By the time Liu Xia returned to the laborers' quarters, it was almost dark.
He put down his tools and sat by the door.
The wind had returned.
The insects too.
Everything looked normal.
He leaned against the door and closed his eyes for a while.
"No one bothered me today," he said.
"Nice."
—
But over at the mountain gate—
It wasn't normal.
—
Side hall.
Doors closed.
The atmosphere inside was heavy.
The three stood.
Didn't dare sit.
The old man sat at the main seat.
Hadn't spoken.
—
After a long time—
One of them spoke:
"We've confirmed it," he said.
"Rules cannot restrain him."
—
No one refuted.
Because they had seen it themselves.
—
"Not that he can't be restrained," the old man said.
His voice low.
"It's that any restraint… gets rewritten."
—
The air tightened.
—
Another asked quietly:
"Then… what level is it?"
—
The old man didn't answer immediately.
He looked at the table.
As if thinking of something long ago.
—
"Not a level," he said.
"It's a source."
—
The moment those words fell—
The whole room went silent.
—
No one spoke again.
Because that conclusion—
Was too big.
—
After a few seconds—
That man spoke even lower:
"Do we report it?"
—
The old man looked up.
Glanced at him.
"What would you report?" he said.
"That our sect has someone who can rewrite rules?"
—
Silence.
—
"What do you think they'd do," the old man continued.
—
No one answered.
But everyone knew.
—
It wouldn't be protection.
—
"Seal it first," the old man said.
"No information leaves."
—
"Yes."
The three responded together.
—
"And—"
The old man paused.
"Don't test him again."
—
"If you do, something will happen."
—
The air sank again.
—
—
Laborers' quarters.
Night.
—
Liu Xia was already lying down.
About to sleep.
—
Just as he closed his eyes—
He opened them again.
—
Not a dream.
It was—
That place again.
—
No sky.
No ground.
—
Liu Xia stood there.
Looked around.
"You again," he said.
Annoyed.
—
This time, there weren't many voices.
—
Only one.
—
"Today, someone used rules on you."
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"What?"
—
"They tried to limit you."
—
Liu Xia thought for a moment.
"Oh," he said.
"Then they failed."
—
A brief silence.
—
"Yes," the voice said.
—
Liu Xia nodded.
"Then that's fine," he said.
—
Another silence.
—
The voice paused.
As if hesitating.
Then said:
"Have you ever thought—"
"Who you are?"
—
Liu Xia didn't think at all.
"I'm just me," he said.
—
The voice didn't respond.
—
After a while—
It asked differently:
"If what you say becomes the result…"
"What would you say?"
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"Why would I say anything," he said.
—
The voice didn't argue.
Just asked:
"If you had to."
—
Liu Xia was silent for a second.
A little impatient.
"Then I'd say something simple," he said.
—
He thought for a moment.
Then casually said:
"Let it not rain tomorrow."
—
The air froze for an instant.
—
The voice didn't respond.
—
Liu Xia looked around.
"Anything else?" he said.
—
"No," the voice said.
—
Liu Xia nodded.
"Then I'm leaving."
—
He turned.
A door appeared.
He pushed it open.
—
Back to his room.
—
Everything normal.
—
He lay down.
Fell asleep quickly.
—
—
The next day.
—
Dawn.
—
Across the entire sect—
The sunlight was steady.
—
Not a single drop of rain.