Fang Yuan's sword hand did not waver, nor did his gaze left the tortoise eyes and its every motion.
The tortoise watched the blade for a long beat then sighed, like the sound of loosened dust from the ridges of its shell.
"Fine." The words were half concession, half bargain. "Stay here then. But make sure you wait for me, it's really important."
It shifted its massive bulk, the motion slow and purposeful. "I will bring you what you need right now."
Fang Yuan kept the point of his sword trained on the tortoise.
The tortoise's mouth closed, and with a creak that sounded like a canyon sliding, it drew back and vanished.
Fang Yuan did not move right away, he watched the position where the tortoise had just dissapeared from.
Then, slowly, he sheathed his sword and returned to the library where Fang Lian was.
He drifted into the library and halted at the edge of the circle where she sat, still deep in meditation.
