Morning arrived draped in gold and silk, with a breeze so gentle it seemed to hum with peace.
One of those rare dawns that made even overworked disciples pause and breathe.
Shan Yifeng stirred beneath his blanket, stretched lazily, and let out a long yawn.
He rolled out of bed, tied his sash, and stepped outside into the courtyard where a few early-rising disciples were already moving about.
"Good morning, Senior Brother!" a round-faced, chubby disciple called out, jogging up to him with a bright smile.
Shan Yifeng raised an eyebrow and patted the boy's shoulder with a smirk. "You've been slacking off on training, haven't you? Look at all this fats."
The boy stiffened. "G-Gulp—no, Senior Brother! I swear I've been doing double! Triple, even! I swear I'm not cutting corners with my training."
"Oh, is that true?"
"Yes! Grand Elder Lily saw me training once, she scolded me hard, and… and then she doubled my regimen! I've been sweating buckets every day!"
