Sect Examination

White clouds drifted lazily across the deep blue sky. Morning sunlight fell over the tiled roofs of Thanh Van City, casting a soft, clear glow across the stone streets without the slightest harshness. A breeze blew in from beyond the city walls, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and spiritual herbs. Mixed with the voices and laughter of the crowd, it made the entire city seem to awaken after days of anticipation.

The disciple selection gathering of the orthodox forces had finally begun.

From early morning, young cultivators from every direction had poured toward the center of the city. Some wore embroidered robes from prominent families, jade pendants hanging from their waists and guards following behind. Others wore nothing more than rough cloth, an iron sword strapped across their backs, their eyes filled with both nervousness and hope. There were also young men and women who had traveled from distant towns, clutching their luggage as they stood amid the dense crowd, unable to hide their amazement.

Hao Nhien and Tieu Lan walked side by side along the broad stone street leading toward the central square.

Today, Hao Nhien wore a simple pale blue robe. His hair was tied neatly behind his head, while the Tieu Dao Sword was stored inside his ring rather than carried openly. After seven days of consolidation, his seventh layer Qi Condensation aura had become stable. He neither displayed it deliberately nor concealed it too deeply. At a glance, he looked like a young cultivator calmer than his age, his gaze steady and his steps unhurried.

Tieu Lan walked beside him in pale white and pink robes. Her sleeves were light and soft, and her long black hair was tied back with a simple ribbon. She wore no expensive jewelry and little adornment, yet the purity of her wood qi and her naturally fresh appearance still drew more than a few lingering glances from those passing by.

She lightly held the edge of Hao Nhien’s sleeve, her steps small and quiet as she remained comfortably beside him.

“Hao Nhien,” Tieu Lan said softly, her eyes bright as she watched the streams of cultivators moving through the streets, “it’s so lively today. I’ve never seen so many cultivators in one place before.”

Hao Nhien looked around and smiled faintly. “Mm. This is probably the busiest Thanh Van City has been in several years.”

The closer they came to the square, the denser the crowd became. Temporary stalls had appeared all along both sides of the road. Some sold protective talismans, others sold wooden practice swords, while several merchants displayed bottles of medicinal powder for treating injuries and loudly insisted that anyone taking part in the selection should prepare properly beforehand. An old man with a white beard had even set up a fortune telling stall and was loudly predicting people’s chances of joining a sect, drawing several fascinated youths around him.

Yet as they approached the city center, the noise gradually softened.

It was not because there were fewer people, but because the presence of those guarding the square naturally made everyone behave with greater restraint.

The central square finally appeared before them.

It was far larger than Hao Nhien had expected. The ground was paved with pale gray stone, each slab engraved with faint runes used to stabilize spiritual qi and prevent disturbances. Six broad roads converged toward the center from different directions, and every entrance was guarded by Foundation Establishment cultivators. Their auras were not deliberately released, yet simply standing there was enough to discourage anyone from pushing, provoking others, or causing trouble.

The atmosphere was lively without becoming chaotic. Thousands of people gathered in the same place, voices filling the square, yet an unmistakable order remained.

The moment Hao Nhien reached the edge of the square, he saw six large areas clearly divided from one another, each marked by the banner of a different force.

To the east was the Sword Sect.

A deep red banner fluttered in the wind, embroidered with a straight silver sword. Five swordsmen in white stood before the examination area, red sword patterns embroidered around the cuffs of their robes and long swords strapped across their backs. The sword presence surrounding the area was not overwhelming, but it was sharp and distinct, making the nature of the sect immediately apparent.

Most of the candidates waiting there also carried swords. Some held them across their chests, while others stood so straight they almost seemed rigid. Every face looked serious.

Hao Nhien glanced over them and instinctively thought of the Tieu Dao Sword resting inside his ring.

Sword Sect.

He would definitely take a closer look.

But there was no need to rush.

To the south was Thanh Van Sect.

