Next Day.
The dawn broke softly, its golden hue spilling through the courtyard of the Feilun Sect like warming silk. Morning mist clung to the stone paths, drifting like spirits reluctant to leave.
Tian Shen stood by the pavilion's edge, watching the fog curl around his feet. Distantly, Feng Yin approached, robes freshly pressed and hair tied with a jade clasp. His demeanor, as always, was crisp—eyes clear, posture straight.
"You're early," Tian Shen noted, arms folded behind his back.
"You're lazy," Feng Yin retorted dryly, before cracking the faintest of smirks. "Ready for the assignment?"
"Depends," Tian Shen said, stretching his arms, "Is it another bandit extermination? Or something more... refined?"
As if summoned by curiosity, Elder Su appeared, her expression unreadable. She handed them both jade slips.
