Zhi Mu had not truly thought his course of action through. Old man Cloudgrass told him that he should build bonds with all the other participants, to give rise to a strong united sect in the future, but he himself was never the best at making friends. While he was always the best at everything he did, most of his peers either feared him or admired him like a deity, leading to him often ignoring or deriding others with put upon indifference or sarcasm.

As Zhi Mu thought about these things, looking out over the fields of the bowl like valley that made up the mountaintop, Ren and Xin Jing were tentatively approaching the sheep, getting encouraging words from Han Ting, while Shen Junan scoffed at their eagerness, but had his spirit fan out to bring more docile sheep to the group.

Zhi Mu could see the famous illusion techniques of their sect in full effect, as the sheep did not protest in any way, and Shen's spirit seeped into their systems like sweet honey, clouding the simple minds of the animals. There wasn't really any finesse behind this application, Zhi Mu thought, but as long as the children were having a good time he supposed that bonds would follow naturally. At least that was what Cloudgrass told him, and even though he hated to admit it, the old man was right most of the time.

Ren could see multiple thick streams of spirit slowly creep out to different sheep from Shen Junan, and different from any other arts that he had yet to observe the technique of the glasses wearing boy, seemed to softly caress the animals, luring them in with false impressions as the foreign spirit invades their system and mimics the circulation of a kind of cultivation art.

It was all quite fascinating to the boy, though he was very clear on the fact that he himself likely couldn't ever use such an art, that required his spirit to become almost like a parasite, far removed from the idea he had of what a sword should be.

"They are so fluffy! Wow, look at these cuties!" Xin exclaimed in joy, dropping her mask of indifference, that wasn't even that good to begin with, as Zhi Mu said, and laughed as multiple lambs danced around her.

Ren thought that she looked a lot better while laughing.

The next few hours were spent in exultant merriment, and even though their meeting first felt awkward and artificial to each of them, they soon began to exchange their life's stories.

"I have been a part of the heart division for all my live, granny brought me up, while my parents journey outside the sect." Xin Jing said with an unreadable expression. As the Han boy started to look at her with pity, she immediately continued, with her hands held up defensively. "It wasn't all bad though, granny always tried to make me feel at home, and I learned a lot about cultivation." She turned a bit more quiet and drew her legs to herself. "But it did feel lonely at times. Granny has many responsibilities, and being the granddaughter of an elder didn't actually help make friends." They all didn't really want to dig deeper into her life for now.

Han Ting then told them a little of his life.

"You could say that I am like the reverse Junan." Han Ting flexed his muscles and talked with pride in his voice. "My spirit clings to my body, and I just can't get it to move away from me for more than a hand span, but in exchange the basic body art that my family teaches is extremely easy for me to master." The tall boy said, smiling all the way, as if having an impediment of his spirit was in fact a serendipity. "I also had the joy of a big family to accompany me. My big sister is already an Adept and took care of me multiple times, I hope that all of you can taste her delicious cooking some time!" Han Ting said with a big smile gracing his face.

Xin Jing looked at Han Ting's earnest expression, as if she had bitten into a bitter apple. "How can you and Shen be so positive for your futures?" She said in a dispirited voice. "You might not be able to walk the path of cultivation to greater heights. Never become immortal, or maybe even stagnate in power! What does anything else then even matter?" She got a bit emotional, surprising Ren and Zhi Mu both.

But Shen Junan answered her in a level tone. "What I have realized, and I believe Han Ting has even more so, is that there is no point in despairing over such things. Immortality is but a distant dream, power is always relative, and we should enjoy the present more than the future. Isn't that right, my friend?" He sounded wistful, as he talked to Xin Jing and Han Ting. As Shen Junan looked across the meadows, Ren realized that the glasses wearing boy likely did not have an easy time reaching his position in the sect, while the rest of them simply prevailed through sheer overwhelming talent in all areas. Even Han Ting had it easier as the sect could provide him with appropriate manuals, even though his later cultivation might be somewhat hindered. "The way we walk might be more important than any destination that we could reach, even."

Han Ting nodded seriously as Shen Junan talked, and addressed the only girl of their party. "Sister Xin, it might be hard for you to understand, but though we are resolved to reach higher, as the elders and our families trust in our success, we feel no unrest at the prospect of failure."

Xin Jing looked on in incomprehension, as if the very notion of accepting stagnation was blasphemy to the way of life and everything that they should stand for. She shook her head and sat down next to Han Ting. "I suppose that we will simply have to disagree on this, for now. But I must say, you are extremely, strange Brother Han, Brother Shen." She said with closed eyes, and crossed arms. "What about you, Brother Ren, senior Brother Zhi? You haven't told us all that much about yourselves." Xin added, with a slightly expectant voice.

Zhi Mu and Ren looked at each other, and the older boy made a gesture for Ren to go first, so he did.

"There isn't really all that much to talk about. I don't come from a cultivation family, and only joined the sect a few months ago." Ren scratched his head a bit, as all of them looked at him expectantly. "I joined the sect with two friends, Lin and Aya, and the three of us grew up together in an orphanage. And, as you already know, I have an Intent and joined the weapon division with Darkhaven as my Master." Ren looked a little sheepish. "There isn't really anything more to it?"

"What do you mean, there isn't anything more to it? That is already amazing! What was a mortal town like? How did you manage to gain enlightenment without cultivation? What are your friends like? There are so many questions!" It was Shen Junan that exclaimed with enormous interest, surprising them all. Seeing them all look at him weirdly, the boy adjusted his glasses and coughed into his fist. "Uh, what I meant to say was, that your experiences in the mortal world might be of interest to us regardless." Shen Junan said, trying to recover his more collected image.

Zhi Mu then began to talk in a low voice. He talked about how his parents, had almost no time for him, though their expectations were always high, how, like them, he always felt disconnected from other people to the point of absolute indifference. He talked, and they listened, sometimes asking questions and going into more detail about themselves in the process.

As night was falling Han Ting suggested that they return to the estate in the middle of the valley, but Zhi Mu simply shook his head and took out some firewood from his personal spacial bag, as well as some blankets and suggested that they sleep, or rather meditate under the stars.

All of them then went to sleep, anticipating a new day.

Wool for their pillow and stars for their tent.