"Liu Chen, for the fifteenth time, I am not going to wear that," Hei Wuya scolded, eyeing the elaborately embroidered formal robe with undisguised horror. The garment in question was an absolute masterpiece of needlework: midnight black with crimson phoenixes and silver clouds swirling across the fabric, and absolutely nothing like his usual attire. Which meant that it was too black.

  "But Master, this is a special occasion!" the young disciple protested, holding the robe higher as if its magnificence might overcome Hei Wuya's objections and somehow convince him to masquerade as an ostentatious bird for the day. "Elder Xuan said you should make an effort, didn't he?"

  "Elder Xuan," Hei Wuya replied through gritted teeth, "has been trying to change my wardrobe for a decade. This is simply his latest tactic."

  Su Lan Yi, watching this exchange from the doorway of the main hall, found herself fighting back laughter. She had arrived early- partly out of curiosity about the disciples' preparations and partly to avoid being ceremoniously escorted in on Hei Wuya's arm, which she strongly suspected was part of their elaborate, devious matchmaking plan.

  The hall had been transformed. What was once a functional canteen of sorts had now been converted into a fancy-looking banquet. Lanterns with red paper coverings cast a warm, intimate glow over tables arranged in a suspiciously intimate configuration. At the centre, an elevated table for two sat beneath an archway covered with what appeared to be every single flower the disciples could harvest from Blood Moon's gardens and mountains. The effect was less "elegant romantic engagement dinner" and more "spring explosion," but the effort was undeniably sweet.

  [DON'T STOP ME NOW, NO NO NO. I'M TAKING ALL THE PHOTOS I COULD EVER WANT. HA. LAN YI, MAKE HEI WUYA WEAR THE ROBES. IF YOU CONVINCE HIM I'LL GIVE YOU 500 VILLAIN POINTS.]

  "I think you should wear it," Su Lan Yi called out, unable to resist. "The phoenixes complement your usual scowl nicely."

  Hei Wuya turned, startled by her voice, and for a brief moment, his face revealed genuine dismay at finding her there. "You're early," he accused, as if she'd committed some grave breach of protocol, an inexcusable crime of punctuality.

  "Being early to the party helps mitigate the element of surprise," she replied blandly. "Particularly when teenage disciples are involved."

  Liu Chen's face lit up at her appearance. "Shimu! You look absolutely radiant! Fang Wei said you refused the special robes we selected, but your usual attire is equally stunning!"

  Su Lan Yi had indeed declined the elaborate gown Fang Wei had shyly presented earlier—a creation of peach-colored silk that would have been more appropriate for an imperial concubine than a recovering cultivator. Instead, she wore one of the simpler robes provided by Blood Moon sect—black and white with modest silver embroidery at the cuffs and hem.

  "Thank you, Liu Chen," she replied, putting on her best 'stern teacher' smile. "Though I must insist you stop calling me Shimu. It gives people the wrong impression."

  "What impression would that be?" the young man asked innocently, though his eyes danced with mischief.

  "That I have the patience to be this one's wife," Su Lan Yi replied, nodding toward Hei Wuya, who looked as if he might spontaneously combust from mortification and the teasing.

  [EXPERT DEFLECTION WITH SUBTLE FLIRTATION DETECTED. VERY SMOOTH, SU LAN YI. THE DISCIPLES WILL INTERPRET THIS AS CONFIRMATION THAT YOU TWO ARE ALMOST BETROTHED.]

  As if to confirm the System's observation, excited whispers immediately erupted among the disciples who had paused in their preparations to peek at the exchange. Su Lan Yi caught fragments of "she didn't actually deny it!" and "a wedding party soon?" before Hei Wuya's thunderous expression silenced them.

  "Enough!" he commanded, his voice carrying the full weight of his authority. "Complete your preparations without further harassment of our guest. Liu Chen, return that monstrosity to wherever you found it and resume your duties. Without extra steps."

  "Yes, Master," Liu Chen replied, though his grin suggested he considered the interaction a complete victory. He folded the robe with exaggerated care before scurrying off, shooting Su Lan Yi a conspiratorial wink as he passed. Huh, what a child...

  Hei Wuya pinched the bridge of his nose, the very picture of exasperation. "I apologise for their behaviour. I should have put a stop to this ridiculous display when Xuan Ji first warned us."

  "And deprive them of their singular source of entertainment?" Su Lan Yi asked, making her way further into the hall to examine the elaborate decorations put up by the disciples. "Where's the harm in letting them have their fun?"

  "The harm is to MY dignity," he muttered, falling into step beside her.

  "Oh, psh, dignity is overrated after the first century or so," she replied, reaching out to touch a particularly overflowing floral arrangement. "Besides, they clearly care for you a lot. This is their way of showing it."

  "By humiliating me in front of my guest?"

