Chapter 5

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. When the appointed day arrived, everyone gathered early and set out. The evening glow painted the sky in brilliant hues as dusk approached, yet two people from the Jiang residence still hadn't left.

"Brother! Brother!"

Yushan dashed all around the house, searching for Xuanfeng, but even after scouring every corner and arriving at the small courtyard he frequented, she still couldn't find him.

Unable to contain herself, she planted her hands on her hips in frustration. Suddenly, she drew a longsword and plunged it into a crack in the ground, causing the earth to tremble.

Moments later, green leaves indeed drifted down and transformed into a human figure. It was her brother, Jiang Xuanfeng, holding an unknown book in his hand. He brushed the fallen leaves from his shoulder before slowly lifting his head. A light smile touched his eyes, elusive as a breeze, its meaning difficult to grasp.

"Why such a hurry? It's not yet Xu hour."

Seeing his unhurried demeanor, Yushan lowered her gaze and sneered, "Xu hour? You clearly promised it would be You hour."

"Eh? How do I remember it being Xu hour?" Xuanfeng frowned in confusion. Before he could figure it out, Yushan had already grabbed him and was dragging him outside.

Dongyu Tower was East Sun City's oldest tavern. Now managed by Niangu, who had returned from the mortal world, it thrived under her experienced hand, honed by years of work there.

The tower had a unique feature: its entire eastern side lacked a wall, replaced only by a white jade carved railing. Beyond the railing lay a small, shimmering lake. Within the lake's bounds, a fine drizzle fell every day. A colossal night pearl was embedded in the lakebed, and through powerful magic employed by the tower's builder, its light was projected to create a kaleidoscope of colored mist upon the lake's surface.

Viewing this scene through the hazy misty rain, one could well imagine its extreme beauty.

Legend had it that in ancient times, a deity who adored misty, luminous scenes happened upon this small lake east of Dongyu Tower. He specifically embedded hundreds of night pearls in its bed and cast a spell, fusing them into a single pearl.

Later, a mirror-like barrier was set above the lake, reflecting the light emitted by the night pearl back. Finally, a rain array was established over the lake, ensuring a perpetual, never-failing fine drizzle day and night. This was how Dongyu Tower's wondrous spectacle came to be.

Dongyu Tower was divided into two floors. For this gathering of the East Sun Clan, others would show some face and yield the upper floor to them.

Yet, for some reason today, many people gathered on the first floor. They weren't admiring the view or drinking; instead, they were all intently staring at the entrance, as if anticipating someone's arrival.

Jiang Xuanfeng, clad in blue robes and holding his book, hurriedly crossed the threshold. Upon entering, he found everyone's eyes fixed on him. A moment of silence was abruptly shattered by a burst of cheers, immediately followed by angry curses and a few plaintive complaints. The commotion startled Yushan, who was following behind Xuanfeng, causing her to stumble.

Clueless about what was happening, she strode in. Her gaze swept over the crowd, quickly spotting several familiar faces. Seeing everyone's agitated expressions, she guessed the reason in an instant. Furious, she pointed at a skinny young man hiding at the very back of the crowd and scolded, "He Gui, you've used my brother to set up a betting pool again! It seems I've been too lenient with you usually..." As she spoke, she moved forward to grab him. Seeing the situation turn sour, the man prepared to flee.

Just as chaos was about to erupt, Xuanfeng timely called out to Yushan, "Little sister, it's just a joke. No need to take it so seriously."

"But, Brother, gambling breeds a mindset of opportunism, always hoping for windfalls from the heavens. Such behavior not only offers no benefit to cultivation, but also influences others, fostering ill will. This crooked path should be stopped. And that's without mentioning they're using you as the stake in their game." Yushan, however, was indignant. She drew her sword, still intent on settling the score with that man.

Xuanfeng sighed helplessly, using a spell to hook Yushan's belt and reel her back. He advised, "Though we grasped the principle earlier than them, it does not mean we are qualified to judge. Everything in this world exists for a reason, and whether it is good or evil is not for us as individuals to decide." Glancing aside, he saw the crowd dispersing with chagrin, and He Gui also hiding in a corner amidst the throng. With a faint smile, Xuanfeng nodded to everyone in acknowledgment. Still holding onto Yushan, he continued persuading her:

"Moreover, this is the path He Gui walks. Whether it's good or bad, he will ultimately come to realize it himself. Even if they use me as a stake, it's not certain I will suffer any consequence. You, you always fuss over every little thing too much. Today was just everyone having some fun. Acting like this, aren't you just spoiling the mood?"

"But—"

"Alright, no more 'buts.' Let's go up. Didn't you say the others are waiting?"

Yushan finally had no choice but to put away her artifact. She shot a furious glare at He Gui before leaving helplessly. He Gui, who had narrowly escaped a beating, cast a grateful look at Xuanfeng, raised his wine cup in a salute, and downed it in one gulp as a sign of respect.

Everyone present was well aware of Yushan's fiery temper. They had already prepared their artifacts, ready for a big fight. Now, seeing the matter settled, they were profoundly relieved that Xuanfeng could rein in his little sister, and they all let out sighs of relief.

The siblings paid them no further mind and headed straight upstairs. As soon as they reached the stairway entrance, they heard boisterous laughter and chatter coming from above.

The two hurried into the main hall, but no one paid them any heed. Peering inside, they saw everyone gathered around the center. At a square table, a young man was animatedly recounting his travels, brimming with high spirits and enthusiasm.

"Huh?" Yushan stared at the youth in confusion, utterly unable to comprehend why he was up there.

Xuanfeng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling as he watched the young man. He remarked with satisfaction, "That's Zhongqi, isn't it? His temperament has improved quite a bit."

Yushan shrugged helplessly. "That's strange. Where's Ah Bing?"

Her eyes darted around as she quickly scanned the hall. Only then did she spot the person she sought in the southeast corner, who happened to be waving at her just then.

"Sister, Xue'er!" Yushan exclaimed excitedly and was about to dash toward them when a sudden restraint at her waist nearly sent her tumbling head over heels.

In her panic, Yushan wrenched her torso violently. A sickening *crack* echoed as her waist bones shattered completely. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she realigned her bones and reintegrated them. Looking up, she saw Xuanfeng listening to the story with keen interest, which only fueled her irritation further. "Brother!" she snapped angrily.

Hearing her, Xuanfeng glanced over. Seeing her furious face and her pointed gesture toward her waist, he suddenly understood.

"Ah!" Hastily dispelling the spell for her, Xuanfeng pointed with a slightly placating air toward the western corner. "Right, weren't you looking for Ah Bing? He's over there drinking alone."

Yushan turned to glance westward. Sure enough, she saw Qin Bing obediently seated beside his elder brother. Apart from those two brothers, Ting Zhongtong was also there—though that was to be expected. Today's gathering also served as a welcome for Zhongqi; as his elder brother, it was only natural for him to attend.

Still, the current situation struck Yushan as odd. But, whatever. She was here to chat with Ziye and the others anyway. Who cared about dealing with those naughty boys?

"Hmph, who's looking for him? I'm looking for Sister Ye." With that, Yushan turned and walked away, leaving Xuanfeng standing where he was.