A white banner embroidered with blue clouds moved gently in the wind. Compared with the Sword Sect, the area felt lighter and more orderly. Several formation disks glowed with faint blue light, while the candidates nearby watched the shifting patterns in silence. From the looks of it, the examination there seemed to focus more on perception, deduction, or control of spiritual qi.

To the southwest was Medicine Sect.

A green banner embroidered with a spiritual herb swayed lightly above the crowd. Even from a distance, the fragrance of medicinal ingredients drifted through the air, fresh rather than overpowering, like the scent of a mountain valley after rain.

Hao Nhien glanced at Tieu Lan.

As expected, her gaze had already settled there.

The Medicine Sect’s area was filled with jade boxes, wooden trays, and small pots of spiritual herbs. Some candidates sat cross legged and adjusted their breathing, while others studied the medicinal ingredients displayed before them. Several young women near the examination tables could not hide the excitement in their eyes, looking remarkably similar to Tieu Lan whenever she entered the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion.

Hao Nhien only smiled and said nothing.

To the west was Huyen Thien Sect.

Its dark purple banner barely moved even though the wind continued to blow. Several rune covered stone tablets stood on the ground, glowing and dimming in patterns that did not seem to follow any obvious order. Hao Nhien watched them for a while but still could not tell what the examination was testing.

To the northwest stood a pale yellow banner embroidered with a crane spreading its wings.

Tieu Dao Sect.

Compared with the other areas, this one looked so casual that it barely seemed like a disciple selection at all.

There was no perfectly organized line, nor were there disciples standing stiffly at attention. Beneath the pale yellow banner, several people in different kinds of robes sat drinking tea. One person in green carried a zither, another in gray leaned comfortably against a bamboo chair, while someone in white had gone so far as to rest his feet on the table.

The number of candidates gathered there was also noticeably smaller.

Hao Nhien let his gaze linger for a little longer.

It certainly looked scattered, but he did not believe that one of the Five Sects would truly operate without any rules at all.

More importantly, among the people seated inside were several whose depths he could not judge. From the traces of aura they revealed naturally, Hao Nhien could at least tell that they were considerably stronger than him.

Tieu Lan was also looking in that direction.

The corner of her lips curved slightly.

Perhaps she was remembering their conversation from seven days ago, just as he was.

Finally, to the north was Bich Van Palace.

A pale blue banner fluttered above a thin curtain of water suspended in front of the examination table. Every time a candidate stepped through, ripples of light spread across its surface in different patterns. Hao Nhien could not tell what it was measuring, but the reactions of those who came out varied greatly. Some looked delighted, others disappointed, while a few stood in silence for a long time before finally leaving.

Hao Nhien took in all six areas.

Sword Sect was sharp. Thanh Van Sect was steady. Medicine Sect was gentle and harmonious. Huyen Thien Sect was difficult to read. Tieu Dao Sect was free and unconventional. Bich Van Palace was cool and distant, with a hint of mystery.

Each had its own character.

As for the Three Demonic Cults Tieu Kiem had once mentioned, naturally none of them had appeared openly today. The Blood Demon Cult, Yin Soul Cult, and Heavenly Evil Cult all had their own methods of recruiting new members, but at a public gathering held by the orthodox forces in the middle of Thanh Van City, they were hardly going to raise their banners and openly recruit disciples.

Tieu Lan looked around once, curiosity and a trace of nervousness in her eyes.

“Hao Nhien, where should we go first?”

Hao Nhien was about to answer when two figures suddenly approached from the right.

He turned his head.

They were two young women around nineteen or twenty years old, clearly walking straight toward him and Tieu Lan. Both wore the pale blue robes of Bich Van Palace.

Hao Nhien smiled faintly.

It seemed that before they could even decide which place to visit first, someone had already come looking for them.

Their robes were light as clouds over water, silver ribbons tied at their waists, and their steps were so soft that they barely made a sound. Both were strikingly beautiful. One had slightly upturned phoenix eyes and lips red as peach blossoms. The other looked gentler, though the faint smile on her face made it difficult to tell what she was truly thinking.

