The crowd erupted. Disciples shouted his name. Fists pumped. The heavy man bowed — deep, respectful, acknowledging defeat. Lin Feng returned the bow.
He descended from the platform. His dark eyes were calm, composed, the eyes of a man who knew his worth. His lean body moved through the crowd, the disciples parting before him, their faces carrying the mixture of admiration and envy that followed every talented young cultivator.
He saw Jin Yuhan.
His dark eyes found her at the edge of the crowd. She stood out — her layered silk robes, her jade pin, her porcelain skin, her obsidian hair. She was the sect leader's daughter. The Jade Pearl. She didn't belong in the inner court, among the training disciples.
But she was there. And her eyes were wet.
Lin Feng's composed expression cracked. His dark eyes widened. His handsome face went pale. He reached her in three strides. He bowed — the formal bow of a disciple to a superior.
