"Hong Lin!"
In a large court, a man sits on top, dressed in black brocade. He possessed a beautiful face with peach blossom eyes added with a wicked red around the lashes. Half of his platinum blond hair was pinned up by a golden hairpin and a beautiful fan was held in his fingers, fanning elegantly in a manner that bordered on flamboyant.
It is not a moment later when the hall's doors were opened. A girl walked in. She is elegant and elegant, dressed in red clothing. A dangling golden bejeweled jewelry decorated her hair. Looking at the face, it was easily one of the most exquisite faces one can see in their lifetime, either in the mortal, demon, or immortal realm. However, this was not the first thing that is seen when one sees her. It is the birthmark between her forehead, red like fire, shaped to the likeness of a phoenix feather flower.
The girl bowed and bent respectfully, cupping her hands in front of her. "Master called?"
"Hong Lin, Lin'er, always so proper," the man expressed his distaste. "If the other Demon Venerables sees you, I'd become a laughingstock. How could I, a Demon Venerable to the very marrow of my bones have such a well-mannered child?"
As if they've heard this sentence over and over again, the other individuals in the hall either closed or rolled their eyes, and one even had the gall to mouth the words as if it was a recitation. Despite the pessimistic words, there was no bad air in the hall. This master of theirs is so queer! They have come to regard it as his profession of love.
Hong Lin waited until her master finished his words before speaking again. "Master, do you need me to do something?"
The black-clothed man stopped fanning himself for a split second and then resumed again, straightening the expression on his face. "Well, now that you've mentioned it, I did get an invitation from Kunlun Mountain. It is that time of the millennia again when they start accepting disciples to be invited for some time," he then smiled flippantly. "Lin'er, do you understand where I'm going?"
Hong Lin did not understand. Right now, her master was telling her to finally see the world outside Ziyue Valley. When she was young, she often asked her master if she could go out, but the man always told her various reasons to stop her from leaving. As time passed, Hong Lin did not mention it anymore, and gradually, the thought of leaving Ziyue Valley became a foreign thing.
Her master saw her expression and clicked his tongue. "In the past, your breath was very delicate and unstable, and only by staying here can that be remedied. Now, you are grown up, much more sensible and stronger than your peers. It would be a crime to not introduce you to those bastards who quibble about various unpleasant rumours about you."
Hong Lin couldn't help looking at him blankly. Just a while ago, this master of hers was complaining about how she didn't resemble him at all, and now you were praising her? Master, your duality is so impressive!
"Furthermore, the Immortals are getting so arrogant now," his eyes flashed viciously, allowing them to see rare anger. "What better way to let them hold their tongues than sending the talented students of this Demon Venerable?" the fan shut sharply, the crisp sound reverberating across the hall. "To assure that this farce of a ceasefire is still holding on, we demons are obligated to send our people, but these idiots are so arrogant…"
Hong Lin was not a fool and bowed once more. "I understand. I will prepare to go to Kunlun Mountain."
The man was very pleased and shut his fan, face exuding with joy. "Naturally, Lin'er is the most receptive to my thoughts and understands me well!" he clapped gleefully, and with a polite sweep of his hand, urged her to go out. Hong Lin did not waste a second and immediately bid his leave.
Once Hong Lin left, the man leaned back on his chair, opened the fan once more, and fanned himself. "I have raised that child since she was but a mere speck of condensed spirit, and even I can't read her thoughts well. They say a master always knows his student's minds well," the man sighed unhappily. "Does this mean that I failed in being one to her?"
Hearing the lamenting words of the man beside him, Fu Cheng's lips quirked up. This, however, was seen by the man in the dragon throne who immediately scowled. He shut his fan and pointed it at him in a threatening manner. "You dare laugh at this Demon Venerable?"
"Fu-Fu Cheng asks the Demon Venerable to forgive him… puff," Fu Cheng chuckled with his head dipped low. This master of his possessed a tongue as sharp as his Xiaosha Sword in front of his disciples, but when it was behind closed doors, only a few knew just how much of a worrywart and a mother hen he was to them.
Seeing the man's unimpressed face, Fu Cheng quickly wiped the smile from his face and answered seriously. "The seventh disciple cares very much for His Highness as well. Perhaps she learned well from His Highness and disguises her care under her cold demeanour?" he offered, then watched as his master quietly took this into consideration.
Fu Cheng shook his head, after tens of millennia, one would have thought that they'd have learned to express themselves more openly. But people were proud and proud, and they, especially the Demon Venerable, were afraid and embarrassed to expose such a side.
::
Hong Lin, who was on her way back to her courtyard, received a missive from the messenger bird that the mountain master rose, and frowned in her heart. If you were just going to send out a missive, why bother doing those dramatics back in the Hall of Pillars? Still, she sighed in her heart, and opened the missive, quickly spotting several names of fellow disciples who were going with her.
There was not much going with her this time, four disciples including her were all in all five. Xiao Feng, Lu Yao, Hai Tao, Lang Cui, and she, Hong Lin. Because the disciples in Ziyue Valley were not numerous and were beaten with paddles every time they were disrespectful - humph, and master always wonders why his students were so well-behaved! - they were very harmonious. Furthermore, if someone harboured bad intentions, their master was so good at reading one's mind and kicked any individual with evil intentions off of the valley.
Hong Lin waved her sleeves and duplicated the missive. Under her magic spell, the other four duplicates folded themselves into tiny flying cranes and set off in various directions.
After the action was done, Hong Lin paused and looked at the scenery far away with a curious expression. Kunlun Mountain… she has only heard about that place through various stories but has never set foot there. Since young, ever since she was but a mere speck of condensed spirit, she had been in Ziyue Valley, never taking a step out of it.
In short, the day they will leave for Kunlun Mountain will be the first time she will see the outside world with her own eyes.