Wu Changkong stood before the wall covered in clothes, silent for a long time.
It was the entire eastern wall of a side hall of the Sea God Pavilion, hung from floor to ceiling with all manner of men's formalwear. There were jet-black tailcoats made from fine heavenly silkworm silk, their faint patterns shimmering under the light; silver-gray suits with crisp tailoring and intricate cloud patterns embroidered in dark silver thread along their collars and cuffs; and long, navy-blue formal coats with double-breasted buttons made from some soul-guiding alloy, gleaming with a cold, deep-blue light.
Beside each outfit hung a small soul-guiding tag, labeled in tiny lettering with its material, place of origin, and suitable height and build.
Tang Wulin stood half a step behind him to one side, clutching a soul-guiding communicator. Its screen displayed a message Gu Yue had just sent, only a single line: "Your teacher's wife said to choose the silver-gray one. She said he looks good in silver."
His finger paused on the screen, then he held the communicator out to Wu Changkong.
Wu Changkong lowered his head and glanced at it. His eyebrows shifted, and the corners of his mouth lifted a little before he quickly pressed them down again. He reached out, touched the communicator's screen with his fingertips, and read the message once more. Then he turned and took the silver-gray suit off the wall.
The suit's fabric was light and cool to the touch, as though it had just been taken from an ice cellar. He gave it a shake, and the fabric unfurled with a soft whoosh. Its silver-gray surface took on a gentle sheen in the light from the window. Dark silver cloud patterns spread from the shoulders to the chest, then gathered into a clean curve at the