The first sign wasn’t the crowds, it was the silence. Before sunrise, Ethan stepped into the courtyard carrying two buckets toward the well. Normally, Liang would already be there, humming badly while pretending to work.
This morning, the courtyard was empty, only the sound of the rope creaking against the well broke the stillness. When Ethan returned to the kitchen, Aunt Mei was already preparing breakfast. She glanced towards the doorway.
"Liang’s late."
As though he had been waiting for someone to mention his name, Liang rushed inside, breathing heavily.
"I’m here... I’m here."
Aunt Mei folded her arms.
"The sun nearly finished half its journey waiting for you."
Liang laughed awkwardly.
"I stopped by the east gate."
"What for?"
"You haven’t heard?"
Neither Aunt Mei nor Ethan answered.
"The examination."
"They’ve already started arriving."
He grabbed a steamed bun from the tray.
"There were families everywhere. Some came with wagons. Some walked all night."
"They’re saying the road outside the city is full of people."
Aunt Mei tapped his hand with a wooden spoon.
"Wash your hands first."
Liang sighed.
"I knew that was coming."
By mid-morning, the inn was busier than Ethan had ever seen it, every room was occupied. Travellers who couldn’t find space settled for meals before continuing elsewhere. Even the courtyard had become crowded with horses and wagons. Most conversations drifted toward the same subject.
"Which sect is coming this year?"
"I heard two."
"My cousin says three."
"You always have a cousin."
Laughter spread across the table.
Another guest shook his head.
"No matter how many come, only a handful will be accepted."
His companion raised a cup.
"A handful is enough if one of them is your son."
The table laughed again. The conversation soon turned to food and travel. No one seemed certain about anything, rumours travelled faster than facts.
Near noon, Uncle Shen called Ethan over.
"You’ve been watching the door more than your work."
Ethan looked slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry."
Uncle Shen smiled.
"I wasn’t complaining."
He wiped the counter with a cloth.
"When something important comes to town."
"people naturally become curious."
He folded the cloth neatly.
"Just don’t forget the guests standing in front of you."
"I won’t."
The afternoon passed in a blur. A farmer from a distant village asked for directions. A mother wanted to know where she could buy new shoes for her daughter. A caravan leader rented every empty stable behind the inn. By evening, even nearby tea houses were overflowing with visitors, Stonebridge had never felt so alive.
As dusk settled over the town, Ethan carried empty bowls back into the kitchen. On his way through the common hall, he noticed two young men sitting quietly near the window. Unlike the other hopeful youths filling the inn, they weren’t laughing or boasting.
One repeatedly read a worn booklet, he other simply closed his eyes and breathed slowly. Neither looked older than Ethan, yet there was a calmness about them. Not confidence, preparation. As though tomorrow wasn’t something to fear, only something to face. Ethan looked away after a moment, everyone prepared differently.
Later that night, Uncle Shen closed the ledger and stretched his shoulders.
"That should do."
The last guests slowly drifted toward their rooms. Liang began stacking chairs, aunt Mei banked the kitchen fire. The inn gradually returned to its usual quiet.
"Ethan."
"Yes?"
Uncle Shen reached beneath the counter and placed a small cloth bundle on the table.
"Take tomorrow off."
Ethan blinked.
"The examination."
"You’ve spoken about wanting to see it since you arrived."
"It would be a shame to miss it now."
Ethan looked at the bundle.
"What’s this?"
"A little food."
"You’ll be gone most of the day."
Before Ethan could refuse, Aunt Mei spoke from the kitchen.
"And don’t come back saying you forgot to eat."
Liang laughed.
"She’s been packing that since this afternoon."
"I have not."
"You started after lunch."
"I did no such thing."
"You even argued with the vegetables."
"I was deciding which ones were fresh."
Liang grinned.
"The vegetables lost."
Aunt Mei reached for the nearest wooden spoon, Liang disappeared before it could reach him. Even Uncle Shen chuckled.
Ethan looked at the cloth bundle in his hands. It wasn’t large, just enough food for a day’s journey. He stood there quietly for a moment before fastening it carefully to his travel pack.
"Thank you."
His voice was softer than usual. Aunt Mei waved her hand as though it were nothing.
"Go get some sleep."
"You’ll need your legs tomorrow."
Back in his small room, Ethan packed slowly, there wasn’t much to carry. A spare set of clothes, his travel journal, the pouch containing his silver coins, a water flask and the food Aunt Mei had prepared. He checked everything twice before placing the pack beside the bed.
Outside the window, Stonebridge remained unusually lively. Lanterns still burned along the main street. People continued arriving even this late, some spoke excitedly, others looked nervous, some simply looked tired after travelling for days.
Ethan watched them for a while before closing the window. Tomorrow, he would finally see what so many people had travelled so far to witness. Not because he expected to become one of them, but because he wanted to understand the world beyond ordinary life. Understanding came before choosing, that had always been his way. Before dawn, the inn was already awake. Aunt Mei handed Ethan the cloth bundle without saying much.
"Eat before noon."
"I will."
Liang walked him to the front door.
"If you somehow become a great cultivator today..."
"...don’t forget the people who made you wash dishes."
Ethan smiled.
"I’ll remember."
"You’d better."
Uncle Shen opened the front door, cold morning air drifted inside.
"The road is straight."
"You won’t miss it."
Ethan adjusted the strap of his travel pack.
"Thank you."
"For everything."
Uncle Shen simply nodded.
"Go."
Ethan stepped outside, the eastern sky had only begun to brighten, yet the streets were already filled with people moving in the same direction. Young men, young women, parents, teachers, friends seeing one another off.
No one led the crowd. It simply flowed together like a river finding its course. Ethan joined them without a word. Stonebridge slowly disappeared behind him. Ahead, the road curved gently between the distant hills.
He drew a slow breath and settled into the steady pace of the crowd. The morning sun climbed a little higher, washing the road in pale gold as the voices around him rose and fell with each passing step.
The examination grounds were still beyond the hills, for now, there was only the road and the people walking it.