The Peculiar Peng Xiling
"Welcome to Thousand Flower City!"
Lin Qingcheng and Zhou Ziyun spoke in unison as they greeted a special guest, the first one ever in the brand-new city. They sat together in the middle of a resplendent garden, surrounded by blooming flowers and leafy trees swaying in a gentle breeze. This was the official meeting hall for the sect in the city. It was outdoors by design, in the middle of the open area of a downtown building octagon. It emphasized nature and organic beauty over material wealth. It was Chen Wentian's message to his disciples and his guests.
Clad in their usual attire, bright yellow for Lin Qingcheng and deep blue for Zhou Ziyun, they looked on at the peculiar guest in shiny grey robes standing amidst the flowers who was somehow turning the surrounding pale by their aura.
This person was Peng Xiling, first disciple of the Tower of Swords. With astonishing talent and potential, Peng Xiling was the same person that placed second in the Monster Fighting Competition as well as the same person Chen Wentian had met a few years ago inside Dugu's Cavern.
Sporting the moniker of the Lonely Hero, Peng Xiling was the epitome of handsome beauty, with the ability to make any maiden's heart throb painfully with delight. Noble, fearless, and surprisingly pure, Peng Xiling was not a playboy, not a young master that slept around.
Everyone claimed that Peng Xiling was a pure man of pure reputation... if there could be such a thing in the world.
"Wah… so beautiful…" Lin Qingcheng muttered under her breath.
Zhou Ziyun elbowed her.
"Oh, I mean, not very pretty. Hehe!"
This earned her another elbow.
"Lady Lin? Lady Zhou?" Peng Xiling spoke, breaking the awkward air between them.
"Ah! Welcome to Thousand Flower City!" Lin Qingcheng said again.
Zhou Ziyun took over and replied properly, "Lonely Hero Peng, it is our pleasure to receive you as a guest of Ten Thousand Flower Valley. Due to laws of the sect, we can only greet you here as men are not allowed within the valley."
Peng Xiling didn't react to this and nodded, "That is understandable. Every sect has its rules after all. The Tower of Swords has some similarly weird ones."
"Naturally. Sir Peng, you recently emerged with second place in the Monster Fighting Competition. I was very impressed as well as my master. You are a shining beacon for all men in the subcontinent!"
Peng Xiling laughed lightly with a mellow, ambivalent tone, "I suppose so, but I am still a little lacking compared to the paragon of righteousness Lady Wu. And we are all insignificant compared to the talent of your master…"
Zhou Ziyun felt there was something strange in that statement but she held back her curiosity and instead asked, "Sir Peng, please excuse my bluntness but what is the intention of your visit?"
"Ah… where are my manners." Peng Xiling bowed slightly, "I wish to meet with Immortal Blue Dragon Chen Wentian and Lady Wu Qianyu to deliver an invitation."
"I apologize but your request cannot be fulfilled at this time. Master Chen and Sister Wu Qianyu are together in closed-door cultivation. They can't be bothered for anything except an emergency." Zhou Ziyun replied.
Peng Xiling tried not to look disappointed but wasn't successful. "That is too bad. Then I will have to entrust you to deliver the invitation for me."
A sealed letter appeared and floated into Zhou Ziyun's hand. She opened it and read it quickly while Peng Xiling explained the contents.
"The Convocation of Swords is the greatest gathering of sword cultivators in the Eastern Sanmu Subcontinent. Hosted by the Eastern Sword Alliance once every five years, it is open to all who follow the way of the sword. It is an amazing event where many can reach breakthroughs and advancements in their sword Dao through martial exchanges and the relationships that can be built there. This letter is the formal invitation for Ten Thousand Flower Valley to join the upcoming Convocation of Swords in six months."
"Amazing!" Lin Qingcheng chimed in but Zhou Ziyun held up a hand.
"There is another reason for the invitation, am I correct?" She asked.
Peng Xiling nodded with some level of embarrassment, "The bet between our masters from the beginning of the Immortal Sect Competition still has yet to be resolved. I know that Lord Chen offered my master a great concession in a draw but… My master is adamant that the bet continues and that it ultimately resolved during the convocation. I sincerely apologize for this."
Zhou Ziyun felt that Peng Xiling apologetic attitude was strange but she could find no explanation. It was unnatural for the disciple of one sect to speak ill of their master in favor of another sect.
She hid her thoughts and replied respectfully, "Since the bet goes on, my master naturally isn't to back down from a challenge. Although I cannot speak definitively for him, I am certain he will agree to attend when he hears about this event. Sister Wu practices a sword Dao and she will be interested in attending. We have other sisters that are also versed in the sword that may attend as well."
Peng Xiling's lips broke into a beautiful, genuine smile, "Then, I am thankful. I hope to hear the good news of Ten Thousand Flower Valley's attendance soon. The bet devolved into an unfortunate situation but I hope that we can resolve it in a satisfactory manner for both sides. My wish is naturally for Ten Thousand Flower Valley and the Tower of Swords to have good relations in the future."
Zhou Ziyun nodded, "That would be best."
"I agree!" Lin Qingcheng chimed in.
"Well, I shall not take up any more of your time." Peng Xiling raised a pair of slender, jade-like hands in a salute, "We shall meet again very soon."
"Go well." Zhou Ziyun and Lin Qingcheng replied.
Peng Xiling twirled around and left, grey robes fluttering like a blossoming flower.
Zhou Ziyun watched the retreating figure intently, taking in every detail from the swaying ponytail, slender neck, loose-fitting clothing that hung from a thin frame. Her eyes finally fell upon those swaying hips, that moved side-to-side just a little too much.
Her eyes brightened and she suddenly realized something.
"Sis, what is it?" Lin Qingcheng tugged Zhou Ziyun's arm eagerly, well versed in that look.
Zhou Ziyun eyes narrowed and her lips curled into a smirk, "Shh, keep your voice down and don't scream. You won't believe it but Peng Xiling is a woman!"
"What!"
---
Peng Xiling emerged from the building and stepped into the awaiting horse carriage that would take her to the teleportation array. Indeed, Peng Xiling was a woman. She had always been a woman. Due to unfortunate circumstances in her youth, she had been forced to hide her gender and pretend to be a man.
She didn't mind it and didn't see it as an inconvenience. Men didn't interest her. She felt nothing for the countless pretty boys, princes, and young masters she had met in her life. She was fine being a man. She was fine being the Lonely Hero for the rest of her life.
Only, there was one man that made her regret…
One man that made her wish to throw it all away and show the world her true side…
Peng Xiling stared out of the carriage window at the bustling city scenery passing by outside.
"Brother Chen…" She muttered to herself, "I want to see you again. I want to see your sword art again. It was like a dragon descending from the blue sky. Do you know how many months I spent agonizing over the thought of you? Your name appeared on the stele at the tenth level and I was so proud. I knew you could do it; I just knew!
"But then you didn't come back out… I didn't know if you were alive or dead. I didn't know for three whole years until your name rang out through the subcontinent. Immortal Blue Dragon, the youngest immortal ever. I was so happy, I smiled for a month straight. My master thought I had finally found a woman. If only he knew!
"You have to attend the Convocation of Swords; you have to be there. I'll show you how far I've come. Watch me, Brother Chen!"
---
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