The two women only glanced at Hao Nhien once before their attention settled almost simultaneously on Tieu Lan.

The woman with phoenix eyes smiled.

“Little sister, your qi is remarkably pure.”

The other nodded, her voice softer. “And you’re quite adorable too. Are you here for the examination? If you haven’t chosen anywhere yet, why not come take a look at Bich Van Palace? One of our elders is personally evaluating talent today. If your aptitude is suitable, you might even be accepted directly as an official disciple.”

Tieu Lan froze slightly.

She had not expected someone to approach her so soon after they arrived at the square. Almost instinctively, she turned toward Hao Nhien.

Hao Nhien did not answer for her.

He only gave a slight nod, telling her to make the decision herself.

Understanding his meaning, Tieu Lan gave the two women a small bow.

“Thank you, senior sisters. But I came with Hao Nhien today to look around first. For now, I’m not planning to take Bich Van Palace’s examination.”

The woman with phoenix eyes raised an eyebrow.

“Hao Nhien?”

Her gaze shifted back to him.

“Are you her family?”

Hao Nhien answered calmly, “You could say that.”

“You could say that?”

The woman laughed, her expression slightly amused.

“That doesn’t sound very clear.”

Tieu Lan noticed the two women glancing between her and Hao Nhien, and immediately became a little nervous.

“Senior sisters, please don’t misunderstand. Hao Nhien treats me very well. I only want to stay with... Young...”

She suddenly stopped.

Outside, she had already been trying to call him Hao Nhien so as not to attract unnecessary attention.

But in her nervousness, the familiar form of address had nearly slipped out.

The woman with phoenix eyes immediately caught the hesitation.

“Young what?”

Tieu Lan lowered her head slightly.

“Nothing.”

The other woman looked at her for a moment. Her voice remained gentle, though a trace of sympathy had appeared in her eyes.

“Little sister, you’ve already stepped onto the path of cultivation, and your qi is this pure. Are you really planning to spend your entire life following someone else around as a maid?”

“That’s not how it is...”

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Tieu Lan hurriedly shook her head.

The woman with phoenix eyes turned toward Hao Nhien.

“You’re a cultivator too, so you should understand that the path of cultivation is ultimately something each person must walk for themselves. If you truly care about her, you should give her the chance to choose her own path. Don’t use the word family to keep a talented young girl beside you forever.”

Hao Nhien rubbed the bridge of his nose, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.

He could not say their criticism was entirely unreasonable.

He had never truly regarded Tieu Lan as merely a maid, but from an outsider’s perspective, a young woman who stayed constantly at his side, took care of his daily needs, and nearly called him Young Master whenever she became flustered could easily give that impression.

Hao Nhien cupped his fists.

“You two are not wrong. But I have never wanted to keep her tied to me. One of the reasons we came to the gathering today is precisely to find a path suitable for her.”

The woman with phoenix eyes studied him for another moment.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Hao Nhien answered directly.

“If she wants to try Bich Van Palace, I won’t stop her.”

Tieu Lan immediately lifted her head.

“I’m not going.”

Her voice was not loud, but it was firm enough that both women from Bich Van Palace looked slightly surprised.

Tieu Lan took a small breath before continuing.

“Thank you for your kindness, senior sisters. Bich Van Palace must be a very good place, but I want to try Tieu Dao Sect first.”

“Tieu Dao Sect?”

The phoenix eyed woman looked surprised, then laughed. There was no real contempt in her voice, only obvious confusion.

“Those people choose disciples even more casually than they choose tea. You could stand in front of them for half a day and they might not even ask you a single question. You still want to try?”

Tieu Lan looked toward the pale yellow banner in the distance.

The crane embroidered upon it spread its wings in the wind.

She nodded.

“I want to try there first.”

The woman with phoenix eyes looked at her for several breaths before shrugging.

