Zhou Xi and Sun Yao tidied the house while Lin Bai sat cross-legged by the stream with his eyes closed, resting his mind and contemplating the three stages of the examination.
Before long, a martial artist passed by. Seeing that someone lived in the little house by the stream, he came over cheerfully to greet them. "Brother, my name is Pang He, and I'm from Jiang Province. Since you're living here, I imagine you're also here to take the examination. Perhaps we'll become fellow disciples in the future, so I came to introduce myself."
Lin Bai opened his eyes and smiled, cupping his fists. "My name is Qing Luo, and I'm from Lian Province."
"Lian Province..." The young man who had called himself Pang He had been beaming with enthusiasm, but upon hearing that Lin Bai was from Lian Province, his smile immediately stiffened. He then said with a laugh, "Haha, I still have some important matters to attend to, so I won't linger."
"After you." Lin Bai could also see that after learning he was a martial artist from Lian Province, Pang He's expression had shifted. Clearly, he did not want to deliberately befriend Lin Bai and was eager to leave, so Lin Bai did not stop him.
After Pang He left, Lin Bai continued sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, resting his mind.
Over the next two or three days, many martial artists passed by Lin Bai's little house by the stream. A few came over to chat, but after hearing that Lin Bai was from Lian Province, nearly all of them reacted like Pang He: they gave an awkward smile before turning and leaving.
Several others even sneered repeatedly upon hearing that Lin Bai was from Lian Province, flicked their sleeves, and walked away.
From their expressions