Chapter 369: Blossoms of Unyielding Valor

A light drizzle blurred the scene as spring breezes caressed the willows.

The gentle, incessant spring rain pelted the sprawling greenhouse erected on White Jade Square in Second City.

It echoed with a deep, muted thud upon the structure.

Over the very center of the square, two streams of divine radiance interwove like a flowing scroll, outlining the silhouettes of two figures.

One was an adorable six-year-old girl, and the other, a solemn young Daoist clad in a cyan robe.

If this Peach Banquet held any surprises, the most unexpected was perhaps the daughter of Li Bansheng.

Barely six years old, she already exuded remarkable grace—not to mention her breathtaking performance at the Nascent Dragon Pre-Feast.

With an almost overwhelming display, she secured Xi Wangmu’s Eighteen Ribs of divine essence, crushing one contender after another from various Divine Sects and prominent clans during the pre-banquet.

At the main feast of the Nascent Dragon Banquet, the little girl stubbornly advanced to the third round.

Many even hoped that XiXi might progress to the fourth or even the fifth round.

After all, for a six-year-old to reach the final one or two rounds on her first appearance at the Peach Banquet was both thrilling and astonishing.

In the casino of Divine Capital, XiXi’s wager in the fifth round had soared to extraordinary proportions!

Thus, cultivators from all regions who had converged on Third City eagerly anticipated this little girl’s overwhelming display of supremacy.

Alas…

She had encountered Wei Long of Great Realm’s First Divine Sect!

In Great Realm’s Eleven Routes, each was governed by its own Divine Sect.

Naturally, a hierarchy existed among these sects.

The Purple Mansion Divine Sect of the Celestial Master Dao was universally acknowledged as foremost—not only because its sect leader, Zhang Wuji, topped the Divine Register with a dazzling feat of single-handedly subduing several sect heads,

but also due to the illustrious reputation they had forged in every Peach Banquet to date.

In every Peach Banquet, the Purple Mansion sent only three heroes and three nascent dragons, and they consistently secured the top three spots with abundant spoils.

Thus, the world held a deep reverence for the Purple Mansion Divine Sect.

“It’s over—it’s the Purple Mansion Divine Sect! This little girl’s luck is bound to run out,” someone murmured.

“Luck? By the third round, just look at who’s left—all are the top nascent dragons from their respective Divine Sects.”

“It was only a matter of time. A timely defeat isn’t too costly; but if she advances beyond the third round and then meets an invincible opponent and falls, that would be truly tragic.”

In Third City, some were frustrated, others delighted at another’s misfortune, and still others remained resigned.

Many believed that XiXi’s progress to the third round was merely due to favorable pairing—she had yet to face a truly formidable opponent, a notion that had given her a false sense of security.

And now, the very first match of the third round was about to shatter all her hopes.

Lü Taibai sat behind the desk, his eyes dark and grave.

Not far off, Lü Qingxuan clenched his fists and warned, “XiXi—it’s her. Be careful, she’s really strong!”

That ill-fated Lü Qingxuan had faced the Purple Mansion Divine Sect’s third nascent dragon, Zhang Yunhuang, in the first round—the staggering disparity in strength had nearly broken him.

He knew firsthand that Zhang Yunhuang was extraordinarily powerful, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint why—

simply because Lü Qingxuan had been defeated too swiftly.

“She wins for you? Don’t worry—Emperor XiXi will set things right!”

With a sumptuous dish prepared by the palace chef stuffed in her mouth, XiXi patted her little chest excitedly at Lü Qingxuan’s words.

After munching on another piece of meat, she clapped her hands, leaped from behind the desk, and strode confidently toward the center of White Jade Square amid countless admiring gazes.

At the same moment, a young Daoist maiden in a cyan robe emerged with a cold, stern expression.

Her cloth shoes made soft taps on the white jade floor as she seemingly glided in the air, steadily reaching the center of the square. With a graceful roll of her robe, she fixed a calm gaze upon XiXi.

“First Nascent Dragon of Qianyuan Divine Sect, Li Nuǎnxi!”

XiXi placed her hands on her hips and raised her head, proudly declaring her identity.

“Third Nascent Dragon of Purple Mansion, Zhang Yunhuang.”

The maiden in the cyan robe gave a slight nod.

