for her to figure out right away. She crushed the rose in her hand and asked, "Sir, what do you think?"
"???"
The Pomeranian tilted his head in confusion, his eyes rolling around, "A-Fu, who are you talking to?"
"I set up a little spell, the one that Sir taught me. As long as I crush this flower, he can hear my voice, it works for ten li all around."
Shu Fu explained to him gently, "Luckily you're just a dog. If you were an assassin, and you attacked with a sword or a spell earlier, and tore this flower apart... well, you'd be in about eighteen pieces by now, and I'd have to figure out how to glue you all back together."
The Pomeranian: ...
Suddenly my whole dog head feels ice cold.
But what did the poor dog ever do wrong?
He hung his ears, looking miserable, when a glimmer of spiritual light flowed across the crushed petals. Then a warm, calm man's voice rang out: "What is it?"
Shu Fu: "Sir, someone asked me out."
Jiang Xuesheng: "Fine. Kill them."
The Pomeranian: "......????"
Shu Fu: "Sir, it's Ling Xiyue who invited me. I think he might want to talk about how to kill his older brother."
Jiang Xuesheng: "Fine. Then kill his older brother first, and you can kill him later."
The Pomeranian: "I think I'll head back now. Farewell."
...
That same night, Shu Fu went to meet Ling Xiyue anyway, because she really did want to exchange notes on killing his brother.
Except, not only did she have a white and a green bracelet on each wrist, making her look like a total tough guy with "Green Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right" —
"Master said he was worried about his little junior sister, so he sent me to come along and keep an eye on things."
And there was that huge, tall Third Senior Brother, as handsome and glowing as a celestial, shining like a 1000-watt searchlight.
It was impossible to ignore his presence unless you poked your own eyes out first.
Shu Fu and Ling Xiyue were both strikingly good-looking, standing out from the crowd. Especially Shu Fu, she had grown a lot these past years, with a great natural bone structure, a face that could stun anyone, long legs, and that cool, solitary air of someone who paints her rouge in blood. Passersby couldn't help staring when she walked down the street. As for Ling Xiyue, he used a little illusion to tweak his face a bit to avoid being recognized, but he still looked as dashing as ever.
If it had just been the two of them, people would definitely be whispering to each other, thinking what a well-matched couple they were, a perfect pair of talented man and beautiful woman.
But with Mermaid Princess Si Fei tagging along, the whole scene looked nothing more than "two pretty girls and their handsome attendant".
Ling Xiyue: I was supposed to be in a romantic two-person movie, and suddenly I don't even have a speaking role.
Even though he had always been skilled at putting on a false front and navigating his scumbag older brother with remarkable self-restraint, he could not help but grit his teeth at the sight and say, "Fellow Daoist Si Fei, I invited Miss Jiang to come alone. Could you please..."
"No."
Si Fei looked completely serious. "You brought a dog with you, so why can't my junior sister bring a fish?"
Ling Xiyue: "..."
What the hell does bringing a fish even mean?!
