A few knocks sounded against the wooden frame, and Lu Yuntu lifted his attention out of the scrolls he was studying. Ayden stood at the entrance of the pavilion, waiting to get the other’s attentiveness before entering.

      “Huang Yiqiang left?” he asked, coming to sit in front of the cultivator.

      The latter nodded.

      “To get other people for this Tournament?”

    “He wants to rally the Hua twins from the Diping Hua clan and the son of the current head of the Shuijin Cheng clan.”

      “I see...”

      Lu Yuntu let the silence settle without trying to do anything against it, but did not return to his reading, his attention on the redhead who seemed momentarily lost in thought. When Ayden straightened his head, his gaze was clear again.

      “Thank you for yesterday. For standing up for me. And sorry for the damage caused. I hope it won’t pose too many problems for the clan.”

      Ayden looked genuinely sorry and almost a little embarrassed now that his temper had subsided a little. Lu Yuntu closed the scroll, obviously giving up on his reading, and looked up at him to stare into his eyes.

      “Huang Yiqiang may look rigid, but he is a man of integrity, true to the motto of the Fengtian Huang clan.”

      “Which is?”

      “To have an impartial eye on the world.”

      A clan that valued righteousness and justice. Ayden smiled. Huang Yiqiang had started the conversation on his own, and despite his clumsiness, Ayden had understood what the other had tried to convey. Huang Yiqiang had been frank, as frank as he could be with etiquette. 

      “And what is the motto of the Beiming Lu clan?”

      There was a silence between them for a few moments, no one looking away from the other.

      “One hand to heaven, one hand to earth.”

      Ayden frowned. “What does it mean?”

      Lu Yuntu looked away this time, and Ayden raised an eyebrow, suddenly puzzled, and leaned on the table to get closer. Why was this simple question troubling the cultivator?

      “What’s the matter? It’s not something to be embarrassed about, is it?”

      Lu Yuntu glared at him, and this gesture, too honest to be faked, made Ayden smile.

      “Tell me what it is. Please.”

      The cultivator seemed to weigh the pros and cons for a few moments before giving in.

      “To aspire to rise above the human condition without ever forgetting one’s roots, dedicating one’s existence to protect humankind.”

      “It’s a beautiful motto,” Ayden reacted, smiling gently.

      But at Lu Yuntu’s furtive glance, he lost his smile and gazed intensely at him. The cultivator avoided his eyes by turning the head a little more, making Ayden even more suspicious.

      “What...? What were you thinking?” murmured Ayden, squinting his eyes. “Did you... did you think I was going to take offence?”

      Lu Yuntu glanced in his direction again as if waiting for something. Seeing this, Ayden was reinforced in his idea. He laughed softly, divided between amusement and surprise. Again, his lips curved into a smile that was meant to be benevolent.

      “Lu Yuntu… Guan Yi, look at me,” he said, waiting for the other to obey before continuing. “Your motto has kept me warm and safe precisely because you believe in it. You are firmly convinced of this. You have welcomed a stranger, whom you knew neither from the Father nor the Mother and offered him everything he needed until now.”

      He could see the silent concern behind Lu Yuntu’s self-imposed facade of rigour, and his expression softened. Something almost sweet shone in his eyes.

      “I don’t take it as pity if that’s what you fear. I don’t see it that way,” he continued more gently. “Your motto means to surpass yourself while looking at the world with a compassionate eye. And you all represent it perfectly. You represent it perfectly. So stop torturing yourself.”

      Lu Yuntu frowned under the redhead’s amused gaze. 

      In fact, Ayden realised Guan Yi was not as taciturn as he appeared. He had a greater awareness of the world and the surrounding people than Ayden had thought, and it was this awareness that made Lu Yuntu cautious in his interactions. Overly cautious. It was funny, though. Ayden had the impression that they had little age difference, but here the cultivator had an almost childish attitude, while at other times, he seemed so mature and composed.

      His smile widened, and, unable to resist it, Ayden leaned over the table to tousle the neat hair with one hand. And Lu Yuntu leapt to his feet, looking furious.

      Ayden laughed. “Come on, stop sulking. You look like a child!”

      Lu Yuntu glared at him again, irritated. 

      Outside, night had long since fallen. It was a soft darkness, the moon bathing the world in its soft light. Lu Lisong watched the starry sky, Ayden’s voice audible behind him as he more or less rudely carted off his disciple. He turned on his heels and walked away in silence.