As they made their way through the bustling streets of the sect, Lina could feel the excitement building inside her. She had always been fascinated by the alchemist division and couldn't wait to visit it, this was the perfect excuse.
As they arrived at the edge of the property, Jason looked at the expansive building laid out in front of him with anticipation. "Did the message say about where to meet him?" Jason asked Lina.
"No, it just said the Alchemist division" she replied with a shake of her head.
Jason shrugged, he wasn't stressed. He would find his brother eventually. With that the trio made their way toward the giant building.
As they approached the alchemy division, Shen couldn't help but whistle in appreciation. "Not bad, not bad at all," he said, eyeing the ornate carvings that adorned the building. "This place has got some real style."
Lina nodded in agreement, her eyes tracing the intricate designs etched into the stone. "I've never seen anything like it," she said, a hint of awe in her voice.
Jason, meanwhile, was beaming with pride. "My brother works in a building like this," he said, puffing out his chest. "I told you he was awesome" he said enthusiastically.
Lina and Shen gave each other a weird look, both thinking the same thing. If his brother were a high-tier alchemist then they would understand his pride, however he was merely an alchemist servant.
As they drew closer, the trio could see that the stones that made up the walls were of the highest quality, polished to a mirror-like shine. Every detail was immaculate, from the delicate curves of the carvings to the perfect symmetry of the windows. It was clear that no expense had been spared in the construction of this building.
Shen ran a hand over the smooth surface of the stone, feeling the coldness of it against his skin. "I wouldn't mind living in a place like this," he said, his voice low. "Wouldn't mind at all."
Jason stepped forward and opened the large doors, granting them entry into the building. The first thing that assaulted them was the unmistakable smell of herbs and pills, and the sound of banging pestle and mortars echoed through the air.
They quickly scanned the hallway, unsure of where to go. Seeing people wearing the grey servant robes of the alchemy servants walking past them and ignoring their existence they felt a little annoyed.
"Um, excuse me." Jason reached out to one of the servants and tried to get his attention, almost knocking him over in the process.
The middle-aged man dressed in servant robes almost died from shock at suddenly being pulled. "W-What do you want?" he stammered. He could tell by the strength of the pull that these three were likely cultivators, therefore he was nervous.
"Ah, sorry. I was looking for an alchemy servant named Michael, can you please tell me where he is" Jason asked respectfully.
Hearing the name Michael, the middle-aged man's face flashed with a streak of annoyance before quickly hiding it. However, this look did not escape Shen and Lina who instantly became wary.
The servant cleared his throat and said "Ahem, head down the end of the hall and on your right. He's currently in the herb refinement room. If there's nothing else than I'll be going" straightening up his robes, he quickly went on his way in a hurry.
The trio looked at each other oddly, unsure of what kind of interaction that was. "Let's go then." Jason said. As he got closer his heart began to beat faster in anticipation. Doing his utmost not to run down the hall, he finally arrived and opened the door.
Lina's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. Shelves upon shelves of exotic ingredients lined the walls, and alchemist servants in long grey robes bustled about their workstations, grinding herbs and adding liquids to the mixtures.
As they weaved their way through the maze of workstations, Lina couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer amount of knowledge and power contained within these walls. She could see why the alchemist division was one of the most respected and feared in the sect.
"Michael!" Jason called out, his voice echoing through the room.
The figure turned around, revealing a handsome young man with piercing blue eyes and a kind smile. "Jason!" he exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace his brother.
Like a scene from a movie, time seemed to slow down. The tight grip both men had was a testament to how deep their relationship was. After a few uncomfortable moments for the onlookers, they finally separated, holding each other at arm's length.
"Good brother, I missed you" Michael said beamingly. "How has the outer sect been treating you? Has anyone been bullying you?" he asked with great fervour.
Jason almost had tears in his eyes as he replied with a smile "No brother, it's been good."
"Good! I won't have to teach anyone a lesson then." He looked around and noticed the two others standing behind his brother awkwardly. "Let's go to my quarters, you can introduce your friends once we get there."
A moment later Michael walked up to Master Shen who had observed the whole scene that took place. "Master Shen, as discussed earlier, I'd like to take the rest of the day in leave to meet with my brother." He said, bowing respectfully.
Master Shen nodded, Michael had approached him yesterday and almost begged him for the day off. "Make up for it tomorrow" he said with a wave of his hand.