“Fine. Your path is yours to choose in the end.”

The other woman smiled.

“If Tieu Dao Sect doesn’t suit you, you can always come back to Bich Van Palace. Your qi is very pure. It would be a shame to overlook you.”

Tieu Lan bowed again.

“Thank you, senior sisters.”

The two women did not remain any longer.

Before leaving, the woman with phoenix eyes gave Hao Nhien another look and said in a half joking tone, “Treat her well. We at Bich Van Palace dislike male cultivators who think deciding everything for someone else means they are always right.”

Hao Nhien smiled helplessly.

“I’ll remember that.”

Only after the two women had walked away did Tieu Lan lightly tug at his sleeve.

“Hao Nhien...”

“Mm?”

“Did I embarrass you just now? I almost called you the wrong thing.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“That counts as embarrassing?”

Seeing that she still looked a little self conscious, he added, “It’s fine. You answered very well.”

Only then did Tieu Lan relax.

Hao Nhien watched the two women from Bich Van Palace disappear into the crowd and quietly made a mental note.

The disciples of Bich Van Palace seemed quite skilled at observing others. From the way Tieu Lan stood beside him, a sentence she had failed to finish, and a few small reactions, the two women had already guessed quite a lot.

That did not mean everything they guessed was correct.

Still, if he ever had to deal with or fight disciples from Bich Van Palace in the future, it would be wise to pay more attention to his words and expressions.

Hao Nhien withdrew his gaze.

“Let’s go. We’ll take a look at Sword Sect first.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

The two followed the edge of the square toward the Sword Sect’s area. The closer they came, the sharper the atmosphere became.

The line waiting for the Sword Sect examination was the longest of all six areas. Most candidates carried swords. Some held them across their chests with cold expressions, while others closed their eyes and regulated their breathing as they waited, as though trying to keep their minds in the best possible state before entering the arena.

Inside stood a large stone platform.

The rule for the first round was simple.

Challenge one of the Sword Sect disciples responsible for the examination.

As long as a candidate could endure three moves without being defeated, they qualified for the next round.

It sounded easy.

But Hao Nhien watched two matches in succession, and neither candidate survived even the first move.

The first had barely drawn his sword when the Sword Sect disciple’s blade touched his wrist. His hand went numb, and his sword dropped to the ground.

The second had better movement. He shifted aside the moment the attack came, but before he could complete the motion, a streak of sword light had already stopped directly in front of his brow.

He was unharmed.

But the result could not have been clearer.

Low voices rose from the surrounding crowd.

“More than a hundred people have tried since morning. I don’t think many have lasted all three moves.”

“Sword Sect is as strict as ever this year.”

“How could they not be? If a sword cultivator’s foundation isn’t firm enough, they’ll only die faster when they get caught in battles between the orthodox and demonic factions.”

Hao Nhien ignored the discussion and kept his attention on the platform.

The Sword Sect disciple’s swordsmanship was clean.

Direct and sharp, with almost no unnecessary movement.

Hao Nhien wondered whether he himself could last three moves if he stepped onto the platform using only his current swordsmanship.

He had a chance.

But it would not necessarily be easy.

Hao Nhien had the Tieu Dao Sword, battle experience, and decent instincts in a fight. Yet if he judged only the foundation of his swordsmanship, it was still thin.

Defeating a few river bandits and killing opponents in life and death struggles did not mean he truly understood the sword.

Sword Sect was powerful.

He also had a good impression of Tieu Kiem.

But standing here and watching those clean sword techniques on the platform only made Hao Nhien understand one thing more clearly.

The sword was important to him.

But it might not be the entirety of the path he wanted to walk.

Body.

Divine Soul.

Spirit Sword.

Cosmic Ark.

Too many things had already become part of his cultivation path.

Choosing only one and ignoring the others might not suit him.

Tieu Lan quietly asked from beside him, “Do you want to try here?”

Hao Nhien shook his head.

