Lenient wiped away his tears, his pine-scented fingers leaving traces of crystalline sap on his cheeks. "Serene, Little Stone really fell for that wretched wolf. She won't even let me kill him." His voice cracked slightly at the end, betraying a deeper hurt than his casual words suggested.

Serene Mountain's brow furrowed ever so slightly as Lenient attempted to lean against him, the latter's movements already unsteady from the wine. With practiced patience, Serene gently pushed him back upright. "Master Patio was clear - engaging in combat within Celestial Sword Sect territory would be too risky."

The wine in Lenient's cup sloshed dangerously as his head bobbed up and down, fighting against drowsiness. Meanwhile, Serene had barely touched his first cup, the fragrant liquid holding little appeal for him. The dim lamplight caught the metal rims of his glasses as he watched his companion with growing concern.

"Though I don't know this Little Stone you speak of," Serene spoke carefully, adjusting his sitting position to maintain some distance from the increasingly affectionate Lenient, "I believe we should return to the Abyssal Pavilion soon. How much longer does she need to stay?"

A shadow of unease crossed Serene's face as he contemplated their vulnerable position. Outside the Mountain Heart Kingdom, especially this far from Abyssal Pavilion territory, their safety couldn't be guaranteed. While the Immortal Alliance might present a righteous facade, their secret organizations were just as capable of bloody work.

Serene stared into his cup, the wine's surface reflecting his troubled thoughts. He wondered which was truly cleaner - the Immortal Alliance's shadowy organizations or the Abyssal Pavilion with its openly acknowledged assassination business.

Before he could pursue that line of thinking further, Lenient draped himself over Serene's shoulders, nuzzling against him like an oversized cat seeking attention. "The Celestial Sword Sect," he slurred, his breath heavy with wine, "those people... hic... they're so easy to deal with. Last time I could've killed that wolf without breaking a sweat... hic... if only Little Stone hadn't stopped me."

Serene's nose wrinkled at the wave of alcohol-laden breath washing over his face. A peculiar thought crossed his mind - if Lenient were to split open his stomach right now, would wine pour out? The mental image was so absurd that a small smile tugged at his lips.

"What're you laughing at?" Lenient pulled back slightly, putting on an exaggerated pout. "Don't you believe me?"

"No, no, you must be seeing things," Serene replied, though his smile only grew wider, betraying his amusement.

This was mortal territory, the northeastern Frostshore Empire. Even if some locals had heard whispers of the Celestial Sword Sect's existence, they rarely concerned themselves with cultivator affairs. Lenient's talk of killing wouldn't raise many eyebrows here.

Serene felt a small measure of relief at being away from Celestial Sword Sect territory. He quietly hoped Lenient would stay put in the Frostshore Empire for the next few days, patiently waiting until this Flint person left the sect. Then they could return immediately to the Abyssal Pavilion.

Looking at the drunken pine tree swaying beside him, Serene sighed inwardly. Master Patio had tasked him with keeping this mad pine tree out of trouble - like babysitting a powder keg with a lit fuse. Yet Master Patio's orders were absolute. As Lenient started humming an off-key tune about stones and wolves, Serene adjusted his glasses and wondered how many more nights of drunken confessions he would have to endure.

A woman's voice suddenly cut through the tavern's ambient noise, making Serene instantly alert. Lenient, however, remained oblivious, still nuzzling against Serene's shoulder like an affectionate cat.

"What brings you here?"

Serene pushed Lenient away, and the drunken pine tree slumped forward onto the table with a soft thud. As Serene turned, he saw a woman in pristine white robes, her hair elegantly swept up and secured with a silver hairpin. His shoulders relaxed slightly as he recognized Sage South Rain - though he'd never understood why a Celestial Sword Sect elder maintained such close ties with the Abyssal Pavilion.

"Respected Elder South Rain," Serene inclined his head politely, his glasses catching the dim lamplight. "Lenient intends to retrieve someone called Flint. Master Patio sent me to... keep him from causing trouble."

"Flint?!" South Rain's brows furrowed deeply. She pulled out a chair and sat across from them at the round table. "Why would you take her away?"

"Well..." Serene adjusted his glasses nervously, "this pine tree reached Adept level, learned to pilot an ethereal canoe, and suddenly ran off talking about finding his 'little stone'... Master Patio searched for him for quite a while. Then he suddenly returned to grab something. Master Patio tried to stop him, but he promised not to cause any major disturbances. In the end, Master Patio sent me to watch him and contact him if anything seems amiss." Serene explained the sequence of events, though he himself wasn't quite clear on why Lenient was so determined to find Flint.