  "By wanting you to be happy," Su Lan Yi corrected gently. "Have you considered that perhaps your disciples see something in you that you refuse to acknowledge in yourself?"

  He gave her a sharp look, full of questions. "Which is?"

  "Loneliness," she said simply. "They see it because they know you, perhaps better than you realize."

  For once, the fearsome Terror of Blood Moon had no ready response. He stood silent for a moment, studying her with an intensity that might have made a lesser cultivator step back.

  "And you, Medicine Immortal?" he finally asked, leaning closer to her with his voice pitched low enough that only she could hear. "What do you see?"

  [HEART RATE, HEART RATE, HEART RATE!!! SU LAN YI, CALM DOWN!]

  Before Su Lan Yi could get over what had just happened and respond, Karma came bounding into the hall, blue eyes bright with excitement and something clutched in his mouth. The fox kit dashed straight to them, skidding to a halt at their feet and depositing his prize proudly.

  It was a small, exquisitely carved wooden figure—a fox.

  "What's this?" Su Lan Yi asked, kneeling carefully to pick up the carving. Her ribs protested the movement, but she ignored the twinge of pain.

  "Ah, that would be part of tonight's entertainment," came Elder Xuan's voice as he entered the hall, resplendent in formal gray robes embroidered with subtle silver patterns. "My Xuan Ji has been working on it for days. She's my granddaughter." His voice carried the pride he felt for the girl.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Xiao Yi. Even the smallest creatures can be clever and brave. Just like you, my little fox.

  Before she knew it, her eyes had misted over.

  "Mistress Su?" Hei Wuya asked, too close for comfort. She took a step away, not seeing how he seemed to immediately turn guarded.

  No, not in front of everyone...

  "It's... it's beautiful," Su Lan Yi said, not able to look up without her tears threatening to fall.

  "A gift for you," Elder Xuan explained, unaware of her emotional state, "to commemorate your stay with us. Though I believe it was meant to be presented during the formal portion of tonight's festivities." He cast an amused glance at Karma, who looked entirely unrepentant. "Someone apparently grew impatient."

  The fox yipped in agreement, then trotted off, presumably to continue whatever important business occupied the time of a spiritual fox kit in a demonic cultivation sect.

  That brought her back to the present. No, this was not the time to think of memories long gone, of things she could barely remember. Her hands tightened around the wooden figurine, so similar to the one that had burnt so many years ago.

  "Speaking of tonight's festivities," Hei Wuya began, clearly intending to make an attempt at dispelling the gloom that had suddenly taken over her thoughts.

  Elder Xuan raised a hand, cutting him off. "Before you continue what I'm certain would be a very convincing argument, Wuya, consider this: Your disciples have spent three days preparing for this event. They've practiced performances, created decorations, and even composed original works in honor of our guest." His tone remained mild, but there was something beneath it- a gentle reminder of responsibilities beyond personal comfort, and a hint of mischief. "Would you deny them this small pleasure?"

  Hei Wuya's jaw worked silently for a moment, the struggle between his dignity and his obvious affection for his disciples playing out across his features. Finally, he sighed in defeat. "Very well. But I draw the line at that atrocious robe."

  "A reasonable compromise," Elder Xuan agreed, his eyes twinkling. "Now, I believe our other guests will be arriving shortly. Shall we take our places?"

  Su Lan Yi slipped the fox carving into her sleeve pocket, while hastily wiping her eyes. Nobody needed to know.

  [SENTIMENTAL FEELINGS DETECTED. YOUR VILLAINOUS CREDENTIALS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY QUESTIONABLE, SU LAN YI. DID YOU LIKE THE FIGURINE SO MUCH?]

  So System didn't know..."It's called basic politeness," she murmured under her breath.

  [OF COURSE. AND THE WARM FUZZY FEELING IN YOUR CHEST IS JUST HEARTBURN FROM ELDER XUAN'S BAT wing TONIC. PERFECTLY VILLAINOUS EXPLANATION.]

  Before she could formulate a suitably cutting response, Elder Xuan offered her his arm. "Shall we proceed to the high table, Mistress Su?"

  "Certainly," she agreed, accepting his escort with grace.

  As they made their way toward the elaborately decorated table, Elder Xuan leaned closer. "I must thank you," he said quietly.

  "For what?"

  "For indulging them. And him." He nodded subtly toward Hei Wuya, who was grudgingly allowing a senior disciple that had appeared from nowhere to adjust the collar of his formal robe. "It has been a long time since I've seen him so... animated."

  "Animated? He looks like he's contemplating mass murder," Su Lan Yi observed dryly.

  Elder Xuan chuckled. "For Wuya, that's practically bursting to the seams with happiness and giggles. Before you arrived, he would have shut down such a display immediately, and the disciples wouldn't have dared attempt it. Your presence has changed the dynamic. They now have leverage over him."

