THE INTERVIEW
"Have you seen the result of your pranks?" Wei Lian yelled as she stared into the small mirror in front of her. She had red lines on her neck.
"You sly thing." She swore. She ran her hands over the wound. She winced immediately in pain, the marks looked like fine patterns of red lines on her neck.
The fox sat on the bed silently. He had a bunch of berries buried in between his legs. The only sound coming from him was the sound of him munching away at the berries with reckless concern.
He had taken his revenge on her.
"I have told you not to use me and then shout at me after that." He sounded fulfilled.
"When did I ever use you?" Wei Lian yelled out in anger. The strain from the shout made her neck throb in pain. "Ahh!" She winced again.
"The ointment." She stretched out her palm. The fox remained unfazed.
"Xiao Hei!" She yelled again.
"You used me? Admit." He replied stubbornly.
Wei Lian didn't have any other access to the ointment. She barely knew anywhere in the Valley. Xiao Hei had been her messenger for almost every single task and now she was experiencing the side effects of letting that happen.
"Fine, I used you. Now can I get the ointment? I have an interview in the next few minutes."
Xiao Hei shook his head stubbornly.
"What exactly do you want me to do? Apologise?"
The animal companion nodded emphatically. Wei Lian scoffed. She couldn't bring herself to apologise to her own animal companion, but she knew better than anybody that Xiao Hei will eventually extract the apology from her.
"Fine. I'm sorry." He didn't budge.
"Hei Hei, I will get you all the fruits and food that you want." Still no movement from him.
She stood up and sat down next to him on the bed. She rubed his head slowly. She needed him at the moment and she would do anything for him to go back to being his usual self.
"I am sorry that I shouted. I won't do it again. Feel free to call Mei Lin." She was being sincere.
"Really?" His eyes lit up at the mention of Mei Lin immediately.
"Yes. I am serious."
He opened his right palm and the ointment appeared in it. "Take." He shoved the small flower container to her. She took it from him without hesitation and returned to the front of the mirror after giving him one last fond pat on the head.
...
THE IVORY HOUSE
Wei Lian stood at a corner of the busy streets watching lots of young and beautiful women beautifully dressed and adorned with all sorta
of flowers and ornaments and of course, exquisite dresses that had a touch of purple.
It seemed as though all the maidens of the entire Moiying Valley had gone out for the selection. She kept sighing repeatedly. She could tell that with the number of participants, the selection was going to be tough.
Xiao Hei stood beside her in his normal human form.
"Are you going to go in there or do I need to give you a push?" He asked, his eyes were trained on the chattering young women that were entering into the building.
"I will go in now." She puffed out air from the sides of her mouth and released a deep breath.
"What about me? What do I do when you are away?" He asked.
"More information Xiao Hei. That should be your priority. Any information that you find exciting and helpful at all." She cleaned her sweaty palms on her white robe dress.
The down part of the dress had been beautifully styled with purple flowers and even the fold around her waist was purple. She had flowers in her braided hair and her ornaments were purely gold.
"Do you think that the outfit is top much? I need to appear desperate and...."
"Even the least person here has at least three to four golden ornaments." He didn't let her finish before cutting her off.
"Okay." She muttered. Just as she took a step to go inside, her messenger bell rang. Xiao Hei quickly took it off to open the message. It was from Mei Lin.
BE VERY CAREFUL, WE CAN'T AFFORD ANY MISTAKES.
That was all. Xiao Hei nodded and started writing another message to send to her. The message might have been concise but Mei would always want a reply and it was important to give her one at this moment.
A reply would help her know that they are safe.
YES I WILL BE CAREFUL. AND YOU TOO.
Xiao Hei wrote it out in the air and magically transfered it into the bell. A ring was heard and then he nodded at Wei Lian as if to say "all done."
"I'll get going." Lian turned to head into the house.
"Wait. Your powers." He called out almost in a panic. He was supposed to seal away her signature energy until after the successful screening. He had started the spell at home but he still needed one more to go.
Xiao Hei closed his eyes and summoned out his Qi. He stretched out his right hand as his spiritual weaves appeared. In a swift motion, he used the illusion technique and veiled off her powers.
"You can go." He muttered and she left without another word.
The words 'IVORY HOUSE" were boldly written on the name tag just above the door of the house. She opened the curtain and walked in. She found herself in a large hall with lots of other ladies talking excitedly amongst themselves.
Madam Cheng sat at a table with three other officials. She recognised one of them to be one of the high ranking officials which had always followed the King of Moiying Valley to Qingyun Sect.
"This is really a matter of importance then." She muttered to herself as she stepped over the threshold.
She walked closer to where a group of young ladies her had had perched and were whispering to each other.
"Did you hear?" She heard one of them whisper to the other.
"What?"
"Warrior Long Yue wants only one attendant for this year." The lady said. She had pearl ornaments on her hair and hands. She looked and smelled like royalty.
"What?" The other exclaimed in shock. "How did you hear that? Be careful not to spread wrong news." She scolded her friend immediately.
"I heard Madam Cheng herself tell the official. And it is also on the official board that was delivered to my father this morning." She insisted. "But I hope that he chooses me." Her eyes were dreamily.
"If Li Fei says that it was on the board, then does that mean that's the truth?" Another girl joined the conversation.
"But why?"
"I heard..." Li Fei lowered her tone, "that the warrior has reduced his last stage of cultivation and so doesn't like crowds in his space."
The others exclaimed in shock.
"Does that mean... mean that he might win against Wei....."
"Stop gossiping and behave civil." A young lady who looked quite respectable walked up to them. She carried herself with an air of importance and she was twice as exquisite as the others looked.
They all kept quiet. The lady hissed loudly and turned, her eyes met that of Wei Lian who had no amusement except staring at the scene. She scoffed and proceeded to walk past Wei Lian, she bumped into her intentionally and pushed her.
"Uhh!" Wei Lian's mouth were wide open as she struggled not to fall from the force of the shove. She fell backwards into a body frame and in an attempt to steady herself, she dragged the person's clothes and a tearing sound was heard.