Intuition-or rather, a sorcerer's instinctive spiritual perception. Though they were burdened with many accumulated flaws, they still used magic and understood it, making them more sensitive than ordinary people.
Though that sensitivity fell far short of those who truly cultivated the Way, it could still prove crucial at certain moments.
Originally, the man had only wanted to take the opportunity to shelter briefly in a local resident's home, or disappear for a while, steady his unease, and carefully consider a plan. Wandering about outside at a time like this was decidedly unwise.
Yet after he followed the He Household into their courtyard, that unease seemed to weaken.
This made the man, whose intuition was already fairly keen, realize that someone in this family might possess an unusual destiny, or be at a turning point between the peaks and troughs of fortune. Either could offer a turn for the better in his own crisis.
With that thought, his attention inevitably fell on the lotus in the earthenware basin. As for the flower, a winter lotus was certainly extraordinary. Ordinarily, seeing it would have delighted him beyond measure, but at this moment, he thought the person who had picked it might be even more exceptional!
"Oh, please come in!"
The man was invited into the sitting room, while the He Household tidied up briefly and put their luggage in place.
They introduced themselves, but the man only said that his surname was Yan and his given name Ri'an, offering little detail about anything else. The He Household did not care about those things, however, and quickly turned to the matter of buying the flower.
The little boy's mother reached over to take the earthenware basin from his arms, but he clung to its rim and refused to let go, earning a glare