The Elder's Gift?

A gift from an elder?

Seeing Jiang Yue's surprise, Luo Teng smiled and explained, "He was my teacher when I studied in the Capital City as a young man. He always cared for me deeply."

"Director Luo, was your teacher also a master of crafting spirit talismans?"

"No. My teacher wasn't a cultivator. He said this set of talismans was a gift from a friend of his who lived beyond the secular world. He treasured them for years. I never would have imagined he'd have someone bring such a rare treasure all the way to Star City, just to give it to an unworthy student like me."

"Director Luo, you're too modest. I'm sure the old gentleman is proud of what you've accomplished. Otherwise, why would he give you such a treasure? Wouldn't it be better to keep it and protect his own family?"

"Family?" Luo Teng shook his head sadly. "My teacher married when he was young, but before they could have children, his wife passed away. He never married again after that, so he's been alone ever since. It's been many years since I last saw him, too. The last time was on his seventieth birthday."

"So this elder is over seventy?"

Luo Teng sighed sadly. "He's seventy-six by the traditional count. He's still in pretty good health, but being all alone in this world... it's hard to imagine. Maybe he's worried he might not live to see tomorrow, and that's why he had someone bring this treasure to Star City."

Knowing that his former teacher still thought of him as a student at a time like this warmed Luo Teng's heart, but he couldn't help worrying about him, too.

In many ways, the two of them were alike. They'd both once had families, but now they were