July 20, Jade Peace Temple.
A young Taoist priest with delicate features and fair skin walked alongside a young monk with a kindly face and sturdy build. One wore a moon-white Taoist robe, the other a yellow monk's robe. They came down a red-painted corridor as pale smoke curled from the incense burners beside them, forming a strangely peaceful scene.
"Benefactor Greens, Benefactor Grandma, it's been a long time."
"Amitabha. It has indeed been a long time."
"Long time no see." Chen Shu greeted them with a smile. "Master Tongdeng, you're here too?"
"My master came yesterday to discuss the scriptures and the Way with a senior at Jade Peace Temple, so I came along for a visit." Master Tongdeng pressed his palms together, his voice gentle. "Then I happened to hear from Junior Brother Xuanzhen that you two had come to test a spell, so I took the liberty of coming over."
"I see."
Chen Shu pressed his palms together in imitation.
Beside him, Zhang Suannai's face went blank.
She had never imagined that, on top of being a sparring partner, she would have two spectators.
These two idiots aren't going to livestream this in the group, are they?
"Shall we go?"
"After you."
"After you."
A short while later, in the mountain forest.
Two figures hovered in midair, facing each other from afar.
Below them stood another pair. The one in monk's robes was munching on a pear freshly ripened at Jade Peace Temple, while the one in Taoist robes held up a flagship phone from one of this year's manufacturers. The monk and Taoist turned to exchange a few words now and then. However you looked at it, the scene was strange.
"Start with a thousand Sword Lights."
"..."
"Medium Spirit Power."
"..."
"Medium speed."
"..."
"Medium