The sun had almost disappeared beyond the horizon.
A cool evening breeze drifted through the streets of Meizou as lanterns were lit one after another, bathing the city in a warm orange glow.
Shops that had been open since morning slowly began closing their doors, while restaurants and inns became busier instead.
Sun Yunso walked through the unfamiliar streets in silence.
His colorless eyes wandered from one building to the next.
The atmosphere felt different from the mountain where he had spent the last eight years.
He loosened the pouch hanging from his belt and glanced at the payment Lei Shun had given him.
“I should find an inn first.”
There was no point wandering through an unfamiliar city at night.
There’s no need to rush, you can look into the Four Great Families whenever you’re ready, maybe even tomorrow.
After all a tired swordsman makes mistakes.
As the day wore on, the evening air started to chill, and it wasn’t until then that Sun Yunso finally brought her journey to an end.
His eyes landed on a small, unassuming wooden house that was tucked away at the corner of the street, its plain exterior blending quietly into the surroundings.
A faded sign hung above the entrance.
The Willow Inn.
“…This should do.”
He didn’t hesitate, just pushed the door open and walked right in.
A small bell above the doorway chimed softly.Unlike the lively inns he had imagined, this one was almost completely silent.
The room was left with just a few tidy tables and a hint of smoke from a fire that had been burning.
“…”
Sun Yunso didn’t mind.
In fact, he preferred it this way.
He quietly walked towards the reception desk.
She was a young woman with brown hair, tied back in a neat way, standing behind something.
As she looked up from the book she was writing in, she gave a polite smile.
“Hello, I’m Niva, and it’s lovely to have you here at the Willow Inn this evening.”
Her gaze flicked to the sword at Sun Yunso’s side, then quickly moved back to his face.
“Are you looking for a room?”
Sun Yunso gave a small nod.
“Yes.”
Niva smiled warmly.
“One night’s stay costs two gold pieces.”
The sound of the coins clinking together filled the quiet inn as he counted out two gold pieces.
Then, he carefully placed them on the counter.
Niva looked at the coins before smiling.
“Thank you.”
She gently scooped them up and put them away in a little wooden box under her desk.
“Your room is on the second floor.”
She stretched out her hand, reaching behind the counter to grab a small key made of brass that was hanging from a row of hooks, and then she offered it to him.
“Room Seven is were you’ll be staying tonight, we’re glad that you’re here and hope you have a great time during your stay.”
Sun Yunso took the key, giving a small nod of acceptance.
“…Thank you.”
With that, he turned towards the staircase.
Sun Yunso made his way up the creaky wooden stairs, each step echoing beneath his feet, and soon he vanished into the hallway.
Niva couldn’t help but watch him walk away, her gaze staying on him for just a beat too long, as if she was trying to hold onto the moment a little while longer.
“…”
There was something unusual about him that being his scars.
Two long slashes stretched across his eyes, yet he walked without hesitation, as though he could still see perfectly well.
“I wonder what happened to him.”
The idea flashed across her mind, but just for a moment.
She gave a slight shake of her head, a small smile playing on her lips.
“It’s none of my business.”
Everyone who passed through an inn carried a story.
Some stories were joyful and others were painful.
If a guest wished to keep their past to themselves, it wasn’t her place to ask.
She went back to her ledger and started working again, acting like everything was normal.
Sun Yunso finally came to a stop in front of an old wooden door, and beside it, a small brass plate caught her eye.
He inserted the key into the lock, and with a soft click, the door creaked open, its hinges slowly swinging outward as it revealed what was inside.
The room was modest.
A single bed stood against one wall, accompanied by a wooden table, a chair, and a small window overlooking the quiet streets of Meizou.
A stone lantern outside cast a faint orange glow into the room.
It was simple.
After spending years sleeping in the mountains, it had finally become too much.
Sun Yunso walked in and softly shut the door.
He let out a slow breath. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“What a day.”
His hand reached for the collar of his black robe.
He took it off and carefully laid it over the back of the chair.
Underneath, he had a strong and fit body, one that came from hard work and dedication, not from being pampered.
Scars covered his body, a map of all the times he’d trained with Su Qing.
Sun Yunso caught a glimpse of them on his torso and shoulders, each one telling a story of its own, before he looked away, his mind elsewhere.
To him they were simply proof that he was still alive.
Sun Yunso’s fingers wrapped around the hilt of the sword that was leaning against the wall, and he lifted it up, feeling its weight in his hand.
He stood there for a moment, just holding it, before walking over to the window.
The window was open just a crack, letting in a gentle breeze that carried the coolness of the night.
Outside, the town of Meizou had grown quiet, the only sound being the soft glow of lanterns that lined the streets.
“It’s night already.”
He lowered himself onto the windowsill.
The sword rested across his lap.
His colourless eyes remained fixed on the black sheath.
Not a single muscle moved.
The only noise you could hear was the soft whisper of the breeze as it blew gently through the air.
As the moments ticked by, Sun Yunso finally reached out and slowly closed his hand around the hilt, his fingers wrapping around it with a sense of deliberation.
Shing.
The knife slowly came out of its holder, but only a little way.
At that moment, a dark liquid began to flow from a small gap and collected above the edge of the blade, slowly transforming into a miniature dragon.
The creature possessed no eyes of its own, yet it moved with quiet purpose, circling the partially drawn sword in slow, graceful loops.
Its body resembled flowing ink suspended in the air, leaving faint wisps behind as it drifted through the moonlight.
The dragon made one last loop around the blade, then it lightly touched the hilt, like it was saying hello to its owner.
Sun Yunso watched in complete silence.
“…”
He silently returned the blade to its resting place, the metal slipping quietly back into its sheath.
Click.
As soon as the sword was completely tucked away, the small ink dragon broke apart into a multitude of dark, misty tendrils that vanished into the darkness of night.
Sun Yunso rose from the windowsill.
He rested the sheathed sword against the wall beside his bed before turning away.
Tomorrow his search for the Four Great Families would truly begin.