At midnight, the moon retreated behind the clouds. Dry branches and withered leaves shivered in the biting wind, as if they might snap at any moment.
Hidden in a secluded estate outside the Capital, Xie Jiuli appeared in the guise of Li Jiu. She wore a red garment and a silver half-mask, draped in a heavy, dark-patterned cloak of the same color. A faint, regal air hung about her, commanding instinctive awe from all who saw her.
Standing half a step behind her was Shi An, his frame entirely concealed beneath a feathered mantle. Like a gargantuan bird of prey, he exuded a sense of vigilance and bloodthirsty menace toward his surroundings.
Chapter 167