When Durin returned to the Candle Dragon Hall, the grand red lacquer doors were still open.
Durin presented the key in his hand, and after the guards confirmed his identity, they allowed him to enter. Walking along the shaded paths, Durin made his way to the backyard, where he saw Chief Ping standing before the entrance of Yuan Ke Lai, puffing on a long-stemmed pipe.
"My apologies, Chief Ping. I had a dinner gathering tonight. A few elders invited me, and I couldn't refuse," Durin walked over and explained.
He assumed that Chief Ping had been standing here specifically to wait for him.
"It's not about you being late. With everything that happened today, if I didn't have to look after the children of the Hall, I would've come to welcome you myself. But what I'm most curious about right now is: the Qianyue, it's with you, isn't it?" Chief Ping asked. "Back in the day, Old Man gave it to his descendant, who happened to be your grandmother."
