Night Words (3)

After the gathering dispersed, the moon shone clear and bright. The group each followed the mountain paths back. Song Zhiyi, Lin Mumu, and Su Miaoxi naturally walked together, while Shen Yuxi and Chu Shihan took another route.

The mountain path was quiet, disturbed only by the soft sound of footsteps and the faint chirping of insects in the distance. After they had walked some way, Su Miaoxi finally could not hold herself back. She quickened her pace, moved to Song Zhiyi's side, and asked quietly, "Eleventh Senior Brother, why did you ignore me in the courtyard earlier?"

Song Zhiyi did not stop walking, merely turning his face slightly. Moonlight outlined his still-youthful yet sharply defined profile, and a trace of unmistakable helplessness rested between his brows.

"Little Senior Sister," he said evenly, though there was a touch of powerlessness in his voice, "all the senior brothers and sisters were present at the time. If you had questions about cultivation, you should have asked them. I entered the sect last, and my cultivation and knowledge are both mediocre. What could I possibly explain?"

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze lingering for a moment on her confused face. His tone softened. "If there really is something you cannot figure out, why not ask Sixth Senior Sister directly?"

Suddenly called upon, Lin Mumu, who had been lowering her head and stepping on the moonlit shadows, gave an "Hm?" and raised her face.

Moonlight brightened her gentle features. Her lips curved naturally upward, carrying her usual relaxed smile that put people at ease. "What does Little Junior Sister want to ask?"

Su Miaoxi pressed her lips together, the confusion in her voice not yet fully dispersed. "I just... want to know how you found your own 'Dao,' Senior Sister. It feels like everyone