The Guests Arrive

The first guests to arrive were Liu Qingge and two of his disciples. A gong at the top of the stairs rang to announce them, and a moment later, they appeared at the courtyard entrance.

The Bai Zhan Peak Lord wore fine robes in light grey and silver, with a cross-collar top and wrap-around skirt. He strode into the courtyard with a determined glint to his usual grumpy expression. A young man and a child followed a few steps behind, looking around curiously.

"Ah, Liu Qingge!" Yang Qinghui greeted him with a mischievous smile. "The day of our contest is finally here. Are you looking forward to it?" 

Liu Qingge stopped a few feet away and crossed his arms with a glare. "About as much as I'd look forward to undergoing lingchi." 

Yang Qinghui gave a startled laugh. "I see."

"You remember Ji Jue." Liu Qingge gestured to the young man of maybe twenty years.

Ji Jue

Cultivator of Bai Zhan Peak

Ji Jue grinned brightly and bowed. A grey ribbon trailed from his neatly-coiled bun, the same shade as his yuanlingpao robe.

"Greetings, shijie!"

Yang Qinghui had no memory of this cultivator, but she smiled. "Nice to see you again." She turned her attention to the other guest, who stood half-hidden behind Liu Qingge's robes, watching Yang Qinghui anxiously. "Are you Liu Qingge's disciple? I don't believe I've properly met you before."

Although, the young boy looked vaguely familiar… After a second, she remembered where she'd him before: on Bai Zhan Peak, after the bashe fight, he'd refused to let go of Liu Qingge's leg. Yang Qinghui smiled at the memory. She crouched down to be at the same height – the child looked about nine years old – and asked, pleasantly, "What's your name, shizhi?"

The boy glanced up at his shizun, who stood with his arms crossed. Liu Qingge murmured, "Answer her."

Looking back at Yang Qinghui, he murmured, "I'm Sun Ru."

Sun Ru wore a red cap stitched with gold, and Yang Qinghui could see that his hair underneath had been shaved into a buzz cut.

"Nice to meet you, Ru'er." Yang Qinghui stood up. "I hope you enjoy the banquet. Liu Qingge, your seat is there on the dais, and the disciples at that table," she informed them, gesturing to the first table to the right of the dais. "Please feel free to get drinks and socialize until everyone's arrived."

The gong rang again, and Yang Qinghui excused herself.

At the courtyard entrance, a man in loose zhiduo robes waited calmly for Yang Qinghui to hurry over. A teenaged boy stood beside him, with perfect posture. Both were shaved bald.

"Hello, welcome!" Yang Qinghui offered a smile as she reached the new guests.

"Good evening, Yang-shimei," the man said with a martial salute. As he straightened up, the wooden beads of his necklace clacked together. His robes were plain and simple, but seemed to be of good quality.

Zhou Qingmin

Ku Xing Peak Lord

Oh, yeah, Yang Qinghui remembered, the monk Peak.

"I'm glad you could make it, Zhou-shixiong." She looked to the teenager beside him. "Is this your head disciple?"

"Yes. I'm Tai Tenglong," the boy introduced himself, his face stern. He looked around fourteen, and stood with perfect posture. His robes were shorter than his master's, revealing his boots and the hems of his pants, but were just as proper. "Thank you for inviting us, Peak Lord Yang."

"Ah, please – call me shigu."

Tai Tenglong nodded once, sharply, and repeated, "Thank you for inviting us, shigu."

"How is Ku Xing Peak?" Yang Qinghui asked, in the mood for conversation.

Zhou Qingmin blinked in surprise, but answered, "We are well, thank you. I trust Zui Xian Peak is the same? Especially considering what a wonderful banquet you've prepared," he added with a smile, looking over Yang Qinghui's shoulder at the decorated courtyard.

"Yep, things are looking up," Yang Qinghui confirmed with a chuckle. The gong sounded again. "Well, I hope you enjoy the banquet, shixiong. Please feel free to chat and have some appetizers while we wait." She directed them towards the courtyard with a grand sweep of her wide sleeves.

