Talking with Wan Ling

Moments later, he felt a delicate ripple—a light, tinkling sensation—as though the other end were stirring from a deep focus. A second or two passed before he received her response:

Wan Ling: [Senior Brother… you're here?]

Her voice was faint but carried a clear thread of excitement.

[Give me just a moment.]

Shen Yuan stood outside waiting for a while. A small smile formed on his face. Even through the system's link, he could hear the warmth in her tone.

It reminded him of when he had just joined the sect and met her, looking up to him with wide, starry eyes.

He took a step forward, quietly waiting. He could sense the shifting of Qi behind the closed doors—slowing from a high-intensity surge to a gentler flow, signaling that Wan Ling was wrapping up her cultivation cycle.

Soon, the double doors slid open without a sound. Wan Ling stood in the doorway, her long green hair cascading over her shoulders.