Yan Xianchun · Chat

Moonlight seeped through the cracks between the leaves, spreading a layer of shattered silver across the ground. The small woods were silent, save for the occasional chirp of an insect drifting from deep within, and the rustling murmur of wind slipping through the treetops. The woodland path was narrow, just wide enough for two people to walk abreast. On both sides grew low shrubs and scattered wildflowers, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and fresh grass, mingling with the faint, elusive gurgle of a distant stream. Yan Xianchun had already been standing in the woods for some time. He leaned beside a thick pine trunk, his left shoulder resting against the bark, posture loose yet far from undisciplined. The black medallion at his waist still radiated a faint warmth—not scalding, but rather like a hand resting gently there, reminding him that the other person was not far away. He was in no hurry to walk forward, nor did he look around. What was meant to come would come. The transmission jade token vibrated several times. He lowered his gaze to glance at it. Lu Guanqi: "I'M HERE!!! WHERE IS EVERYONE?! WHERE ARE YOU?! WHERE'S MY PARTNER?!" Ye Xuan: "Mute your jade token." Lu Guanqi: "NO WAY! I need to see messages immediately!" Ye Xuan: "Then I'll send a hundred." Lou Yuejue: "." Lu Guanqi: "Brother Yuejue, when are you arriving?!" Lou Yuejue did not reply. Yan Xianchun tucked the jade token back into his waist sash and looked up. The rustle of leaves had changed. It wasn't the wind; someone had stepped onto the fallen foliage. He didn't turn around, only canting his head slightly, his gaze falling toward the other end of the path. The moonlight there had been severed by a person's shadow—a silhouette on the move, neither fast nor slow, heading in his direction. The medallion grew a touch warmer. They had arrived. Yan Xianchun withdrew his gaze and looked forward once more. Reaching into his sleeve, he fished out a small bamboo cylinder containing Wuyin Qingluo tea, unscrewed the cap, and lowered his head to inhale the fragrance. The tea aroma was crisp and clear, blending soothingly with the night breeze's vegetal scent. He didn't speak, nor did he make any gesture of welcome. The footsteps drew nearer and nearer, as though searching for something in these unfamiliar woods. The moment the medallion's warmth peaked, the footsteps came to a halt. They stopped roughly a dozen paces behind him. Yan Xianchun screwed the bamboo cap back on and slowly turned around. Beneath the moonlight, a silhouette stood in the center of the path, carved into alternating bands of light and shadow by the overhanging branches. Not particularly close, yet not far away either—just the right distance for Yan Xianchun to consider it within conversational range. He lowered his eyes, glancing at the newcomer's waist. Hanging there was a white medallion, glowing faintly in the moonlight just like his own black one—the white exuding a warm glow, the black a cool luminescence. Yin and yang, like two puzzle pieces calling out to one another. Yan Xianchun lifted his head, his gaze settling on your face. His expression remained entirely unchanged, his tone flat as a pool of stagnant water. "Yan Xianchun, Wan Shuang Pavilion." He stood there, waiting for your answer.