Found

Yi Long and Liang Shuo arrived at the grand entrance to Yi Tian's lavish courtyard. The intricately carved gate, featuring swirling dragons and phoenixes, was guarded by a pair of vigilant sentries. As they approached, the two guards stood tall, their piercing gazes never straying from the young master and his companion.

One of the guards, an older man with a weathered face, immediately recognized them and respectfully bowed, his hands clasped before him. "Greetings, Young Master and Captain Shuo," he intoned, his voice clear and deferential.

Liang Shuo mirrored the gesture, his hands clasped, but remained standing. "Greetings. We have come to inquire—" he began to ask before being interrupted.

"Where did my brother go?" Yi Long cut in, his youthful impatience evident in the slight pout on his lips.

Understanding the child's nature, Liang Shuo remained unfazed and nodded to the guard, signaling that Yi Long's question had been his own intended inquiry.

"Young Master, the Second Young Master took the east road," the guard replied, extending a steady arm to point in the direction mentioned, where the morning sun cast long, dancing shadows on the cobblestone path.

"Okay, let's go!" Yi Long exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He dashed off toward the east, his energy contagious.

"Thank you," Liang Shuo said graciously before quickening his pace to catch up with the eager Yi Long, his boots thudding softly on the well-worn path.

...

"Tian'er, can you hear me?" Elder Feng asked gently, his eyebrows raised in concern, the lines on his forehead deepening.

"Sorry, I blanked out for a moment," I admitted, still trying to process the events that had transpired. Had it been an illusion, or was it real? I couldn't help but wonder, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Hmm, are you sure you're alright? You were staring at that page for quite a while," Elder Feng observed, his voice tinged with genuine concern.

"Yes, I feel fine," I reassured him, nodding. "Maybe we should head back. We can continue this another time."

"Alright. If you want to take the manuals, make sure to notify Yi Zhen," Elder Feng advised as he rose gracefully from the floor cushion, his robes rustling gently.

"Okay. And Old Man, thank you for your guidance," I said sincerely, my hands clasped in gratitude.

"I don't mind," he responded with a warm, paternal smile and a nod.

Gathering the manuals from the polished wooden table, we made our way downstairs. Upon reaching the bottom, I approached Protector Zhen. "Protector, I'm going to take these manuals with me."

I revealed the manuals that I had concealed within my robes. He glanced at them, then bowed. "Young Master may take these manuals out for seven days."

"I understand." And I truly did. There were few of these precious manuals. While the second floor of the pagoda overflowed with texts and scrolls that dated back centuries, they were primarily notes and observations. The total number of completed techniques was a mere handful, so it was no exaggeration to say that these were treasured and guarded fiercely.

"Protector Zhen, we will take our leave now," Elder Feng declared, his hands clasped in respect. Protector Zhen nodded and reciprocated the gesture, as did I.

As the large wooden doors parted and we exited the Serene Ascension Pagoda, I looked up into the sky. It was a little cloudy, but mostly blue skies reigned. I searched for the sun, it looked to be close to mid-noon.

Elder Feng and I soon exited the training area that surrounded the pagoda and stepped onto the stone path of the garden. As we retraced our footsteps, we soon came upon a man and a boy. The man, clad in an armored uniform, bowed and clasped his hands, "Second Young Master, Elder-"

"Brother!" The boy shouted and interrupted, looking irritated.

"Why didn't you show up to training?!" He asked as he walked closer, my tall form overshadowing his.

As I looked at the boy dressed in a martial hanfu, I slowly grasped the situation at hand. "Yi Long, the reason I did not show up to training was because I wanted to learn martial arts to train you better," I reasoned.

Yi Long looked confused, then questioned, "Well, why didn't you tell me?"

"I just thought about it this morning. Plus, can't we still train today? It's not that late," I reasoned.

"No, I have to go study reading and writing, then mannerisms with mother after," Yi Long answered, annoyed.

"I see. Well, I'm sorry, but tomorrow we can train," I assured him.

Yi Long's eyes widened and said, "Really? But weren't you going into town to have fun with your friends?"

I pondered on his words. It looked like tomorrow the previous owner planned on going somewhere. Even so, I had no clue where and what he was planning on doing. "It's fine, I'll just train with you tomorrow anyway," I said.

Yi Long's face morphed into a wide smile, "Alright! It's a deal!" He said as he turned and said to the man next to him, "Since we found him, I'm going. I have to hurry, else teacher will tell my father."

The man next to Yi Long watched as he started walking away in glee. "I will also take my leave, Young Master, Elder Feng," he bowed and stepped backward before turning and continuing down the path.

Elder Feng and I exchanged knowing glances, amused by the boy's spirited nature. We continued on our way, discussing the day's events and the plans for tomorrow, the soft rustle of the leaves and the gentle twitter of birds around us providing a soothing backdrop to our conversation.