Storytelling

From the entrance, Mingyao was treated like royalty. An attendant greeted her and ushered her in. Inside, the atmosphere was lively, from the chattering of patrons to the bustling attendants striving to provide excellent service. The air was rich with aroma, the fresh fragrance of brewed tea wafting through the room.

Mingyao moved to an empty table at the far end, where the attendant had shown her. She sat down and observed the room. The customers were quite diverse, ranging from farmers, artisans, and merchants to scholars and nobility. Regardless of social standing, everyone seemed to enjoy their tea as they discussed various topics, from everyday trivialities to international affairs and even business information. They were free and unrestrained, coming and going as they pleased. How nice, Mingyao thought.

The teahouse attendant returned with a piping hot copper kettle, porcelain cups, a bowl of expensive flower tea powder, and a whisk. He presented them to Mingyao before asking if she wanted the tea to be brewed for her or if she would prefer to brew it herself. Mingyao allowed him to brew it for her, and the fragrant scent was mouthwatering as he carried out the process. Once he was done, he presented the tea to Mingyao, who took a sip and was well pleased. She handed ten copper coins to the attendant, who initially refused but eventually accepted and returned to his duties.

As Mingyao enjoyed her tea, a magnificent sight caught her attention.

On the stage of the teahouse was a single table with a folding fan, a woodblock for emphasis, and a cup of tea. A young, handsome man took the stage—he was the storyteller of Yinyue Teahouse.

Mingyao immediately knew this man was no ordinary person. The aura he exuded was almost at Yue Ying's level, yet only she seemed to notice this, as the patrons remained engrossed in their discussions.

The man took a gulp of his tea, rinsed his mouth, then picked up the woodblock.

"Ta!"

The sound of the block silenced the customers.

"Last time, we talked about one of the two martial masters in Xianyang City. Today, I want to talk about the other master. Have you ever heard of the Hidden Lotus Pavilion?"

The young man paused, took a sip of his tea, then continued. The customers-turned-audience sat up straight, listening intently.

"The Hidden Lotus Pavilion, like the Ghost Shadow Gang, is a sect formed by one of the four grandmasters in the Qin Kingdom. However, unlike the Ghost Shadow Gang, they are not very open with their operations. Just contacting them is a long process that... let's just say, is not easy.

"The Hidden Lotus Pavilion has two major divisions: the scout division and the execution division. These two divisions have two famous techniques that assist in their activities—the Thousand Faces Demon Art technique and the Moon Veil technique."

"Mr. Mo, I heard that the Hidden Lotus Pavilion is only made up of women. Is that true?" someone asked.

Mr. Mo paused, took another sip of his tea, then answered.

"Yes, it's true. The sect is composed solely of women, but their Thousand Faces Demon Art technique allows them to disguise themselves as men. So, even the men around you could be members of the Hidden Lotus Pavilion. You never know—maybe I myself am a member of the Hidden Lotus Pavilion." Mr. Mo laughed off the joke.

Mr. Mo fluttered open his fan and started to fan himself before continuing.

"As I was saying, the Hidden Lotus Pavilion is divided into two main divisions, and each member of the sect is categorized into four ranks based on their abilities. At the bottom is Glass—these are the members who have just entered the organization. Many of them are usually at the early inner strength stage in terms of cultivation and can only undertake tier one—Walk and tier two—Flicker missions.

"After Glass, there is Silk. These are members of the sect who have been trained in its ways and are now familiar with its operations. They are usually at the late inner strength stage and typically handle tier three—Whisper and tier four—Ember missions. After them are the Shadows, who are semi-masters—almost masters in their own right. They usually take on tier five—Thunder and tier six—Viper missions. At the top, we have the Master, who handles tier seven—Supernova and tier eight—Oblivion missions."

"How strong is the master of the Hidden Lotus Pavilion?" someone asked.

"She is a master who has perfected the art of manifesting qi in supernatural capacities. So, how strong do you think she is?" Mr. Mo responded.

"Compared to the Ghost Shadow Gang's master, how strong is she?" another person inquired.

Mr. Mo paused, took another sip of his tea, then continued. "They both have the ability to destroy the city if they were to clash—that's how powerful they are. As for who is stronger between the two, I don't know."

"What about the grandmasters? How strong are they?"

"The true extent of the grandmasters' abilities is unknown, but their power must be beyond all comprehension. It is speculated that grandmasters can call upon power from the heavens that can make entire nations bow before them. The ground they walk on trembles at their mere presence, and even the wind, sea, and trees bend to their will. They are believed to be demigods—that is just how powerful they are."

"Is the Grandmaster of the Hidden Lotus Pavilion also a woman?" a young girl at the back asked.

Mr. Mo glanced at Mingyao before smirking and saying, "That was an introduction to the Hidden Lotus Pavilion. Next time, we will discuss the various missions they have carried out over the years. Until next time."

The crowd broke into murmurs, eager to learn more, but Mr. Mo walked off the stage.

Mingyao soon left her table and ascended to one of the private rooms, guided by an attendant. Inside the room, Yue Ying was waiting for her.

"Yue Ying greets Pavilion Master."

Soon after, Mr. Mo walked in. He soon morphed into a stunning woman.

"Mo Yan greets Pavilion Master."

Four women sat at the table—Mingyao, the Pavilion Master; Yue Ying, the Sect Master; Mo Yan, the head of the infiltration division; and Xue She, the head of the execution division and Mingyao's current bodyguard.

"Before we start, Yue Ying, did you bring the ledgers? They are a crucial part of the discussion."

"Here they are."

"Okay, excellent. Let's begin the meeting."