Wu Ying rolled his eyes at his lustful friend. The movement made his gaze catch on a nearby ship unloading some familiar bags. His lips quirking, Wu Ying turned to Zhong Shei as he asked innocently, “Hey. You wanted to know what I did at the sect, right?”
“Of course. But you told me it was very boring.”
“Sure, sure. But why don’t I show you? That way you can experience a little of the life of an outer sect member.”
“Is that allowed? I do not want to cause trouble.”
“No trouble, no trouble. We’ll call it part of your experiential training.”
“If you say so.”
Wu Ying was very proud of himself that he did not cackle there and then.
“You. Are. More. Despicable. Than Ji Ang,” Zhong Shei panted as they climbed the mountain.
“Oh, come on. That’s only three sacks!” Wu Ying said as he bounded ahead of Zhong Shei, four sacks and Wu Ying’s own bag on his shoulders. “This is a light run.”
“You huài dàn[27].”
Zhong Shei fell silent as he pushed himself to follow Wu Ying. Over the last few weeks, the pair had worked hard on practicing to pass the time. Even now, Zhong Shei felt the churning morass of chi in his dantian ready to break out into his meridians. After being stuck for so long at level eight, he was ready to open a new meridian. It was due to all that training that Zhong Shei found the strength to keep up with Wu Ying, who bounded up the steps like a mountain goat.
Though the huài dàn could at least sweat a little.
“Elder Lu,” Wu Ying greeted the gatekeeper when the pair finally made their way up the mountain. He bowed low to the Elder while keeping the bags on his back, balancing the entire affair and himself perfectly.
Behind him, Zhong Shei had collapsed on his knees and was breathing deeply, sucking in thin air.
“You’ve been practicing the Aura Strengthening technique,” Elder Lu said with approval. “And improved your cultivation too.”
“Not as well as I should have,” Wu Ying said as he straightened, a trace of disappointment in his voice. He had hoped to keep the increase in his cultivation secret for a time.
“You are still leaking at your kidney eight, heart eleven…” Elder Lu proceeded to list out the rest of Wu Ying’s failings in his aura.
Quickly, Wu Ying memorized the points, even going so far as patching a couple. Immediately, he felt the membrane that kept his aura contained strengthening.
Elder Lu looked at the recovered Zhong Shei. “And who is this?”
“This is Tung Zhong Shei, Elder Lu. He was sent to safeguard your wine jar,” Wu Ying said.
“Junior Tung greets Elder Lu,” Zhong Shei said as he stood and bowed low. He then stepped forward and twitched his hands, making the wine jar appear as he offered the gift to Xi Qi. “My uncle sends his greeting and a letter. He also asked that you consider sending a letter next time, instead of a sect member.”
Xi Qi waved in dismissal of the last portion, taking the letter and wine jar. A moment later, he had the wine jar stored and the letter open, the crease between his eyebrows deepening as he read. Finally, he closed the letter and looked at Zhong Shei. “You may enter the sect. Understand that you are a guest. Wu Ying, take him to the entrance hall. Tell them I have authorized his stay as a guest.”
“Yes, Elder,” Wu Ying said, bowing again.
Taking the dismissal, Wu Ying steered the pair to the kitchen, where they deposited their load. Wu Ying smiled a little, even knowing that he was unlikely to get any contribution points for this, not having reported in yet. Watching Zhong Shei pant up the hill was gift enough.
“Come, let’s get you settled. Then I should turn in this assignment,” Wu Ying said. Better to get his friend settled immediately—it was unlikely that Zhong Shei would be allowed into the deeper regions of the sect.
Luckily for Wu Ying, once Zhong Shei had been introduced as a guest, the attendants at the hall were more than happy to take over. The pair made arrangements to meet up for dinner later that day before Wu Ying broke off, headed for his room. In it, he set aside everything but the wine jars, which he kept in his bag, and took the time to wash himself of the dirt and sweat of traveling. Luckily, he had an extra pair of sect robes, allowing Wu Ying to dress himself appropriately.
Dressed and cleaned, Wu Ying was as ready to deal with Elder Mo as he ever would be. The administrative hall itself was the usual hub of busyness, sect members flowing in and out of the building. As an outer sect member, Wu Ying took his place in the long line that served them and waited patiently for his turn. When it finally came, he stepped forward while drawing forth the assignment slip, swallowing the dry nervousness in his throat.
“Junior Long Wu Ying completing his assignment,” Wu Ying said firmly. “I have the wine jars here.”
“Wu Ying?” The attendant frowned, obviously recognizing the name from somewhere. After a moment, his eyes widened and he looked at Wu Ying more closely, as if he was seeing a two-headed monster. “Please hold. I must have a Senior verify the wine. Please place them on the table in the meantime.”
As the attendant scurried away, Wu Ying sighed. Obviously it would not be so easy. Wu Ying quietly pulled the jars out of the bag, setting them aside and checking them once again for cracks. Relieved to see that everything was still fine, Wu Ying stepped back and waited. He did not have to wait long before Elder Mo himself came striding out, hands behind his back.
“You finally came back. And you claim that you have brought the wine?” Elder Mo said with a sniff. “Even though the sale would have been completed long ago and all the jars were taken up by others. Do you think we are fools?”
“No, Elder,” Wu Ying said, bowing low. “These really are the jars of plum wine.”
Elder Mo glared before he strode forward and looked at the wine jars. His eyes swept over them for a moment, stopping on the labels and the seals before he picked up one. He frowned, inspecting the jar before placing it down with a light thump.
“Well, the forgeries are quite good. But there is only one way to tell.” Elder Mo gestured to the waiting original attendant. “Bring a cup.”
Once again, Wu Ying waited as the attendant left his post.
Elder Mo, on the other hand, fixed Wu Ying with his gaze. “Failing an assignment is shameful and will see you banished. But attempting to trick the assignment hall will see your cultivation crippled. Do you still dare say that these are Tung family plum wine?”
“I do, Elder,” Wu Ying said.
Once again, Wu Ying felt the gazes of the sect members locking onto him and the Elder, happy to have some entertainment to lighten up their lives. Elder Mo snorted and left the conversation at that until the attendant arrived.
As the Elder took the proffered cup and reached for the jar, Wu Ying decided to speak up again. “Elder, if the jar is opened by you and it is the plum wine, I will not be able to complete my mission. You have not accepted them as yet.”
“You need not worry about that. If this is the plum blossom wine, I will bear the consequences of opening it,” Elder Mo said dismissively. With a flick of his finger, he popped open the cork. The moment he did so, the enticing aroma of the plum blossom wine washed through the hall. Along with the smell came the flood of chi the wine had contained, awakening the cultivators senses and expanding their senses.
“Good wine.”
“This smell reminds me of plums and spring.”
“Very good wine.”
“Could it be the real thing?”
“Impossible. That assignment has been there for two years already. Even getting into the merchant’s hall is hard. All the previous assignees were beaten up by the other buyers’ people when they tried to get in.”
“So that’s why Elder Mo assigned it to him.”
The hubbub of conversation behind Wu Ying enlightened the cultivator. A touch late, Wu Ying mused, but at least he now understood things better. And he’d thought the entire hindrance was Ji Ang and the timing. It seemed there were even more hidden traps.