Episode Sixteen      Episode Sixteen

Feng Gao had travelled a long distance from the Forbidden lands, tracking the resonants of the power serge that had created the mini earthquake and heat wave. He had to make sure that he watched his back carefully, because he is wanted in three of the kingdoms, and more than a dozen other cities for minor and major crimes.

He is now approaching the border of the Drogan's kingdom, and his fingers started to twitch in anticipation from the emance energy he is picking up from the resonance. 

   'There is undeniable power somewhere around here, it's faint, but it's located in this kingdom.' 

Gao continued on his journey, his boots kicking the loose dirt and he laughed as he set fire to a nearby farmland as he passed by. He laughed even harder when he saw the old farmer and his wife run out of their house, grabbing buckets of water to put out the fire.

   "Ah, it feels so good to cause a bit of mayhem." He continued to laugh, using his earth powers to flick pebbles at people's faces when he passed by them.

Feng Gao reached a well, and decided to quench his parched throat. But he was behind some bushes when he saw three young girls approaching.

     "That heat wave made my new hairdo limp." The female in the middle loudly said, which peaked Gao's interest. 

    "I heard that those events weren't natural. It was caused by some unskilled Mage, who's power got out of control." The girl who is fetching the water out of the well said.

   "I bet it was that princess Li Jen, all she does is prance around that palace all day." The third girl who stood closest to the road said. Gao scoffed at her, as she stood with her hands at her hips and pier around like a peacock. Obviously, she has a grudge against the princess. And that caught Gao's interest even more. "I mean, can you believe that they are spreading preposterous rumors that Cheng ran away with her. I mean, Cheng is mine, and everyone knows that." Gao snort, patting himself on the shoulder for hitting the nail right on the head.

   "Those rumors are fake." The girl in the middle spoke again. "My brother hasn't come home for about a week and a half now, because he is at the palace prancing around with Li Jen."

   'Ah, so another sour mouth who hates the princess.' Gao thought to himself. 'Oh my my, I might just enjoy my stay in the Dragon's kingdom afterall. 

   "Ladies, what a fine day to be gossiping." Gao laughed, making him known.

The three girls gasp in surprise, that their conversation was being overheard. But what mostly caught their attention was Feng Gao's good looks, and rich attire.

   "Gossiping, oh no. We weren't gossiping, what we were discussing was just facts." The girl in the middle, who seems to be the leader of the group, fluttered her long eyelashes and said. "I am Wand May," She held her hand out towards Gao, and he smirked before taking her hand and kissed it. "And these are the…. others." Her friends gasp in distaste at the way she introduced them, but May could care less. She wasn't just going to let a handsome man like this slip through her fingers, and may or may not be persuaded and bedded by these vixens she called friends. 

May always had this goal of hers, seek out a high status man. And escape this like that she currently has. She isn't in want of anything, but which girl doesn't want to live like a princess? Cultivators are not, she was going to take this meeting as an opportunity. And who knows, this man might be her ticket to the good life, where she is known as a young master's wife and not the daughter of a cook and blacksmith.

    "And who might you be?" She asks in a flirting tone.

Feng Gao scoffs inwardly, disgusted by her just throwing herself at him. No dignity, none at all. 'Just shameless.' He thought. 'But her appearance is quite stunning.' Gao looked at May from head to toe. Noticing her coal coloured hair, which is combed into a flat bun with thin sideburns. Her medium size lips are painted a shade of light red, which matched the top part of her hanfu, and blended in with the creme color of her qun. 

Like what Gao thought, she is pretty but her personality is considered shameless. But with those two characteristics of hers. Gao could use it to his own advantage.

    "I am Feng Gao, the second son of General Feng Gi. And the most advance Mage you will ever met." He praised himself a bit, but he guessed it worked when May interest skyrocketed as he mentioned the second and last part.

  "Oh, so you are a Mage?" May twriled one of her sideburns, and battered her eyelashes at Gao. Her friends have long forgotten, and it's just she and Feng Gao in her own little world.

   "Yes I am." Gao uses his wind powers to brush invisible dust off his red, dark blue and black shenyi. And snapped his fingers, straightening out the foot of his black pants underneath. To sweeten the deal, and when he looked up and saw the awestruck look in May's eyes. He knew that he had sealed the deal. "Anyways, I heard you gos- talking about a Mage's power out of control."

   "Yes, that's-" Wang May's friend who was catching the water from the well started to answer, but May cut her off.

   "Yes, the bizarre incidents happened in the direction of the Dragon's palace. And everyone has the princess to blame."

   "Is that so." Gao mutters. 'But Li Jen is one of the most skillful Mages for her age, so it couldn't be her.' Gao smiled at the three ladies in front of him. "Would you ladies like to accompany me to the palace? King Li Wei is a good friend of my father, and I haven't seen him in a long time." 

  "Oh sure I will. My friends need to head home, but I am free." She came beside him, hooking her arm through his. Shooing away her friends.

   "Oh, if it's no trouble fair madam." Gao said like the gentleman that he was certainly not.

He bid May's friends goodbye, and the two of them took off towards the Drogan's palace.

   "Such a snake, that May." 

    "She called herself a friend. No wonder why her brother Kai took a liking to the princess. May has no class." 

Her friends bad mouth her, as they glared at her retreating back.