The Heavenly Wandering Sword

Chapter 7

Lady Bai felt a streak of fear, before looking over at Li Jian. “Brother Li, I apologize for this matter. My uncle is not a simple man and I’m afraid that I must go attend to him. Please do not worry, I will send someone over to take measurements and send the furniture right away. As well, please accept this auction hall pass.” She handed over a purple token that had Purple Auction House engraved onto it. “This is our VIP pass for the Auction House. You are entitled to a VIP room, and your purchases receive a 10% discount when you buy from us directly.” She got up and bowed, before exiting downstairs. The older man who was her main assistant bowed towards him. “A thousand deaths upon me for daring to disturb, I hope that Senior will understand.” Li Jian held up a hand. “Uncle, please give me your name.” The man bowed again. “This humble servant is named Yin Chu.” Li Jian looked at him and gestured for him to join him. “Please if you have the time, have a seat. There is something I wish to discuss with you.”

Yin Chu sat down and Li Jian poured him a cup of tea. “Please have some tea. I see that you are at the Level 10 Golden Core realm. Did you come from a Sect previously?” Yin Chu took the tea and bowed his head with thanks. “This servant had the fortune to be part of the Skysoul Sect. However, I had to leave as I was unable to break through any further. Thanks to Lady Bai’s kindness, I have gained a job here to serve as her assistant.” Li Jian thought about that and nodded. “I see. Now please answer me this, just who is Lady Bai’s uncle?”

Yin Chu smiled sadly at that question. “Senior master, I must humbly decline to answer that question. It is not for me to say. I hope this answer does not provoke you because it is truly not something I can casually answer.” Li Jian figured this would be the case, but smiled. “In that case, I need you to gather some items for me. I will pay for them of course, but this must be kept secret from even your Mistress.” Yin Chu nodded. “I will gladly assist Senior as long as you do not ask for treason.” Li Jian frowned and waved a hand dismissively. “Not at all. I simply need a set of black robes and a mask. The mask needs to be distinctive but have the ability to transform the voice as well.” Yin Chu nodded, furrowing his brows however. “Yin Chu, I mean that the secret must follow you to the grave. In fact, you will be harming Lady Bai if you were to tell even her or anyone about this.” Yin Chu bowed. “This junior understands. Please give me a few days so I can procure something discretely for you.”

Li Jian nodded and then stood up. He was about to leave when he heard the commotion from downstairs. “No Uncle, I cannot agree to that!” The loud yell of Lady Bai attracted his attention. Yin Chu looked nervous, knowing who she was with. “Let us go see what the commotion is.” Li Jian casually said as he walked out of the room they were in.

“You have no choice niece, Uncle is only a messenger. Do you intend to defy your father? You understand his temperaments. Besides, it must be time for you to come back at some point. Your father is keen on marrying you off. You are the second pri-“ She cut her uncle off with a fierce shake of her head. “No Uncle, right now I am Bai Zi Hua, the head of the Purple Pavilion. Father cannot just recall me like that, after all if he recalls me then he will be going against the Purple Pavilion. Would all the sects and the governor agree? Does Father intend to go against all of Baiyang City?”

“Niece, what do you wish for me to say? Your father dispatched me here with 10 Nascent Soul level members of the Imperial Guard. They are waiting outside and they will not leave until you come with them. What do you wish to do?” Lady Bai sat down, her eyes moistening as she looked around at everything she had built. “Why does Father wish to oppress me? Why cannot I be allowed to live in peace?” Her uncle could only sigh and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Little niece, I can promise you that Uncle Lao wishes as well that you can do as you wish. But we both know that is not possible.” Downstairs, the ten members of the Imperial Guard came in, lead by their Captain Kang Zexie. “We are here to retrieve the Princess.”

Lady Bai looked at her uncle and stood up, lightly dabbing her eyes with a silk handkerchief. “I suppose I have no choice.” The Uncle sighed before looking at her. “Unless you have the backing of a Sect that can go head to head with the Imperial Palace, you have no choice.” Her Uncle sighed and patted her head lightly. “I don’t even know if the Thousand Sword Sect would be willing to help you. Even then, at most, you would have to marry their Top Inner Disciple.” Lady Bai frowned at the suggestion before sighing. “It seems like in this life, there is nothing I can do about my own life.”