“No need to rush. I only want to watch for now.”

“Because of Tieu Dao Sect?”

“Mm. At least for now, I want to try there first.”

Tieu Lan smiled.

“Then I’ll try there first too.”

The two left the Sword Sect area and continued toward Medicine Sect.

The moment they drew near, Tieu Lan’s steps naturally slowed.

The medicinal fragrance here was much clearer than in the other areas. Long tables were covered with wooden trays, jade boxes, and pots of spiritual herbs. Some roots were black and curled like dragon whiskers. Some leaves were so thin they were nearly transparent. There were also white flowers that had only half opened, yet already released faint spiritual qi from their centers.

Tieu Lan’s eyes immediately brightened.

The first round of Medicine Sect’s examination was divided into three parts: spiritual qi attribute, sensitivity to medicinal ingredients, and the ability to identify spiritual herbs.

A young woman placed her hand on a testing jade, causing a pale wood attributed glow to appear. The Medicine Sect disciple recording the results nodded and allowed her to continue to the medicinal ingredient table.

But during the identification portion, she correctly named only three of the ten ingredients and was ultimately placed on a waiting list.

Another young man possessed a fairly strong fire attribute, but his sensitivity to medicinal properties was too poor, and he was eliminated during the second step.

Hao Nhien looked at Tieu Lan.

“Want to try?”

Tieu Lan did not answer immediately.

She stared at the medicinal ingredients for a long time. There was affection in her eyes, curiosity, and even a little reluctance.

But eventually, she gently shook her head.

“No.”

Hao Nhien tilted his head slightly.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Tieu Lan turned to him.

“Medicine Sect is very good. If I only looked at the medicinal herbs, I would honestly like this place very much. But I still want to try Tieu Dao Sect first.”

She paused, then added softly, “I feel like that place might suit both of us better.”

Hao Nhien looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

“Then let’s go see.”

A light breeze crossed the square.

The pale yellow banner of Tieu Dao Sect fluttered in the distance, the crane embroidered upon it seeming to fly between the clouds.

Hao Nhien and Tieu Lan walked side by side toward it.

The closer they came, the clearer the difference became.

Sword Sect was sharp. Medicine Sect was calm and harmonious. The other areas all had their own style, but each still had examination tables, waiting lines, and disciples clearly assigned to their duties.

Tieu Dao Sect was different.

At first glance, it hardly looked like an examination was taking place at all.

There was no orderly line, no disciples standing stiffly in formation, and no visible formation disk or fighting platform.

The entire area had been arranged like a small garden in the middle of the square.

Green grass covered the ground. Low clusters of bamboo grew among patches of wildflowers. Several white cranes wandered lazily across the grass, occasionally flapping their wings and flying in a circle before landing again beside a small pond created through magic.

The soft sound of a zither drifted from somewhere deeper inside.

It did not demand attention, nor did it carry any particular sorrow or grandeur. The melody came and went with the breeze, as though the person playing did not care whether anyone else listened.

Beneath the shade of a flowering tree, several Tieu Dao Sect disciples sat drinking tea.

Even their clothing was not entirely uniform.

Some wore pale yellow.

Some gray.

One woman wore green.

A young man lay on his side in the grass with a bamboo hat covering his face as he slept. The woman in green nearby was painting something onto a paper fan, with a small wine flask placed beside her.

Farther away, another disciple was seriously feeding a crane, his expression so focused that the task seemed more important than recruiting disciples.

Hao Nhien stared at the scene for a moment, unsure what to say.

Tieu Lan was equally stunned.

Only after a while did she whisper, “Is this place... really recruiting disciples?”

Hao Nhien looked at the young man sleeping beneath the tree, then at the disciple feeding the crane.

“Probably.”

“But no one is lining up.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“It’s Tieu Dao.”

Tieu Lan blinked.

After thinking about it, she somehow felt that explanation made perfect sense.

The two had only just reached the edge of the garden when a young man in pale yellow robes walked toward them.

