The interior of the pavilion was simply decorated, but everything seemed precious to him. Ayden was far from being a connoisseur, but the fineness of the furniture and the care given to it made it easy for him to guess. Lu Lisong sat down in front of a low table with a few scrolls rigorously stored, some books, a brush rest, said brushes having skilfully chiselled bamboo bodies, and an inkwell. Finally, on edge was placed a tray with two cups and a kind of spouted pot.

      A-Feng and A-Hui knelt before their Grand Master, and Ayden followed suit without thinking further, placing his belongings behind him.

      As soon as this was done, Lu Lisong spoke up. “My disciple has informed me of your meeting as well as your situation, and as clan leader, Sage of Beiming Lu and master of Lu Xiaofeng, you have my humble thanks, noble stranger.”

      Ayden remembered the scroll that Lu Dehui had sent through the air with his spiritual power, and he couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

      He shook his head quietly. “It was your students who got me out of a tight spot. I only returned the favour.”

    Lu Lisong nodded slowly at his words as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gaze darting back and forth between his two students before returning to Ayden. “You seem to have come a long way, noble stranger.”

      Ayden sighed, and after a brief reflection, finally replied in a clear voice. “It was a hard road until I met your disciples. They were a great help to me, and I was able to learn some things, thanks to them.”

      It wasn’t a lie, after all. Ayden was lucky, really. From the first reactions, they might well have disbelieved him and hunted him down, imagining he was a demon, putting a price on his head and so on. He did not doubt that in no time, he would have had all the clans after him. No longer holding the position, Ayden finally crossed his legs and took off his cloak, then his two-hand sword to leave it at his side. And if his attitude offended anyone, none of the other three remarked on it.

      “Perhaps I’m pushing my luck, but I have a favour to ask of you, and then I won’t bother you any longer. Would you have something for my wounds and a few unwanted clothes, as well as some money?”

      This time, A-Feng lifted his head, glaring at him darkly. It was indecent to make such a frank request, but Lu Lisong remained true to form, unmoved by the redhead’s boldness. After a moment, he nodded again. “The Beiming Lu Clan knows a noble soul when it sees one, so allow us to welcome you to the Jade Palace while you think about your situation. Fleeing your homeland must have been no mean feat.”

      Ayden held back a grimace, divided. But Lu Dehui and Lu Xiaofeng were both smiling — well, the former more than the latter — with their heads down to hide their expression.

      “Lu Chen, I hope to see your report tomorrow.”

      Lu Dehui bowed before his clan leader. “Yes, Grand Master.”

      “Lu Bao, prepare a room for our guest. Have Grand Master Zhongyou prepare some medicine and then go rest.”

      Lu Xiaofeng saluted his master. “Yes, Grand Master!”

      The two youngsters stood up and greeted their master again before doing the same for Ayden, taking their leave to let them both be together. And now that the children were gone, Ayden turned a stern look towards Lu Lisong.

      “A guest, hm?” Ayden said, raising an eyebrow.

      He was not fooled, and neither was Lu Lisong. Lu Lisong motioned for him to sit in front of him before taking the spouted pot and pouring a delicate flowery brew into the cups. “You are not a prisoner of the Beiming Lu clan, but I cannot allow you to wander around the great world like this. Your appearance is indeed peculiar, as is the weapon you use and that egg you carry.”

      Ayden was sniffing the cup pushed against him when he froze at the words. He stared at Lu Lisong with renewed suspicion, and the man, noting his gaze, raised an eyebrow. There was a rare elegance to the simple gesture, albeit a haughty one.

      “My students are too young to have noticed, and I cannot blame them, but the spiritual energy emanating from your bag is unmistakably that of a dragon’s egg. It is very faint, barely perceptible, but recognisable to anyone with more experience. And it is an egg from our world.”

      Ayden growled lowly and dipped his lips into his cup before deciding to drink the contents. The warmth of the delicate beverage spread through his body, and he relaxed somewhat. No need to save face since they both knew he was a stranger not only to this place, but to this entire world.

      “Except that it was in my world, brooded by homegrown dragons for who knows how long. If it’s from here, what was it doing there? And how come it brought me to this place?”

      Lu Lisong shook his head. “To that, I cannot answer you...”

      “Ayden. Just... Ayden. No last name. No title.”

      “Ayden. But I can assure you that I will do my best to help you find clarification and, if possible, a way back to your people.”

      “I thank you.”

      Ayden looked at him for a moment before continuing. “And you’re not wondering if I’m a demon...?”

      “If you were a demon, the tea you just drank would have revealed your true appearance by contaminating your spiritual energy,” Lu Lisong answered in a calm voice.

      “Ah...”

      Should he tell him he was immune to poisons?