Outside the other courtyard,
Leading Military Officer Yun Tiansheng wrapped his shoulder blade with a strip of white cloth, furrowing his brow at the sight of his cousin, who had been missing for a day and was believed to have perished in the jaws of demons:
"Are you alright? When you weren't seen yesterday, Father even sent others to search for you."
"Thank you to Second Uncle and Third Brother for your concern." Yun Zhuosheng didn't expect to encounter his usually imposing third brother outside the other courtyard. A flicker of guilt passed through his eyes as he began to cover up:
"My younger brother's arm was bitten off by a beast and swallowed. I chased it for a long time and struggled with it before I managed to kill it and reattach my arm. I consumed too much True Qi on the way back, so I meditated for a while, and that's why I returned late." Yun Zhuosheng lifted up his unhealed arm, showing the crisscrossed bite marks, fierce and distinct.
