38:

Xiao Feng’s expression was tense as he poured Lianhua a cup of pudina chai that he had saved for her. Their one-on-one teaching session had already concluded, with Xiao Feng walking away a few herbs’ worth of knowledge richer and while it was far from recompense, Lianhua had called his Masala Chai delicious.

Hopefully, the pudina chai would be more treat than punishment.

“Why do you look like you’re in the middle of an advancement exam?” Lianhua asked him, her tone tinged with amusement as she studied his expression.

Xiao Feng, who had seated himself on his bed, was caught off-guard by that assessment, “Well, uh…. I guess it kind of is?” He offered. “Pudina Chai was pretty niche even in my mortal village, so I’m not sure if I’ll have as many takers for it”.

“Niche, huh,” Lianhua hummed in thought, her expression betraying the new-found curiosity she gazed at the cup of chai with. “That is a hue I would expect from a pill, not a beverage,” She said, before taking in the aroma.

“Oh, not again,” Xiao Feng protested, as he made his mock-annoyance known.

“Moonlit Dew Plant,” Lianhua noted without much suspense, as the corners of her lips turned upward in amusement. “You are quite cheeky, recruit,” She assessed, before breaking out into a small giggle.

“There is a saying that comes from my mortal village, Senior Alchemist Lianhua,” Xiao Feng began, intending to match jest for jest.

“Quite a lot seems to come from this mortal village of yours,” She keenly observed, though there seemed to be no accusation in her words.

Oh, uh… oops, Xiao Feng thought, realizing that he’d been going a bit too hard on the otherworldly wisdom.

“Indeed,” He replied sagely, mostly because he was not sure what else he could do there.”The saying goes, if you learn from the best, you eventually become the best,” He reiterated, holding back a chuckle.

“Are you calling me cheeky?” Senior Alchemist Lianhua asked, her tone sounding positively scandalized.

“No,” Xiao Feng replied with a broad smile. “I’m calling you the best.”

Lianhua’s cheeks were colored by a light blush faster than she could come up with a retort as her gaze interlocked with Xiao Feng’s own for a long moment.

She turned away with a “hmph,” before she reached for the cup’s handle and hurriedly took a sip.

Her eyes widened in surprise as the cool, refreshing liquid flowed down her gullet. She placed the cup back on the table, took a few moments to study the taste with a contemplative expression before taking another sip.

“Mmm, this is quite different,” Lianhua voiced her first impressions, her tone neutral.

Xiao Feng’s heart dropped a little, as he noticed a marked difference from Lianhua’s reaction to the Masala Chai.

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“Different?” He queried.

“It’s sweet. Cool. Refreshing, too. I’d love to drink some after a training session, yes. But I am too used to the effects of pills to be impressed by a beverage that is more show than purpose,” Lianhua revealed to Xiao Feng her honest thoughts, proving that she didn’t take his aspirations of opening a tea shop as a jest.

“I…,” Xiao Feng trailed off, as he blinked repeatedly. “... didn’t consider that at all. Of course, you work with pills day in and day out. A concoction where the ingredients don’t complement each other will not impress you,” He muttered in realization.

“No, don’t take it that way,” Lianhua reassured. “I really enjoyed the Masala Chai because it had a kick to it. It was refreshing in a different way, like an exciting jolt of energy. The Pudina Chai is not as punchy, not as unique. Though I see that you have limited yourself to a fifth of the Mystic Palm, reducing the costs by quite a significant amount,” Lianhua explained, her tone encouraging.

“You can even tell that?” Xiao Feng asked, his tone sounding a bit dumbfounded. Sure, telling what ingredients he used from the aroma and taste made sense, but even the amount? He didn’t think Alchemist Jun was capable of doing something like that.

“Well,” Lianhua’s lips curled upwards into a cheeky smile, “Like you said, I happen to be the best.”

Xiao Feng felt his pulse rate pick up a bit as he was bested at his own game.

Once again, he wondered if he should tell Lianhua about the egg and see if she was willing to help him. He liked Lianhua and she seemed worthy of her trust, but Xiao Feng had only known her for so long.

He was no longer on Earth, but rather the realm of Sephari, continent of Tian. Secrets were not easily granted to others and as his predecessor had displayed, sometimes, cultivators would go to great lengths to ensure that they were the only ones in possession of a secret.

What was the true value of the dying egg he had discovered? Was it valuable enough for comrades to betray each other?

He wanted to trust Lianhua but Xiao Feng just didn’t know enough, as that slight bit of hesitation held him back.

I’ll study the egg for a few more days. If it continues deteriorating, I’ll bring her in. Even if I don’t get to keep the egg, if I can save it— maybe that’s enough, He thought, deciding on a course of action. Cautiousness was good, but Xiao Feng would not allow himself to slip into paranoia and lose sight of the greater purpose.

A mistake that his predecessor had perhaps, ended up making.

Lianhua left not long after, leaving Xiao Feng with food for thought as he contemplated her words. Sure, he could take the easy way out and just sell chai to the martial division cultivators, but was that really what he wanted?

No.

To learn concoctions, I must learn how to refine pills, He thought as he walked down one of the smaller pathways that led to the mess hall.

He would’ve happily continued his deliberation, if it were not for a unique hairstyle catching his gaze— azure hair peppered with streaks of jade green. Thankfully, it was not a woman sporting that hair style, ruling out the possibility of it being the oddly antagonistic Alchemist Jia-Rui.

Xiao Feng took in the man’s gait for a little longer, wondering how common that unique hair color was as the two men passed each other.

Xiao Feng’s raw instincts flared to life as he noticed a buildup of Wind Qi concentrating on the azure haired man’s left palm.

His essence cultivation art was activated on reflex and Xiao Feng was on the verge of defending himself when something completely unexpected happened.

The azure haired man’s left palm turned inwards instead outwards and a burst of Wind Qi was released onto his own abdomen.

Xiao Feng’s expression turned aghast as the azure haired man who sported a hair color eerily similar to Alchemist Jia-Rui crashed against the pathway’s left wall.

“Recruit, what have you done!” A male voice bellowed at him angrily, almost as soon as the azure haired man landed against the wall with a muffled thump.

Xiao Feng’s inherited memories told him that the reaction from his audience was quick. Too quick. Almost as if it had been rehearsed.

What the hell, He thought, completely caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events.