Now that's an understatement if I've ever heard one, Shen Yuan doesn't say. Instead he nods and says, "Trench certainly likes keeping us on our toes. The best advice I can think to give, after living here for nearly half a year, is to stay alert and make allies wherever you can find them. I've yet to see a problem that was solveable on its own; in fact Trench seems to prefer throwing us into trouble together."

He sighs, casting his gaze up at the (mercifully empty) sky. "It also seems to enjoy dragging out dark secrets and forcing us to share painful memories. My first month here I was plagued with injurious nightmares that leaked out into the waking world, and the only way to stop them was to share one of my worst fears with a near-stranger. I don't mention this for sympathy, of course, but only so Lan Xichen can prepare himself for such a possibility."