"Thank you, shimei." Zhou Qingmin bowed again.

As he and his disciple walked into the courtyard, Sun Ru gave a happy shout and ran over to Tai Tenglong, who broke his stony expression to smile and crouch down, hugging the young boy.

"How have you been? Are you feeling better with Bai Zhan Peak?" he asked, full of brotherly concern.

Yang Qinghui smiled, then turned around to see three unaccompanied disciples hovering nervously at the gate. Ah, here we go. The Qing Jing disciples. As she strolled over to them, she noticed that Ning Yingying and Ming Fan wore fine green and white robes, but Luo Binghe's robes were noticeably shabbier. Faint dirt marks were visible, although it looked like he'd scrubbed at them desperately.

She stopped a maid as she hurried by and murmured, "Bring my green beizi jacket here, please, as quickly as you can."

"Yes, madam." The maid hurried off, and Yang Qinghui continued to the Qing Jing disciples.

"Peak Lord Yang!" Ming Fan bowed deeply. Ning Yingying and Luo Binghe copied him.

"I'm glad you three could make it," Yang Qinghui said with a smile. "I hope the responsibilities of Qing Jing Peak aren't too much for you to handle during your master's absence."

"We're managing well," Ming Fan boasted. "Shizun can trust in me."

"Hmm." Yang Qinghui knew Ming Fan was still young, and had time to change, but his character annoyed her. Perhaps Airplane Bro can nudge him in the right direction. "Well, your table is there," she said, gesturing into the courtyard. "Enjoy the banquet."

"Thank you, shigu!" Ning Yingying bowed again, then hurried into the courtyard, waving to the other disciples. Ming Fan followed, hissing at her to walk slower.

"Wait a moment, Binghe."

Luo Binghe stared wide-eyed at Yang Qinghui. "C-can I help you, shigu?"

Aww, he's so adorable. "I noticed your robes are… well-worn."

Luo Binghe turned red, looking down in embarrassment. "I apologize. They were the best I had."

"Should your shizun not provide robes for these occasions?"

"I… didn't want to bother shizun. He has already been so generous to me, taking me on as a disciple even though my cultivation isn't very good."

Yang Qinghui snorted. "How altruistic."

Luo Binghe furrowed his brow and frowned.

Clearing her throat, Yang Qinghui held out her hand. "Your cultivation can't be that bad. Let me read your meridians." This way, if I pretend like I sensed his demonic energy, I can make it plausible for me to take an interest in his cultivation.

Luo Binghe obediently held out his hand palm-up, and Yang Qinghui pressed two fingers to the inside of his wrist. She made an exaggerated serious face, and hummed thoughtfully. How do I even do this? Hesitantly, she reached out with a tendril of qi, brushing against Luo Binghe's energy.

Dark shadows – icy fear – DEATH – GET AWAY!

Yang Qinghui snatched her hand away with a cry.

"Shigu?" Luo Binghe's eyes were wide with terror.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Qinghui tried to calm her racing heart. He's certainly a demon, alright. How has no one noticed? Protagonist luck, I guess.

"Sorry, Binghe. All the stress of planning this banquet's finally got to me, I think." She laughed casually, but jumped as a maid appeared at her elbow

"The jacket you requested, madam."

"Ah, thank you." Yang Qinghui took the folded green jacket, edged with white embroidery. "Put this on, Binghe. It will suit you."

"Th-thank you, shigu," Luo Binghe hesitantly took the jacket. He brushed a calloused thumb over the delicate embroidery. "But such a fine jacket shouldn't be wasted on me."

"Why not?"

Luo Binghe's head snapped up. "I… "

"All disciples of Cang Qiong Mountain should be well-cared for." She made sure Luo Binghe was looking her in the eyes as she told him, "You deserve love and kindness. Don't let anyone trample on you."

"Luo Binghe affection level increased! +8 points. Current affection level: 15 points."

