The Peacock Displays Its Plumes
Not long after the Mid-Autumn Festival, as autumn deepened and the air grew slightly cooler, the begonias in the Sheng Mansion's courtyard were in full bloom. It was during this season that a messenger from Dustless Island knocked on the mansion's gates.
The visitor was Li Qi, a disciple from the Punishment Hall. He was well-acquainted with Xu Shulou, Bai Roushuang, and the others. After exchanging greetings with Song Ping and the rest, he asked, "Where is Senior Sister Xu? She must have been quite worried lately. The sect leader sent me with news that might offer her some comfort."
"Worried?" Bai Roushuang sighed. If there was one person in the entire Sheng Mansion who was the least worried, it was undoubtedly her senior sister. Even the swans in the courtyard's small pond seemed more preoccupied than her.
Bai Roushuang expertly searched high and low before finally parting the branches of a tree and pulling Xu Shulou down from her perch. Sheng Wuyou had made her a tiny hammock, suspended high among the branches and hidden by the foliage, making it difficult to spot. Lately, Xu Shulou had taken to napping there, lulled by the chirping of birds and insects. Bai Roushuang often worried she might be carried off by birds while she slept.
Xu Shulou woke up, stretched lazily in her junior sister's palm, and upon recognizing the visitor, cheerfully exclaimed, "Junior Brother Li is here!"
She floated over to Li Qi, who instinctively cupped his hands to catch her. Xu Shulou bounced lightly in his palms as a greeting.
"Senior Sister Xu is as lively as ever," Li Qi remarked.
"..."
Still, her current form was undeniably adorable—tiny and delicate. Li Qi held her up, turning her this way and that, feeling instantly soothed. For a moment, even the trauma caused by Xu Shulou's habit of dragging blood-soaked criminals to the Punishment Hall and dumping them at his feet over the years seemed to fade away.
The soothing effect would likely last until her next appearance at the Punishment Hall.
After greeting him, Xu Shulou asked, "Any interesting news from the sect lately?"
Li Qi thought for a moment. "The sect leader ordered an expansion of the Punishment Hall."
"I remember the Punishment Hall being quite spacious," Xu Shulou said, puzzled. "Why the sudden expansion?"
"Thanks to you, Senior Sister, half the hall's occupants are there because of you," Li Qi replied, eyeing the oblivious culprit. "Especially after the incident at the beast-fighting arena. Some spectators who committed minor offenses don’t deserve execution, but we can’t just let them go. They need to be taught a lesson, so we’ve been holding them. But the cells are overcrowded—four or five people crammed into one. And that’s only because the Qingcheng Sect took half the prisoners off our hands."
"..."
"Anyway, the sect leader reluctantly agreed to allocate spirit stones for the expansion, saying that with someone like Xu Shulou around, it was bound to happen sooner or later."
"...The sect leader is too kind," Xu Shulou shook her head. "Given our relationship, he only needed to say the word. I’d happily cut them down outside and spare the Punishment Hall the overcrowding."
Still the same "considerate" Senior Sister Xu. Li Qi chuckled. "No need. My master is actually thrilled about the expansion. In fact, he asked me to thank you."
"No need for thanks," Xu Shulou waved a hand. "What brings you here today?"
Li Qi produced a small porcelain bottle, holding it up for her to see. "The sect leader asked me to bring you this pill."
Song Ping exclaimed excitedly, "Could this restore Senior Sister to her original form?"
"Well," Li Qi stroked his chin, "the sect leader said it might not work, but even if it doesn’t, it definitely won’t make things worse."
"..." The group immediately regarded the pill with deep suspicion, staring at it as if trying to discern its ingredients through sheer willpower.
"Let’s try it," Xu Shulou decided firmly.
Li Qi handed her the pill. Xu Shulou stretched her arms to wrap around the pill, which was larger than her head, sighed, and began nibbling at it.
Seizing the opportunity, Bai Roushuang boldly reached out and patted her senior sister’s head.
Xu Shulou paused mid-bite to glare at her. Bai Roushuang lowered her eyes, feigning sorrow. "This might be my last chance. Let me indulge just this once."
"..."
The rest of the Sheng Mansion’s residents, having heard of the visitor, came out to greet him. They had all met Li Qi at the wedding banquet and exchanged pleasantries again now. Li Qi complimented the mansion’s serene elegance and teased Song Ping about his blissful married life. Then, everyone gathered in a circle to watch Xu Shulou eat the pill.
