The side courtyard felt much smaller once everyone gathered.
High stone walls boxed the space in, and the ground was worn smooth from years of training. Weapon racks lined one side, neatly arranged with practice swords, spears, and wooden staffs. The smell of wood oil and steel lingered faintly in the air.
Lin Tian stepped into the middle of the courtyard while the elders spread out along the edge.
Patriarch Lin stood near the front, arms folded behind his back. Elder Mei watched with that sharp healer's focus. His grandfather Lin Haoyang stood slightly to the side, trying and failing to hide how curious he was. Two martial elders waited nearby, and the Bai representatives observed everything carefully.
No pressure, Lin Tian thought. Just the entire clan leadership and future in-laws staring at me.
One of the martial elders approached, carrying a spear, though he rested it lightly against the ground.