A new light seemed to spark in Luo Binghe's eyes. He set his shoulders and bowed. "Thank you, shigu." He slipped the beizi jacket over his threadbare robes. It suited him, as Yang Qinghui had expected. The green matched the rest of his robes, and covered the worst of the dirt and mending, brushing his shins.

"Of course. I hope you enjoy the banquet, Binghe." She smiled warmly. "I'll be keeping an eye on your cultivation, if you don't mind. You have great potential."

"Luo Binghe affection level increased! +5 points. Current affection level: 20 points."

Luo Binghe's chest swelled with pride. "Thank you very much, shigu!"

Yang Qinghui laughed good-naturedly and ushered him away. "Go join the others now."

Bowing again, Luo Binghe hurried into the courtyard.

This quest is going well. Binghe's easier to befriend than I thought. Yang Qinghui turned back to the gate, satisfied, and saw Mu Qingfang appear at the entrance. Three people followed him, one of whom Yang Qinghui recognized immediately.

"Zhu-xiaojie!" Waving, she hurried over, her jin bu clacking at her waist.

As Yang Qinghui called her name, Zhu Huangu turned her head to look over. Her breath catching in her throat, Yang Qinghui nearly tripped over her own feet.

Zhu Huangu was dazzling in a light green, waist-high ruqun. A darker green loose jacket sat on her shoulders, the golden edges embroidered with flowers. A gold gossamer scarf was draped around her arms and behind her back, the ends nearly trailing on the floor. In between the parallel collar of her dress, a jade lotus flower pendant sat against her skin.

"Wow, Zhu-xiaojie. You look amazing," Yang Qinghui murmured, unable to look away.

A blush crept onto Zhu Huangu's cheeks.

"Zhu Huangu's affection level increased! +3 points. Current affection level: 12 points."

Mu Qingfang cleared his throat, and Yang Qinghui snapped out of it, blushing.

"Ah. Welcome to the banquet, shixiong." She bowed with a smile. "I'm glad you could make it."

"How could I resist what may be the event of the year?" Mu Qingfang said with a teasing grin.

Mu Qingfang's hair, when not soaking wet from the rain, was almost curly, with some of it secured in a guan on top of his head while the rest cascaded around his shoulders. The dark circles under his eyes were still pronounced, but he seemed to be in a good mood.

"By the way, have you met Fei Nianzu, my head disciple?" Mu Qingfang beckoned the third person forward. "I've sent them here on errands occasionally."

'Them'? Yang Qinghui nearly gasped out loud. A non-binary person? Here?

Stepping forward, Fei Nianzu smiled. They wore a pale green, one-piece zhiju robe. Their hair was incredibly long, the loose section reaching their lower back despite being secured in a half-bun with a golden hairpin.

"I'm afraid our paths have not crossed before," they said, lifting their hands to a martial salute. "It's nice to meet you, shigu."

Yang Qinghui grinned. "And you."

"Is Zhuang Hao here?" Fei Nianzu asked.

"Unfortunately, he's on a mission right now." 

"Oh." Fei Nianzu's face fell, but they recovered quickly. "Well, hopefully I'll see him when he returns."

Yang Qinghui smiled and guided them into the courtyard. As Mu Qingfang and Fei Nianzu called out greetings to the other guests, Yang Qinghui held out a hand to gently stop Zhu Huangu. The other woman frowned at her in confusion.

"I'm very glad you could make it," Yang Qinghui told her in a low voice, smiling warmly.

"Qingfang-biaoge insisted," Zhu Huangu said haughtily.

"Hmm. By the way, your necklace is beautiful. Do you like lotus flowers?"

"…Yes. They're my favourites," Zhu Huangu admitted. "They have medicinal uses, so we grow them in a pond at Qian Cao Peak."

"I see." Yang Qinghui filed the information away. "Please, enjoy the banquet." She bowed her head.

Still frowning warily, Zhu Huangu bowed, and strode into the courtyard. Yang Qinghui watched her rejoin Mu Qingfang, before tearing her eyes away and going to greet the next guests.