Early the next morning, Zi Yuner put on a simple pale green dress.
She stood at the entrance to the Dragon Vein Core, clutching a small brocade pouch containing three Dragon Scale Fruits.
She had picked them overnight on the Back Mountain of Wish-Repayment Ridge, choosing the three largest and sweetest, wrapping them in a silk handkerchief before tucking them inside.
"Eat these on the way. The spiritual energy deep within the Dragon Vein Core is rich, but food is hard to find."
Lin Shisan glanced at the pouch.
A Double-Ring Knot fastened its deep purple silk opening-the knot Dragon Clan women tied only when sending their husbands on a long journey.
Its meaning was plain.
"I'll come back."
"I know."
Zi Yuner's lashes trembled.
The spiritual light drifting through the Dragon Vein Core in the early morning reflected in her deep purple eyes, like a shattered layer of colored glass.
Lin Shisan reached out his right hand and naturally took Zi Yuner's wrist.
"Yun'er."
He called her name.
Zi Yuner finally turned her gaze back to him, the mist in those deep purple eyes thick enough to condense into water.
"That Miss Hu Niu in the Fishing Village must have a fierce temperament."
She suddenly spoke without preamble, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremor.
"Miss Bai Youyou, on the other hand, is good at laughing and joking. One gentle, one strong-a perfect pair."
Lin Shisan said nothing, only tightening his grip on her wrist.
Zi Yuner's lips curled upward, revealing a radiant smile instead.
"Go on."
"Pay off the debts you owe as soon as you can, then come back. The Dragon Palace is your home. Its gates will always be open to you."
She stepped back, stretching the distance between them from an arm's length to three