A WESTERNER'S ROUTES INTO THE MARTIAL UNIVERSE

Chapter 12. The Tranquil Streams Terrace

The heavy book on the table in Wen Zhi Ji's studio proclaimed itself to be "A Book of Demons". Beautifully embossed and filled with colorful illustrations, it now seemed as mysterious as the mythical creatures described on its pages. Kathryn's brows furrowed as her fingers traced the golden letters on the cover. 

"Demons? Before, it had unequivocally said 'A book of monsters'". 

Pictures remained the same, the style and layout of descriptions – unaltered, the introductory passages she remembered from the other day - identical, with one significant change in the key term. The book had transitioned seamlessly between the titles, turning monsters into demons overnight.

For Kathryn, the mysterious transformation of the book signified another day of surprises - all unpleasant ones because of their sudden nature. Expect the unexpected and act as if you were expecting it. That was rapidly becoming her motto and everyday habit.

Kathryn understood the dangers of being found out as an impostor: her case looked too much like demonic possession. In the modern world, she could have pretended to suffer from a multiple personality disorder, but no one would believe a diagnosis like that in the magical world of cultivators and demons - ah, yes, and monsters.

Who knows what might happen if they decided to exorcise her out of Wen Zhi Ji's body or went for a simpler solution and destroyed the body itself? At least in the quiet of her study room, she could relax a little, as no one would see the stunned expression on her face.

A soft swish of the front door and energetic footsteps across the main hall announced the arrival of a visitor.

"Shidi, are you there?"

Only one person called her "shidi" in this place, and he was not likely to go away even if she stayed silent, pretending not to be at home.

"Yes, I'm here, Brother Hong! Please make yourself comfortable. And I'll be with you right away," she said and hurried to meet him outside the studio, afraid of questions about the books on the table, which all described the basics of cultivation.

Sitting on a low stool across the table from her marital brother, Kathryn wondered what to do. Alone in the house, she had no access to Xiaobo's help. This was the first time anyone had come to visit Wen Zhi Ji at his mansion during the ten days she had spent in the sect.

"I'd offer you tea but Xiaobo is out and..." (And I have no idea where to find the place called the kitchen and how my disciple makes tea without an electric kettle and tea bags.)

"I know, I've seen Xiaobo at the boat race down in Shulong. And noticed that you weren't there. Don't worry about the tea. We don't have time for it, anyway."

"We don't have time? Are we going somewhere?"

"Still the same old Wen Zhi Ji. Since you started travelling the world, you've been getting even more reclusive. Shouldn't meeting new people make you more interested in spending time in a company? You used not to be such a loner when we were kids."

"Time changes things."

The words fell flat, but Kathryn did not have a better answer. Since Hong had known Wen Zhi Ji as a kid, he had to be an old friend. That would explain his unusual form of address: everyone else called Kathryn either Master Wen or Leader Wen, or senior martial brother Wen. She had also found out that her host possessed another title - Lord of the Four Seas Pavilion - and could be called Lord Wen, to her initial utter surprise and confusion at the multiple possibilities of naming the same person.

"Why didn't you come to watch the race? You aren't one of those who think of such festivities as 'not fitting the high status of a world-famous cultivator'."