"But what about you? Are you certain that you wish nothing in return for this? You are absolutely sure?"Qin Feng scowled at the young woman seated in front of him as soon as she asked that. And was about to dismiss her again, when he saw how she was glancing up at the roof, just as he had been doing earlier. Well, that was something different. And made him shave a few degrees off the punishment that he was planning to throw at her.
That is, if he could profit from what she was hinting to him.
She was pointing out that the Elder was still listening. So this was something that she was setting up, to ensnare her Elder? And she wanted his help to do that?
To tell the truth, he wasn"t altogether interested in getting himself entangled in the internal conflict within the Snow Swallow Palace. But he did need an excuse to head North, so that he would have a chance of exacting his revenge on her. And paying a visit to the Palace would definitely fit into his plans in that regard.
The only problem was, what sort of excuse could he use, to blatantly ask for a pa.s.s into that place? After all, hasn"t everyone already warned him about the hatred that that particular Sect had for men?
Yet, from what he had noted from Xu Yanzhi"s behavior towards him, during their bout in the Arena as well as earlier in his room, it was clear that that particular rumor had been greatly exaggerated. Besides her, there was also the woman - what did Xu Yanzhi call her? A cousin? Xu Qinghua, wasn"t it? Well, she hadn"t treated him poorly back in the day. Too bad that she was cousin to this little scamp.
So he shot her a weak smile, and made a gesture as though inviting her to take the conversation in the direction that she wished, as he replied:
"I will admit that there is one small thing. I am curious about your Snow Swallow Palace, and would dearly love to pay it a visit. I mean, think of the amount of attention that one would draw, if it was known that he was one of the handful of men who were allowed into that sanctified place, hmmm? Especially after what you did today. Are you certain you want everyone to think that we have just had a lover"s spat?"
Xu Yanzhi laughed, and wagged a finger at him. The sparkle in her eyes did tell him that he had played it exactly as she had hoped that he would, and she even gave him a quick nod, to show her thanks. Well, that was working towards his own purposes.
"You are going to make us bend our rules for you? Well, to be honest, there is no actual restriction on visitors coming to the Palace. It is just that most of our disciples are disinclined to come out from their seclusion training, to meet with the same. Just as there are certain rules that allow for one of ours to leave the Palace, if they wish.
"Of course, they will need to complete their training in the Basic Tier of our Palace"s martial arts, if they wish to do so. Otherwise, we would be throwing our good name, if they were to be bullied outside, hmmm?"
"Then perhaps you should let me have a look at your rules, so that you would not be forced to break, or bend, them, when I come to visit. I shall likely be coming with my friends, as you can guess. I trust that will not be a problem?"
"You make it sound as if you are determined to go courting at our Snow Swallow Palace. Well, I guess that I should warn you about some of our girls. They don"t really care for all that romance stuff, you know."
"I have heard. Some of them have made becoming an old maid, albeit one with a powerful cultivation their lifelong goal."
She laughed then, and grinned at him again. "I take it that you would like to meet with my cousin again then? If you really wish to "test" us on our White Jade Beauty"s Hands, you"ll have to face her in the Battle Square. She has been practicing what you taught her for a long, long time, though. So you may find her a challenge."
"Your cousin? We are back to your Elder Cousin again?" Qin Feng could not help but ask glumly. "Whatever makes you think that I am that keen on pursuing her? I only pa.s.sed her that stance from the White Jade Hands on a whim. Just like I am pa.s.sing you the rest."
"Oh? Are you telling me that you have forgotten all about her? She is very beautiful, and has a great number of men from Royal Families to young masters of various n.o.ble families, trying to win her hand. So I suggest that you don"t get yourself wet with that puddle of water."
"Ah. I thank you for that reminder," Qin Feng told her blandly, with no expression in his voice. Wasn"t she the one who had made it sound as if she was already his lover? How did it end up being his fault again?
Then he remembered something that he had wanted to ask her earlier, but had forgot.
"Instead, I would like to know if you have any news about a Xuan Mei, who might have joined your Snow Swallow Palace slightly more than a year ago. We were acquaintances, back in the Heaven Sword School."
Xu Yanzhi pressed both of her hands to her lips in surprise. There was no subterfuge in that motion, as far as he could see too. Her shock was apparently, genuine. "Xuan Mei? Elder Ling"s new disciple? You are asking about her? Why didn"t you speak to Elder Ling yourself?"
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"Elder Ling? How am I supposed to ask her? I haven"t seen any Elder Ling ... have I?"
Xu Yanzhi"s only answer was to point a finger upwards. While her other hand was holding a finger in front of her lips, as if to warn him to watch his words.
Qin Feng gulped as he realized what she meant. And looked upwards at the ceiling of the tavern immediately, feeling the same shock that must have hit the girl earlier.
That was Elder Ling?
* * *