XiXi squinted, a sense of threat emanating from the young maiden washing over her.

This woman was truly formidable!

In an instant, a pink Xiangong Gatling materialized in XiXi’s hand while sparks erupted beneath her as she activated two Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheels, propelling herself into the air.

On the other side, Zhang Yunhuang suddenly produced a peach-wood sword; with a smooth arc through the air, it seemed to rend space itself, a dark blade trailing a fierce, cutting gust.

Sword aura roared forth, wrapped in divine power.

Zhang Yunhuang’s dark hair whipped wildly as she glared at XiXi, unleashing a storm of battle intent that defied description.

“Come on, little girl,” she challenged.

“Let’s see what this prodigy—praised by our sect leader—is truly capable of!”

In the main arena of Qianyuan Divine Sect,

Lü Taibai turned to Li Che, his eyes somber. “I fear XiXi has met a formidable foe.”

“This little Daoist’s cultivation is no small matter. Though she is only a third nascent dragon, her Qi and blood have reached the level of an Innate Grandmaster, and her divine essence has ascended into the Primordial Form, giving birth to her Yuan Spirit—”

“A vast chasm in cultivation indeed.”

At these words, Li Che became unusually serious.

“Overall, her strength far exceeds XiXi’s—”

“In the end, XiXi suffered from being too young. Zhang Yunhuang, at fourteen, has reached such heights—a true genius—but still, XiXi lags behind simply because she’s only six.”

Li Che nodded, “Her youth is an inevitable handicap—”

He then cast his gaze toward the Purple Mansion Divine Sect’s main arena where only five figures were seated.

At the head sat an old Daoist in a purple robe, whose enigmatic aura made Li Che feel as if a single glance could delve deep into one’s soul.

“That is Zhang Wuji, the sect leader of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect—the top figure in the Divine Register,” Lü Taibai explained as he noticed Li Che’s intent look.

Lü Taibai continued, “This man… is immensely strong, with depths that are unfathomable!”

“Though his martial cultivation appears ordinary, his mastery over divine essence is extraordinarily refined and agile—far surpassing our own.”

Li Che’s curiosity was visibly piqued.

Sensing his gaze, a kindly Daoist casually draped with a dust whip smiled warmly and met his look in return.

Li Che responded with a gentle nod and smile, accepting the amiable gesture.

With no real enmity between him and the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, Li Che saw no reason for hostility—friendship was preferable to making enemies of the whole world.

In the main arena of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect,

the old Daoist gradually withdrew his gaze, his eyes flickering as he remarked, “There’s one Li Bansheng—”

“Master, what is it?” asked a young Daoist in a black robe beside Zhang Wuji, puzzled.

“At the Heroes Banquet later, if you meet this Li Bansheng, do not go easy on him—showing mercy will lead to a crushing defeat,” Zhang Wuji instructed, stroking his beard.

“It seems Li Bansheng will also participate in the Heroes Banquet. Although his performance at the pre-banquet was passable, it was merely so,” the black-robed Daoist remarked with a wry laugh.

“With his Divine Fetus cultivation and miraculous breakthroughs, his bid for victory is extremely challenging. As for me, I’m here solely to seize victory and secure the 9000-Year Ginseng Paotao to nourish my Temple Spirit—”

Zhang Wuji shot the black-robed Daoist a stern look, “Don’t decide the outcome by what you see on the surface—”

“And never underestimate Li Bansheng.”

“I sensed an aura in him very much like our own—”

This caused the black-robed Daoist’s expression to shift.

“The same aura as ours? Do you mean he too is… nurturing a Temple Spirit?”

At the head of White Jade Square, two tables stood side by side.

They were laden with sumptuous delicacies, fine wines, and an abundance of red-hued peaches piled high like little mountains, available to be devoured at will.

Behind these tables sat two dignitaries presiding over the Peach Banquet:

The Great Jing Emperor and the Great Jing Empress.

Their tables were nearly joined, a symbol of their close bond.

The Emperor’s visage was concealed by a mist of Qi and divine essence, his features indiscernible, while an aura as imposing as a mountain enveloped him.

Beside him sat the Empress, graceful and exquisitely beautiful.

