As the moonlight gradually dimmed, the flames in Ling Qing's eyes slowly died away.
His gaze had grown a little clearer, and a faint radiance flickered within it, waiting for its next blaze of glory.
Before long, a disciple on duty lit the candles in the hall. His master was seated behind the desk.
Only empty tables remained on either side, with scraps of food and fruit pits still on the plates. The two immortal guests had long since vanished.
Ling Qing looked up again. The bright moon in the sky had become no more than a round sheet of mirror-like paper pasted to the south wall.
For a moment, he couldn't tell whether what he had just witnessed was real or an illusion.
Then he heard his master ask everyone, "Have you had enough to drink?"
"Yes, Master. Thank you!"
Everyone rose, bowed, and answered in unison.
"If you've had enough, go to bed early. Don't let it interfere with tomorrow's woodcutting and firewood gathering."
"Yes!" the disciples answered again, then slowly filed out of the hall.
Outside, Ling Qing glanced at the crescent moon overhead and seemed to see the Cold Palace Treasure Hall and the towering Osmanthus Tree once more.
When he came to his senses and saw that it was only a crescent moon, he sighed and headed back to the dormitory with Tian Yong and the others.
Along the way, everyone kept discussing what they had felt.
Ling Qing listened to their impressions, nodding appreciatively from time to time, seemingly eager to join in.
In truth, he had devoted half his attention to his status panel.
A string of notifications appeared: "Character experienced a special purification. Perception attribute increased slightly."
At last, as the Celestial Maiden Dance Music reached its final moment, his Perception broke