Chapter Fourteen: Lady of the Shining Stars

The two of them enjoyed a very pleasant meal, during which Hu Yan took the opportunity to educate Qin Yue about the jurisdiction of the Golden Kingdom's Directorate of Thief-Apprehension.

According to Qin Yue's understanding, it was roughly equivalent to combining the Eastern Depot and Western Depot of the Ming dynasty in his previous life—an organization with vast and far-reaching powers, controlling matters from the heavens to the earth, and everything in between. The allure of such authority was undeniable. He had never intended to enter Xia Kingdom, which was under the control of the Zhaoyang Sect, too early.

Despite the country's familiar-sounding name, it was notoriously unfriendly toward people from Bingyuan, regarding them as demons under the propaganda of the Zhaoyang Sect. As for his master, whether it was Qin Yue or the other disciples from Bingyuan he’d trained before, the approach had always been to set them loose—send them out, let them tan under the sun, and survive in hiding.

Whatever achievements they might attain depended on fate; even if all they managed was to conceal their identities and pass on their lineage, that was already a success in itself.

Given all this, starting out in the Directorate of Thief-Apprehension wasn’t a lowly position by any means.

By the end of the meal, Qin Yue had already made up his mind to accept the offer. But before he could say so, there was a sudden knock at the small private room’s door. An inn attendant entered, respectfully delivering two invitations.

“For us?” Hu Yan asked.

“Yes, they were delivered personally by people from Starlight Manor,” the attendant replied, his face glowing with pride as he mentioned the manor’s name.

Qin Yue was unfamiliar with the name and was utterly ignorant of the secular world. Hu Yan, however, clearly recognized it—her expression grew slightly odd. She dismissed the attendant, kept the invitation with her name on it, and handed the other, unnamed one to Qin Yue.

Qin Yue opened it and read: "Tomorrow afternoon, Starlight Manor will be hosting a banquet. All heroes of the martial world are invited. At that time, numerous high-bounty tasks will be released. Rewards include gold, silver, high-level martial arts, magical artifacts, spirit stones, and even ancient secret manuals..."

Qin Yue immediately realized that Starlight Manor was very likely the territory of that mysterious lady he’d overheard being discussed in the tavern the previous night.

At that moment, Hu Yan snorted coldly. “Madam Starlight is certainly bold. She knows I’m with the Directorate, yet she dares to openly send an invitation...”

She turned to Qin Yue. “Junior brother, how about coming with me tomorrow afternoon to meet Madam Starlight?”

Qin Yue nodded, then asked, “Senior sister, how much do you know about her?”

Hu Yan thought for a moment. “Starlight Manor is hailed as the foremost villa in the northern lands. It hasn’t been around long—about five years. The mysterious Madam Starlight has gathered a large number of cultivators, maintaining good relations with our Zhaoyang Sect, the Ten Sacred Lands, many powerful sects and factions, and even the Demon Beast Valley.

After several years, the manor has become a major hub in the northern martial world—bounties, underground markets, information buying and selling, all go through them...”

Qin Yue commented, “Sounds impressive.”

Hu Yan nodded. “It is. Some high-ranking figures within the Directorate are rumored to have good ties with Madam Starlight. Although their style is flamboyant, they abide by the rules. All these years, we have yet to catch them in any wrongdoing...”

“Have you had any conflicts with them?” Qin Yue asked curiously. “Aren’t they on good terms with both our sect and the Directorate?”

“Not direct conflicts, but in several cases I’ve handled over the past two years, the trail of clues always ended with them—no way to investigate further. I’m an official, they’re commoners—a group acting more authoritative than the authorities. That’s not a good thing.”

Hu Yan’s words were upright and stern; she truly looked the part of a captain in the Directorate of Thief-Apprehension.

But then, why pretend to be a disciple of the Zhaoyang Sect? Was she not afraid of exposure?

