“Before you come in, I should at least know your name,” said the cabin-dwelling woman. “Better tell me your friends too.”

“I’m Sen’o, that is Safi,” I said with an outstretched hand. She grasped it and firmly shook.

“Teteli,” she said. “Do you mind if I check your cultivation? You can have a look at mine as well, of course.”

I sent my qi gently in through her hand, I felt hers weave its way into my own in return. She recalled hers quickly, as did I, eliciting an approving nod from Teteli.

“You’re weak but you have good control,” she said. “Which sect do you belong to?” She asked.

“Currently, none,” I admitted sheepishly.

“What’s your soul root?” she continued.

“Chaotic Rose,” I answered.

“Quite a perverted soul root, are you familiar with how to cultivate it?” she asked as we entered her home. I saw the desk again, it had been tidied a little and the bed had been neatly made.

“I’ve got the gist,” I admitted.

“She must be your partner then?” she assumed with confidence. It was a safe bet but wrong.

“She’s not, actually.” I said. Teteli left the door propped open so that we could keep an eye on Safi. There was no wind so the house maintained it’s warmth somewhat. She hummed at my answer.

“Just travel companions then,” she said.

“Something like that,” I agreed. I could tell she knew there was something a little more complicated going on but she was tactful enough to let it slide. “I assume you are a member of a sect? I asked, eager to keep the conversation going.

“I am, I’m an Elder at the Broken Doors sect.” she said proudly. The sect elder title explained her high cultivation. “Have you heard of us?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t heard of anything outside Fel Maer apart from Gutura and the Hall of the Mountain Gods.” She whistled as if she were impressed but it was more mocking than anything. “You don’t have a good impression?” I asked, not having to feign my surprise. The way Safi had been talking about them made them seem like warrior saints.

“Not my cup of tea,” she said. “They’re a particularly bitter blend.” I was curious to know more but felt it was best if Safi were around for that conversation. Instead she had finally noticed my obvious glances at the research crowding her desk. “Interested?” she asked.

She looked at me as an impressionable teenager, she was half right. “I am,” I said. “There must be a pretty good reason you’re all the way out here, alone.”

I saw her flinch when I said alone, maybe that was a bit of a low blow but I did not know her story. She got up and gathered a few papers from her desk and brought them to the table where we were now sitting. It was a small table but it had to be to fit in the cramped cabin.

“See what you can glean from my notes,” she said, clearly offering a little test.

I did as told. I studied her meticulous diagrams, read her detailed notes and quite easily I was able to gather the most important piece of information: This woman had a brilliant mind.

Her drawings were accurate and devilishly detailed. In a matter of minutes I was able to deduce exactly what she was working on and it had nothing to do with my multiple lifetimes worth of knowledge.

“You’re looking for something,” I said. She was instantly taken aback. I had no idea how much she was expecting me to understand but it was clearly not this much. “Your notes are impeccable.”

She was clearly stumped but quickly regained vigor. “I’m impressed,” she said. She didn’t need to though, I could tell she was. “How long have you studied arrays?”

“A few years,” I admitted. For once I was not downplaying, I really had only studied for a couple of years and even then it was for lack of a better option so I was not entirely invested in the pursuit.

She pondered for a minute before talking. “Would you like to join the Broken Doors sect? she asked.

I smiled, cultivators were truly a different breed, so decisive. “I’m afraid I have prior commitments, but I would be interested in developing a relationship.” I said.

“With me or the sect?” she flirted. I was a little surprised but she seemed relatively young for a sect elder.

“I would not be opposed to either,” I laughed.

“I’m sure you and your soul root would like that very much,” she said. “Can you tell what exactly I’m looking for?” she asked as she tapped her drawings.

“I can’t,” I admitted.

“Would you like to find out?” she asked with undisguised excitement. The way she asked me made it sound like she’d already found it.

“Tomorrow?” I asked, that would at least give Safi time to finish her breakthrough so that she could come too.

“I suppose I can postpone,” she shrugged. “Then it’s a date?”

“It’s a date,” I said.

She shared with me information about Broken Doors, only what was already common knowledge. She was understandably unwilling to share some of the more intimate details.

Eventually they heard panicking shuffling outside the door. “Hello!?” Safi shouted as Teteli and I looked at each other with a giggle.