Chapter 224 Book 5 Poison Trick
The golden morning sun filtered through the translucent spiritual paper windows of the Azure Feather Sect's inner courtyard. Li An knelt in front of the chief steward's office, surrounded by plum blossoms that drifted like snowflakes from the old trees overhead. The servants nearby worked in silence, none daring to approach. Word had spread that the steward himself had summoned Li An—an unusual occurrence that set more than a few tongues wagging.
The door creaked open, and a sharp voice cut through the stillness. "Enter."
Li An stood, composed, and stepped across the threshold.
Inside, the chief steward, a thin man with eyes like ice chips, sat at a low desk cluttered with bamboo and paper scrolls and jade slips. His robes were of fine gray silk, marked by the Azure Feather Sect's emblem—a soaring azure phoenix. He gestured to the floor mat in front of him without looking up.
