The group made their way to the Pavilion of Shadow Judgment, a structure that seemed to exist between worlds rather than fully in any one place.
The mist parted as they approached, revealing the elegant tea house nestled among forgotten memories.
Madam Meng stood at the entrance, her smoky lilac hair coiled elegantly, amber eyes widening at the sight of their approach.
"My, my," Madam Meng drawled, setting down her teacup with deliberate slowness.
"When I helped you sneak into the Celestial Plane, I didn't expect you to return with the entire eligible bachelor registry of three realms."
Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she surveyed the three men hovering protectively around Rui.
"A nine-tailed fox, an underworld general, and a celestial priest walk into a tea house..." She chuckled.
"Sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke."
Kee Kee snorted. "You forgot the most important one—me!"
"How could I forget?" Madam Meng smiled, then turned to Rui.
