Wen Ran's eyes met his master's — a gaze he hadn't expected to find awake.
"A touching dream, huh?" The old man's voice was weak, barely above a whisper, yet his familiar chuckle still carried that teasing edge. His breath rattled as if his flame would soon be extinguished.
"I have those sometimes too," his master added with a faint smile, one that seemed far too calm for someone hanging by a thread.
Wen Ran rolled his eyes. "I guess you could say so." His tone was dry, but deep down, he knew the old man was watching him more closely than he let on.
"I can't explain how," Wen Ran said, his voice dropping to a casual tone, "but I have the Ice Spirit Lotus."
The moment those words left his mouth, his master's eyes widened in disbelief.
Nine days… It's only been nine days... How did he get to the north and back so fast?
The old man's gaze sharpened, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
