Luckily for the young woman, Zoan appeared the very next second, a broad smile on his face. He stepped forward, his presence immediately drawing Cain's attention away from the trembling girl.
"Elder Laurifer," Zoan said, his tone respectful and enthusiastic, "I have been trying to contact you for the past few months."
As he uttered those words, Zoan threw a sharp glance at the young woman, who immediately recognized the cue. Without uttering another sound, she quickly left the room. Cain spared her only the briefest glance, deciding that she was not worth any further bother. He had more important matters at hand, and a small smile arose on his face as he nodded to Zoan.
"I was in my cultivation abode, so I could not answer any messages," Cain explained calmly. This was a perfectly logical reason, as all cultivators understood that secluded cultivation could last for months, even years. There was nothing unusual in that. "I guess that the trade went well?"
