For the next stretch of time, Lan Shi'er, Tuanzi, and the others had no mind for cultivation.
Every day felt unbearably long. It was as though a stone weighed upon their hearts, heavy and suffocating. Their minds constantly wandered during cultivation, and even food had no taste. They could only stare blankly out the window.
Until, several months later, that familiar voice came through their God Sound Talismans.
"Sorry for making you worry."
Hearing that voice, Tuanzi froze at first, then burst into tears with a wail.
It pounced before the God Sound Talisman, its tail wrapped around the sound cylinder as its entire body shook with sobs.
"Master! You're finally back! Tuanzi... Tuanzi missed you so much... Tuanzi was so afraid of losing Master..."
Lan Shi'er also stood rooted in place as tears suddenly streamed down her face. She clenched her fingers, then loosened them, repeating the motion several times before speaking softly.
"It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back." Her voice was somewhat hoarse, carrying a sob she could not conceal.
Jiang Ping An's return finally shattered the worry that had plagued them for months.
The dark cloud pressing down on their hearts seemed to have been scattered by the wind, and light shone in once more.
Lan Shi'er found Jiang Ping An. Without saying anything, she first fought him fiercely, as if she wished she could swallow him whole and trap him tightly inside herself so that he could never leave her again.
Jiang Ping An temporarily set aside cultivation and focused on accompanying everyone around the imperial city to relax.
They concealed their identities and went to a newly opened restaurant to sample its signature dishes; they went to the arena in the southern part of the city to watch bouts on the