"What?" Kazuha asked, puzzled.
Xiu Yuan looked at a nearby seagull and smiled faintly. "Be as free as a seagull."
"A seagull...?" Still looking bewildered, Kazuha turned toward the few seagulls drawn over by Xiu Yuan's music.
"Why?"
"They can soar freely through the vast sky, and they always have a few companions by their side."
Kazuha paused for a moment, seemingly feeling that this did not quite apply to him.
After all, he usually traveled alone, though he would occasionally explore with someone heading the same way.
He never stayed in one place for very long.
"Seagulls rarely have fixed companions, but they always manage to flock together. Every time they fly, every time they set off, a group of like-minded companions follows beside them."
"Every landing leads to another departure. Perhaps one day, they'll meet again and fly together once more."
"A seagull separated from its flock is very lonely..."
Seeing Kazuha's puzzled expression, Xiu Yuan explained at an unhurried pace.
After hearing his explanation, Kazuha understood what Xiu Yuan meant.
Thinking of it that way, he really did have something in common with seagulls.
"This... is your request?"
"Yes."
"Then that's easy, because that's already how I live."
"Then I couldn't ask for anything better."
This time, Xiu Yuan's smile was especially sincere.
After another week of traveling, Kazuha had fully mastered the art of playing music with a leaf.
Meanwhile, Xiu Yuan's progress had far exceeded his expectations. As early as four days ago, the two had fought to a draw in a sparring match.
By now, Xiu Yuan's swordsmanship had probably surpassed his.
It was worth mentioning that ever since fighting the Kairagi had caused Xiu Yuan to lose control, he had stopped fighting those monsters. Whenever they ran into any, he simply called