"How can you be so reckless?" South Rain's voice had lost its usual gentleness. "It's not yet time for Flint to leave."

"And when exactly would be the right time?" Lenient's head rose slowly from the table, his voice eerily calm but laced with venom. His eyes, usually warm like amber sap, had taken on a cold, crystalline quality. "She's being mistreated in the Celestial Sword Sect. Why should she stay there any longer?"

"Or rather", Lenient's eyes, like emerald gems, radiated an icy chill. "Have you decided that Celestial Sword Sect, a mere puppet of the Immortal Alliance, is superior to the Abyssal Pavilion now, Rain Ink?"

The long-unused name hit South Rain like a physical blow. The accusation left her speechless, stirring uncomfortable questions. Had her time in the Celestial Sword Sect truly changed her? Had she allowed herself to be infected by the Immortal Alliance's way of thinking, even though she'd come here carrying hatred for them?

She met Lenient's gaze - those eyes, gentle yet frost-laden, just like...

"Bamboo Sovereign, I didn't mean..." South Rain's voice trailed off as she realized her mistake. She glanced uncertainly at Serene, who gestured toward the pine tree. "Lenient Pine," he corrected quietly.

"Lenient, I just think Flint needs to advance her level a bit more..." South Rain said, her voice lacking its usual conviction.

"Can't she do that anywhere?" Lenient crossed his arms on the table and rested his chin on his interlaced fingers, a knowing smile playing across his face as he watched South Rain.

"Oh, right," Lenient tilted his head slightly, his smile never wavering. "I heard Obsidian's remains are kept in the Celestial Sword Sect. Has Little Stone mentioned anything about that?"

South Rain nodded reluctantly. "But there's nothing I can do..."

"Little Stone will find a way. She's so clever," Lenient's smile widened, his wine-glazed eyes sparkling with delight. "Though she might need your help with that."

Sage South Rain nodded quietly, “I will definitely help her.”

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The dim lamplight cast dancing shadows across Lenient's face as he leaned forward. "That’s good" His voice carried a weight that seemed to press down on the very air around them. "The days living under the sun must feel wonderful, but you came from the Chasm of Abyss, didn't you, Rain?"

Serene felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Gone was the playful, wine-addled pine tree from moments ago. In his place sat someone altogether different - someone whose very presence commanded attention. The way Lenient held himself, the measured cadence of his words, even the sharp intelligence behind his eyes - it all spoke of authority that seemed at odds with his usual carefree demeanor.

Although Master Patio had mentioned Lenient being the Bamboo Sovereign's reincarnation, Serene had never witnessed any trace of that legendary figure in their daily interactions. Yet here he was, an Adept-level pine tree, speaking to a Legend-level elder as if addressing a subordinate. The incongruity of it made Serene's head spin more than the untouched wine before him.

Sage South Rain's lips pressed together tightly, her face etched with concern in the dim lamplight. "Yes, I remember it well."

Lenient propped his head on one hand, elbow resting on the table as if he might drift off to sleep at any moment. "I've been remembering more and more lately. An Inferno Wolf deceived Little Stone - I mean, Obsidian in her past life..." He waved his free hand lazily. "And now another bad wolf is trying to deceive her in this life too. The details are still fuzzy, but it might help explain why Obsidian chose to..." His voice trailed off meaningfully.

"Chose to?" South Rain's usual composure cracked. "Three hundred years ago, you said the Immortal Alliance executed her!"

Three hundred years ago? Was the pine planted then? Serene thought, before realizing South Rain must be referring to the Bamboo Sovereign's previous life.

"Well, maybe it was execution," Lenient gestured vaguely with his unoccupied hand. "But I keep dreaming of her last words to me...'I can't live anymore'...then she just exploded. Now I wonder if perhaps..."

Lenient paused, his eyes distant. "Though I couldn't tell our family at the Abyssal Pavilion that Little Stone took her own life because she couldn't bear the Immortal Alliance's torment. It might… dishonor her memory a bit. Better to say the Immortal Alliance did everything. They bear responsibility anyway."

South Rain's eyes lowered, a bitter smile playing at her lips. "Suicide... what did she experience? What could drive her to such an end?"

Lenient rubbed his forehead, staring into his wine cup as hatred and sorrow brewed beneath his casual demeanor. "Perhaps when she apologized to me in that moment, she was actually..." He paused to take another sip of wine. "Perhaps she already knew she was going to die. She was apologizing for that inevitability."