“Your Majesty, this girl is a newly recruited disciple of the Divine Talisman, trained in its art. It is said that Qi Sha favors this child so much that he even injured the Dragon Queen publicly for her sake,” the Empress announced as she delicately popped a spiritual fruit into her mouth, watching XiXi and Zhang Yunhuang with a smile.

The Emperor’s face remained inscrutable, but with a slight smile he added, “That little prodigy of Qi Sha—I haven’t seen her in years since I became her uncle.”

“Ever since my sister passed away, that little one… ah,” the Emperor trailed off with a sigh.

The Empress gently reassured him, “Your Majesty, worry not; family is family, and what’s past is past. Qi Sha will not hold it against you.”

The Emperor sighed, “Let’s hope so.”

Then the two fell into silence.

Suddenly,

the Emperor turned to the Empress, pointed discreetly at XiXi on White Jade Square, and said in a soft voice,

“My Empress… what do you think of this little one?”

A pause followed,

and the Empress froze, glancing at the Emperor.

“Your Majesty…”

the Empress began,

“What are you planning to do?!”

At the center of the banquet area, the space was vast and open.

Under countless gazes, the two figures suddenly launched their attacks and clashed head-on!

This was the first match of the third round of the Peach and Dragon Banquet—a battle that captivated everyone’s attention.

A six-year-old prodigy entering the main Nascent Dragon Banquet was facing off against the First Nascent Dragon of Great Realm’s First Divine Sect, stirring hearts everywhere.

At Third City’s City Gate, the area was already jammed with spectators, and every tower brimmed with onlookers.

Necks craned and eyes widened in anticipation,

while servants worked meticulously to record every detail with pen and paper so that the tale could be relayed to taverns across Ninth, Eighth, and Seventh Cities of Divine Capital—fueling the fervor of the betting crowds.

Buzz—buzz!!!

XiXi’s chubby face lit up as her dark, jujube-like eyes shimmered with determination.

The Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel beneath her spun rapidly with sparks flying as she dashed through the air; each time her feet struck, she perfectly activated the Jin Guang Wheel to boost her ascent.

In her hand, the pink Xiangong Gatling’s six metal tubes, engraved with divine symbols, glowed like a red-hot branding iron and spun at high speed.

At its peak power, the Muduya blasted ferociously from its barrel.

Booming blasts from the Jin Guang sliced the heated air like the sharp stroke of a flying sword.

The barrage was directed at the Daoist maiden Zhang Yunhuang, who brandished her black peach-wood sword in a formal salute.

Yet…

A red dot, resembling a small jujube, emanated from the mud pellet on Zhang Yunhuang’s brow and began to spread.

Soon, an invisible ripple of divine power unfurled like an interwoven net around her.

In one breath, XiXi unleashed three hundred Muduya projectiles—all suspended motionless in the air, their anticipated explosion conspicuously absent!

XiXi’s eyes narrowed with resolve.

She saw the maiden step forward; her cloth shoes struck the ground like curtains parting, dispersing the suspended projectiles as if drawn apart by the fabric.

In an instant, the maiden transformed into an arrow, rocketing forward!

“So fast!” XiXi gasped as her eyes shrank in shock.

A torrent of pressure, as overwhelming as the union of heaven and man, surged from the maiden—a crushing force!

This Daoist maiden was nothing less than an Innate Grandmaster!

Although XiXi had just broken through to the Divine Guts realm and still lagged far behind, the little girl displayed no hint of fear or retreat!

With a swift gesture, searing flames erupted around her like an obscure flame lotus in full bloom.

She gripped a black Divine Sword—a Yulian Yin Divine Sword—which had been a gift from Lü Taibai, a mythic weapon; meanwhile, Li Che still held his own Yulian Yin Divine Sword.

Leaning forward, the maiden casually swung her black peach-wood sword, dashing across White Jade Square in a swift afterimage.

Her cloth shoes pounded the ground, sending shockwaves that lifted her body as she swung the sword toward XiXi.

Unable to restrict the Xiangong Gatling, XiXi realized she was facing a truly tricky opponent.

She tucked away the Xiangong Gatling and gripped the Yulian Yin Divine Sword, slashing downward fiercely.

The two figures collided—a clash of might, large against small!

