CH 68

Chen Ziqi picked up the chicken wing and bit into it. This chicken wing was really well done. It had first been fried to a crisp in boiling oil, then stir fried with a savoury sauce. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it left a delicious fragrance on the tongue even after it was swallowed. Chen Ziqi suddenly felt a sudden burst of curiosity. This Cloud Palace was full of birds, wasn’t it? That included the chefs. Didn’t the bird-chefs feel disgusted or scared when they fried chicken wings?

“Some birds also eat chickens,” Dan Yi said, pointing at the Dark Cloud Envoy. 

The Dark Cloud Envoy and the White Cloud Envoy both sat just below the dais. Lan Jiangxue was drinking a cup of wine elegantly, and he didn’t eat very much. On the other hand, Diao Lie was taking big bites out of a whole roast chicken.

No wonder Wu Bujian and the rest were afraid of Diao Lie. Chen Ziqi grinned, the chicken wing dangling from his mouth. He cast his eyes around the room, and his gaze so happened to meet Qing Luo’s passion-filled one.

There was a carpet with a huge red peony design in the middle of the dance floor. Qing Luo was dressed in robes of red in many shades, and she led a group of more plainly dressed, long legged girls in a dance.

The Green Phoenix was a subspecies of the Phoenix, and when it was born, it looked exactly like the bright red phoenix. It was only after it reached maturity that the colour of its feathers would change to green. 

The colour red had special meaning to the people of the Qing Clan. It was their proof that they were indeed closely related to the real Phoenixes.

Qing Luo, as a descendant of the Green Phoenix, danced really beautifully and gracefully. Chen Ziqi saw that Qing Luo was looking expectantly at them, and he felt bad for her, so he winked casually at her.

Qing Luo was startled when she saw this wink, and she tripped on the hem of her long dancing skirt. She nearly fell, but was supported at the very last moment by one of the Crane Wing girls next to her. She hadn’t fallen flat on her face, but she looked very clumsy indeed, and everyone who was watching the dance couldn’t help but gasp in surprise when they saw her trip. Even the Palace Master looked up on hearing the audience’s collective gasp.

“Ehehehehe…” A sinister-sounding laugh came from the seated guests. Qing Luo thought that the person was laughing and her, and she immediately stopped dancing. She stood stock still where she was and her eyes turned red.

The music continued to play, and the Crane Wing girls continued to dance right on the beat. They danced in a circle around Qing Luo, and it actually looked like this was all part of the choreography.

Qing Luo waited for the Palace Master to notice that she had been wronged, but at this moment, no one was looking at her. Everyone’s attention had been attracted by that burst of sinister laughter, and were looking in that direction.

The Stone Corpse Clan Leader had always been a solemn man of few words. His pale, bloodless face was usually nearly indistinguishable from the faces of the corpses he controlled. Right now, however, this usually blank-faced Clan Leader was rolling on the ground, convulsed with laughter as he scratched hard at his backside.

“Ljtjtj! Yiv Gfjvqjc tjr olcjiis ifjgcfv tbk ab ijeut!” atf Ktberjcv Ublrbcr Vfma Ofjvfg rjlv, uglcclcu ogbw fjg ab fjg lc jc bvvis aglewqtjca wjccfg. 

“Gejcmtjcu Xgjrr – sbe biv yjrajgv! Tbe’gf jrxlcu ab yf wjvf lcab j mbgqrf!” atf Vabcf Jbgqrf Jijc Ofjvfg megrfv, rmgjamtlcu ogjcalmjiis ja tlr yew.

The Thousand Poisons Sect Leader’s name was Huang Teng, which was the proper name for duanchang grass. Because of this, Huang Teng’s nickname in the martial arts world was “Duanchang Grass”.

Dan Yi set his winecup down with a clink. This sound wasn’t a loud one, but because the bamboo music instruments had stopped playing, the hall was quiet, and the sound carried even to the far ends.

The fat, old Thousand Poisons Sect Leader realised that the Palace Master was watching them intently now, and he didn’t dare to create any more trouble. He quickly sprinkled a handful of the antidote powder on the Stone Corpse Clan Leader’s buttocks. “Palace Master, we were just having a bit of fun with each other. Please don’t mind us,” he said with a smile. 

Dan Yi didn’t say anything in response as he looked at them with a bland expression on his face.

“Hmph!” the Stone Corpse Clan Leader sat up and sniffed coldly, but he also didn’t dare to kick up a fuss, and indicated to the Palace Master that he was fine now.

These little bits of trickery were very common when the Arcane Sect Leaders got together. Dan Yi had accompanied his father to Yangchun Banquets in the past, and he was used to their antics. Dan Yi looked at the two of them for a few moments, then raised a hand to indicate that the banquet could continue.

Once the music started again, the plainly-dressed dancing girls started dancing again. Only Qing Luo remained exactly where she was. This earned her a sharp glare from the Crane Wing Leader, and it was only then that she reluctantly began to dance again, a hurt look on her face. 

