Time standing still often manifested in space.
For instance, the thread of smoke rising from the incense and the petals stirred by the wind blowing through the window all hung motionless in the air, making for a wondrous sight.
These were things one could see. Next came sensations: sound, for instance, would also disappear, creating an environment of absolute silence.
In such absolute silence, those involved would not, and could not, react, but an observer paying attention to this environment would certainly feel something different.
The boy stood guard outside the Old Nunnery. He could not see the wondrous sights in the Quiet Room, but he could hear... nothing from inside.
This eerie sensation made him very nervous. Then he remembered that he seemed to have had a similar experience when he was very young, and his face turned pale.
He was an orphan who had been sent to White Deer Academy, and had served at Heaven Near Person's side since childhood.
Several years earlier, he had seen Heaven Near Person entertain an honored guest.
That honored guest was the Sect Master of the No-Grace Gate.
According to what was said afterward, Heaven Near Person had been unwilling to see righteous sects slaughter one another and had wanted to mediate the dispute between the No-Grace Gate and the Western Sea Sword Sect.
The two sides had already exchanged several rounds of letters beforehand, and the Western Sea Sword Sect had also withdrawn its offensive at the time as a show of sincerity.
The boy remembered very clearly that White Deer Academy had been as quiet that day as it was today. Not a sound had emerged, not even the faintest whisper of wind.
What had left the deepest impression on him was that even the katydid he kept in the