Yang Xia and Mei Yun were in the best part of Pear City. High and powerful lamps illuminated the wide streets of the residential area between the Yang main compound and the Auction House. The villas here were all bigger and better looking than Ren Qiu’s one, their exterior walls had elaborate drawings of mythical beasts and natural wonders. Through their gates you could peek at lustrous gardens filled with exotic plants, marble statues and beautiful structures.
Mei Yun was wearing a black robe with a golden dragon on its back and a dark blue collar that contrasted with her ink black eyes. Her black hair was tied in a white diamond encrusted comb, showing her white neck and the smallest possible amount of cleavage.
Yang Xia was not dressed that well, but still had a pink robe with golden details in the extremities and Orange Taint roses on his hair. Tonight was a special occasion, an elf diplomatic mission had arrived in the city and the main young master of the Xie Commercial Group was receiving one of the elven ambassadors in their main villa.
Nothing too high up, the main players were with the Patriarchs from the main Families, Clans and the Yang Sect, but the daughter of the Elf ambassador had accepted the invite to socialize with the junior generation. Yang Xia had no intention of kissing up to some elf asshole, but that was the perfect opportunity to find important young people of the city.
The Xie Villa was a spectacle of opulence even in this district. A roaring tiger among the unconquered jungle was painted on its front wall, so realistic Yang Xia felt the hair on his neck rising. Silver and gold details adorned the main gate, but even the base materials looked expensive. A small window on the right side had a Sky Expert waiting for the guests to identify themselves.
As Yang Xia and Mei Yun approached the window they noticed that outside of a vague silhouette they couldn’t see anything about the Sky Expert, only feel their aura. The duo produced their invitations, a brown poster with the tiger from the wall painted on it, and the Sky Expert opened the gate with a wave of their hand. Yang Xia bowed to the expert but Mei Yun rushed inside.
Viewed from the outside, the garden of the Xie’s resident seemed deserted, just a cristaline pond in the middle and a collection of trees around it, but the moment Yang Xia stepped inside the property the scene changed.
The pond had water so clear you could see the fish swimming inside it. It was two times the size it was from the outside and had a small island with a shrine on top of it. The trees in the garden had striking and weird colors, with ripe fruits ready for the taking and floating luminaries casting light into the evening. Flowers were arranged around the trees and in patches near the lake, so rare that even Yang Xia would have some difficulty identifying every one of them. The whole garden was probably as big as Ren Qiu’s entire house. And it was packed with people.
Several tables with food and drinks were spread between the trees and young cultivators from all across the city congregated around them in small groups talking and laughing at each other. Almost all of them were in the nascent realm, and no one was higher than the spirit realm.
On the left side of the pond you could see the guest of honor, a tall and slender elf girl, wearing pants and a shirt like the barbarian she was. She had elegant features, a beautiful face with blonde hair and pointy ears. Several people waited around her and she smiled and answered their conversation in between sips from the tall glass in her hand.
On the north side of the lake a tall man was playing a purple flute, filling the night with a gentle music. That was not a party for wild humors, just a subdued showcase of the best Pearl City has to offer in the young generation. But even here the divisions were clear. There were a great number of members of Guilds, Societies and small families in their own cliques but it was impossible to ignore the two centers of power in the party.
In one corner Jin Li represented the Jin Clan with his traditional dark green robe. A great deal of members of the Jin Clan hurdled around him like they were worried about being attacked. Not that this fear was unfounded, they were outnumbered 2-1 in the party and despite the neutral ground of the Auction House and the elf ambassador no Jin member would be at ease so close to the Yang Compound.
In the other corner several disciples with pink robes and others who clearly were part of the clans and families under the Yang Sect congregated around a beautiful woman in a simple black robe with a golden fan. Yang Xia knew her. Feng Ning, the shooting star of the Sect. She was an orphan who was found by the Wu young master. Rumors said she had a special constitution and was soaring through the cultivation realms, she had almost the same age as Yang Xia but was one step away from the Spirit Realm.
She had long blue hair that fell like a waterfall from her head, her face was almost always hidden by her fan, only her striking black eyes peeking from the top of it. Her simple robe was a little too small for her, hugging her perfect body just in the right spots. Yang Xia remembered hearing that the Wu Patriarch planned to marry her to one of his sons but the matter never concretized.
There were some Yang and Jin members hanging outside the two centers of power but most of the members chose to stay close, at least for now, the party had just started after all. I searched the members of the party, a very eclectic group of young cultivators, from the pampered children of the elite to that wild man Mei Yun saved the other day, he was wearing a better robe and was next to the Cui young lady. Who knows how these two met. Not that Yang Xia cared, he only cared about one thing tonight, and he finally found it.
