The illusions faded completely, and the cavern fell into stillness once more.
The eye on the monolith dimmed to a soft ember, pulsing in time with an ancient, unseen rhythm.
Elder Mingshi turned toward Lin Mu, his expression unreadable—caught between reverence and expectation.
"Do you understand now?" he asked quietly.
Lin Mu narrowed his eyes. "I understand that this Ephemera Tree isn't just a relic… it's alive. And it's watching."
Mingshi nodded. "More than watching, Fellow Daoist. It waits. It seeks."
"Seeks what?"
Mingshi folded his hands behind his back and spoke slowly. "A vessel."
Lin Mu's gaze sharpened. "A vessel?"
"Yes. One worthy. One whole. One who walks the path of the Heart—who bears clarity, sorrow, compassion, and resolve. The Ephemera Tree does not accept just anyone. For ages, it has slumbered, rejecting generation after generation of cultivators. But now…"
He turned to face Lin Mu fully. "Now, it stirs."
