Han Yu lounged lazily beneath the shade of the lone plum blossom tree in the corner of his courtyard, a rare moment of peace gracing his normally packed schedule.
It was now close to the end of spring and yet the spring breeze fluttered gently across his face. And for once, he allowed himself to relax. No pill flames burning, no disciples groveling for tutoring, and—thank the heavens—no long lectures from Gai Qing that day.
Sitting on a flat stone, he tossed a peanut into the air.
A blur of brown fur darted forward as Chitterfang leapt, snatching the peanut mid-air with perfect precision before landing and chewing triumphantly. Han Yu grinned.
"Nice catch. Let's up the game."
He flicked another peanut upward, but this time guided it with a tiny twist of his spirit qi. The peanut curved mid-air like a lazy comet, and Chitterfang still caught it without missing a beat.
Han Yu nodded to himself. This wasn't just a game. It was training. Not for Chitterfang—but for him.