“Oh so that’s why you wanted to come to this party.” Mei Yun chuckled following Yang Xia’s gaze. “You are hopeless.”
“Yeah.”
“Just go do your thing, I will greet Xie and the elf for both of us, you spoiled child.” She said and moved towards that direction while waving to me.
“Look who's talking.” I snorted but walked towards the small group of green robed women below a red tree, they were almost as far as they could get from Jin Li.
Jin Shun was a tall woman, only one inch smaller than Yang Xia’s 6’2 frame. She had a thin slender body who matched her strict face, with small black eyes and a thin mouth. Her hair was a beautiful brown just long enough to reach her narrow shoulders.
She was always followed by the twins Jin Delan and Jin Xuegang, both so similar it looked one of them were in front of a mirror, the same long lustrous black hair, cute round face and small thin frame.
“My love, did you miss me?.” Yang Xia said and bowed to Jin Shun.
“Don’t start it already.” Her voice was sharp, like an army officer. “Why don’t you pretend like you can behave like a human being for once in front of that elf thing?”
“Oh ancestors, what sins did I commit last life to be shackled to such a heartless mistress?” Yang Xia put her right arm over Jin Shun’s shoulders and smiled at the tall woman.
“Who the fuck is your mistress?” Her voice became colder after the contact but she didn’t back away from it.
“Why are you always pouncing on big sister Shun every time you see her? That’s gross.” Said one of the twins.
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“Did someone talk to you, pot belly?” Yang Xia's face turned into a scowl as he looked at the offending party. “Or maybe you are the other freak? I can’t ever tell.”
“Hey, don’t talk to my cousins like this.” Jin Shun’s voice cut through the answer the other twin was preparing to give.
“I’m sorry, my love, I know that despite everything you love your family.” Yang Xia’s smile returned as he pecked Jin Shun in the cheeks. “Don’t worry, I will not hold them against you.”
“As if I would trade them for the red vultures you call family.”
“If we hate each other’s family so much, why are we trying to unite them through marriage?” Yang Xia’s face was a mask of genuine confusion.
“Yeah, I bet your father and my mother are already sitting down to negotiate the details of our betrothal.” Jin Shun took a sip of her small cup. It looked like she was drinking Blue wine, she loved sweet things.
“Let’s just run away and do it ourselves, they will have to accept us when you come back with a red haired baby in your arms.” Yang Xia’s words finally put a smile on Jin Shun’s lips.
“Why are we waiting? Let’s give up everything and join an adventure guild exploring the Deep Caves.”
“Not a bad idea.” Yang Xia’s smile faltered a little. “Anyways, I’ve business to talk with you.”
“I know the kind of business you have for me.” She snorted.
“No, I’m serious.” Yang Xia produced a folded paper from his robes. “It’s a contract from one of the guilds.”
“You are still doing that shit?” Her posture immediately changed as she looked at the paper.
“If I don't work, who will support our children?”
“Just say what you want already.” Jin Shun reached for the paper but Yang Xia retreated it back to his robe.
“I’m afraid this is for you and you alone.”
“I wish more things of yours were like this.”
“Oh, don’t play innocent with me after all this time.” Yang Xia smiled. “Anyways, why don’t we lose the 2 freaks?”
“Big Sister Shun, people are already looking.” One of the twins said. People were really looking at the green and pink couple. “Please don’t go alone with this piece of shit, don’t you remember what he did last month with that Niao girl?”
“Well, if it’s just business there is no reason for me to not listen to him. Hold this for me okay?” She handed her cup to the twin who spoke. “Let’s go then.”
Jin Shun got away from Yang Xia embrace and walked towards the Xie house. Yang Xia picked the cup from the twin’s hand and emptied it in one sip before giving it back, waving to the flustered girl, and going after Jin Shun. Yang Xia almost never drank alcohol, but today was a special occasion, he fetched a tall cup of red wine as he caught up with Jin Shun.
“So, how are things going?” Yang Xia asked.
“Oh.” Jin Shun lifted an eyebrow to Yang Xia. “So you care after all?”
“I always care about you, my dear.” Yang Xia flashed a smile.
“Giving the months you spent without giving me the smallest sign of life I thought you had moved on.” Jin Shun’s face was a perfect deadpan.
“You know how busy things are now that I’m training for the Games.” Yang Xia emptied half of his cup of wine in one go.
“So you are really serious about this?” Jin Shun said, exasperated.
