The next day.
Dawn had barely broken, and a faint mist still wreathed the woods of Lingxi Peak.
Scattered insect calls and birdsong broke the morning stillness.
Yang Jing opened his eyes right on time. A good night's sleep had left him refreshed, and the internal qi within him had grown even more condensed.
He rolled out of bed, bent down, and pulled a wooden box from beneath it.
He opened it to find a brand-new pair of cloth shoes resting inside.
Their uppers were made of coarse blue-gray cloth, and fine stitches ran through the densely layered soles.
Senior Sister Ningxiang had sewn these shoes herself and given them to him.
After the last Azure Qilin Battle, Senior Sister Ningxiang had noticed that the soles of his old shoes were worn through. She had quietly taken his measurements and stayed up several nights to finish this pair.
Yang Jing ran his hand over the soft uppers. The shoes fit him perfectly, neither too large nor too small, and felt light and comfortable as he walked.
After taking a few steps around the room in his new shoes, Yang Jing could not help smiling. Unbidden, the image of Sun Ningxiang learning about his breakthrough to the qi-devouring realm last night rose in his mind.
Her round eyes had widened enormously, her face filled with disbelief. Her mouth had hung open wide enough to fit an egg, and she had stood stunned for ages before coming to her senses.
Then she had tugged at him and peppered him with questions. Even now, remembering her astonishment and delight made him chuckle.
Yang Jing washed up briefly, splashing cold water over his face and instantly driving away the last trace of sleepiness.
He went into the courtyard and sat at the stone table,