"Grandmaster Lin! Fairy Xiaoyao!" Xiang Yueming shot to his feet.
The moment he rose, their pavilion seemed to peel away from Vast Worldly Affairs in an instant.
It became an independent space.
Lin Su gave a slight bow. "We came in the starry night, with many things best left unseen. That is why we concealed ourselves before meeting you. I hope Your Highness will not be suspicious."
"Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Grandmaster Lin has always been a man apart; I have long known that. No matter!" Xiang Yueming broke into a smile. "Please!"
Ren Qianshan also stood. "Please!"
Lin Su returned his salute and took a seat.
Ren Qianshan personally lifted the teapot and poured tea for Lin Su and Yu Xiaoyao.
"After Thousand Buddha Temple, Your Highness must also have suffered greatly from the backlash of the aftermath. I hope you will not take it to heart. As they say, when a tree stands out in the forest, the wind is bound to break it. Upon the great tides of this world, no one who dares to be first under heaven can escape this law." Lin Su raised his cup in salute.
Xiang Yueming smiled softly. "Pavilion Master Ren once advised me the same way. He said that the backlash of the aftermath was precisely proof that this matter ought to be done. That did put my heart at ease, but it still cannot compare to Grandmaster Lin's lofty spirit that pierced the clouds. When a tree stands out in the forest, the wind is bound to break it—how could I dare accept that distinction?"
"You deserve it! You absolutely deserve it!" Lin Su said with a smile. "Even if what lies before us is merely a minor success, there is still another game ahead. If Your Highness