Little Stone's fingers stopped rubbing together.
"He turned back and told me, 'Little Stone, run.'"
"And then?"
"Then he plunged his shattered sword into that demonic beast's mouth and blew himself up along with it."
The cabin fell silent for a few breaths.
The engine hummed low.
"In the second year, the sect could no longer hold the outer perimeter. Mortal cities were swallowed by the devil tide, one after another. The Sect Master ordered the defensive lines pulled back. All disciples were to retreat to the Main Peak."
Little Stone's voice barely rose or fell, as though he were reading out a list of names.
"On the way back, I watched six fellow disciples get cornered on a mountain path by a senior brother who'd succumbed to demonic corruption. His name was Chen Liang. He was two classes ahead of me and used to steal my steamed buns in the dining hall."
"Did Chen Liang kill them?"
"Four of them. I dragged the other two out with everything I had."
Little Stone lowered his head and looked at his hands.
"But those two didn't make it either. One was too badly wounded. The other exhausted his spiritual energy while replacing an underground formation three months later."
Zhou Xuan tapped a finger lightly against his knee.
"Back in the square, you faced five corrupted people and refused to kill them."
Little Stone stayed silent.
"Was it because of all that?"
Another few breaths of silence passed.
Little Stone nodded.
"They were on night watch with me just yesterday. One junior brother even borrowed a sword-sharpening stone from me this morning. He said he'd polish his sword until it shone once the demonic qi receded."
Zhou Xuan stared at Little Stone.
"Then the demonic qi surged up at dusk, and he