"Congratulations, congratulations! I heard the two of you successfully advanced today. The moment I finished teaching my students, I hurried over."
Master Desika entered the school offices. As soon as he stepped into a room on the second floor, he happily embraced the two people inside and said with delight, "This is a joyous occasion indeed. It deserves celebration."
"Thank you. Come, have a seat. Let's sit and talk." After releasing Desika, one of them pointed to the side.
Master Desika sat with the two of them, looking at the pair who had advanced together with considerable emotion.
The two Archdruids who had successfully advanced were in fact friends: Mohande and Xuni, the two Archdruids who had come from afar and whom Romon had welcomed at the school gates.
Not only did they live together and cultivate in the same way, even their everyday exchanges showed remarkable tacit understanding.
If their appearances had not differed so greatly, people might almost have mistaken them for twins.
"So, how does it feel after advancing?" Desika asked with a smile.
"The feeling... is wonderful... a wonder that is hard to put into words..." Mohande said. "It feels as though a door has opened, or as though I have risen from beneath the water."
He seemed to still be immersed in that marvelous sensation. Even as he spoke, his face retained a slightly dazed expression.
"Master Desika, this truly came as a tremendous surprise to both of us. Although we had once thought that, after coming here, there might be a day when we achieved a breakthrough, we never expected that day to arrive so quickly." Xuni, seated beside Mohande, answered on his behalf.
Desika had gone through this stage himself and could understand how they felt now. He nodded and said, "Now that