Under their intense scrutiny, Xu Shulou, though baffled, decided to respect their peculiar interests. Feeling the pressure of their gazes, she pulled out a tiny wooden sword, sliced the pill into neat, even pieces, and then used chopsticks to elegantly pick them up and eat them one by one.
Once she finished, the group eagerly surrounded her, waiting for the effects. They didn’t have to wait long. After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Xu Shulou’s hair suddenly stood on end, fanning out proudly like a peacock’s tail feathers when viewed from the front, or like the black spines of a sea urchin from the side—a different spectacle from every angle.
"..."
Xu Shulou shook her head in disbelief. The others held their breaths, struggling to suppress their laughter, pinching their thighs to remind themselves—no matter how adorable she looked, she was still terrifyingly powerful.
With a complicated expression, Xu Shulou looked at Li Qi. "The sect leader... isn’t holding a grudge against me, is he?"
"..." Li Qi had no answer, silently praying she wouldn’t take her frustration out on him, the messenger.
Sheng Wuyou kindly picked her up. "Miss Xu, let me fix your hair for you."
Still reeling from the peacock-plume disaster, Xu Shulou allowed herself to be carried back inside without protest. As they turned the corner of the corridor, she faintly heard an eruption of laughter behind her but couldn’t bring herself to care.
After the laughter subsided, the group returned to the matter at hand. "The pill didn’t work. Does that mean even the sect leader can’t help?"
Li Qi smiled. "Don’t worry. Before I left, the sect leader gave me another lead. If the pill failed, he said Senior Sister Xu should seek out someone."
"Who?"
"Mr. Dan."
"Him..." The name was clearly familiar to them. It was said this man had lived for countless years, so long that no one remembered his true name or origins—only calling him "Mr. Dan."
Mr. Dan was a master of alchemy. Rumors claimed that a single pill from his hands could spark fierce competition among cultivators. However, he was notoriously eccentric, demanding perfection. If a single pill in a batch failed to meet his standards, he would destroy the entire furnace.
It is rumored in the cultivation world that he is a man of principle. When it comes to matters of saving lives, unless the person is utterly wicked, he generally agrees to help. However, for any other reasons—such as seeking elixirs to enhance cultivation or forcefully build a foundation—even if tempted with hefty rewards, one would only be driven away and forever banned from his residence. Yet, given his formidable skills, most cultivators dare not resort to force, fearing they might offend him irreparably and lose the chance to seek his aid in the future.
Feng Yi pondered, "I wonder if Eldest Senior Sister’s issue falls within Mr. Dan’s scope of healing."
As they conversed, Xu Shulou came flying back in high spirits. Sheng Wuyou had styled her hair into a delicate "ingot bun," adorned it with fresh flowers, and dressed her in a lovely little gown to match. Worried that the medicinal pill she had taken earlier might have been too bitter, Sheng even prepared a cup of honeyed water for her to rinse her mouth. In gratitude, Xu Shulou affectionately nuzzled her cheek against Sheng’s fingers.
No one knew what fabric Lady Sheng had used, but the gown shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight. As Xu Shulou flew toward them, the radiant beauty surrounding her instantly made everyone forget the earlier spectacle of the peacock’s display.
Li Qi repeated his earlier words and wrote the location on a slip of paper for her. After listening, Xu Shulou mused, "Then I shall pay Mr. Dan a visit."
"Senior Sister, we’ll accompany you," the others offered.
"No need," Xu Shulou declined. "You’ve kept me company long enough—it’s time you returned to Profound Azure Academy. Besides, I hear Mr. Dan prefers tranquility. Too many visitors might disturb him."
The group hesitated. Since they were seeking his aid, they had to respect his preferences. Reluctantly, they agreed, "Even if we don’t all go, at least one or two should accompany you so we can rest assured."
Xu Shulou glanced around. "Junior Sister can come with me."
"No problem!"
Bai Roushuang immediately brightened, delighted that her senior sister clearly favored her most.
Xu Shulou smiled at her. Among the disciples of Bright Moon Peak, her junior sister was the easiest to coax. With just the two of them, she could indulge in as much mischief as she pleased along the way.
The two exchanged a glance, both thoroughly satisfied with the arrangement.
