The leading man's eyes flickered briefly toward the others before returning to Elyon. "Ah… yes, of course," he said quickly. "We were told to expect a group, but… I must admit, we did not expect…" His words trailed off as he glanced nervously at Cattaleya, then at Little Shrubby, who yawned lazily, lightning flickering between his fangs.
Daoist Chu chuckled quietly. "It seems our presence has made quite the impression."
One of the younger Shanhu warriors whispered, "They are too strong… can our clan even afford them?"
Another nudged him to silence, eyes wide with warning.
Lin Mu caught the murmur but said nothing. His gaze remained on the leader, studying the faint flow of Qi around him. The man's meridians were slightly strained—perhaps from long exposure to dense Oceanic energy, or from channeling water elemental Qi for too long.
