Chapter 239: Alone
Jiang Chen leaned back against the rough bark of the poplar tree, his eyes half-closed against the afternoon sun. Between his teeth, he chewed on a stalk of green grass, the bitter sap spreading across his tongue.
A cool breeze swept through the fields, tousling his hair and fluttering his sleeves.
He was alone again.
Senior Sister Yu had moved out, returning to the intense heat of the Earthfire Zone to stabilize her new foundation. Lin An was constantly running errands outside, barely setting foot in the courtyard.
The silence was comfortable, yet laced with a subtle thread of loneliness.
Jiang Chen spat out the grass stem and grinned. “Good thing I’m used to it.”
During the day, his favorite spot was here under the poplar, watching the waves of spirit plants ripple in the wind. The rustling leaves and the cool air soothed his spirit.
At night, he would lie on the roof, gazing up at the brilliant river of stars. Whenever a meteor streaked across the darkness, he felt a profound sense of peace settle over his heart.
His daily routine remained steady. He still held the position of assessor for the Spirit Farms, but he didn’t need to visit the outer perimeter daily. The current crop of Outer Peak disciples were mostly veterans from the previous season. They were familiar faces who knew the drill; there was nothing left for him to teach them.