Shen Haoran's residence was a sanctuary of ephemeral beauty, where the pink petals of ancient peach trees drifted like slow-motion snow onto the jade-paved ground.
At this moment, Shen Haoran lay reclined beneath the gnarled branches, his eyes half-closed, enjoying a rare moment of stillness that felt like a reward after a year of dimensional travel.
"Cousin!"
The peaceful silence was shattered by a high-pitched, jubilant cry.
Then, a flash of red and gold blurred across the garden as Feng Yanmei launched herself through the air, jumping toward Haoran with the reckless abandon of a child.
Behind her, walking with a more measured, yet equally intense pace, was Ning Xueli.
Her transformation over the last year was palpable; the soft edges of the girl Haoran had brought with him were gone, replaced by the honed, lethally efficient grace of a true cultivator.