She walked down the stairs to the main foyer and stood there, as the ten members of the Imperial Guard all bowed to her. “Honoured Princess, your father has given orders for us to bring you back to the Capitol.” She frowned and walked over to a wall with various swords on display. “And if I tell you that I do not wish to go with you?” The Captain of the Imperial Guard frowned slightly. “Princess, I must obey your father. I am under Imperial Edict to bring you back.” She sighed and drew a sword, holding it up to her own neck. “I am sorry to make your life difficult Captain Kang. If I cannot go where I please, then I will pray that in the next life I am free.” Captain Kang froze and looked at her. “Princess, please do not make a scene. Please just obey your Father.”

“I wish to be free. It seems like this is the only way I can.” The Imperial Guard Captain clenched his fists before making a move, shooting four small beams of light to her acupuncture points, sealing her and freezing her movements. He quickly rushed up and removed the sword from her paralyzed hand before placing it back. “My deepest apologies Princess, I did not wish for it to come to this.”

“Who dares take away the head of the Purple Pavilion so casually?” A voice boomed out. An older man with distinguished white hair stepped in through the hallway. “Does anyone dare to at out as such in front of the Alchemy Association?” Kang Zexie bowed. “Please forgive this junior’s impudence, Senior Master. Please, Master Zi, this junior has orders directly from the Palace.” The head of the Alchemists Association looked at the Imperial Guard members there in their golden armour and shook his head. “I’m afraid that if you take away Lady Bai right now, there would be consequences from the Alchemist Association. Palace or not, if Lady Bai is removed, then the Palace and anyone associated with the palace will no longer receive anything from the Alchemist Association.”

The Imperial Guard Captain bowed his head. “Senior, does the Alchemist Association dare to go against the Imperial Palace?” Li Jian was watching this with increased interest. Why would the Alchemist Association dare to go head to head with the Imperial Palace like this?”

“Not just the Alchemist Association. The Alchemist Association as well as the Formation Master Association both are of the same mind.” Li Jian smiled to himself, surely it seems that Lady Bai had some plan in place just in case. Not a great plan but a plan regardless. “Senior, this will be considered treason.” The Imperial Guard Captain responded, keeping himself bowed. He knew that he was overpowered in a situation like this, especially when the head of the Alchemist Association was at Level 10 of Nascent Soul realm. It was enough to take on all ten of the Imperial Guardsmen sent here today.

“Not allowing the Imperial Palace to take away the head of the Purple Pavilion is not treason. Is the Purple Pavilion not considered a major faction of Baiyang City? And is the Imperial Palace not sworn to a pact of non-interference?” Master Zi walked in casually and sat down at a seat. “If the Imperial Palace forcefully destabilizes the Purple Pavilion by taking away its mistress, then that would break the ancient pact.” Kang Zexie could only bow. “I will report back to my superiors then.”

The Imperial Guard departed, Lady Bai’s uncle waving her a sad farewell as he left with them. Li Jian sat there and looked over at the Alchemist Master who quickly unfroze Lady Bai’s meridians. “Lady Bai, I have honoured my part of the bargain. I hope that you will do the same.” Lady Bai curtsied towards the Alchemist Master. “Master Zi, it will be as so. I will transfer the ancient treasure to the Alchemist Association.” She looked over, surprised to see Li Jian still there. “Master Zi, please let me introduce to you one of my new friends, Senior Li Jian. Senior brother, this is Master Zi Ming, the head of the Alchemist Association.” Li Jian bowed and greeted the Alchemist Master. “Respectful greetings to you Master Zi.” Zi Ming returned his greeting and smiled. “It is always nice to meet friends of the Purple Pavilion. I hope that you will come to the Alchemist Association for anything you need.” Li Jian bowed. “Thank you kindly Master. I will keep that in mind.” With that, the Alchemist Master bowed to the both of them and departed.

“Ah Princess Bai. That has an interesting sound to it.” Li Jian said teasingly. Lady Bai looked at him and sighed before sitting down in one of the seats. “It is what many view as a blessing but in truth it is a curse.” Li Jian smiled before bowing. “It is only the Imperial Palace, Lady Bai. I will take my leave now.”