While Yi Shuyuan and Jiang Lang discussed refining magical robes, exclamations and laughter drifted over from the others, with Stoneborn's and Du Xiaolin's clear, childish voices standing out most of all.
Yi Shuyuan put away the spirit pearl in his hand and looked toward the little girl, whose face was wreathed in smiles.
Over the past few days, Du Xiaolin, who had been so thin that her features had almost lost their shape, had gained only a little flesh, but her complexion had already improved enormously. Once she recovered completely, she would surely be as plump and rosy as Stoneborn.
"Ah..."
"Old Yi, what are you sighing about?"
Jiang Lang followed Yi Shuyuan's gaze as he spoke, but saw nothing unusual.
"Weren't you both excited and disappointed about coming to the Taiyin Palace?"
Jiang Lang turned back.
"Heh, it's certainly a shame I didn't get to meet the Taiyin Immortal, but getting to see you looking like this made it more than worthwhile! But are you saying..."
As he spoke, Jiang Lang looked toward Du Xiaolin again. He had noticed some of Yi Shuyuan's reactions earlier, while Yi Shuyuan was examining the little girl's condition.
"Something along those lines, but not quite."
Jiang Lang could not quite decipher Yi Shuyuan's cryptic words, but neither continued the discussion, for someone had already arrived outside the pavilion on the wind.
Yi Shuyuan did not wait where he was. He braced a hand against the floor and rose from his half-reclining position.
Beside him, Jiang Lang also rose from sitting cross-legged, and the two walked out of the pavilion together.
The heavenly breeze settled to the ground. Riding within it was Shi Wei, acting palace master of the Taiyin Palace.
"Fellow Daoist Shi!"
"Immortal Yi, Dragon King Jiang!"
Jiang Lang pointed at Yi