"Already knew?" Confusion deepened in South Rain's eyes. "How much have you remembered?"

"The memories come in fragments. But I've been thinking - Little Stone was immune to poison, couldn't feel pain or temperature changes. What methods could the Immortal Alliance possibly use to make her give up on living?" Lenient sighed heavily. "Then it occurred to me - maybe she had already decided to die before she even reached the Immortal Alliance. Though I can't be certain..."

Serene listened quietly, unused to seeing such profound melancholy from the usually childlike Lenient.

"Resentment force!" South Rain's eyes suddenly went wide. "They must have exposed Master Snow to Resentment force!"

Lenient forced his wine-addled eyes to focus. "What?"

"Flint also bled from every pore when she encountered Resentment force - she must have been in incredible pain," South Rain's voice grew heavy with realization. "And she has a mental barrier, though it's cracked now. It reacts to emotions, making her even more susceptible to Resentment force."

"I wonder why the Celestial Sword Sect is still on the map," Lenient chuckled softly, a sound that sent an unexpected chill down Serene's spine.

South Rain's hands rested motionless on the table. "There's something I still don't understand. If Master Snow anticipated her death before going to the Immortal Alliance... why... I mean, even if she chose suicide, why not do it at the Abyssal Pavilion?"

Was it to spare the Bamboo Sovereign's feelings? The thought lingered unspoken in South Rain's mind.

"I can't make sense of it either." Lenient exhaled heavily. "Perhaps you could investigate how that wolf managed to lure Little Stone to the Immortal Alliance in the first place."

A heavy silence fell over the table before South Rain spoke again, her voice firm with resolve. "I understand. I'll look into it."

"You're becoming more like him," South Rain's smile held a hint of nostalgia. "When I first met you, you seemed just a child. Now you speak like the Bamboo Sovereign who lived for centuries."

"Why say 'like'?" Lenient's smile was gentle, almost dreamy. "I am him."

"When I started remembering Little Stone, I became him again." His voice carried a complex mixture of melancholy and joy. "As long as Little Stone is still Little Stone, I remain who I am."

But is Flint truly the same as Obsidian was? South Rain fell into contemplation. Back then, Obsidian had been her respected master, but now Flint felt more like... her daughter.

The thought of 'daughter' made South Rain's heart clench unexpectedly, followed by a bitter smile. She didn't want to remember those things anymore.

"Just keep doing what you need to do. I trust you," Lenient said, taking another sip of wine. "Would you like some?"

"No," South Rain shook her head. "I only stopped because I spotted familiar figures while flying on my sword over the sect. Fortunately, you weren't discovered."

"Well, I'm not on the Immortal Alliance's wanted list in this life yet!" Lenient's laughter rang out. "We're just friendly visitors, right, Serene?"

Serene, who had been silently observing the exchange between Lenient and South Rain, startled at the sudden mention of his name. Caught off guard, he could only manage a mechanical nod in agreement.

"Serene..." South Rain murmured the name thoughtfully. She had seen him before but never learned his name, knowing only that he was Lenient's friend. "Did Wind give you that name?"

The unexpected question left Serene momentarily bewildered. "Um, yes," he nodded, adjusting his glasses nervously.

Not a good name. Wind Patio still can't let go of him. South Rain kept the thought to herself. Some truths were better left unspoken, and Serene seemed too innocent for such burdens.

"I should go," South Rain bid her farewell and departed, leaving Lenient to immediately resume his affectionate posture, draping an arm around Serene's neck.

"Serene, isn't life beautiful in the sunlight~" Lenient sang out dreamily, echoing his earlier words to South Rain.

"But remember," Lenient's wine-laden breath tickled Serene's ear, making him recoil slightly in disgust, "our home is in the Chasm of Abyss~"

Lenient tilted his head back, then suddenly slammed it down onto the table with such force that Serene feared it might detach entirely. The arm around Serene's shoulders slipped away as Lenient collapsed forward, already deep in drunken sleep.

———

Raven threw on her clothes haphazardly, while Nightbane still lay in bed.

Raven sat on her bed, absentmindedly tracing the contours of Nightbane’s abs with her fingers. She found herself wondering what Spark’s muscles looked like.

However, even though she had indeed slept with a spiritual beast, she still felt inexplicably anxious, devoid of the joy that should have followed such an encounter. Her mind was completely preoccupied with Flint’s unknown plans.

"Tell me," she asked Nightbane, who lounged nearby, his amber eyes watchful, "how does the Celestial Sword Sect handle those who break their rules?"

