Yan Yun sighed, putting her brush down. In front of her was the first volume of her very first… book. A story she’d created to live in a dream that wasn’t, for just a few moments longer. The tale of an alchemist and a thief. Of two starstruck lovers, set apart by the world around them, as they fought to be together just once. A tragedy, a story to break hearts.

Yan Yun sighed once more. Next to her book was the long scroll detailing the two people’s lives and whatever history on them Zu Ri would have dug up. Yan Yun wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting to find when she’d read the scroll, and even after having read it, she wasn’t sure what to feel either.

There had been details of the two people’s little trade of some sort. The apprenticeship that Lu Jie had gotten under an old alchemist in the outer sect. And moreover, the expelled sworn brothers of Su Lin, one of whom had been crippled by an enraged elder.

Yan Yun didn’t feel pity, a fact that conflicted her, but also didn’t surprise her. Having read what she had, the man in question must’ve been prepared for the worst. And she’d heard of similar stories far too often. Yet, for some reason, the history behind the trade still bothered her.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that she’d still not gathered the courage to face the two. The thought burnt her cheeks as she was filled with shame and embarrassment. The boy’s laughter still echoed in her mind at times, as Yan Yun slept, and she wished she could bury herself somewhere.

It’d caused her to forgo sleep more often, choosing to cultivate instead. Something her grandfather had been rather pleased by after her recent run away.

Yan Yun felt her Qi stir, at the thought of her grandfather. She felt Leiyu’s disagreement about her grandfather, but she cared not to get into another argument with her spirit. The last one had already caused her enough troubles with her grandfather.

“Young Mistress, the Great Master is calling for you,” Zu Ri spoke, blending out of the shadows, as she knelt. Her handmaiden, and occasional spymistress tended to be a lot more formal when her grandfather was around. As if she were a stranger to her.

“I’ll be there in a moment,” Yan Yun replied, as Zu Ri nodded, moving out of her chamber. Yan Yun sat in silence for a moment, staring at the little book in front of her. Thunder crackled among her fingers as she hovered her hand above the note, ready to burn it all away.

“Foolish though it may have been. Yan Yun still poured effort into that. Leiyu disagrees with the nature of it, but thinks that it would be disrespectful to burn it.”

Yan Yun stopped at Leiyu’s words, taken by surprise. “Did Zu Ri tell you to say that?”

“What? Yan Yun had said Leiyu didn’t consider her feelings enough. And now when Leiyu does, she doesn’t even believe him,” Leiyu spoke, and Yan Yun felt him pout. The expression and emotion was so baffling that despite her wishes laughter broke through her mouth, further increasing the indignant anger and hurt Leiyu felt which only served to make her laugh more.

“I’m sorry Leiyu, I didn’t mean to laugh. I just-” she paused. There really wasn’t a need for words between them in the end. Her spirit was tied to her dantian, their thoughts linked.

“Thank you,” Yan Yun said. She felt Leiyu wave her away, his Qi swirling as if to pretend he wasn’t paying her any attention. A pretense and a bad one, but one she let him indulge in.

She let the little arrogant bird be, as she got up from her seat. After taking one last look at her book, she opened a drawer, sending a pulse of Qi to open a little hidden compartment behind it where she stuffed the book with all her other ones. It would likely never see the light again, but it consoled her heart to have written it.

Taking another moment to ready herself Yan Yun put on her silver and gold hair pins as her robes changed forms to be a bit more proper. With one last look at herself, she headed out.

She sensed Zu Ri follow her from the shadows at a distance as Yan Yun made her way through the long corridors, heading towards the relatively quiet and simplistic chamber her grandfather resided in. He may be insufferable and strict, but he was not a man to indulge in pointless displays of wealth and waste.

Before she’d even stepped through into the chamber, Yan Yun felt her grandfather’s presence coming from within. His Qi embodied the mountain themselves, rumbling with the power of rolling thunder powerful enough to strike hundreds down with a single blow. It was a tempered strength, calm and controlled, waiting for the right moment to be released.

It had only been her recent advancements in cultivation that had allowed Yan Yun to even begin to grasp at the vast strength her grandfather possessed. For all her life, he’d been like an insurmountable peak, so high above that she couldn’t begin to fathom the heights he had attained. But now, she was finally closing in, and she had no intentions of stopping now.

“Come inside, Yu’an,” her grandfather said.

Yan Yun took a breath before she opened the doors, entering the chamber as she greeted her grandfather with a bow.

“Good to see you Cousin Yun, it has been a while,” a boy spoke.

“Indeed, you’ve grown quite pretty Cousin Yun,” another boy followed.

Yan Yun raised her sight, to see her two cousins standing within. Yan Li and Yan Lei, the other two young prodigious twins that had recently gained the favour of her grandfather after awakening to the phoenix bloodline. Arrogant little things who she preferred not to meet if she could help it.

“Indeed, it has been a while, Li and Lei. The last time I’d met you two were still holding your mother’s hands to walk,” Yan Yun spoke, as she saw one of the brothers crackle with lightning, grinning at her.

“Ancient history Cousin. It is good to see you’ve grown over your obsessions for mingling with those beneath you for friendship as well,” Li spoke up, as he patted his brother’s shoulders.

Yan Yun felt her Qi flare. The little pricks. They knew she hated talking about that. From what Zu Ri had told her, they’d been the ones who’d filled her chambers with rats when she’d been much smaller as well.

