The midday sun bathed the central dining pavilion in a warm, golden haze. Long redwood tables groaned under the weight of steaming bamboo steamers piled high with Auntie Muo's freshly made golden spirit-buns, bowls of braised spirit-tofu, spiced bamboo shoots, and towering earthenware jugs of chilled sour-plum tea. The air was thick with the rich aroma of mountain spices and the lively chatter of hundreds of disciples unwinding after an exhausting morning of drills.
Over near the food distribution counters, Auntie Muo stood with a large wooden ladle in hand, a wide, motherly smile creasing the corners of her eyes as she piled another three steaming spirit-buns directly into Wang Tian's oversized ceramic bowl.
