Rising Phoenix

"I am here. I will never watch you die." Feng Zhiwei raised her head, smiling at her friend. "It's late. We will have hard fights in the future, you should go rest."

"I will walk you to your room."

"No need." Feng Zhiwei replied, clutching the railing and waving her hand. "Go. Go."

As soon as Yan Huaishi walked out of view, Feng Zhiwei leaned over the rail and began vomiting.

As she vomited, Feng Zhiwei sighed to herself. Truly, the great and beautiful blue waters were ruined by the seafood that dwelled within them.

After a series of heaven shocking explosions out of her throat, Feng Zhiwei lazed against the rail. With her stomach empty, the alcohol that she had slammed into her body was running wild, and a shocked Feng Zhiwei discovered that for once, she was actually drunk.

She was dizzy, and golden stars appeared before her eyes. All strength seemed to flee her bones, and she felt like a piece of paper about to collapse in on herself. She thought once more to that time she had destroyed Ning Yi — so he had felt this terrible.

Feng Zhiwei decided as she clung to the railing that today was just punishment for her crimes against Ning Yi that day.

She was too weak to move, but at least no one was around. The railing was quite thick and robust, so as she could at least rest against it. Anytime she felt like vomiting, she could just lean her head out and spew into the water below — incredibly convenient.

But there were those who refused to let her laze around, and Feng Zhiwei suddenly felt gravity shift around her as she was picked up.

"Ai, stop… no…" Feng Zhiwei gasped as she was shifted around. She hurriedly turned her head aside, but it was too late. A few drops of her vomit had already stained a soft and delicate cyan sleeve.

Feng Zhiwei lamented and shut her eyes piteously, bracing herself for the inevitable collision with the ground.

But she was not dropped. Her body shifted down and then up again, and when Feng Zhiwei opened her eyes she saw that Young Master Gu had brought her face right next to his veil and was examining her.

The soft white veil brushed against her face, and Feng Zhiwei weakly reached up to stop it from moving. She smiled and said: "Young Master, I'm drunk. When I was drunk before, I just slept, but now I'm drunk and awake. What will I do? Can you send me back to my room? The little yard on the east side with the red eaves."

Young Master Gu just stared at her. Feng Zhiwei clutched her head and continued murmuring: "If you won't send me back, please let me down so I can walk. I'm dying hanging here…"

But before she could finish speaking, she felt coldness brush against her face. The white veil dipped and Gu Nanyi's fresh scent of pine needles filled her nose as he bent.

Feng Zhiwei glanced as Young Master Gu's cool nose brushed over her cheek. He brought his face down to her lips and began carefully investigating the smell as if trying to determine what alcohol Feng Zhiwei had drunk.

His veil blanketed her face, his lips so close to hers. Their skin touched here and there, and his fresh, clean smell filled her. Feng Zhiwei stiffened and her mind blanked.

Since he had run away from the raw seafood, Young Master Gu had not gotten the chance to drink any of the liquor. He just wanted to smell this new wine that he had never had before, but when he had leaned down he encountered something soft and sweet behind the alcohol, warm and gentle like a flower blanketed in clouds. This new sensation made him freeze.

That single second was enough for Feng Zhiwei to recover and push his face away. Young Master Gu stirred from his daze and loosened his grip, and Feng Zhiwei yelped as she fell…

As she piteously climbed up from the ground, Feng Zhiwei lamented her fate. If she were going to fall no matter what, why did she struggle?

As she stood, she turned and spotted a sedan chair making its way down a curved path.

Feng Zhiwei's eyes narrowed.

She was very tipsy but her brain still worked; who could possibly be swaggering around carrying a sedan chair through a heavily guarded yard in the middle of the night?

The sedan was heading for the Jing Xin Resident in the backyard where she and Ning Yi lived.

Then, the target was?

After the feast, Ning Yi had not immediately returned to his residence. The South Sea autumn night was humid and the moon clear, so the Qi of Heaven and Earth was beneficial for his cultivation. He had found a place to meditate, controlling the strange poison in the center of his Dantian so that his situation would not deteriorate before he could find a cure in Minnan.

Ning Cheng had advised him many times to leave to quickly leave for Minnan as the venoms danger grew greater and great. Every time, Ning Yi listened and agreed, but every time he still chose to stay one day longer.

Ning Cheng rested in a pavilion nearby, tossing and turning in his dissatisfaction. Ning Yi ignored him for a while before calling out calmly: "I'm going deeper. Don't disturb me unless it's her or something dangerous."

Ning Cheng grunted in reply, moving closer and heightening his guard. Ning Yi's Cultivation Art would sink him into a focused, egoless trance and leave him defenseless.

Sitting across from his master, he looked at the exhaustion in Ning Yi's brows and grew more and more indignant. He sat there in increasing resentment, his cheeks twitching.

Finally, he picked up a piece of dirt and flicked it, exploding clod and cursing: "Women! Women!"

He amused himself by picture Feng Zhiwei's face over the piece of exploding dirt; His Highness would never know anyway.

Ning Cheng turned his head. Quiet murmuring voice appeared as he moved to investigate. As he turned the corner, a sedan chair stopped by the gates of the residence.

A young man from the Yan Family was quietly and humbly addressing the guard by the gate. Ning Cheng walked over, a frown crossing his face as he listened. His first reaction was to drive the man away, but he stopped himself.

As he reached the gates, he called out: "Are you sending someone to attend His Highness?"

Yan Huaiyuan did not recognize Ning Cheng but he could tell that the bodyguard was highly placed so he hurriedly affirmed, stepping forward and whispering: "My younger sister adores His Higness's bearing and wishes to offer herself as His Highness's concubine with our Yan Family's blessings…"

Displeasure crossed Ning Cheng's face and he slowly pushed Yan Huaiyuan away from him, saying: "Not so close, your breath stinks."

Yan Huaiyuan paled and flushed; Ning Cheng paid him no more mind as he gestured, calling out: "Search."

"Your Honor, please…" Yan Huaiyuan hurriedly stepped forward, not daring to breath too heavily in Ning Cheng's direction, his head turned to the side as he begged: "She is my little sister, the eldest daughter of our Yan Family!"

"I don't care whether who she is to your Yan Family." Ning Cheng calmly replied. "I only know that you are sending an attending woman and that this place is not a brothel. This is His Highness's residence, not some place anyone can waltz in whenever they want. If you cannot accept the Imperial Family's regulation, then leave."