The morning sun crept faintly through the veil of mist, spilling its pale light into the wooden lodge where they had spent the night. Ho Lam Uyen's gentle voice stirred Khanh and Le Vy awake. Outside, the sound of fists cutting through the air echoed sharply—Vo Tinh Hai had already begun his training.
Lam Uyen wore her usual warm smile, yet sorrow still lingered beneath her eyes, shadows left behind by the death of Old Ly. Across the room, Bui To Nhu bent over a stone table, her gaze fixed upon stacks of scrolls and reports. From the forge, hammering rang out in steady rhythm as La Diep labored over the crafting of a new spirit tool, sweat glistening under the dim light.
Life seemed to be resuming its course, yet one figure was conspicuously absent—Vu Minh Triet, the plump one, had not appeared.
"He may not be well these past few days," Lam Uyen said softly to Khanh and Vy. "Best wait for him a little while before we begin."
Then she placed before them two plates of banh ep, thin and golden, crisp at the edges, carrying the fragrance of shrimp and scallion.
"Eat," she urged, her smile gentling. "You'll need your strength to listen."
Not long after, the others gathered. Lam Uyen, To Nhu, Vo Tinh Hai, and La Diep sat together, forming a quiet circle.
It was Bui To Nhu who finally spoke, her voice solemn, resonant like the toll of bronze bells:
"I have already glimpsed your potential through the Eye of Foresight. Remember this well: the Heavenly Veil was not founded to destroy, but to preserve balance. When fear takes root, demons are born and strengthened. When reverence is offered, gods ascend and grow. Two extremes, forever opposed—yet only in balance can calamity be averted."
As her words faded, the iron cage upon the weapons rack trembled. A raven, black as midnight, burst forth, its wings cutting the air in heavy beats before alighting upon her arm.
The air thickened. To Nhu closed her eyes. Darkness rippled faintly about her. When she opened them again, her eyes were void, pupils and whites swallowed in endless black.
"Le Vy shall study under Ho Lam Uyen.
Minh Triet will follow Vo Tinh Hai.
And Khanh… will be taught by La Diep."
Her words seemed to press against the walls themselves, binding the air with certainty.
"Any objections?"
"None." – the three masters replied in unison.
"Then it is settled."
She closed her eyes once more; when they opened, they were human again. The raven returned to its cage, wings folding as though it had never left.
Her voice lowered, yet carried weight:
"This week holds no imminent peril. For now, Lam Uyen, take Khanh and Vy to the abandoned shrine. See what lies there."
From a wooden case, she drew a silver pin, pricking it gently into the small map carved into the stone table. The needle sank into a hidden pattern of ancient lines.
"Understood," Lam Uyen answered firmly, her eyes sharpening as grief gave way to resolve.