  "I doubt that," Su Lan Yi replied, though she found herself studying Hei Wuya. Despite his obvious discomfort, there was something different about him tonight- a subtle softening around the edges, perhaps, or something almost like amusement in his eyes as he watched the disciples' excited preparations.

  "Don't underestimate your influence," Elder Xuan said as they reached the high table. "Your long existence should have taught you that even mountains can be moved by persistent streams."

  Before Su Lan Yi could respond to this cryptic comment, the elder had seated her and moved away to greet other arriving sect members. Soon the hall was filled with disciples of all ages, from elderly cultivators whose white hair contrasted sharply with their crimson eyes to the youngest novices, no more than seven or eight years old, who stared at Su Lan Yi with undisguised curiosity and gleaming eyes.

  Hei Wuya finally approached the high table, his expression suggesting he was marching to his execution rather than a festive dinner. He took the seat beside her with stiff formality, careful to maintain a proper distance between them.

  "You look soooo delighted to be here," Su Lan Yi commented, unable to resist teasing him.

  "I'm contemplating which wilderness survival training exercises would be most challenging for Liu Chen and his co-conspirators," he replied darkly.

  "Come on now, it could be worse."

  When he raised a skeptical eyebrow, she elaborated: "They could have invited the entire Wei Clan to witness your humiliation. This is practically intimate by comparison."

  An almost-smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Your capacity for finding silver linings is remarkable, immortal."

  "It's a survival skill when you've lived as long as I have," she replied lightly. "Though I must admit, I'm curious to see what performances they've prepared. Xuan Ji mentioned a puppet show?"

  "May the heavens spare us," Hei Wuya muttered, just as Elder Xuan rose to address the gathered sect members.

  The elder's welcome speech was mercifully brief, focusing mainly on honoring their guest and celebrating her recovery. Su Lan Yi noted with interest that he made no mention of her true nature or purpose- to the general sect membership, she remained simply the "Medicine Immortal" whose shop had been destroyed by enemies.

  As the meal began, dishes of surprising elegance appeared, served by junior disciples who performed their duties with a combination of rigorous training and barely suppressed excitement. Su Lan Yi couldn't help but notice how different this demonic sect was from what she might have expected: instead of grim warriors and power-hungry cultivators, she found a community that functioned almost like a large, somewhat unusual family.

  "Your sect is so homely," she commented to Hei Wuya as they sampled a particularly delicate dish of cloud mushrooms in spiced wine sauce.

  "In what way?" he asked, looking affronted.

  "There's genuine warmth here," she observed. "The youngest disciples don't flinch when their elders approach. The older cultivators guide rather than demand. It's refreshing."

  Something like pride flickered across Hei Wuya's face. "Blood Moon wasn't always this way," he admitted quietly. "The changes are relatively recent, within the last decade or so."

  "Since you became the disciples' master," Su Lan Yi guessed.

  He inclined his head slightly, neither confirming nor denying. "Changes were necessary."

  Su Lan Yi sensed there was much more to the story, but before she could press further, Liu Chen appeared at the front of the hall, clapping his hands for attention. The young disciple had changed into formal robes and managed to tame his usually unruly hair into a semblance of order.

  "Honored elders, fellow disciples, and most esteemed guest," he announced with a flourish, "as part of tonight's celebration, we present a series of performances in honor of Mistress Su, whose gracious presence has brightened our humble sect!"

  [IF HE BOWS ANY LOWER, HE'LL NEED SURGERY TO STRAIGHTEN HIS SPINE. THE THEATRICS ARE DELIGHTFUL THOUGH. 100 POINTS, MY BOY! YOU SHALL MAKE A SPLENDID VILLAIN.]

  What followed was a procession that ranged from the surprisingly skillful to the hilariously earnest. Young disciples performed dances, their movements graceful despite occasional missteps. A trio of older students demonstrated a complex sword form that culminated in the creation of a flaming chrysanthemum pattern in the air—a display that drew genuine applause from the onlookers.

  Throughout it all, Su Lan Yi found herself unexpectedly moved by the obvious effort the disciples had invested. They were trying SO hard to impress her, this stranger who had arrived in their midst so suddenly. It was touching, in a way she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

  "And now," Liu Chen announced, his voice taking on a theatrical quality, "I present an original composition, inspired by recent events and titled 'The Fox's Clever Heart: A Ballad of Fated Meeting.'"

  Beside her, Hei Wuya made a sound that might have been a suppressed groan. Su Lan Yi patted his arm sympathetically, though she couldn't quite suppress her own anticipation. If the poem was even half as dramatic as its title suggested, it promised to be thoroughly mortifying and iconic.

  Liu Chen struck a pose, one hand raised dramatically toward the ceiling, and began to recite.