“Who’s that lady?” Lan Shanyu asked, turning slightly toward the Crane Wing Leader.

“She’s the one from the Qing Clan,” the Crane Wing Leader said with a pained expression. He stole a surreptitious look at Diao Lie, but thankfully, he was concentrating hard on eating his roast chicken and didn’t notice him at all.

“Oh so this is the ‘future Palace Mistress’,” Lan Shanyu said, patting the Crane Wing Leader’s shoulder in commiseration.

The one good thing in this whole situation was that the performance wasn’t a long one, and Qing Luo finished it fairly quickly. After they left the dance floor, Dan Yi raised his winecup to toast all his guests. 

“Three days from today, the Invincible Cutter, Cheng Zhou, will be bringing a group of martial artists to the Suxin Sect. You should go and observe what happens,” Dan Yi said casually, as if he were telling them to remember to go to the market in two days’ time.

“Yo, there’ll be some excitement for sure. Excellent! I’ll go and have a look,” the Thousand Poisons Sect Leader said spiritedly.

“There’ll probably be quite a few deaths that day. We should go too, and see if there are any good corpses for the taking,” the Stone Corpse Clan Leader said to his second-in-command. The latter’s eyes shone, and he nodded vehemently.

Chen Ziqi looked curiously at this motley crew. He found them incredibly interesting. Even though these Arcane Sects were technically also martial arts sects, they were completely different from the famous sects he’d known since he was little. 

“The one carrying a sharp sword on his back – which sect is he from?” Chen Ziqi whispered to Dan Yi.

“The Sword Stabbing Clan,” Dan Yi said calmly. He extended his chopsticks and swiftly stole a piece of fish that Chen Ziqi had just finished removing the bones from, then stuffed it into his mouth.

“Then what about the ones who are dressed like doctors?” Chen Ziqi asked. His eyes were roving excitedly over the gathered sect members, and he didn’t notice that his fish had been stolen at all.

“The Hundred Grasses Valley,” Dan Yi said, swallowing the fish and licking his lips. 

Of the Arcane Sects, the five largest were the Bloodblade Tower, the Ten Thousand Venoms Clan, the Stone Corpse Clan, the Thousand Poisons Sect, and the Hundred Grasses Valley. The rest were very much smaller. Even so, these small sects were independent of each other, and enjoyed a great deal of freedom. The Sword Stabbing Clan  was an example of one such small sect.

“Palace Master, the Thousand Poisons Sect and the Ten Thousand Venoms Clan love to engage in this sinister sort of play – they even brought poisons with them to the Yangchun Banquet. They can’t have any good intentions, and this subordinate must protect you,” the Sword Stabbing Clan Leader said. He was really naggy, and he stuck to Dan Yi like glue even when he wanted to speak privately to the Ten Thousand Venoms Clan Leader after the banquet ended.

Chen Ziqi couldn’t help wanting to laugh when he looked at the fellow. He had the face of an honest, upright gentleman, but he backstabbed everyone the moment he opened his mouth. Chen Ziqi found this contrast extremely amusing, and he couldn’t resist speaking up. “How may I address you, Sect Leader?” he asked.

“My name is Geng Yan, and my courtesy name is Zhijun,” the Sword Stabbing Clan Leader said, clasping his fists toward Chen Ziqi in greeting. He had seen how well Dan Yi treated Chen Ziqi and didn’t dare to show him any disrespect. 

“Clan Leader Geng, you’re a really interesting person. I’d like to get to know you better,” Chen Ziqi said, smiling as he held on to Geng Yan’s arm to provide an opportunity for Dan Yi and the Thousand Venoms Clan Leader to move forward without him.

Dan Yi looked at him, but didn’t say anything. He turned to go to the small atrium where he usually discussed things with his subordinates.

Chen Ziqi dragged Geng Zhijun off with him to walk aimlessly along the covered corridors. As the two chatted, they found that they had many things in common and got along very well indeed. At some point, Geng Zhijun revealed that the Sword Stabbing Clan’s ultimate move was stabbing someone in the back, and Chen Ziqi surreptitiously hung back a little to allow the fellow to walk ahead of him.

Just at this moment, Qing Luo appeared with a few Crane Wing girls in tow, walking toward Chen Ziqi and Geng Zhijun. She had changed out of her dancing clothes. When she saw Chen Ziqi’s carefree manner, she bit down on her lip, then walked over toward Chen Ziqi. 

—

The author has something to say: Mini-theatre

Qing Luo: My loving gaze was not reciprocated; the Green Phoenix has intentions, but alas, the Phoenix has none

Qiqi: It’s so sad to not get any response; let me give you one

Birdie Gong: The two of you can respond to each other all you want, I’m gonna steal a piece of fish right now

Qing Luo: … …

Qing Luo: I’m already promised to the Palace Master. Wang ye, don’t flirt with me

Qiqi: What a coincidence! I’m promised to the Palace Master too

Birdie Gong: What a coincidence! This bird is also promised to Qiqi

Qing Luo: … Director, I can’t continue filming anymore