The group found an inn not far from the training grounds. It wasn't the fanciest place, but it was quiet and clean enough. Paper lanterns hung outside, their warm light flickering gently in the wind. Inside, the smell of food and herbs mixed in the air, calming but faintly tense from the number of contestants talking about the next trial.
They took a private room upstairs. Before anyone could sit, Feng Jiao Xue scanned the corners, her eyes cold and focused. Her Qi brushed through the walls as she checked for hidden arrays or traps. Jiang Li noticed and silently placed a talisman near the door.
"It will hide our presence," he said quietly.
"Good," Feng Jiao Xue nodded, then sat by the low table.
Xu Wenjun clapped his hands. "Let's eat first before talking about strategies. My brain works better with a full stomach."
Mo Tianze snorted. "You just want an excuse to eat again."
"Exactly," Wenjun grinned as if that solved everything.