He looked around twenty, with pleasant features and a small bamboo branch in his hand that he used like a fan. An easy smile remained on his face.

“Friends, here to take a look at Tieu Dao Sect?”

Hao Nhien cupped his fists.

“That’s right. We’d like to learn about your sect’s examination.”

The young man laughed.

“There is an examination, and there isn’t.”

Tieu Lan looked confused.

“What does that mean?”

“Very simple.”

The young man spun the bamboo branch between his fingers.

“If you fit, a single cup of tea can be enough to pass. If you don’t fit, fighting for three days and three nights won’t help.”

He pointed deeper into the garden.

“No need to line up, and no need to be nervous. Go inside, drink some tea, and speak with the elder. If the elder finds you pleasing, then there is fate between you and the sect. If not, that’s fine too. Eat some snacks before you leave. At least you won’t lose anything.”

Hao Nhien turned toward Tieu Lan.

“What do you think?”

Tieu Lan looked at the garden ahead.

The breeze stirred the flower petals, white cranes walked lazily over the grass, and the distant zither continued to play softly.

She smiled.

“I like it here. It feels very comfortable.”

“Then let’s try.”

Hearing that, the young man in yellow gestured invitingly.

“This way.”

He led them along a narrow path through the flowers.

Before long, Hao Nhien saw a small wooden table beneath the shade of a tree.

An old man sat beside it.

He wore a slightly worn pale yellow Daoist robe. His hair and beard were completely white, a wooden hairpin sat crookedly atop his head, and his sleeves had been rolled up a little.

There was no list of candidates in front of him.

No artifact for testing aptitude either.

Only a teapot and a strange potted flower.

At a glance, he looked less like a sect elder responsible for selecting disciples and more like an old man who had brought his favorite plant outside to enjoy tea in the shade.

Hao Nhien observed him for a moment.

The old man’s aura was extremely stable.

He was neither deliberately pressuring those around him nor concealing himself so completely that nothing could be sensed.

Compared with the Foundation Establishment cultivators Hao Nhien had encountered before, this aura was clearly deeper and more settled.

Late Foundation Establishment?

Hao Nhien could not be absolutely certain, but based on the cultivators he had met before, his estimate should not be far off.

He quietly remembered it and did not stare any longer.

The young man in yellow had already reached the table.

“Old Van, these two friends would like to see whether they have fate with Tieu Dao Sect.”

The old man looked up.

His gaze first passed over Hao Nhien, then remained on Tieu Lan for a little longer.

Afterward, he asked neither their names nor their ages.

He did not ask about their cultivation either.

He simply gestured toward the two seats across from him.

“Sit.”

Hao Nhien and Tieu Lan bowed before sitting down.

Old Van then pointed at the potted flower on the table, speaking as casually as though he were asking whether the weather was pleasant.

“What do you think of this flower?”

Hao Nhien looked at the plant.

It had a short stem and dark green leaves, with part of its roots exposed above the soil like an old man’s whiskers. Three small pale purple flowers bloomed at the top, their petals so thin they seemed covered in mist.

The spiritual qi surrounding the plant was also fairly obvious.

It was clearly no ordinary flower.

But Hao Nhien did not answer immediately.

Tieu Dao Sect selected disciples by asking about a potted plant?

It sounded casual.

But the person asking was a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If he simply said the flower was beautiful, the answer seemed meaningless.

If he deliberately said it was ugly, that would only make him look like he was trying too hard to be different.

While Hao Nhien was still considering the question, Tieu Lan glanced at the tea set on the table.

Then she gently stood and bowed to Old Van.

“Senior, before we talk about the flower, may I brew the tea again?”

Old Van froze slightly.

“Brew the tea?”

“Yes.”

Tieu Lan smiled softly.

“The flower is already here, and you’re already sitting beside it. With a good cup of tea, perhaps it will be easier to look at the flower.”

Old Van stared at her for a breath.