The Yulian Yin Divine Sword and the black peach-wood sword met in a violent impact, yet the maiden’s form softened like pliant wild grass, brushing past XiXi’s sword tip.

As XiXi pressed forward with her Yulian Yin Divine Sword, her inner aura surged dramatically!

The overwhelming pressure of the mythic weapon’s rank slammed down relentlessly, causing Zhang Yunhuang to feel intense strain, though her face betrayed little change.

With a single step, a shockwave built up under her feet as if the very ground had solidified beneath her.

XiXi channeled every ounce of her divine guts aura, empowering the Yulian Yin Divine Sword; still, every swipe was deftly evaded by Zhang Yunhuang.

The two exchanged strikes midair, their swords clashing with sparks bursting in every direction.

The mud pellet on Zhang Yunhuang’s brow swelled like a large red jujube, pulsating as her divine essence surged.

A clattering of chains echoed ominously.

Then, as if a paper lantern had ascended from her back, chains unfurled upon it,

snaking all the way to her spine as though piercing it to form an unbreakable bond!

XiXi’s eyes widened in shock as she realized that what appeared to be a paper lantern was, in fact, a divine shrine housing a formidable Temple Spirit, a deity known for slaying demons with its sword.

The Temple Spirit’s divine power erupted violently, coursing through the chains into Zhang Yunhuang’s body.

Boom!!!

An overwhelming torrent of divine power crashed down with unstoppable force!

In that moment, Zhang Yunhuang’s divine aura soared, reaching the pinnacle of Primordial Form as her Yuan Spirit boiled over!

It was as if, in that instant, she had transformed into the Temple Spirit!

Wielding her peach-wood sword, two fingers lightly brushed its blade, and it emitted a brilliant, otherworldly hum.

“Little girl, have you heard of the Temple Spirit? An unbeatable peer at this level!”

As soon as the words fell, Zhang Yunhuang’s face twisted violently mid-strike.

Her figure flipped dramatically; suddenly, a broad cyan robe billowed above in White Jade Square.

The cyan robe swirled, obscuring the view between her and XiXi.

The peach-wood sword levitated with a sudden burst, and with an icy glare, Zhang Yunhuang banged her palm down upon it.

Determined to end the fight quickly—driven by an inexplicable unease that this little girl stirred within her—she struck with all speed!

Boom!

A brilliant, hard explosion erupted, tearing apart the fabric of the battle.

In an instant, the peach-wood sword shattered, revealing a hidden Cold Edge Sword within.

A concealed sword within the peach-wood—a secret weapon!

Twisting midair, and with chains continuously siphoning her divine power from the shrine on her back, Zhang Yunhuang maintained a reverse sword stance.

With a sharp flick, two dazzling sword arcs blazed by at an indescribable speed—cutting toward XiXi like butterflies dancing through a flurry of petals.

The sword aura rent through the cyan robe!

Merging with lethal intent, the massive sword aura struck as if the very Temple Spirit were unleashing its wrath.

XiXi felt as though her entire body had been frozen in place.

That concealed sword technique caught her off guard, leaving her teetering on the precipice of death.

Gritting her teeth, a brilliant golden light burst from her right hand as she launched a desperate attack.

Zhang Yunhuang’s sword aura collided headlong with a Gold Brick.

Behind XiXi, a divine vision materialized—a manifestation with eight arms and three faces representing the Unbeaten Yulian!

It was as though a divine visage, with eight arms and three faces roaring a long, fearsome call, surged forth; XiXi’s right hand trembled in response!

Then, purple flames erupted as the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear automatically activated in her grip.

With a reverse spin, the very air seemed carved into a whirling vortex.

All four mythic weapons coalesced into a complete divine suit!

The Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear, clenched in XiXi’s hand, delivered a fierce lash and a dominating horizontal thrust!

Her body spun rapidly, launching a strike as swift as a bolt of thunder.

Suddenly, the air above White Jade Square boiled; the steamy atmosphere evaporated as a purple serpent slithered from behind XiXi, roaring as it collided with Zhang Yunhuang’s counterstrike.

Zhang Yunhuang’s eyes blazed fiercely as she harnessed the full force of the Temple Spirit’s divine power!

This was the secret art of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect—pure genius!

Then, suddenly…

Zhang Yunhuang froze as she glanced behind XiXi and witnessed the divine vision slowly opening its eyes—two dark lotus-like orbs beginning to rotate.

