With Wei holding Qing and both safely hidden from the eyes of the world, Adam returned to the village gates, where the same guard he had spoken to paced under the rain.
Mud soaked his pants with every step, yet he was too engrossed in his mumbled anxieties to notice. "This cultivator brat said we'll meet in an hour. Yet, boss Hu has been waiting for another one and a half already. Do you want to see my head on a spike?!" He clutched his neck, swallowing in horror. "Please, return..."
His words died down in his throat, his attention captured by a mysterious phenomenon. The rain arched over an unblemished silhouette, as if unwilling to smear its owner.
He blinked once, then twice, before his eyes widened on Adam's purple and dark robes covered in intricate golden stars and patterns. Instantly, he waved his hand, his lips curling into a relieved smile. "Sir cultivator! Here! Boss Hu is waiting for you inside!"
