He didn’t know when he got to bed the previous night, as it was spent with terrible tossing and turning. Fu Ran was awoken by the bright lights from his window, otherwise he might have slept even more. Groggily, he murmured, “How late… is it?”

Stickiness set in on the parts of his body that were touching one another. Summer had a certain quality of sapping away all traces of energy, so truthfully, had it not been for his disciples’ planned meeting, he would have gone right back to bed. However, a loud ringing had replaced the quiet peace in his mind. “The bell?” Fu Ran asked, sleepily pulling himself up. His robes hung off his shoulders limply due to his tossing and turning in the sweltering weather. Sweat still dripped down long expanses of skin. “Do we have visitors?”

Fu Ran lazily crawled to the top of his bed, and sat on his knees. He remained low enough that he could peer outside his window and not be seen. From the right angle, he might have been able to see someone coming up. The second ring would come soon enough.

He watched and waited for several minutes, but didn’t see anyone flying in on a sword to the mountain sect. And the view of the staircase wasn’t easily seen over the high fencing of his garden and hot spring. He could only see the tree line of deep greens. “Oh well. If there was some big event happening, then I would have been notified,” Fu Ran sighed, leaning away from the window. He slumped back onto the mattress with a soft bounce. His thighs touching together were completely stuck. Bringing his hand to the back of his neck, he found his hair utterly drenched, too. His face soured.

Ugh. I can’t see Shesui Lang like this. I need a bath.

Fu Ran headed towards his side exit, and grabbed the basket of clothes, soaps, and wisteria fragrances and opened the door.

The view of his little hot spring involved a stone walkway with grass on either side. To his own taste, it was peppered with purple and white wild flowers. The view of his hot spring was screened off, but the steam could be seen rising from up above. Pleasant sways of warm steam wafted over the hidden pool. Fu Ran took a deep breath.

This was indeed the greatest benefit of living in Xingti Pavilion.

Walking closer to the waters, he enjoyed the view of the rippling teal covered in pink wisteria petals. They danced in small circles when the breeze tapped at them lightly, or when they caught the flowing water from the fish shaped spout. A good amount of time had passed since he last asked Zhi Lao to do any cleaning around his tea-house home, so the flowers of soft colors had begun to pile high in the corners.

Fu Ran truthfully liked it better this way, as it almost smelled like his favorite tea. He made sure to rinse off his body before sticking a foot in, testing the temperature. It was hot. Lingering in the water caused the slightest stinging of skin, however relaxation would come shortly after being fully submerged.

There was another bell. “Again?” Fu Ran asked. Normally twice is more than enough for regular visitors. Any more than that and the Peak Masters in the main sect building will start to get upset. Fu Ran caught himself chuckling and eyes upturned into an expression of joy.

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They could stand to be a little bothered, he thought.

He kicked his feet and sloshed the water around. Finally once his legs were used to the water, he slid his robes off his shoulders and folded them nicely onto the stone. His favorite spot waited for him, right under the water spout.

Almost immediately his eyes lowered in comfort. Warmth flowed over his hair in a heavy, rushing waterfall, straightening it further and soaking every strand. The water’s splashing grew more intense with his presence beneath the koi stone carving.

The wind must have been heavier today than first expected. Just outside his bath walls, the rustling of leaves grew loud and rhythmic. It would have nearly been ignored, because of the loudness of water over Fu Ran’s ears. However for some reason it sounded strange, and it drew his attention.

Wind does not usually rush through at a human’s running pace.

He opened his eyes and gave a light squint to the treeline. Fu Ran’s suspicions were abruptly confirmed, as distant yelling came from the courtyard.

“We lost all sight. We didn’t see where he went,” said a nervous young man. Fu Ran couldn’t place the voice, so it most likely belonged to someone he hadn’t properly met.

“What do you mean you didn’t see him?!”

Was that Zhi Lao’s voice? Fu Ran’s eyes widened, and he lowered himself down to the nose in the hot bath.

“Dammit! Now isn’t the time to have someone running rampant all over An Xian Yun Peak! Find them!” Oh, it was most definitely Zhi Lao yelling out curses and frustrated words. With those final commands said, presumably Zhi Lao, and other sect members stomped off on the courtyard stone.

Someone broke in? No, the bell wouldn't have responded unless that “someone” got permission to enter. The alternative would be that they held a Cloud Blossom Pass, but that was reserved for the Peak Elder Yi Yang, and those he designates, Fu Ran began to blow trails of warm bubbles as his mind was lost in deep thought.

The bath waters had begun to lose a touch of their calming properties, but Fu Ran had only just gotten in them. He didn’t want to get out early.

“If Zhi Lao is handling it, then it’s not really my business,” Fu Ran said, stress taking over his previous relaxed facial features. He tried for many minutes to regain his mental composure.

“Towards Xingti Pavilion!” a distant voice cried.

Fu Ran’s face twisted into despair.

Before he got much time to lament over his lost bath time, the corner of his vision caught something dark fly high. When his gaze fell upon dark robes, the silhouette cleared up.

Oh no, Fu Ran mentally panicked. Why is he here?!

Fu Ran’s eyes widened at the sudden view of a man covered in black from head to toe: Yi Yingzhi. His hair was caught up in flutters by his jump and, despite getting chased for breaking and entering into a renowned cultivation sect, he wore a dumb smile spread over his face. His eyes fell like he was searching for his next jump, but they coincidentally locked perfectly with Fu Ran’s own.

“Ran-Ran!” Yi Yingzhi said, smiling almost giddily with his feet landing on the top of the dark wood fence. When he stood to full height, the weight of that damned sword on his back made the boards under his feet creak. The cracking noise caught both of their attention. Regardless of his toothy expression, even Yi Yingzhi looked apprehensive.

Fu Ran watched in horror as he became painfully aware that the fencing stood no chance against a one-ton man.

The boards screamed and bowed and, before either could react, they shattered into many small bits. Yi Yingzhi was dropped to the ground with a harsh thud, nearly landing flat on his butt. Splinters flew into the woods, and even the bathwater. He quickly turned his head to inspect damages he had caused and cried out, “Ah, crap. Maybe I can… fix it?”

Just as he moved to pick up a splintered board, the sound of yelling cultivators grew nearer. “The crash was this way,” Zhi Lao commanded, his sternness reigning over the entire courtyard and all of Xingti Pavilion. He sounded far too close.

While he should have been frightened, or at least a little worried, Yi Yingzhi instead perked with a grin.