In that very moment, an oppressive force, as if the weight of mountains and seas had descended, crashed down!

Zhang Yunhuang felt as if the borrowed Temple Spirit power, which had enabled her rapid assault, was abruptly sucked back into the divine shrine.

A surge of raw emotion—fear, horror, and despair—swelled in her heart.

Crunch!

The chains shattered with a crisp sound!

The chains linking the divine shrine exploded with a thunderous crash, and in mid-air, every ounce of her Temple Spirit power vanished instantly.

Zhang Yunhuang’s pupils constricted.

What on earth had just happened?

Years of nurturing a Temple Spirit, forging an unspoken bond to harness its might—

in that decisive moment, the Temple Spirit severed all ties with her!

Decisively, without hesitation, it cut off their connection as if confronted by an unspeakable terror.

Little one!!!

“Why—why!!!” she cried out, the tumult of emotion nearly making her vomit blood!

She spat out a mouthful of blood that exploded into a fog under the force of the sword aura,

only for it to be scorched into black smoke by the searing spear light!

As the Temple Spirit’s power withdrew from her body,

in that very moment of clashing her purple-flame spear with XiXi, Zhang Yunhuang felt her control over her sword wane—as if every bit of the power she’d painstakingly built up to explode was suddenly snatched away!

The Temple Spirit had, in one decisive move, drained all her power!

Thwack!

The Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear violently slammed into Zhang Yunhuang, piercing her shoulder with a force akin to a raging dragon crashing into her body.

It hurled her from mid-air, pinning her to the ground with devastating impact!

The white jade floor of the square caved in instantly, spiderweb-like cracks fanning out in every direction.

Blood poured forth in torrents, staining the ground where the Daoist maiden Zhang Yunhuang lay, her dark hair fanned out like a blooming black flower amid the crimson pool.

Her eyes lost their divine spark—she knew she had been defeated.

Yet, she couldn’t fathom why she had fallen.

It wasn’t the four mythic weapons that had doomed her.

Her downfall stemmed from the Temple Spirit having drained all her divine power; the borrowed might that had bolstered her aura was snatched away just as she was about to strike.

This tumultuous exchange left Zhang Yunhuang with a gaping vulnerability—one that XiXi sealed with a final, decisive thrust!

Quietly, Zhang Yunhuang admitted, “I have lost.”

In the pavilion of the Purple-Clad Diao Si, an official promptly appeared to intercept XiXi, who was about to unleash her Xiangong Gatling.

XiXi gathered her divine weapons, panting heavily with sweat beading on her forehead, yet her face shone with exhilaration.

Though she couldn’t understand why the once indomitable Zhang Yunhuang had suddenly faltered, it hardly mattered.

For the victor is king!

If XiXi wins, she wins!

Only the victor holds sway!

XiXi stood with her hands on her hips, her little belly puffed out—in pure, triumphant delight.

Zhang Yunhuang was fed a healing pill by Purple-Clad Diao Si; the flesh on her chest began to mend as new tissue formed.

With a lingering, sorrowful glance at XiXi, Zhang Yunhuang turned and left White Jade Square, returning to the Purple Mansion Divine Sect’s main arena.

“Sect Leader, I have failed. It is my own inadequacy that has disappointed you,” she said, her voice tinged with melancholy.

Standing before Zhang Wuji, she added, “It’s not entirely your fault—it’s that Temple Spirit of mine…”

Zhang Wuji replied calmly, “That is the inherent flaw in our method of nurturing the Temple Spirit through the Temple Spirit Fist. While it can harness an overwhelming force, once the Temple Spirit breaks free it causes massive fluctuations in our state.”

Zhang Yunhuang retorted bitterly, “Sect Leader—I have cared for a Temple Spirit. What in this world could possibly make it so fearful as to betray me?”

Zhang Wuji’s gaze darkened as he responded, “A Temple Spirit is nothing more than a collection of fallen deities. Think about it—deities die; how could they not fear?”

For a moment, Zhang Yunhuang fell into a daze. Had it anything to do with that little girl?

Could it be that… that girl once killed multiple deities?

Stained her hands with the blood of gods?!

If that were the case…

Zhang Yunhuang’s face trembled visibly.