“It is good to see you cousins catch up, but there are matters of more importance at hand as well,” her grandfather spoke, and she felt the weight of a mountain descend on her shoulders. Yan Yun nodded gracefully, glancing at the two brothers to see them sweating lightly under her grandfather’s presence. A slight smile covered her face at the sight, but one that she quickly let go of.

“Yu’an. Li and Lei will be participating in the tournament alongside you. As their elder in the martial path, you’re tasked with ensuring they are prepared to win the outer sect tournament and can enter the inner sect as core disciples.”

Yan Yun felt a bitter taste in her mouth, but she nodded nonetheless. She spotted Li grinning as he looked at her from the corner of his eye.

“As juniors, you are to listen to everything Yu’an says. I must not hear of any mischief caused by the two of you,” her grandfather said to the two twins.

“Yes, Elder.”

“As you say, Elder.”

Her grandfather nodded. “You may take your leave, Li and Lei. Head on and cultivate, there is but a month left till the tournament begins. Failure will not be accepted,” her grandfather spoke, as the twins both bowed as one, before heading out of the chamber.

“You wish to say something Yu’an?” her grandfather asked.

“Why is grandfather teaching the twins? They are rumbustious, unruly and far too arrogant. There are many other suitable disciples, within the clan and branch families,” Yan Yun spoke, and frowned as she saw her grandfather shake his head.

“The kids need to learn a lesson in respect, but their arrogance isn’t misplaced. I’d heard they’d almost managed to cripple a disciple at the peak of the third realm within moments. The phoenix bloodline is a potent one, and the arts the twins cultivate, well situated for their demeanors. The two have talent, all they need is guidance.”

Yan Yun stared at her grandfather, a hundred thoughts filling her mind that she wished to say. She swallowed them instead, nodding her head in acceptance.

“I have other important news for you, Yu’an. I’ve found a suitable suitor for you. The eldest son of Lord Zhou himself.”

Yan Yun froze as ice filled her veins, she stared at her grandfather in shock, her Qi trembling. “But… What about my cultivation?” she muttered out blankly.

“This is not something I could decide over lightly, but a tie with Lord Zhou is an invaluable asset for the clan. And it is not as if you wouldn’t be allowed to cultivate as a married woman,” her grandfather spoke, and Yan Yun clenched her teeth.

“Yan Yun, don’t. Leiyu won’t be able to protect you.”

With a shuddering breath, she bowed her head. “As you say, grandfather.”

“Good, I expected no less from my granddaughter. Lord Zhou will be present during the tournament as well, alongside his son. Perform well, and make me proud.” her grandfather spoke, but Yan Yun didn’t reply. She felt too afraid that if she spoke a word, she may do something and say things that she’d forever regret.

“You may leave now.”

Yan Yun bowed her head, turning around as she left the chamber. Yan Yun sensed her handmaiden stepping out of the shadows as she walked closer to her.

“Young Mistress I-” Zu Ri said, but stepped back as a powerful arc of lightning shot at her.

Yan Yun ignored Zu Ri, briskly walking towards her chamber. She closed the door shut, expecting herself to have broken out in a shower of rage and anger, yet all she could feel was a gaping pit at the base of her stomach.

“It is not the end, Yan Yun. If Yan Yun can perform beyond expectations, the Elder may delay Yan Yun’s betrothal. Or even change his mind. Yan Yun can’t give up on her goals.”

Yan Yun nodded, taking a deep breath in. She sat down, making plans. She needed to cultivate.

Her eyes went towards the scroll containing the reports, regarding Lu Jie and Su Lin. Yan Yun walked closer as she picked up the scroll, glancing through till she found one particular section.

Injured in a spar with Yan Li and Yan Lei. Followed by an apprenticeship under Zhao Lang, the old alchemist of the outer sect.

Yan Yun stared with wide eyes, before she set the scroll down. She needed to have a talk with Lu Jie and Su Lin.

***

I sneezed, rubbing my nose. Even cultivation couldn’t beat the common cold, the dratted little virus jumping worlds to annoy me. Although the weather was still pleasantly warm, an off season cold perhaps?

I let go of the thoughts as I continued to stir the herbs within my little cauldron. My attempts at remaking the Fire pills old man had taught me had resulted in failure so far, but progress was being steadily made at achieving a good success rate and reaction requirements.

It would probably be a good idea to take note of the success rate of other alchemists, because I was pretty sure I was starting to beat my peers slowly but surely in that regard. Mass production hell yeah!

I chuckled once, and continued to swirl my Qi within the cauldron as I prepared the next batch. I grinned as the pills formed, leading to another successful batch of herbs that Labby was now drooling over.

I heard an indignant squeak from her as Sheldon splashed her with water and she tried to spark the turtle, without any success. All the while being watched by an amused cat who continued to lounge around in my spirit herb garden. The little guy seemed to be coming around more and more often, and I was tempted to just name him and take him in. I mean, I already had a turtle and a rat, couldn’t hurt if I got one more right?

I shook my head, as I pulled my attention away from the two fooling around spirits. I dug into my pouch to look at my burning red pill that I’d formed in front of the Old Man, the cumulations of all my effort so far. With my attempts at finishing my apprenticeship with the other two pills, it was time I began to prepare to finally gather enough money to get my own lab. And for that, I need to give Su Lin a lot more pills.

Time to crank out the drugs, baby!