A smile flickered across his face. “Yu Lan, was it?”

Wu Lingtian’s gaze shifted from the air that he had been staring at and looked down. He didn’t bother straightening up and his entire torso remained slumped against the tree trunk. His hair, which was tied up into a neat ponytail, was pressed up against his back and fell down over his shoulders. The only color to his entire outfit were the black cuffs around his wrist, the black belt that mingled with silver chains, and the jade crown that held up his hair. His entire person was relaxed and calm, seemingly the complete opposite of the fiery red-clothed youth from before his downfall.

Tian Xiewen was once again reminded of the phrase “the clothes make a person”. His smile grew. “Are you busy?”

“No.”

Short and sweet—what a curt answer. Tian Xiewen’s smile turned sweeter. “Yu Lan, if you aren’t busy, would you like to get a drink with me?”

Wu Lingtian had turned his head completely to face Tian Xiewen. His expression remained indolent as he stared at the older man below him.

Tian Xiewen leaned against the tree to his left and looked up. “Please? No one else wants to play with me.”

“Do you not have responsibilities?” Wu Lingtian wondered.

“What kind of responsibilities would I have?” Tian Xiewen questioned back. “You aren’t refusing because of the no-drinking rule in your sect, are you?”

“I do not belong to a sect,” Wu Lingtian clarified.

“Oh, pardon me. Your previous sect,” Tian Xiewen smiled widely, showing his little tiger teeth.

Wu Lingtian remained unmoved. He turned his head back away and continued staring at the air.

“It isn’t like you’re doing anything, right? You aren’t even overseeing the punishment of those three rascals from yesterday,” Tian Xiewen reasoned. “I just want someone to talk to while I drink—you don’t even need to respond!”

 Wu Lingtian’s remained silent for a moment. He didn’t turn his head as he spoke: “I do not have my sword and I'm still recooperating.”

Tian Xiewen straightened excitedly and patted his chest. “I can fly you down.”

Wu Lingtian swung his legs off the branch and pushed himself down. When he landed in front of Tian Xiewen, Tian Xiewen noted that Wu Lingtian was actually the closest to his height out of everyone in the sect. Tian Xiewen had expected Wu Lingtian, someone who was always made out to be feminine and dainty, to have a smaller stature. Granted, even the descriptions of Wu Lingtian being a feminine beauty were merely rumors without even a hint of truth. Although he possessed an unconventional type of handsomeness, Wu Lingtian, even at first glance, would never be mistaken for a woman.

Tian Xiewen gave Wu Lingtian a cheeky smile as the pair walked to the gates of the sect.

“What happened to your sword anyway?” Tian Xiewen asked as he recalled the night. “We went to your room and gathered your belongings that night, but your sword wasn’t there.”

Wu Lingtian glanced at Tian Xiewen.

The members of the Screeching Sparrow Sect were elusive and little was known about their past. Only Fan Yi, who had been loud and brash a few hundred years ago, retained a semblance of some type of public image and reputation. But even then, no one knew where he came from. Just like that, there were only vague rumors about the three leaders of Screeching Sparrow Sect. And, for Tian Xiewen, the rumor about him was simply that he had previously had zero involvement with the cultivation world until he met Fan Yi.

“In the world of righteous sects, when you betray your sect, your cultivation should be destroyed and your sword will be shattered,” Wu Lingtian said. “They most likely broke my sword.”

Tian Xiewen’s brows furrowed. “Does Fan-ge know?”

“He should have assumed.”

The breaking of a sword cultivator’s weapon was not something to play around with. Once you reached a certain level within your cultivation, you would gain a soul bound sword. Since the sword would become linked to your soul, shattering it would harm one's cultivation base. That was why most cultivators would store their weapon in their dantian, not even allowing those they trusted the most to handle it. While the sword is not easily breakable, when such a feat is accomplished, it could have long lasting and even detrimental side-effects on the cultivator.

Someone of Wu Lingtian’s level should have that strong of an attachment to his sword.

“And you’re fine?” Tian Xiewen asked.

Wu Lingtian nodded. "Just harmed my cultivation base a bit."

Tian Xiewen moved a little closer, his eyes scanning Wu Lingtian up and down. When Wu Lingtian looked over at him, Tian Xiewen met his gaze with furrowed brows. “Is it true you were born from a rock?”

Wu Lingtian stared at Tian Xiewen blankly. “Third Pillar, I am human.”