JustJae

Following his father's murder, Wu Ling's mother returned to the life of a courtesan, disguising her young son as a girl to take refuge in the Bamboo Silk House, a women's only sect dedicated to the arts. Now, as his powers awaken, he'll find himself torn between protecting his family and the goals of powerful cultivators who see him as a means to an end. 

"Wu Ling, I've accepted a marriage proposal on your behalf," the bewitching Hall Master of the Bamboo Silk House declared. "When you enter the Inner Sect, you'll enter under the name 'Hua Qianhu', fiancee of a young lord of the Liang family." 

"Hall Master, that's impossible!" Wu Ling protested. "Even if you ignore my relationship with Meifeng, I might have dressed well enough to hide as a mortal woman but I could never..."

"So you truly didn't realize what you were doing," the Hall Master said, a dark smile on her lips. "Little Ling, you're a natural-born Shapeshifter. I'll teach you what you need to know," she said, her features shifting until she looked like a mirror image of the stunned Wu Ling. "As long as you follow my arrangements and learn my techniques, it isn't impossible for you to reunite with Meifeng..." 

"But you should consider Young Lord Liang carefully," the Hall Master added. "His affection for you is genuine. Perhaps, one day, you'll even feel the same for him..."

Unparalleled Artist: Unlikely Hero

"Brother Wu," Zhang Buyan said, scratching his chin while he looked at the map. "These spirit beasts, just how dangerous are they?"

"As long as we don't offend the Emerald Winged Roc, it shouldn't be too bad," Wu Ling replied, his entire demeanor relaxed despite the danger they were discussing. "The Roc is a king who refuses to share his mountain with any other strong beasts. While the beasts are plentiful, any who go too strong are quickly hunted down by the Roc. As long as we can fight off beasts with the strength of a Soldier, we should be fine, and both Sister Xiang and I have done so successfully in the past."

"Aesthete Wu," Jin Wuya said, helping Hou back onto her shoulder before leaning over the map. "This is a long way away from Silver Sword City and there are several mountains to cross between here and there. How long do you intend for this adventure to last?"

Gold Veined Spirit Jade (Part Two)