"Wait."
Zi Yuner caught Lin Shisan's sleeve, pulling him back just as he was about to leap onto the Cloud Boat and return to the Danyang Sect.
"Hmm?"
"Since we're here, why not visit the place you used to live? I've never seen the courtyard where you lived as a servant disciple."
Zi Yuner spoke casually, but her deep purple eyes held a curiosity that would brook no refusal. She plainly intended to take a look; otherwise, she would not be satisfied tonight. To understand someone, one first had to understand their past.
Lin Shisan hesitated for a moment, put away the Cloud Boat, and headed up the somewhat overgrown bluestone path.
The path was the same, only more dilapidated than before. Weeds grew thick on either side, and moss had built up layer upon layer in the cracks between the stone steps. He remembered walking this path for the first time, carrying a shoulder bag filled with all his belongings on his back, a dream of cultivation tucked in his heart, taking each step with great care.
Back then, Chen Yang had led the way, explaining the rules while looking him over with a condescending gaze. Thinking back now, the days had truly flown by.
The servant disciples' compound looked much the same. Its walls were a dull gray, and most of the paint on the doorframe had peeled away, exposing the pale old wood beneath. The courtyard was more run-down than before, and the doors of several rooms hung crooked.
Lin Shisan simply stood at the courtyard entrance, his gaze resting on the little room in the corner. Its door was ajar, and a sleeping figure still lay on the bed. He had lived in that room for several months, tossing and turning sleeplessly on that hard plank