The silence stretched in the courtyard as Lin Mu regarded his disciple and the little bird perched on his shoulder.
His eyes were calm, yet there was a faint flicker of amusement behind them. At last, he spoke, his tone steady but tinged with curiosity.
"So… what did they name this new 'cultivation ground'?"
Meng Bai's eyes sparkled with anticipation, while Ashy's feathers puffed proudly as if they were about to unveil a great secret. The two exchanged a glance, then answered together with the synchronized excitement of children sharing a prize.
"The Huo-Lin Transcendent Will Valley."
Lin Mu blinked slowly. The words seemed to hang in the air. "…Huo-Lin?"