Then a soft, far-off sigh drifted through the air:

“Indeed, this girl might one day become a calamity for the Purple Mansion Divine Sect.”

Calamity for the Purple Mansion Divine Sect?!

That was an enormous assessment!

Zhang Yunhuang knew all too well the might of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect—the foremost Divine Sect of Great Realm—a power even the Great Jing Court could scarcely comprehend.

It was incomparable to any other sect’s strength!

Zhang Yunhuang harbored deep admiration for the Purple Mansion Divine Sect; yet now, Sect Leader Zhang Wuji declared that this little girl would become their downfall!

“How can that be possible?” she cried.

“This cannot be!”

Zhang Yunhuang’s face distorted in anguish, as if her core beliefs had been defiled and insulted.

Before she could retort, soft laughter emanated from nearby.

It was the first nascent dragon of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, Zhang Yunlong.

All three nascent dragons in this Banquet belonged to the Yun generation of the Purple Mansion, and Zhang Yunlong, one year younger than Zhang Yunhuang at only thirteen, had already earned the title of first nascent dragon of the sect.

“Sister Yunhuang, perhaps you’ve just been unlucky—your Temple Spirit happened to have a tantrum. How could a mere little girl become our downfall?”

“However, with our Sect Leader’s words, I intend to meet her. I plan to challenge her in the final match of the Banquet to see if she truly is as he predicted.”

Zhang Yunlong smiled gently, then turned and departed; for on White Jade Square, following XiXi’s victorious claim of the five-thousand-year peach, the portrait of her next opponent descended—and it turned out to be him.

Draped in his flowing Daoist robe, Zhang Yunlong looked effortlessly elegant.

Within three breaths, he dismantled his opponent, deployed the five-thousand-year peach, and advanced to the fourth round.

Li Nuǎnxi of Qianyuan Divine Sect had actually won!

She had advanced to the fourth round!

The battle between XiXi and Zhang Yunhuang had captured an overwhelming audience—it was truly a spectacle.

No one could have imagined that XiXi would defeat the Purple Mansion Divine Sect’s third nascent dragon!

After all, in terms of both martial might and divine cultivation, XiXi was far inferior to her opponent!

Yet—she won!

Soon, everyone discovered the secret: the four mythic weapons!

Moreover, they formed a complete divine suit, as if embodying the very essence of the Temple Spirit!

In an instant, Third City in Divine Capital erupted in jubilation over XiXi’s triumph—electrifying discussions and cheers filled the air.

In the main arena of Qianyuan Divine Sect, the cheers were equally relentless.

Lü Qingxuan, Yang Yi, Zhou Peng, Yun’e, and other companions cheered wildly for XiXi.

When they saw that XiXi’s mechanisms had failed and that she was being suppressed by Zhang Yunhuang, they all tensed up—yet no one had predicted that XiXi would stage such a miraculous comeback.

Lü Taibai’s eyes narrowed in perplexity as he muttered, “How did she win?”

Lü Taibai was baffled—was he now unable to comprehend his precious six-year-old disciple?

Then, his face twitched slightly.

“Surely… could it be that my treasured little disciple is something extraordinary?”

XiXi, head held high and beaming with pride, had indeed triumphed.

After winning and advancing to the fourth round, she rushed back to the main arena and leapt into Li Che’s arms.

“Daddy, I won!” she exclaimed.

“XiXi will soon earn a 9000-Year Peach for Mother!” Li Che beamed.

XiXi was ecstatic.

Yet, as she rubbed her head, she murmured, “But the upcoming opponents are so strong…”

Zhang Ya’s eyes flashed with concern; she already sensed how taxing this battle had been for her daughter.

The fights ahead would only be more challenging and grueling.

“Don’t worry, my daughter—even if you lose, you have Daddy. Daddy will step in and secure that peach!”

Li Che affectionately ruffled XiXi’s hair.

Then, suddenly,

Li Che sensed a gaze heavy with overwhelming pressure.

Following that look, he glanced in its direction and saw the Great Jing Emperor seated at the head table on White Jade Square,

his face blurred by mingled Qi and divine essence, yet an air of authority unmistakably surrounding him.

He regarded XiXi with a half-mocking, half-enigmatic smile.