"Rules?" Nightbane's amber eyes blinked innocently. "Do you mean Immortal Alliance laws or Celestial Sword Sect regulations?"

"Um, sect regulations?" Raven felt a flicker of confusion. Unlike the Mystic Enigma Pavilion, where sect rules and Alliance laws seemed interchangeable, the Celestial Sword Sect apparently maintained some distinction. The intricacies of these relationships escaped her.

"Just fines and forced labor, usually." Nightbane stroked his chin as he recalled.

Raven's brow furrowed. "About those fines..." She chose her words carefully. "Do they apply to outside... involved parties?"

"Involved parties?" Nightbane cocked his head, genuinely puzzled. "Sect regulations only apply to sect members, don't they?"

Relief washed over Raven. She probably wouldn't face consequences—assuming Flint hadn't done anything too serious. Though as that thought crossed her mind, a new worry took root. What exactly was that girl planning?

"What about Alliance punishments?" Raven ventured, trying to keep her voice casual.

"Oh!" Nightbane's enthusiastically listed them off. "Imprisonment, fines, expulsion from the Alliance, and execution!" His cheerful delivery of that last word sent a chill down Raven's spine.

"I see... and do you know..." Raven hesitated, searching for a delicate way to phrase her concern. "During investigations, how do you... I mean, do they ever arrest people who might be involved? Like someone who... accidentally provided tools used in a crime?"

The question seemed to puzzle Nightbane. His tail stopped wagging as he pondered, amber eyes growing distant. He wasn't quite sure how to answer - he simply followed Master Mortius's orders without questioning the bigger picture.

Even his getting laid with Raven had required his master's approval, granted after learning of her possible connection to Flint. Master had instructed him to subtly gather information about Flint, though "subtlety" wasn't exactly Nightbane's strong suit.

"Master has never been wrong in his judgment," Nightbane answered with quiet certainty, his amber eyes gleaming with an unsettling focus. "Those who deserve punishment are always caught."

"Like Flint - master caught her!" Nightbane offered with an innocent smile. Master had told him to ask about Flint 'subtly', so mentioning her name repeatedly must count as subtle, right?

At the mention of Flint, Raven's muscles tensed noticeably. "Um, this Flint... does she cause a lot of trouble?"

"Oh yes, lots!" Nightbane blurted out before suddenly remembering master's warning about the underground prison incident. It was all Flint's fault for discovering it. He'd helped master dispose of those Initiative cultivators who'd forcibly advanced to Adept level through soul absorption...

But how to take back what he'd already said? Nightbane scratched his head uncertainly. "Or maybe not that much..."

"Really? What kind of trouble has she gotten into before?" Raven asked, her anxiety mounting.

"Oh, she just stole some things! And damaged many puppets!" Nightbane blurted out, sharing Flint's recent incident.

Raven's fingers twisted nervously in her lap. "Is theft handled under Alliance law?"

"Cross-sect incidents get reported to the Alliance!" Nightbane explained, drawing from his master's past cases. "But internal matters can be handled within the sect!"

Raven's thoughts raced. If Flint was planning another theft, surely she wouldn't target somewhere outside the sect? But with her puppet knowledge and possible access to verification systems, what if she was planning something bigger?

Before she could stop herself, Raven asked, "What about collaboration between Celestial Sword Sect members and the Abyssal Pavilion? How is that handled?" She immediately regretted the question.

Nightbane's usually innocent eyes suddenly sparked with unexpected clarity. "Does Flint have connections to the Abyssal Pavilion?"

Cold sweat beaded on Raven's forehead. "Just asking hypothetically," she said quickly.

"Don't know," Nightbane replied, his innocent wide eyes now seeming strangely unsettling to Raven. "They haven't returned yet."

"Are you and Flint close?" Raven asked, attempting to sound casual.

"Very close!" Nightbane beamed, convinced that everyone except that wolf liked him. His tail wagged enthusiastically as he added, "I think only that wolf from the Celestial Sword Sect dislikes me!"

Do they really welcome him? Raven thought to herself, watching Nightbane's eager expression with barely concealed disdain.

"Since you're close with Flint," Raven's voice grew increasingly hesitant, "maybe you should warn her... um, not to do anything too illegal..." Her words trailed off into an uncertain whisper.

"Mm-hmm!" Nightbane nodded vigorously, his mind already racing. Master would want to know about this - Flint must be planning something that would get her caught again! He needed to tell Master right away.