The interior of the Eastern Pavilion smelled of lotus incense and cedar wood. The floor was covered with thick rugs, and all the wide furniture was made of polished wood.
Zhì Yuǎn crossed the room without looking at anything. He walked straight to the back veranda, stopped in front of the railing, and fixed his eyes on the black rock of the abyss. His mind had already isolated itself from the world, dissecting the dead structure of the ancient spatial bridges that formed the mountain.
Yù Méi entered right behind him. The youngest pulled out a high chair, threw herself into it, and grabbed a white linen napkin from the table. She began rubbing her knuckles, cleaning off the blood and bits of skin that had stuck to her hand.
— I'm hungry — she said.
— You ate an entire wild boar leg last night — Yù Qíng replied from across the room, sitting on the widest divan and smoothing the navy-blue silk over her thighs.
— Breaking bones burns energy — Yù Méi crumpled the dirty napkin and tossed it onto the table. — That woman in white said she was going to give us hospitality, didn't she? Where's the food?
— She must be busy — Yù Qíng answered in a casual tone. — The dog that was guarding the courtyard is screaming downstairs with his arm turned to dust. Room service is going to be delayed.
Yù Méi snorted and leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling with boredom.
Three knocks sounded on the cedar door.
The youngest stood up and opened it at once.
It wasn't food.
Lín Xiù was in the hallway, pale. The courtyard below was still in chaos with blood and muffled voices, but she maintained an upright posture and a controlled smile. Her eyes passed over Yù Méi and went straight to Zhì Yuǎn's back on the veranda.
— The room service here is terrible — Yù Méi muttered, turning her back and returning to her chair without giving way.
Lín Xiù swallowed hard, stepped around the girl, and entered the pavilion.
— Senior… — she called, her voice low and reverent. — I came to personally apologize for Mù Chén's attitude. He is arrogant and failed to recognize your greatness.
Zhì Yuǎn did not move. The cold wind swayed the gray tunic on his back. He didn't even seem to have heard.
Yù Qíng rose from the divan and walked over to Lín Xiù with short steps. A sweet, warm smile opened on her face.
— Young Mistress doesn't need to apologize for the trash in her own house — she said, her voice soft.
Lín Xiù looked at Yù Qíng. She still saw her as nothing more than a pretty concubine, but she knew she needed her to reach the silent man on the veranda.
— My grandfather, the Grand Elder, is already dealing with Mù Chén's punishment — Lín Xiù continued, trying to sound important. — The Misty Peak knows how to recognize a true master when we see one. I came to offer the mountain's resources to make up for this poor impression.
Yù Qíng's smile widened slightly.
— Have a seat — she said, pointing to the armchairs near the veranda. — Let's have some tea.
The two sat down. Yù Qíng poured the clear tea into two cups.
Lín Xiù held her cup, but her eyes kept returning to Zhì Yuǎn's back.
— My display with the sword this morning… didn't please him — she said, trying to hide her insecurity.
— He doesn't waste attention on swords swinging in the wind — Yù Qíng replied calmly.
Lín Xiù frowned.
— Then what does he want to see?
Yù Qíng took a sip of tea before answering, her tone patient and almost didactic:
— My husband doesn't waste time with what grows on the surface. Boys beating their chests and flying blades mean nothing to someone who already controls his own space. He only looks at what supports the earth. A flower only catches a god's eye if it has the courage to show its own roots.
Lín Xiù stopped with the cup in the air.
Her mind raced. Roots. What supports the earth. The Astrolabe of a Thousand Bridges. The relic her grandfather had guarded for centuries — the true foundation of this mountain — something the entire sect didn't know how to use.
In Lín Xiù's mind, the phrase turned into a test. He wanted to see if she was worthy. If she had the courage to show what really mattered.
She set the cup down on the table with more force than intended.
— Our mountain has ancient roots — she said, her voice a little louder. — Roots that the outside world has forgotten.
Yù Qíng tilted her head slightly, her sweet smile never leaving her face.
— And would you have the courage to show them to him?
Lín Xiù hesitated for only a second. Then she nodded, her eyes shining with a mixture of excitement and determination.
— I will. Excuse me, Madam. I need to fetch something.
She stood up and left in a hurry. The cedar door closed behind her.
From across the room, Yù Méi threw the blood-stained napkin onto the table and grumbled:
— You say the most ridiculous things with such a serious face that it makes me want to vomit.
Yù Qíng took another sip of tea, her smile now clearly venomous.
— It works — she replied. — She went to fetch the key. The entire mountain is already ours.
Yù Méi stretched her legs and grumbled:
— I should've broken that blue-robed guy's neck outside. It would've been faster.
— And messier — Yù Qíng answered without looking at her. — Your husband is studying the ancient formation of this mountain. He doesn't need a bloodbath getting in the way.
Yù Méi snorted.
— Ever since he passed those techniques to me, the world feels slow. I see them moving before they even draw their swords. I could clean out this entire sect in less than a minute.
Yù Qíng gave a small smile.
— And the servants? Would you kill them too, tough girl?
Yù Méi went quiet for a second, then shrugged with an ironic smile.
— …Poor things. I do have limits.
The two looked at each other. Yù Méi laughed softly through her nose. Yù Qíng simply shook her head.
— Hold onto that urge for now — the eldest said, taking another sip of tea. — We'll have something better to do soon.