97 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 7 (1/2)

Time passed at an even pace unbeknownst to the two siblings camped within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, and soon the sun had begun its descent towards the horizon.

The streets of Jiang'an and the Imperial Court remained in a state of uproar, the atmosphere refusing to calm down regardless of the military attempting to send the citizens back to their homes.

…the military were probably the most significant contributors to the charged tension in Jiang'an with their constant comparisons of strength regarding the Three Great Sects and the Three Great Empires of the Shattered Star Continent…

But who would admit?

”Elder Brother…”

A young girl called from within the depths of the study, her hands placing a sheet of paper onto a stack of notes.

Her beautiful countenance was tinged with a faint shade of embarrassment, and the girl was covering her stomach with a hand whenever it wasn't occupied.

”…what are we going to eat for dinner?”

The other occupant of the study, a cold youth, had finally broken his indifferent countenance, an awkward shade decorating his handsome face.

”This is quite the problem…” Wei Chang Feng directed a glance towards the young girl leaning back in the half-moon chair.

”What does Fourth Little Sister suggest to do? The kitchens are most probably cold due to the servants not present in the manor…”

Neither An Fei nor the Eldest Young Master were cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm.

Thus, they had to rely on consuming physical sustenance to remain alive, and rest when exhausted. They weren't like Wei Xuan, who could confidently survive without a single drop of water, a bite of food, or even a wink of sleep.

With the young girl's complete lack of knowledge regarding the structure of the Wei manor outside of the Flowing Wind Residence and Wei Chang Feng's rather precarious circumstances, the two were at a loss.

The older brother and younger sister stared at each other, helplessness and wry laughter concealed within their gaze.

”Elder Brother… do you know any techniques that could disguise your presence?” the young girl finally spoke, her voice shaky as a rapacious growl rumbled from her stomach, causing her to flush with shame.

”Maybe… a martial arts technique that can help Eldest Brother blend in with his surroundings… to escape the detection by others?”

The Eldest Young Master was about to nod his head in approval, before his eyes flickered with a sense of disappointment.

”I possess knowledge regarding a few techniques similar to Fourth Little Sister's description,” the youth acquiesced.

”However, being able to apply them to myself is a different matter.”

”Oh…”

An Fei shook her head in self-pity. Throwing caution to the wind, the girl placed down the brush in her hand, before heading towards the recesses of the study.

As Wei Chang Feng stared in befuddlement and a flabbergasted expression, An Fei climbed into the bed, slipping under the comfortable blankets with practiced ease.

The soft shuttering of metal clinking on metal graced the Eldest Young Master's ears as the dense curtains closed shut.

”She… went to sleep?”

The youth muttered to himself in disbelief, his eyes displaying an unfathomable expression.

With a sigh, Wei Chang Feng moved his chair towards the maze of furniture, resting his head against a wooden beam as he leaned back.

When Wei Xuan finally sneaked back home to deposit a belated delivery of food, the minister found himself with an aghast expression, an Eldest Young Master sleeping against a wooden beam, and a Fourth Young Miss dead asleep for the second time of the day.

–

Wei Chang Feng may have been willing to abstain from eating to preserve his safety, but An Fei wasn't keen on the idea of forsaking her stomach.

Stepping into the Sanctum the moment she slipped into bed in the Flowing Wind Residence, the girl had rushed to cook herself a meal in the medicine garden.

She had emerged only after a full incense stick's of time, patting her stomach with a contented expression.

”Now… to do something with this…” the girl murmured, rubbing her chest with an odd, discomfited expression.

The little stream of warmth that had caused her to be inexorably perplexed had returned. More particularly, it had always been present since she awoke in the Sanctum earlier today.

It was that when An Fei had departed the realm of sky-blue crystal, the little stream of warmth had not followed.

”What is this warmth supposed to be?” the girl mused, shuttling through the various platforms of the Archive of Time until she reached the seventeenth platform.

Stepping onto the familiar environment, An Fei immediately raced to the drawing table at the center of the platform.

The papers remained at their original position, that was good.

Sitting down and lifting the brush, An Fei placed the brush's tip onto a fresh sheet of paper, but could only place it back down after a moment of hesitation.