Wu Lingtian’s blank expression slowly returned to a more natural, relaxed state. He shifted his gaze away. “Sect Leader, you must be joking. How could I teach?”

“Why not?” Fan Yi quirked an eyebrow. He smiled. “From what I’ve seen, you’re quite patient with children. I saw you earlier with Li Qing, and then when you dealt out punishment to those three kids the day before. You even have the patience to handle a drunk Xiewen—I think you’d be a fine teacher.”

“Having patience is different from being able to teach, Sect Leader.”

“I think you would be an excellent teacher,” Fan Yi insisted.

Wu Lingtian met Fan Yi’s gaze. “Is this an order?”

Fan Yi’s smile tensed. “It’s an option.”

Wu Lingtian ignored the uncomfortable stirring in his chest and looked away. “Then I refuse.”

Fan Yi hummed. “Alright! Don’t worry about it then.”

Wu Lingtian hovered beside Fan Yi a moment as the sect leader tided up the targets used during archery earlier. Fan Yi glanced at Wu Lingtian with a polite smile, waiting for the other man to speak.

“Is there anything you need me to do?”

Fan Yi patted his hands together after straightening. “What? Do you feel uncomfortable drinking and eating here for free?”

Wu Lingtian gave Fan Yi an unamused look. “Sect Leader.”

“You saved my life thrice—I only saved you one. If you wanted to laze in my sect for the rest of your life, I wouldn’t even look twice.”

“Sect Leader, I am being serious.”

“Yu Lan, I am also being serious. Mm…then how about you go run back to Li Ran two more times and I can save you two more times,” Fan Yi joked.

Wu Lingtian looked into those mischievously twinkling eyes and held back a scoff. “Other than that and other than teaching, is there anything else I might do?”

“Isn’t it better to just rest?” Fan Yi asked gently.

The emptiness in Wu Lingtian’s hand was especially jarring after the few brief moments he was allowed hold the sword. His fingers curled into his palm, hoping to fill the space with something else.

The two men stared at each other in silence.

Fan Yi insisted. “You’re still healing.”

“You know I am not.”

Fan Yi looked at the vulnerability that peaked out through Wu Lingtian’s eyes against his cold expression. The dullness in Wu Lingtian’s eyes seemed to stab at the most sensitive parts in Fan Yi’s heart, prodding at wounds that had just managed to heal not too many decades ago.

“Just trust me,” Fan Yi said. He took a step back. “Take it easy—especially today. I have something else to do, so I will be leaving first.”

Their conversation had met an unsatisfying conclusion. Wu Lingtian nodded silently. His gaze remained on the ground as he listened to Fan Yi’s retreating footsteps. The sound of shoe against gravel slowly disappeared from Wu Lingtian’s hearing and the man finally looked up. He stood alone in the large arena and slowly stepped out. The sun hung high overhead now, but the summer heat didn’t seem to affect Wu Lingtian at all.

A majority of the disciples had descended the sect after Fan Yi had granted them the rest of the week off. As Wu Lingtian walked through the sect, the place that had normally felt crowded the past three days suddenly felt empty. He was brought back to his time on Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect, a sect that was so large that even thirty people on the same peak would be equivalent to three people in a large hall. The sect had far too many people, yet was far too spacious. No matter where Wu Lingtian went, he always felt that he was alone. Silence permeated every corner of the sect filled with rules and regulations. The only true lesson Wu Lingtian ever learned from his time there was “silence is the loudest sound”.

Wu Lingtian’s feet came to a stop at the entrance of Screeching Sparrow Sect. His gaze wandered down each step and each lantern that hung about before landing on the person that had just reached the top of the steps.

The person was blindfolded and wore a colorful set of brocade robes. Their figure was obscured by the layers of fabric they wore despite the sweltering heat. Their hair was pulled back into a loose bun with pieces of hair tastefully framing their face. There was an indescribable beauty about them that was neither too masculine nor feminine. Their entire aura was soft and forgiving, yet something told Wu Lingtian that if he even so much as breathed wrong in this person’s presence, even Fan Yi wouldn’t be able to save him.

“An unfamiliar breathing pattern…an unfamiliar walking pattern,” Ren Yizhou tilted their head. A slow smile spread across their face. “Could this be Lord Immortal Yu Lan.”

Wu Lingtian clasped his hands together and bowed. “Second Pillar.”

“No need to be so courteous,” Ren Yizhou laughed. They stepped a little closer and poked their head around curiously. “You know, we’ve never met before.”

“We have not.”

Although Wu Lingtian had had many run-ins with Fan Yi and had been in the same vicinity as Tian Xiewen, he had never had any contact with the Second Pillar of Screeching Sparrow Sect. He had never even heard of any rumors.

“Mm, you’re just as stiff as that little wolf said,” Ren Yizhou said. “So, what are you doing out here at the front of the sect? Thinking about escaping?”

“No,” Wu Lingtian said. He paused. “I have nowhere to be.”

“You don’t have to have a place to be,” Ren Yizhou reasoned. “You just need a reason. And not wanting to be here is a grand enough reason to leave.”