Mission

Bamboo Sea—he had entered it today.

The moment Chen Chong's feet stepped onto that familiar little path, he sensed that familiar aura. Faint, like dew on bamboo leaves being steamed away by the sun, there and gone. Yet that stillness, that depth, let him recognize it at once.

His master, Luo Yu, had come today. Usually, only Yu Che and Chen Chong were in this bamboo grove, and Luo Yu rarely appeared. Most of the time, the bamboo hut's door was shut, with only the sounds of their training echoing through the grove.

But today was different. That aura was deep within the bamboo grove, inside that bamboo hut, sitting there as steadily as a rooted old bamboo.

Chen Chong entered, intending to continue training with Yu Che, but his master summoned him over.

A corner of the bamboo hut's door curtain lifted. A hand reached out and beckoned him over, seemingly casual, yet Chen Chong found himself walking over against his will.

Yu Che stood on the bamboo platform, watching Chen Chong's back. He opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing and lowered his head to continue meditating.

Upon entering the bamboo hut, Chen Chong greeted him.

Luo Yu sat on the bamboo couch, with no book in his hands. That was a rare sight. He wore that loose gray-white Daoist robe, its sleeves hanging down. His features were refined, his skin fair, and his appearance frail and scholarly, like a schoolteacher who had yet to graduate from his apprenticeship.

But when his gaze landed on Chen Chong, Chen Chong felt as though every joint in his body had been lightly tapped once.

"Trade a few moves."

And so Chen Chong began exchanging blows with his master. The bamboo hut was not large, but Luo Yu's figure