While Qin Yue was pondering this, Hu Yan suddenly said, “By the way, our relationship as senior and junior disciples must not be revealed lightly. I’ve made quite a few enemies while handling cases for the Directorate. You must also keep your identity as a Zhaoyang Sect disciple well hidden. Our sect is powerful, but not universally liked. When traveling, you must learn to conceal and protect yourself.”

She clearly did not want their connection known. Qin Yue considered this, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”

——

The following afternoon.

A fine drizzle fell from the overcast sky.

Hu Yan had somehow procured two horses and set off toward Starlight Manor with Qin Yue. Anticipating that Qin Yue didn’t know how to ride, she patiently taught him.

“Our sect doesn’t have a horse ranch. Most disciples are inexperienced with riding when they first set out. The north breeds fine horses; you’ll need to learn quickly—it’s much less tiring for long journeys.”

She’d found a handsome white horse for Qin Yue, spirited in appearance yet gentle in temperament. Qin Yue quickly adapted and began to relax.

Starlight Manor was not far from the town, just a dozen or so miles away. Along the road, they saw many others from the martial world heading in the same direction.

Today, Hu Yan was not in her Directorate uniform but wore a fitted white outfit, looking every bit the heroic swordswoman.

Qin Yue had bought a gray suit of similar cut from a shop in town, tying his long black hair into a ponytail. Hu Yan also found him a longsword to wear at his waist.

Seventeen years old, handsome of face and tall of stature, he looked every inch the dashing young hero.

A few miles from their destination, Qin Yue saw a long row of red walls; behind them, towers and pavilions with carved beams and painted rafters rose in splendid array. At the end of the road stood a series of tall blue stone archways.

It was hard to imagine such palatial architecture in the barren north of the Golden Kingdom.

Many of their fellow travelers marveled as well.

“No wonder it’s called the foremost villa in the north! Such grandeur—only a royal palace could compare.”

“The foremost villa of the north? There aren’t many villas in all the land that can match this.”

“I hear Madam Starlight is stunningly beautiful—someone once ranked her among the top three beauties in all the land!”

“All these so-called ‘genius’ and ‘beauty’ lists are highly subjective, hard to convince everyone. But Madam Starlight—I saw her once, even through a veil, and I must say... she’s truly peerless!”

“To even lay a kiss on her... I’d die happy...”

A round of lecherous laughter followed. Qin Yue glanced at the speakers—he recognized several from the tavern the night before, all emanating strong, unusual auras.

Hu Yan muttered disapprovingly in his ear, “Don’t learn from such vulgar types. Gossiping about women’s looks and lewd fantasies behind their backs—so disgusting.”

His senior sister’s values were certainly upright...

Arriving at the first archway, everyone dismounted and produced their invitations. Despite their earlier banter, they were all extremely polite in front of the manor’s staff.

Qin Yue tied up his horse and was immediately handed a bundle of choice feed. He thanked the attendant and looked up at the first archway, which bore the powerful inscription “Foremost in the North.”

The signature was astonishing—it was that of the current emperor of the Golden Kingdom, and the date was only a year ago.

Guided by the manor’s servants, they passed through a second archway, this one inscribed “Starlight Shines on the Land,” signed by An Miaochu. Qin Yue didn’t recognize the name.

Noticing his interest, Hu Yan whispered, “He’s the great master of the north, also the imperial preceptor of the Golden Kingdom. He’s from one of the Ten Sacred Lands, the Supreme Light Sanctuary, and has founded his own sect in the north for over thirty years. To think he and the emperor both inscribed plaques here!”

“What cultivation level is a Grandmaster?” Qin Yue asked quietly.

“It’s hard to say. The levels of such figures are rarely known outside their inner circles, but at the very least, they must be at the ‘Piercing the Veil’ stage...”

From his master, Qin Yue only knew of the stages: Spirit Attraction, Qi Absorption, and Peering into the Void. He’d heard ‘Piercing the Veil’ mentioned once by the old man, who’d said an outer elder of the Zhaoyang Sect at that level had been unusually kind to him. The elder had once sighed that, were it not for his status as a criminal, he might have taken Qin Yue as a disciple.

