A Year

Time slipped quietly by.

Perhaps, as Lin Hai occasionally thought in the dead of night, the four of them had already used up a considerable portion of their "supernatural incident quota" during the relatively short time since they started college.

Or perhaps an ordinary, uneventful life was what life was truly meant to be.

In any case, after the decisive battle deep underground, Lin Hai, Gwen, Peter, and Harry encountered no major supernatural events for more than a full year afterward.

It was as though an invisible hand had pressed the world's "slow-motion" button, temporarily concealing its most savage and bizarre side.

Of course, that year or so had also been filled with countless trivial yet heartwarming little things. Like stars scattered across the night sky, they were not dazzling, but together they formed the backdrop of their memories.

Whenever winter or summer break arrived, Lin Hai and Gwen would visit each other's homes.

Ever since Lin Hai first visited Gwen's home, George and Helen had treated him with even greater enthusiasm than Lin Hai's parents treated Gwen. No matter where the two went, they could truly be said to have both guests and hosts thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Gwen's staff was finally upgraded after The Ancient One returned to Kamar-Taj from her travels through other dimensions.

When Lin Hai and Gwen arrived together in The Ancient One's courtyard, she sensed the energy fluctuations and aura of the Dragon Bone fragments. A hint of approval flashed through her eyes. Clearly, she knew what those bone fragments were.

Then, The Ancient One personally used the sacred white magic of the Vishanti as a catalyst, melting and forging the Dragon Bone fragments into the staff's original structure.

What was ultimately returned to Gwen was a staff that looked largely unchanged on the outside,