The Princess And The Lord

"Miss are you sure this is the right place?"

Zi Quan Mei's maidservant handed her a leather bottle to drink, Zi Quan Mei took the leather bottle then gulped it down non-stop.

She wiped her lips then she stared at the dilapidated palace on top of the steep rock, she had climbed this mountain for three days before she finally reached the abandoned palace, Zi Quan Mei wasn't sure if Lao Min Na really lived in this place but she had no other options since Wei Zu Tian tells her that the only way for her to solve her cultivation problem is to seek Lao Min Na's help, Zi Quan Mei feels her heart shuddered whenever she remembers Lao Min Na that day in Chin Su forest because Zi Quan Mei always wonders what did she actually see that day, what kind of secret art did Lao Min Na develop to allow her to do that?

Can it be called a secret martial art at all?

The bats flew over the castle then a thick fog slowly crept up to cover part of the castle, the sun slowly set and the yellow light slowly turned to reddish-orange it dyed the stone walls with a red glow, somehow giving off an eerie feeling to anyone who saw it.

Zi Quan Mei's heart trembled, she subconsciously swallowed her saliva, but she wasn't the only one who felt this way, all of her subordinates also got an unpleasant feeling from the abandoned palace.

Zi Quan Mei gritted her teeth, she was a powerful cultivator and the sect leader of the Celestial Immortal, how could she be afraid of ghosts or monsters, this was ridiculous!

"Let's go!" she said to his subordinates.

"Yes Master!" they answered together.

It took another hour for them to finally reach the giant wooden gate on the gate there are two colliding dragons engraved on it. The wood of the door looked weathered and covered in moss, although it still looked quite strong, but it was clear that this door had been neglected for a long time, but what made Zi Quan Mei anxious was that she couldn't stop the feeling that something was watching them from outside the forest.

Unlike the rest of the forest, this place was so quiet that the sound of crickets could not even be heard, as everything was frozen in place. Zi Quan Mei shook off her feelings then banged on the gate loudly.

"I am Zi Quan Mei, sect master of Celestial Immortal sect, Wei Zu Tian of Heaven Gate sect sent me here, OPEN THE DOOR!" he is screaming.

There was a long silence for a minute and then the gate slowly opened, the creaking sound of rusty hinges giving everyone goosebumps. They all exchanged wary glances, then suddenly an old woman in a simple white robe carrying a lantern walked towards them. One of Zi Quan Mei was restless she looked down to see if the old lady had any shadow.

"Come in, Madam Zi, our lady has been waiting for you..." he said in a monotone voice. Without waiting for her answer, the old lady turned around and left so Zi Quan Mei and her people had no choice but to follow her.

As they climbed the stairs they saw that not only the outside but the inside was also neglected, the paving stones were broken everywhere, and weeds were growing everywhere if it weren't for Wei Zu Tian telling him that Lao Min Na stayed here thought Zi Quan Mei no one has lived in this place for decades.

"Why does this place look so messy?" asked Zi Quan Mei's subordinate.

"Sorry, because we just moved and we don't have enough people to take care of the skinny place" replied the old woman.

However, Zi Quan Mei could barely sense any human presence in this place otherwise this place reeked with an aura of death and blood, not long after they finally met another young maid, she was wearing the same uniform as the old lady. He glanced at Zi Quan Mei for a moment then led them into the palace.

They headed to the main hall, the ceiling of the main hall was so high and the red beams were covered with cobwebs and dust, there were no chairs in the room only one big chair on the highest platform, the room was also dim only in the middle of the room got more many lights while the corner is lit only by small candles.

The silence made everyone restless, they held their weapons until their knuckles turned white as if a monster or something would jump from the corner and attack them when they lost their guard down, they started to question if it was a good decision to come here at all. 

"Miss Lao Min Na will be here, shortly," said the young maid, just like the old woman she quickly left before Zi Quan Mei and the others could say anything. The young mind run so fast as if she was chased by something and Zi Quan Mei could only frown in confusion.

Once the young maid left, Zi Quan Mei and her five subordinates make them the only six people in the giant dimmed room all by themselves, and it feels creepy.

One of Zi Quan Mei's subordinates can't hold the tension, she begins to stutter "Mis…Mistress….this…" '

"Psst!" the other subordinates hushed her.

They heard the sound of creaking the door then follow by single footsteps to walk inside the room, their focus was suddenly drawn to a woman with white robes her side face cover by her long dark hair. She walks calmly almost like floating, the sounds of her footsteps somehow comforting for some of them because that means at least Lao Min Na is a human although her pale skin make them continually question themselves.

Lao Min Na takes a sit on the only chair in the room, she takes a deep exhale then slowly opens her eyes. The dimmed light made her eyes flashed with bright red color but it so fast they think they imagine things.

"Lao Min Na?" Zi Quan Mei squints her eyes, she had seen Lao Min Na before but there something wrong with The'Lao Min Na' right now. Something very different....and very wrong.

"Wei Zu Tian send you?" Lao Min Na's voice was cold and clear like the sound of water drops on a rock it didn't loud but awfully clear.

"He is…he said you could help me," said Zi Quan Mei.

Lao Min Na tilted her head "Help with what?"

Zi Quan Mei bit her lower lips "My….my cultivation" even though the subordinates are her most trusted underlings but it keeps bothering her to admit her flaws in front of her people.

Lao Min Na stifle "You ruined your cultivation huh?"

Everyone shifts their attention to Zi Quan Mei, no one knows what happened with her cultivation even if they do no one dare to ask either. Zi Quan Mei's expression sunk  "I just got hurt by Long Ming, that's all" she brushed it off.

"If you did, you won't come this far just to find me" Lao Min Na sneer.

Zi Quan Mei slightly turns red, she didn't admit it although she doesn't deny it either in the end fixing her cultivation is her main priority.

"Will you help me, or not" Zi Quan Mei grit her teeth impatiently.

Lao Min Na chuckled softly "Of course I will help, after all, we all have the same enemy, are we not?"

"Long Ming….?" Zi Quan Mei asked.

"Long Ming is a dangerous man but the one who is more dangerous is the vixen next to her, Luo Ri Yi" Lao Min Na's eyes darken as she speaks Lory's name.

"Long Ming wife? What that weak woman like her could do?" Zi Quan Mei didn't have an impression of Lory.  She is a proud woman and the only woman who had the same standard as her could gain her attention, and Lory's image as a weak and humble woman who relied on her husband's power was the type of woman Zi Quan Mei belittle the most.

"Don't underestimate her, that woman has more secrets than you and I could think of, she has seduced Long Ming and make him into her lackey, a woman like her is more disgusting than any woman you ever know" Lao Min Na snort in disdain.

Zi Quan Mei knitted her brows together, Lao Min Na's hatred toward Long Ming's wife was something she does not expect nor she could understand Lao Min Na's extreme hatred. However, Lao Min Na hated Lory since the moment she met her the first time, maybe it was an instinct knowing that they would become arch-enemy one way or another, but sadly Lory never really hate Lao Min Na, hence it might be the other reason Lao Min Na hated Lory even more.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Zi Quan Mei thought the help from Lao Min Na will not be free.

The corner of Lao Min Na lips curled devilishly "I have a message for Wei Zu Tian that I need you to tell him"

"Oh, okay"