Heng Xīnyán's calm siren-shaped eyes turned to look at the servant's quarters building. The cat-like eyes squinted and the voice of its owner sounded, "How did you discover me?"
Bàolì Hua scoffed, her green fan snapping close, "Do we need to say?"
The cat-like eyes owner jumped down from the servant quarters. Landing on their feet with no sound, their blue Hanfu moved lightly.
"A female?" Heng Xīnyán raised a brow, her siren-shaped eyes watching the female in blue with no emotion. Her red lips curled down into a visible frown. Her cuffed hands were channelling her spiritual energy when the female in blue stated, "I mean no harm."
Bàolì Hua rolled her eyes, "Yeah. We believe you."
The female in blue bowed deeply. "My name is Li Xiāng and Miss in the pink I am willing to follow you."
Heng Xīnyán's willow brows furrowed, "Follow me?" She repeated, watching the female in blue with a strange face. Even Bàolì Hua was confused.
"Yes," Li Xiāng answered, "I want to be in your empire in the future."
Heng Xīnyán blinked and her spiritual energy diffused without a thought. Her pale fingers pinched her nose bridge lightly, her tone faintly annoyed, "What is the maiden trying to say?"
Li Xiāng's monolid eyes looked at Heng Xīnyán, her pink lips opened to utter, "Li Xiāng wants to be part of your empire."
Heng Xīnyán's lips twitched, and her eyes glanced at Bàolì Hua who watched the female with cold eyes filled with frost and strong distrust.
"What empire?" Heng Xīnyán inquired and the female in blue eyes lit up.
"The one Li Xiāng saw in her vision," Li Xiāng stated. Soon, Heng Xīnyán frowned, thinking of something. She started walking out of Li Xiāng's line of sight. Using her spiritual energy to carry her voice behind Li Xiāng, she inquired, "What vision?"
Li Xiāng turned around and bowed, "Li Xiāng sees visions."
Watching this Bàolì Hua's lips twitched from speechlessness.
"So you are blind," Bàolì Hua stated, she stared at the silly female in blue who spoke, her back still facing Bàolì Hua.
"How did you find out?" Her voice was puzzled and confused, yet she then bowed thinking Heng Xīnyán was in front of her.
"Miss in pink, please accept me into your empire," her voice was pleading and Heng Xīnyán asked, "Why do you want to be in my empire?"
Li Xiāng answered, "Because… you are fated to break this realm barrier leading to the Mortal Realm."
The atmosphere froze among them.
Bàolì Hua turned to the female in pink. Seeing her calm face without a ripple of shock, Bàolì Hua's lips opened and closed multiple times. She was in disbelief. Looking at Li Xiāng, she gulped and then asked. "Did you cause this evil spiritual energy in this manor?"
Li Xiāng nodded, "I did. This is Miss in pink base. No foreigners shall enter without Miss's permission."
Heng Xīnyán hummed, withdrawing her spiritual energy. She stated, "My name is Heng Xīnyán. Remember, it well."
Li Xiāng turned in the direction, she heard Heng Xīnyán's voice. Rubbing the back of her head in confusion, she shrugged it off before nodding, "Yes, Miss."
Heng Xīnyán continued walking towards the main building with Bàolì Hua following her. Her mind went haywire before she calmed down. Sighing, she knew her future with Heng Xīnyán was going to be long and extremely dangerous.
Who knew her insight would be correct?
However, right now they were facing their first 'trouble' which was telling Old Man Gěi that they didn't need his help.
"Uncle," Heng Xīnyán called, her soft pale hands took Old Man Gěi's wrinkled hands into hers.
"Young Maiden?" Old Man Gěi's voice was gruff and stern. His white eyes looked into Heng Xīnyán's black orbs.
"We finished renovating the manor," she stated softly.
The stubborn old man sat in the wooden chair, refusing to believe that, "Nonsense! I was here yesterday, the dust particles in the air were thick enough to tickle my nose holes!"
Bàolì Hua who came with a tray with a teapot: "…" Her lips twitched fiercely yet she simply placed the tray on the table to pour some tea for the old man.
"Uncle, here," Bàolì Hua gave him the tea. Old Man Gěi collected the light blue tea cup, sipping the tea, he hummed at the high quality yet after drinking the tea. He restored his stubborn attitude, wanting to get rid of his karma debt.
"How about I get you maidens, some maids?" His gruff voice asked.
And Heng Xīnyán rubbed her brows with a sigh, "Uncle, we already have maids."
Old Man Gěi frowned, "Lies!"
Bàolì Hua's lips twitched. "Uncle, it is the truth."
"Then why didn't the maids receive me at the gate?!" He asked fiercely.
"Uncle, it is because, you are something closer to being our landlord, so of course, we must greet you personally!" Heng Xīnyán racked her brain and forced the words out of her lips.
Reluctantly, persuaded. Old Man Gěi sighed, "Okay then, it's good to see this manor in good hands. I will get going."
With assistance from Heng Xīnyán, Old Man Gěi managed to stand with all the bones in his body cracking lightly.
Bàolì Hua pursued her lips, wanting to laugh yet unable to. It would be rude, so she shaped her face into her signature cold face.
"Yes uncle," Heng Xīnyán patted his hands, "Take care." She uttered at the old man's back. Watching as he left the manor compound, she sighed and Li Xiāng immediately entered the room. Handing Heng Xīnyán a wet cloth to wipe her hands and Heng Xīnyán did just that.
With a yawn, she covered her lips with her pale hand. Sitting in another wooden chair, Heng Xīnyán uttered, "Li Xiāng."
Li Xiāng looked up at the female, her eyes focused. "Yes, miss?"
"Go find some trustworthy females with no family connections to join our empire," Heng Xīnyán stated, her pale fingers roaming her sleeves. Taking out ten gold coins, she lifted her hands. Bàolì Hua walked up to her to collect the coins. She then placed them into Li Xiāng's hand before standing quietly in a corner.
"Yes miss! I will not disappoint you," she stated loudly.
Heng Xīnyán grinned lightly, "Yes. Now go."
The female in blue turned and walked out of the manor with determined steps.
Bàolì Hua was silent. She turned to watch Heng Xīnyán with deep eyes. The female in pink looked at her, her eyes flashed red for a second and Bàolì Hua simply asked, "Can we trust her?"
Heng Xīnyán stayed silent for a moment. Then, her pink lips opened to utter, "No one knows my ambition to break the barrier between the Mortal Realm and this Realm."
Bàolì Hua got her answer and her black willow brows furrowed lightly, "Then… this empire, she talks about."
Heng Xīnyán laughed lightly, "It isn't an empire… It's a sect."
Bàolì Hua looked at the female in pink deeply.