Beneath the phoenix tree, rainwater dripped from the leaves.
Xu Shi clutched Yang Dongxiong's arm and burst into tears.
Liang Qu opened his mouth, yet did not know what to say. His gaze shifted to Long Yao and Long Li.
"It wasn't us!" Startled by the mere sight of a bow's reflection as though it were a snake, Long Yao and Long Li immediately denied overturning the pot. "We cleaned up the room. If the wind and sand outside the courtyard got mixed up, that can't be blamed on us!"
Liang Qu laughed.
Splash, splash.
Oolong stuck out his tongue crookedly, shook his fur, and flung the water from his body.
Yet countless droplets froze in midair instead of falling into the pond, swirling back onto Oolong's body. The fur that had bristled like a hedgehog's quills settled smooth again.
"Wuu~"
Oolong whimpered and sprawled on the ground.
His paws covered his nose as his gaze tilted upward, his pitch-black eyes looking at Liang Qu.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Xu Shi, too, laughed until her tears stopped. Folding her handkerchief, she wiped at her reddened eyes.
Yang Dongxiong patted Xu Shi's back and looked toward his ninth disciple.
The Azure Dragon swooped down, overturning the dark clouds overhead. Glittering light rippled across Accumulated Water Pond. The setting sun seemed to scatter a hundred thousand shards of gold across the water, dazzling enough to make one unable to open one's eyes.
Beyond the courtyard, beside the riverbank.
The young man wore a beaming smile, red lips and white teeth, brimming with vitality like the morning sun.
The river wind blew.
Six years?
Medicinal baths, Standing Post, boxing, memorizing sect rules, testing his Fate Standard, seeking office, choosing horses, picking little dogs...
The dark-skinned youth who had once leaped with joy over