27 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 3 (1/2)

”So?” Wei Xuan raised an inquiring eyebrow. ”To call me out to such a place, what do you have in mind?”

”Nothing of such regard,” the opposite party replied as he sat down across from the disgruntled minister. A handsome man wrapped in a black tunic greeted the minister's eyes, the features perfect and worthy of obsession.

”Sorry for calling you out to such a place,” the man said, pouring himself a cup of wine. ”But if this were to be heard in anyone's residence, there would be a nightmare descending on both of our heads.”

Wei Xuan opened his mouth to issue a snappy retort, but paused after giving it some thought. His gaze flickering around, the minister carefully scrutinized the room they were in, even going to the extent of infusing his vision with spiritual essence.

The tables, the various ornaments, brushes, stacks of white paper, even the bed near the recesses of the room was unable to escape from his surveillance. Only when he had determined that the room was free of any spies, did the minister sigh once and glare at the other party.

”What exactly makes you discard that disguise?” he finally spoke. ”And what's this discussion you wanted to have that carries so much danger?”

”My disguise?” the man chuckled. ”Senior Brother, ah, you actually liked me running around as an old, dying man, calling you 'Lord Minister', 'Lord Minister?'”

”Enough!” The minister scowled.

Gao Yun Zhi instantly smiled, raising both hands to placate Wei Xuan's anger. Raising his head as he waited for the minister's temper to simmer, the physician admired the room's decoration and appearance.

”Red silk for drooping curtains, with the beams made of freshly cut willow,” he sighed. ”That's truly lavish for such a scholar's association. It's a pity that such materials and the style of construction typically belongs to a flowerhouse or even a high-class brothel.”

”That's because this place is indeed a flowerhouse,” Wei Xuan snorted. ”Bringing me to this place, are you trying to get my head bitten off by the dogs at the Imperial Court tomorrow?”

”Why not? Even His Imperial Majesty attended this Blooming Life Association several times in the past. What of a minister?”

”What of a minister?” Wei Xuan repeated, before wailing in mock despair. ”Yun Zhi, you're truly trying to kill your Senior Brother, ah! The emperor is the emperor, a minister is a minister, how could it be the same, ah!?”

”An emperor and a minister, they're still human!” Gao Yun Zhi quickly remarked. ”Since they're both human, they will naturally have a conclusive end, what difference is there to – Alright, alright, I'll stop talking now!”

Noticing the fluctuations of spiritual essence near Wei Xuan grow increasingly unstable, the physician clasped his hands in surrender. Taking a deep breath, the jovial expression on Gao Yun Zhi's countenance vanished to reveal a solemn look. Looking around, he directed a glance at the door, before withdrawing a dagger from his robes.

Thunk!

A dagger of black ice stabbed deeply into the center of the wooden table, the an unusual pulse of spiritual essence emanating from the hilt. Pointing towards the embedded object with his index finger, a thin stream of blue light burst from Gao Yun Zhi's fingertip to strike the pommel, the reflected rays dying the scarlet hue of the room an odd violet.

After a few moments, the entire dagger released a pale, azure radiance, a fresh hint of vitality exuding from the blade. Seeing this, Gao Yun Zhi gave a pale smile as he looked around the room bathed with a blue light.

”Always taking so long to establish a cloaking array, and taking so much pride in it afterwards, you really haven't changed.”

Wei Xuan remarked, several memories attempting to surface in his mind. Shaking his head and chasing those reminiscent thought away, the minister gazed towards the physician, his expression bland as he spoke in a flat tone.

”Spill it out now,” he said as he rested his right arm on the table. ”You wouldn't disperse your disguise if it was some trivial manner.”

Gao Yun Zhi paused, his teal irises staring at the pommel radiating a warm light. Drumming his fingers, the handsome man seemed unsure how to reply.

”Senior Brother…” he began, his voice trepid and filled with uncertainty. ”This…the has displayed its might once again. My cultivation was nearly exposed to Lu Jing Yi, and…”

”Lu Jing Yi used the !?” Wei Xuan exclaimed. ”Just why and where did he use such a conflicting technique?”

Gao Yun Zhi froze, his fingers curling into tight fists on the table. A few moments later, he inhaled deeply through clenched teeth.