The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus

38

Names:
Guo Xiu: The minister (He was the one who bought the incense)

The mist covering Taibo lake was thick and dense. The wide expanse of dark green lotus leaves connected to the skies, hiding the nine thin paths cutting through the sea of dark green.

Ling Miaomiao heard a 'thrum' beside her ear and a burst of cold wild brushed past her face. A light black dragonfly spun in the azure sky. She shot out her hand above her head and grabbed. The wing of the dragonfly still spun on her palm.

The bamboo was carved slenderly with a sharp dagger. It even had sharp edges that looked like they could cut. Ling Miaomiao caressed its rough surface and was somewhat confused: "You made this?"

Mu Sheng's pitch black pupils moved over to look at Ling Miaomiao's palm and answered evasively: "Have you played with them before?"

"Of course. When I was young, I broke quite a few from playing with them too much." Ling Miaomiao played around with the simple and crude bamboo dragonfly. She spoke excitedly: "Mu Sheng, do you think if I let it fly out, you can bring it back before it falls into the water?"

The black lotus was momentarily stunned and, like a blue moon, decided to nod his head.

"I can." Ling Miaomiao was extremely happy and her orbs glittered, "Come, let me see if you made this well."

The bamboo dragonfly suddenly flew out from her palm. It made an unwieldy turn in the air and then dipped down like a suicide bomber.

She was shocked but Mu Sheng waved his sleeve and the rapidly dropping bamboo dragonfly seemed to have been pulled by a string. It made an arc in the air before returning the way it came, eventually landing in his palm.

Mu Sheng pinched the bamboo dragonfly as the corner of his lips curled up in dissatisfaction: "You're the one that doesn't know how to fly it."

Finished with his words, he let go and the bamboo dragonfly suddenly flew out. In just a moment, it had flown up into the sky, scattering the brilliant sunlight shining on the center of the lake. In the clear skies, it flew high and far.

Ling Miaomiao lifted her head as she watched it, muttering to herself, "That's not right.."

Waiting until the bamboo dragonfly came back down, she grabbed it in disbelief.
She spun the rod with her hand and clearly
saw the apex of the wings. Immediately, she
laughed and said in good temper: "This bamboo dragonfly of yours, it'd be weird if it could fly!"

Mu Sheng's expression immediately turned into a brooding storm. He tried to forcibly snatch it from her palm but she deftly dodged to the side and avoided him.

Ling Miaomiao pointed at the wings for him to see: "The wings are made from a piece of bamboo. From left to right there needs to be two inclined planes, that way it can use the whirlpools in the air to fly up. You made them flat.."

She couldn't blame him either. The unfortunate Mu Sheng only took a single glance at this normal toy and took a random gander at remaking it. He didn't make it very similar.

Seeing the youth flustered and at a loss, she took the chance and stuffed the bamboo dragonfly into her sleeve. Right after, she shot forward like lightning and touched the entrance of his sleeve: "Hey, you even cheated..."

With a single pull, she took out a delicate-looking talisman from his sleeve. Miaomiao didn't know if she should laugh or cry as she stuffed the yellow paper at his raised face: "Is it fun?"

Mu Sheng's arms hung at his sides and a hint of violence hung between his brows, "I wanted to let it fly to wherever I want it to. Is that not fun enough?"