Judging from that, Starlight Manor’s foundations truly ran deep if it could associate with figures of such caliber.

——

Inside the manor, the guests were led to a vast and imposing grand hall.

Standing in the forecourt, Qin Yue couldn’t help feeling a sense of awe. The building was majestic from afar, but up close, it exuded an overwhelming sense of grandeur. Under the gloomy sky, the bright glazed tiles on the roof stood out in sharp, vivid contrast.

At each end of the main ridge crouched massive dragon-headed creatures, their bodies inlaid with gilded bronze scales, while processions of legendary beasts—celestial steeds, hippocamps, and suanni—lined the eaves, their eyes each set with a ruby as red as pigeon blood.

Having once visited the Forbidden City, Qin Yue felt that this palace was in no way inferior in scale to any royal residence.

Inside, the sense of grandeur and luxury was even more striking. The colossal pillars were over six feet in diameter, reaching from floor to ceiling, their surfaces bare of paint, the natural woodgrain resembling mountain landscapes, dark golden veins shimmering in the light as if golden streams flowed within the heart of the wood.

The floor was paved with large slabs of black stone, etched with cloud patterns, while the dome was studded with luminous pearls arranged in the pattern of the stars.

Smokeless lamps burned along the walls, bathing the entire hall in brilliant light.

Qin Yue couldn’t help but wonder: was the mistress of Starlight Manor of royal blood? Otherwise, how could such an ostentatious place exist, even bearing an inscription from the current emperor himself?

One thing puzzled him even more. Since yesterday, everyone spoke of "the lady" of the manor, but not once had anyone mentioned a manor lord—as if there was no master at all...

The hall was already crowded. Qin Yue spotted Chang Jun, the vice-chief of the Silver Eagle Gang, as well as many others he’d seen in the tavern.

Those people also noticed him, some with odd expressions. Chang Jun even glanced at the icefield rat-hide bag, now fashioned as a crossbody pouch and worn across Qin Yue’s back.

As soon as Qin Yue met their eyes, they quickly looked away.

At that moment, a powerful voice rang out in the hall—

“Madam arrives!”

The low hum of conversation vanished instantly. All eyes turned toward the depths of the hall, where a group of young, beautiful women appeared first, gliding forward gracefully.

They stood to either side, heads slightly bowed in respect, as they welcomed a woman into the hall.

She wore a flowing crimson dress that trailed along the floor, her hair arranged in an elegant chignon, her face veiled with the finest gauze. Her bearing was poised, her presence regal—a strong and commanding aura radiated from her.

Those gallant heroes who had been fantasizing about her along the way now stood meek as quails, heads bowed, not daring to look directly at her.

Though her veil was thin, it was impossible to clearly make out her features. She gave a slight nod to the assembled guests, her eyes sweeping the crowd. Her gaze lingered just a moment longer on Qin Yue, standing beside Hu Yan, before she took her seat at the head of the hall.

Her red lips parted, and she spoke with a gentle voice, “Thank you all for honoring us with your presence. I apologize for the abrupt invitation. There are a few matters to discuss today. I have prepared a modest meal—please, friends, do not stand on ceremony. Let us talk as we dine.”

As she spoke, a large number of uniformed servants began placing dishes on the tables already prepared throughout the hall.

It was a banquet served individually, each person with their own small table and finely crafted seat cushion.

Seated next to Hu Yan, Qin Yue watched the dishes being brought in with remarkable speed, swallowing involuntarily in anticipation.

If this was what she called a modest meal, there could hardly be a more sumptuous feast in the world.

At that moment, someone suddenly called out, “We’ve long heard of Madam Starlight’s legendary beauty. Why wear a veil to a banquet? Would you not honor us by unveiling, so we might behold your face?”