They had set out for the Desert Instance in mid-September and spent an entire month there. It was now mid-October.
Magic City had a northern subtropical monsoon climate, with four distinct seasons, rain and heat arriving together, plentiful rainfall, short springs and autumns, and long winters and summers. It was a comfortable place to live. October marked the beginning of autumn, with mild temperatures and a gentle night breeze.
It was Xie De's first visit to Magic City, a city renowned for its thriving economy. He remembered how, right after graduation, quite a few of his classmates had declared that they were going to try their luck in the big cities, all brimming with ambition.
Five or six years had passed since then. Some had put down roots in those cities, while others had returned to small towns to make a living. Gradually, they had all lost touch.
Thinking about it now left him wistful. Looking back, it felt like something from a previous lifetime.
Xie De looked up at the city's towering buildings, then lowered his head and followed Wei Yanchi into a deep alley shaded with greenery. The others followed behind them, while Juelu took pictures with Beiwei's camera.
Handmade goods were sold in the little alley. Parrots and mynahs sat in birdcages, and cats or dogs lay sleeping outside some of the shops. The place brimmed with everyday life.
At the end of the alley stood a moderately sized Taoist temple. It looked ordinary, with red walls and black roof tiles. Its layout followed a central axis, with the main halls built along it and the other halls arranged symmetrically on either side. Incense burned in the incense burner, and a stone inscription to the left of the entrance recorded the temple's history.
An old acquaintance was