Then he suddenly laughed aloud and slapped the table.

“Good! Very good! This old man has been sitting here since morning staring at the flower so much that I forgot all about the tea.”

The young man in yellow standing beside them twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth.

The teapot had been sitting on the table the entire time.

Old Van simply had not poured himself a single cup.

Tieu Lan did not seem to find that strange.

She stepped over to the table, checked the tea set, and began brewing a fresh pot.

Her movements immediately became different from the slight nervousness she had shown when questioned by the two women from Bich Van Palace.

She rinsed the cups, warmed the pot, measured the proper amount of tea leaves, then poured in the water. There was nothing flashy about her movements, but she handled everything from the water temperature to the steeping time with natural familiarity.

As the first thin wisps of steam rose, the fragrance of tea gradually opened and blended with the scent of flowers in the garden.

Hao Nhien watched from beside her, the corner of his mouth curving slightly.

Tea Dao had always been one of the things Tieu Lan did particularly well.

At the Fragrant Medicine Pavilion, she could stand among hundreds of medicinal ingredients without becoming flustered.

And in front of a tea set, the tension from earlier disappeared even faster, replaced by a familiar concentration.

Before long, the tea was ready.

Tieu Lan poured a cup for Old Van first, then for Hao Nhien, and finally for herself.

She lifted the cup, breathed in the fragrance, and took a small sip.

After several breaths, her eyes brightened slightly.

“Senior’s Oolong tea is excellent.”

Old Van immediately sat a little straighter.

“Oh? You recognize it?”

Tieu Lan looked slightly embarrassed but still nodded.

“I studied Tea Dao a little before. These leaves were processed very carefully. The oxidation was controlled well enough to preserve the fresh opening notes, while a warmer fragrance remains underneath. The first taste is not too strong, but after it passes the throat, there is a cool and sweet aftertaste.”

She took another sip, thought for a moment, then continued.

“The leaves also retain a very fresh quality. They were probably picked fairly early, before the sunlight became strong. The roasting temperature was kept very even as well, so the lighter fragrance on the outside was not lost.”

Old Van’s smile became more obvious as he listened.

Tieu Lan looked down at the cup in her hand before continuing.

“What I like most is that the two layers of fragrance don’t overpower each other. At first, it feels like an early morning when the dew has not yet disappeared. But the aftertaste is warm, like sunlight just beginning to fall.”

She smiled faintly.

“One cup carries two different feelings, but they don’t conflict at all.”

Old Van stared at her, the wrinkles around his eyes nearly bunching together from how widely he smiled.

“Excellent. Excellent!”

He raised the cup and took a large drink, clearly satisfied.

“Finally, someone who knows how to drink this old man’s tea.”

The young man in yellow immediately turned his face away, seemingly unwilling to let anyone see his expression.

Hao Nhien could not help smiling either.

He had barely managed to say a few sentences since arriving, yet Tieu Lan had already made the elder in front of them considerably happier.

Old Van set his cup down and pointed at the potted flower again.

“All right. The tea has been drunk. Now tell this old man.”

He stroked his beard, anticipation obvious in his eyes.

“It took me several days to bring this plant here. Do you think it suits this place?”

Tieu Lan looked at the flower.

This time, she did not answer immediately.

She leaned slightly closer, examining the dark green leaves, then the exposed roots, and finally the three pale purple blossoms at the top.

Her gaze lingered for a long time on the edges of the leaves.

Then she looked at the soil in the pot and the direction from which the sunlight fell.

The smile on her face gradually disappeared.

Hao Nhien noticed the change.

He did not know what Tieu Lan had seen, but he did not urge her.

When she instinctively glanced at him, he only gave a slight nod.

Say what you truly think.

Tieu Lan understood.

She looked at Old Van, then back at the flower one more time.

After several breaths of hesitation, she finally spoke softly.

“Senior...”

“I think this plant misses its old home.”

Old Van did not move.

But his eyes immediately lit up.