It's temporary!

There was a knock at the door.

Both Xian Wu and Lai Yiteng were a bit startled. Although Lai Yiteng was less startled and more so on guard. He reached for his knife when he realized it wasn't there. Usually it had been tucked under his tunic, hidden by a layer of clothing.

He recalled that Bo Penglai had it in his grasp and that while he'd seen that, Lai Yiteng never actually took the steps to take back his knife. After all, he'd been too out-of-sorts and cautious to approach Bo Penglai at first. So he'd forgotten.

What a grave mistake! How would he get by without a sharp weapon?!

Lai Yiteng took several steps backwards until he'd gone around the corner of the desk, half behind a pile of towering papers and documents.

Xian Wu mouthed a 'Don't worry' at him before opening the door.

"Sect Master Xian!" a younger girl came jogging in. She was wearing dark clothes and had hints of red on her face as well as sweat, as though she'd ran all the way here from somewhere. Her stance was not particularly polite.

She did, however, see Lai Yiteng, and her head bobbed as she nodded as him with a sweet smile.

Lai Yiteng bristled before nodding back calmly.

Right, don't let your enemies onto the fact you are uncertain. Act normally, he told himself. After all, he was in Xian Wu's sect and should know that not any random person was going to attack him or anything like that. He only needed to act like the pretty lady that his clothing outwardly showed him to be.

The girl, not too distracted by Lai Yiteng's presence, continued excitedly, "Her ladyship Song wishes to know if you are attending the biannual martial arts conference?"

"Er…" Xian Wu paused.

The martial arts conference was typically full of older pendants from sects who like to be verbose, talking for a long time about their most recent breakthroughs in cultivation or whatever rare treasure or thing they'd found. Gossip and low-key bashing of other sects were also common. The kind of roundabout time to put one's sect on a pedestal.

Recently they'd offended Lushang Sect. But at the same time, there could be opportunities to find out more about Chen Yuwen through the Lushang Sect Peons that attended.

Hm…but, then again.

Xian Wu leaned against his desk, glancing at Lai Yiteng was staring down that harmless-looking girl with great doubt and coldness. He didn't really want to leave Lai Yiteng here by himself. Just look, Lai Yiteng was already this on guard when he was around, if he left him here would he even be able to sleep at night? What would the damages be, who would he attack?!

These questions would plague Xian Wu if he were to leave on a trip without him.

Besides, the conference would probably be a bunch of boring displays of power…no one else in the martial arts sphere even took Green Dragon Sect seriously right now. Sure, things had gotten better since their lowest point, but nowhere near its days of glory.

Xian Wu opened his mouth to decline when the girl spoke up again.

"Someone from Green Willow Sect found something very rare this year, it seems!" she added pointedly.

…so to summarize, Song Zhenxi was telling Xian Wu to attend the conference and see what happens.

Now Xian Wu had no choice but to go.

Why? Because Song Zhenxi was basically his second in command at Green Dragon Sect, not to mention his Shifu's daughter and like a younger sister to him! If she told him to go then there was most definitely a reason.

Xian Wu nodded methodically. "Yes yes, of course I planned to go. Have the others prepare for the trip. Uh, what day was it again?"

"The third of next month, Sect Master."

"Hm, I see. Alright."

The girl smiled knowingly, then skipped out the door after paying her final respects.

Lai Yiteng calmed somewhat once she'd gone. He quietly let his shoulders relax.

Of course, Xian Wu would be busy with these matters now that he'd returned to fulfil his position as Sect Master. He didn't know why he thought of other things when Xian Wu was so close to him before, as though they were something more...Lai Yiteng didn't know how to describe it.

But thinking of those kinds of things would certainly be a foolish waste of time.

"Yi'er…"

Lai Yiteng sucked in a breath. He slowly moved his pupils to Xian Wu at his desk.

"Yes?"

"Will you come with me to the martial arts conference?"

Now Lai Yiteng had a somewhat annoyed, tepid expression. "Why? I am despised by Lushang Sect, and even that Chun Yupon, or whatever his name was-"

"Chen Yuwen," corrected Xian Wu, listening patiently to Lai Yiteng's rant.

"Yeah, him. Even Chen Yuwen has some debt to settle with me. I don't know what. So if I go to that conference, even this disguise as a woman is already known by some of those Lushang Sect members. It won't be enough. I'll end up getting myself -if not both of us- chased out of that conference like criminals. To everyone else there I am an evildoer who has strayed from the path of righteousness."

"Yup," agreed Xian Wu.

Lai Yiteng gave him a look. What an underwhelming reply.

"But!" continued Xian Wu hopefully, "I will just add a veil or two over your disguise, then keep you by my side as like, a female servant. You know all those rumors about me." He chuckled.

Lai Yiteng did not laugh. "You mean those rumors stating how much of a frivolous playboy you are?"

"Those exactly! Anyway, consider it, Yi'er. The conference isn't for a month anyway. You certainly don't have to go, but…I figured since it would take me a week to get there…"

Xian Wu had learned a lot about Lai Yiteng. And one thing was that the younger was, in fact, weak to persistent and gentle persuasion. Xian Wu just had to roll over and act pitiful every time he annoyed Lai Yiteng and he'd be forgiven quickly. Tricks like these made interacting with him easier.

Sure, it was easy to trigger Lai Yiteng, but it was also easy to keep a handle on him if one knew how.

Lai Yiteng had lowered his gaze, scanning Xian Wu's desk of interesting items as he thought about what he'd said.

Perhaps there would be opportunities at the martial arts conference.

And if he was quiet and had a good disguise on, maybe if Xian Wu was around no one would bother disturbing him. He would think about it later. But…now that he thought of it, for how long would he have to keep dressing as a female? These dresses and hairpins were like bits of torment that Lai Yiteng forced himself to ignore. Of course, nothing like the torment he knew by heart.

"So how many months must I keep in these woman's garbs?" asked Lai Yiteng, half teasingly and have in seriousness. "Three, four, a whole year?"

Well, not that he was planning to stay for more than a year. Revenge on Lushang sect wouldn't happen all by itself, now would it? He'd have to go do that at some point. 

"Temporary, I promise!" Xian Wu said reassuringly.

There were the sounds of footsteps, another person arrived in front of Xian Wu's door.

 "But for now," Xian Wu whispered, "act all pretty and graceful, whatever women do."

"…" Lai Yiteng rolled his eyes.

He supposed he'd stay here for a while, though.

As much as he hated being surrounded by these walls and the prying eyes of others who were certain to plot against him as they tried to find ways to make his life more difficult, at least Xian Wu was here. If he was here Lai Yiteng felt slightly more at ease, even just by being in the same room as him for a few minutes.