“I’m always serious.”
“Your father will never allow you to do this, you know it.”
“Competing in the Games is a sacred honor, not even Sacred Patriarch Kun himself could forbid me.” Yang Xia finished his drink and left the cup on one of the tables.
“But your father could make your life hell after that.”
“No father would punish a son for winning a Necklace from the Empress herself.”
“Of all the fighters in the Empire you think you are the best duelist below 20 years of age?” Her tone of voice showed how much faith she put on him actually pulling it off.
“I’m always serious.” Yang Xia grabbed another cup from one of the servants.
“Don’t come crying to me when you get exiled then.”
“I will never stop crying on your shoulder, you are stuck with me forever.” Yang Xia tried to link their arms but Jin Shun rejected him.
“Anyways, despite everything it’s good to see that your training is not too hard that you don’t have enough time to climb the window of Niao Bai naked.” Her voice made Yang Xia look away and scratch his cheeks.
“That is a lie, I didn’t climb it.” Yang Xia finally returned his eyes to Jin Shun and muttered.
“No? Then why did half the Yang District see you naked on top of the Niao compound?” She lifted her eyebrows.
“I didn’t climb it, I jumped through it when her older sister found me in her bedroom.” Despite trying, Yang Xia was not able to prevent his cheeks from acquiring a red tinge.
“Unbelievable.”
“Don’t start it, it’s not like half of the city is not talking about you and that visitor from the Capital.”
“It’s just rumors.” Now it was Jin Shun time to avert her eyes. “Besides it’s not like I can resist hopeless fools, you know that very well.”
“We both have our flaws, but it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves when we are together.”
She made a displeased sound as they left the garden. The front of the Xie compound had classical red pillars and colorful statues adorning a porch. Jin Shun entered through one of the small gates and led Yang Xia to a small hallway being lit up by a magical candle.
“Do you know this house?” Yang Xia asked.
“Yes, I’m friends with Xie Hua.” She closed the door and turned to Yang Xia. “So, what’s so important that my cousins can’t hear it?”
“What do you know about smugglers in the Ports of your father?” Yang Xia produced the paper from his robe, unfolded it, and gave it to Jin Shun. It was a letter from the Teng Patriarch, asking him to intercept a smuggler operation in the Blue Dock two nights from now. Nothing too hard, only 2 Nascent Realm experts, the problem was that the Blue Dock was in the hands of the Jin Clan.
“I know they exist.” Said Jin Shun as she read it. “But not a lot more than that. Are you sure this is not a trap?”
“Yes, someone I trust gave me this task.”
“30 silver coins, I know why you want to do it.” She folded it. “But why do you need my help? If you are afraid of the two experts, just Mei Yun with you.”
“Nah she is not cut for this life.” Yang Xia shook his head. “Besides she would be of little use if I got caught by someone of your clan while messing with your Docks.”
“Do you think we would just murder you?”
“Not in the middle of the street, but if they found me in a sketchy area doing what I should not be doing, who is to say what they would do?” Yang Xia took a sip from his cup. “Besides, I need someone who knows that part of the city, where it is safe, where people gather etc.”
“Why doesn't this Teng guy just tell the guards if he knows when the smugglers will be?”
“Apparently, there is someone from this family in this operation and he needs us to bring them back home without alerting the authorities.”
“You were right to not tell my cousins.” Jin Shun stored the paper in her robes. “If they knew you were asking me to accompany you to a dark alley in the docks alone they would break running speed records on their way to tell my older sister.”
“Fucking freaks, I always told you about them.”
“Hmm…” Jin Shun stopped for a moment. “I will do it, but I want half of the money.”
“Okay.”
“Are you not going to haggle?”
“Haggling is for commoners.” Yang Xia finished his drink and put the cup in a piece of furniture nearby. He could feel the alcohol warming his insides and climbing to his head. “Anyways, now that we finished the side business, let’s go to the main reason we are here.” He hugged Jin Shun by the waist and kissed her.
“Ugh.” She pushed him. “Why did you drink that nasty stuff before kissing me?” She reached into her robes and produced a red pallet. “Here, chew this for a moment.”
As soon as Yang Xia chewed on the pallet a sweet avalanche was released on his mouth, he almost gagged. Jin Shun then pulled him by his neck and pushed her tongue inside his mouth. Yang Xia tried to back off but she held him by his chest and pushed him against a wall.
“Much better.” She smiled with a little bit of red in her lips as they separated. Yang Xia was already panting a little, but shrugged his shoulders and kissed her again.