He rose from the qin, stretched, and walked out onto the terrace, leaning against the railing to gaze far to the north.
The rain had thinned once more into soft threads. The wind lifted the hair over his forehead and his collar. From afar, the candlelight around West Pool looked like a string of jewels set around a mirror, and West Pool was its reflective surface.
"Miss Ming, would you like to come and look? It's beautiful," he said, turning back.
Ming Qitian stepped onto the terrace too. Livelier than either of them, Glaze had already flown beyond the railing and was swaying back and forth in the cool threads of rain.
Pei Ye watched her come to his side and smiled. "Thank you for all your trouble, Miss Ming. Nearly everything left unresolved in my cultivation found an answer today. I never imagined I could find a way to learn the qin in a single day."
He had indeed gained much today: he had sorted out his progress in the Sword Dao, and his plans to learn the qin had taken shape. As the saying went, the first step was always the hardest. Since today's practice had gone smoothly, there would be little to trouble him from now on.
Ming Qitian rested her hands on the railing. "Your talent for the Music Dao isn't poor. Besides, learning just a few pieces is no great difficulty. If we practice like this every day, you'll make considerable progress before the Feather-Scale Trial."
"Mm."
Ming Qitian gazed at West Pool. "It really is beautiful."
"Miss Ming, it's so good to see you again," Pei Ye suddenly said softly.
Ming Qitian turned her head. "What is it?"
"Because... we've been apart so long."
Ming Qitian watched him quietly.
"The last time we parted