He thus arrived early at Tongwen House.
Tongwen House had opened early.
When Chen Ku reached Tongwen House, Jiang Shaoyou came out to meet him. Upon seeing Chen Ku, he exclaimed in surprise and relief, "Junior Brother Chen, you had me worried. You didn't show up at the ferry on New Year's Eve, and I feared something had happened to you. I even visited your home on the first day of the New Year. Your family told me you had been sleeping soundly at home. I was so concerned, but now seeing you so vigorous, your eyes even more spirited than before..."
Mid-sentence, he took a closer look at Chen Ku's eyes and suddenly exclaimed in shock, "Junior Brother, your gaze is so bright! This looks like the sign of having broken through the First Layer of the Mystic Barrier!"
