Bidding farewell to Karma, Faen returned to the main hall of the Temple of the Long-Standing.
Since the morning, Shen, Usan, and Riven had been waiting in the hall. Seeing Faen emerge, the two men quickly perked up.
Clearly, both Shen and Usan were bursting with questions, yet their attitude toward Faen had undergone a visible shift. This wasn't without cause—previously, they knew Faen was a talented disciple under Master Xynia, but in their eyes, he was still a peer of roughly the same age.
Especially since Faen was a dancer—compared to the combat arts of the Kinkou Order, which were honed from childhood to hunt evil spirits, the "Way of the Dancer" sounded like it wasn't meant for fighting at all.
But now, after seeing Faen hold his own in a debate against the Elders of the Temple, and knowing from the Enlightened One herself that Faen played host to an incredibly ancient and malevolent soul, they could no longer view him as an equal.
Or rather, they lacked the confidence to stand beside him as peers. If they had any lingering doubts, the fact that Faen had spent the entire day alone with Karma from morning until evening proved that the man before them was far more than met the eye.
With these thoughts, Usan silently nudged Shen's arm. Noticing the gesture, Shen turned to his brother, who was staring fixedly at Faen. Following Usan's gaze, Shen quickly realized why he was being alerted—on the back of Faen's hand, the emerald Mark of the Twin Dragons was clearly inscribed. Though it was a faint aura, Shen and Usan knew exactly what that represented to any Ionian.
Straightening themselves, Shen and Usan offered a slight bow with clasped hands. "Mr. Faen."
Seeing their reaction, Faen raised an eyebrow. "Why the sudden formality, calling me 'Mr.'?"
Shen stared at the Twin Dragon mark on Faen's hand for a moment before speaking. "The Mark of the Twin Dragons represents the Enlightened One's recognition of a person's character and cultivation; it represents the will of the Spirit of Ionia. Regardless of the reason, it carries the weight of the Enlightened One, and we must show proper respect."
"I see." Faen looked at the back of his hand, thought for a moment, and then used the same method he used to hide Ashlesh's Seven-Hand Curse to make the Twin Dragon Mark fade away.
As the mark on Faen's hand dissolved, a look of bewilderment appeared on Shen and Usan's faces. Faen said calmly, "It's real, don't worry. Even if I could forge it, I wouldn't be stupid enough to do it inside the Temple of the Long-Standing in front of Dar... cough, in front of Karma."
Faen clenched his fist, making the mark flicker back into existence and then vanish again.
"But more than the attention and privilege this mark brings, I'd prefer those pedantic old relics to expose their true faces more directly."
Shen and Usan exchanged a glance, unsure of how to respond. They stood tall and said, "That is the Enlightened One's mark; its disposal is not for us to question."
Shen then asked tentatively, "Does the Enlightened One have further instructions for the Kinkou Order? If not, we must return to the Sanctuary to prepare for the coming Noxian invasion."
Hearing this, Faen rubbed his chin and turned his gaze to Usan. "What are your thoughts on all this?"
Shen didn't initially catch the meaning of the question, but then he noticed the complex expression on Usan's face. Usan bit his lip, and after a moment of silence, he spoke quietly: "I am simply... very interested in your discourse regarding the War Spirit, Mr. Faen."
It was a calm sentence, yet Shen's face filled with disbelief.
For Kinkou disciples, before they ever learn martial arts or spiritual perception, they spend years grinding away their hostility and stray thoughts to better perceive the "Balance" the Kinkou Way pursues.
Only those who truly understand Balance can maintain the equilibrium between the two realms without resorting to mindless violence that creates more panic and hidden calamities.
Because of this, having a core belief that cannot be shaken by others' words is a basic requirement for the Kinkou. And yet... Usan was wavering?
No, it wasn't wavering.
Shen quickly regained his composure. He knew the strength of Usan's will.
Back when the "Golden Demon" (Jhin) was ravaging the land, many villagers were severely injured. Usan, having studied medicine, joined the rescue. When they found a dying person, Great Master Kusho stopped Usan, telling him to treat others because that person was already as good as dead.
Usan argued fiercely, saying he could save her if given time. Kusho replied that the time spent on one dying person was enough to save three others with lighter injuries. Usan chose the latter. This earned him Kusho's praise, who told him that Usan was more suited to inherit the mantle of the Eye of Twilight than the overly cautious and gentle Shen. Since then, Usan had forced himself to be calm, becoming increasingly rational and cold during missions.
Sometimes, Shen felt that Usan was more like his father's biological son than he was.
Under such circumstances, Usan's will wouldn't be easily shaken.
Unless... Usan had harbored a philosophy similar to Faen's from the very beginning, but simply didn't know how to voice it. Now, Faen had spoken those hidden thoughts for him.
Usan looked at Faen with intense focus. "I want to know... in your eyes, what exactly is the War Spirit?"