The Phoenix embraced the Sun

I could only see you from afar

Her family noticed that she was quite nervous. Wei Yang had already thought that his granddaughter had caught something while she was out walking around the city, but the reason for her sudden hyperactivity became clear on the second day.

A little over half a year had passed since she returned from her first night hunt, and both sects had successfully sealed the hole in the mountain from which the hellhounds had emerged. However, when the first snow melted, the inhabitants of a small village belonging to the Lanling Jin sect spotted strange footprints. A group of adepts followed these footprints and discovered that several more holes had appeared in the same mountain. In the caves, they found a large number of nibbled corpses of local villagers, cultivators and the dead corpses of beasts, and the familiar bloody footprints led deeper into the caves. The adepts of Lanling Jin dared not tread further, but neither could they allow the unknown creatures to slip out, and so they sealed the newly formed holes. As it turned out, this was not the most advantageous action, since the creatures managed to break the seals and get free again. The adepts were barely able to fight off the furious hellhounds and their newfound allies in the form of werewolves. Fortunately for them, the smaller clans responded to their signals for help, and in the unequal battle the dark creatures retreated.

As there was no certainty that they would not raid nearby villages again, a sects' council was summoned immediately. The Yiling Wei sect was appointed host. Despite his dislike of certain personalities, Wei Yang was aware of the urgency of the situation and ordered good preparations for the event. Excesses and frills, such as feasting with dancers and singers, were strictly forbidden during the banquet, and at least the Dark Path followers were happy about this.

The girl was worried precisely because the guests would pay too much attention to her person, as she had single-handedly dealt with several hellhounds, while Lanling Jin's experienced cultivators had to enlist the help of others. It wasn't that she was embarrassed by outsiders, it was just that this would be the first time she'd ever seen all the sect members in one place at the same time at a conscious age. And everyone would consider it their duty to interrogate the little girl as to how she had managed to defeat the evil creatures that "easily". And then these old men will start pestering her family with engagement proposals.

Not wanting to put too much strain on the already nervous girl, Wei Yang has decided that his granddaughter will not participate in this rathole.

And Wei Ying was only too glad to have the unnecessary hassle slipped from her shoulders. But for the sake of propriety, she shall welcome the guests together with her family. Then she would see if she could run off into town to see the wandering musicians perform, or run off to the Burial Mounds.

The meeting was only a short time away, and there was usually a commotion at the first drumbeat. Servants were scurrying around the palace, checking for fresh food on tables and fresh sets of sheets in the guest bedrooms for the Great Sects cultivators. Teachers and elders gave commands to the senior disciples, while the younger ones were sent to the dormitories. With the second gong, the seniors had already gathered at the main gate, forming a living corridor, while members of the Wei family stood at the entrance to the palace. With the third gong, the first guests from Qinghe Nie passed through the main gate.

This sect was known for its unusual method of cultivation, preferring to use sabres instead of swords in battle. And as a rule, the Nie had a need for very strong and courageous young men, capable of standing up for themselves and the sect. The tall and masculine man walking in front of everyone was perhaps an example of what a true Nie was supposed to look like. And as Wei Ying realised it was the current leader of the Nie sect, Nie Bohai.

"Greetings to the Nie Sect Leader. I hope the flight went well?"

"Greetings to Wei Yang and his family. The weather in Yiling is warm and the wind has been favourable to us, so yes, we made it safely, Leader Wei. Thank you."