Chapter Fourteen.

The Devil's Mansion is a famous gambling house in Meanders City. It is found on the third meandering of the Meanders City since Meanders City is a city made up of five meanderings. The road along Meanders City is made up of five major meanderings. Meanders City is also the capital of Long Gong County.

Duan Xinyue enters the gambling house in a hurry. Madam Ruo has been surrounded by a bunch of men. A man is lying at the centre of the crowd of men with Madam Ruo's left leg stepping on the suppressed man. The men surrounding Madam Ruo keep cheering at her urging her to continue beating the lying man. Duan Xinyue squeezes through the crowd and grips Madam Ruo's hand and drags her away angrily. As she gets dragged away she can only mention her unfinished business.

"You little brat wait till I lay my hands on you next time,"Madam Ruo threatens the man lying on the floor. The young man lying on the floor got caught cheating during a bet with Madam Ruo so she had to teach him a lesson.

In the evening at White Pavilion,Lei Qiang is doing some calligraphy. The temperatures have started dropping as winter is just around the corner.

"Did you go to Qingfeng Pavilion?"

"Yes but Duan gongzi was in a hurry so I didn't get to talk to him."

"Where did he go?"

"Devil's Mansion."

Lei Qiang's eyes widen as he looks up at Hong Yi revealing his curiosity. Hong Yi narrates the incident about Madam Ruo at Devil's Mansion and what Duan Xinyue did when he arrived there.

"What's the relationship between him and that Madam Ruo?"

"People say he saved her life and declared to her that he's the only one who has the permission to take her life that's why he showed up there."

In the morning outside White Pavilion, Lei Qiang and Wei Yi are talking while having tea. They are talking about the past events that led to their separation. Meanwhile, Duan Xinyue is on his way to White Pavilion but Hong Yi stops him on the way.

"My Lord said you're not allowed to come back here."

"Why can't I see him?",Duan Xinyue stretches his neck from side to side to see if Lei Qiang is around.

"You broke the rules of the sect by entering a gambling house."

"We've been friends for a while how can you send me away like that?"

"Who is friends with you?" Hong Yi speaks with hostility. He sends Duan Xinyue away and goes back to refill the tea cups of the two talking gentlemen.

"I heard you moved out of Qingfeng Pavilion."

Wei Yi bought a house from a businessman who was moving out of Long Gong County. He claims it's unethical for a noble man like him to stay at an entertainment house especially one full of showgirls but the real reason he moved out is because he has a guard against Duan Xinyue and he feels Duan Xinyue is not as simple as he looks.

A week passes and there is still no trace of Duan Xinyue. When he went back to Qingfeng Pavilion after being sent away by Hong Yi he found out Madam Ruo had been secretly poisoned by a mixture of poisons so he spent the week making antidotes and taking care of her. Meanwhile at Ziran Sect,Lei Qiang is serious teaching the disciples sword art techniques. Some are slacking off due to the coldness caused by the low temperatures being experienced and so they end up being scolded by Lei Qiang. Hong Yi brings him a fur cloak at the combat ground. He asks Hong Rong to supervise them as they train for one more hour. Lei Qiang wears the cloak and leaves.

"Why does Shifu seem to be in a bad mood nowadays?"Mu Zixin asks curiously.

In the evening Lei Qiang is in a carriage coming back from Wei Yi's house. Hong Yi who is controlling the horses spots Duan Xinyue wandering around. Duan Xinyue spots them and walks towards the carriage whose speed seems to be slowing down. The strands of Xinyue's hair that were dyed rose gold are now dyed back to black and the strands are no longer hanging. His hair has been neatly tied up. As he gets closer to the carriage,Hong Yi throws him a few harsh words as usual. Duan Xinyue pauses for a while as he feels some light particles fall on him. He looks up and sees some snowflakes coming down merrily. He stretches out his hands and opens his palms and let's the snowflakes fall gently on his palms while some caress his long tender fingers.

"Lei-xiong,how fortunate it is for us to meet on the first snowfall just like a gentleman meeting the maiden of his dreams on the first snowfall. Why don't you come out and enjoy the scenery?"

"Get out of the way,"Hong Yi tries to shoo him away harshly.

The lights on the street add more beauty to the snowflakes.

"You know they say the first snowfall is a sign of lasting friendship. Young Master Hong ,is your master feeling cold? I can lend him my cloak,"Duan Xinyue speaks in a flirty tone.

Hong Yi tells him to piss off and pulls the horse bridles accelerating the horses to gallop away almost hitting Duan Xinyue in the process.