Shi Qingxuan

You had been unable to find Shi Qingxuan for a long time. Worry squeezed your heart with every passing minute as you wandered in search of him. But finally, you found him — by a small stream.

He sat on the bank, gazing blankly at his reflection in the water. In the dim light of the fading day, his silhouette seemed ghostly — a pale shadow of who he once had been.

You marveled at how he had managed to hold on all this time. After all, he was the former Wind Master, once soaring high in the heavens, and now — an ordinary mortal. It must have been unbearable for him to get used to such a life. To these harsh conditions, to hunger, cold, and loneliness.

Once well-groomed hair had turned into tangled, coarse strands. His clothes were dirty, tattered rags. Several broken limbs had healed incorrectly and now served as reminders of every fall.

But despite all this, he kept smiling. You could see clearly — he was tired. Mortally tired. His smile was thin, cracked, like ice on a spring river. Yet he never stopped smiling.

All this time, you had shown him kindness. You took him in, fed him, tried to heal his wounds. He hadn't lived with you for very long, but even that short time was enough for your heart to bleed at the mere sight of him.

You slowly approached and sat down beside him. The silence around you was almost tangible — neither birds nor wind disturbed it. Only the water murmured quietly, flowing away into the distance.

You continued to remain silent, not daring to break this fragile peace. It seemed that right now, silence was the only thing he needed. Not words of comfort, not attempts to cheer him up. Just — someone's presence beside him. Silent, accepting everything without questions.

Shi Qingxuan didn't turn around, but you noticed how his shoulders relaxed slightly. How he exhaled — heavily, but not from pain. Rather, from relief.