The carriage ride lasted much longer than Wu Ling and Su Xiang's previous venture down the Pilgrim's Road. Without the need to organize a large expedition of Scholars, even with the delays in fetching Su Xiang and their extended midday break, they still not only left earlier in the day but also spent more time on the road itself. The lengthening spring days gave them even more precious minutes and after several hours they reached the famous Blade's Edge Waystation.
The Pilgrim's Road continued beyond Blade's Edge but was impassable to carriages and wagons. Because of this, Blade's Edge had become the busiest of all the Waystations along the road, with thousands of mortals serving the hundreds of cultivators that passed through on any given day.
"Big Sister Yeyan," Wu Ling said with a smile. "Will you join us for dinner tonight? We may set out earlier in the morning than is reasonable for you to join us but at least let me thank a friend with a meal."
"I'd be happy to," the alchemist said. The smile that split her face when Wu Ling called her name was dazzling enough to light up the rapidly approaching night. On the long carriage ride, she'd taken advantage of the small confines of the carriage to chat with Wu Ling at length about tea and the herbs he blended with tea.
Ever since their first journey together, Huang Yeyan found herself becoming a student of tea as well, if for no other reason than to have something to discuss with the enchanting Artist. This time, the two chatted for more than an hour about herbs which seemed natural to use from the alchemist's perspective but which Wu Ling felt were unsuitable because of their strong flavors or aromas.
Most importantly to Huang Yeyan, however, was the fact that the distance that had begun to grow between them rapidly melted in the close confines of the carriage. While Wu Ling's attention was still mostly focused on the recovering Su Xiang, as she felt it should be, the warmth and unguarded tones he used when speaking with her made all of her efforts worth while.
After arriving in Blade's Edge, the trio quickly located the inn named 'Old Fortunes' that Warden Mu had recommended as a secure place to spend the night even if it wasn't affiliated with any sects. A few words with the proprietor not only secured their rooms for the night but revealed that their companions were already awaiting them in a private dining room on the inn's fourth floor.
Stepping into the dining room, Wu Ling's nose was greeted by the pleasant scent of several hearty hot dishes and fragrant wine. As he'd expected, both Zhang Buyan and his junior sister Jin Wuya were present, each occupying seats close to the door with large portions piled up in front of them. It was the other three people in the room that gave him increasing amounts of surprise.
"Alch-alchemist Huang?!?" Yu Jinqi said, nearly choking on his tea when he saw the older woman enter the room following Wu Ling. "Are, are you j-joining us on this adventure?" Beads of sweat instantly formed on the young man's brow. Only yesterday it had been the highlight of his year to receive a few tips from this woman along with acknowledgement of his skill in proposing an elixir. Now she was here? Joining them for dinner?
"Um, Initiate Yu wasn't it?" Huang Yeyan greeted the young man who she vaguely remembered from the Alchemy competition the day before. It wasn't that Yu Jinqi was forgettable after his performance, rather, she'd placed much more of her attention on the young woman who shared second place with him when she offered a scholarship to join the Amber Lily Academy. Both Yu Jinqi and the younger gentleman who placed first, as men, weren't eligible to join, but now that she found herself face to face with Yu Jinqi, the moment felt a little awkward.
"You don't need to worry that I'll take your place on this adventure," she said, sensing his panic and hoping to dispel the tension forming in the air. "I just came to help Little Sister Xiang recover on the ride here. I'll be returning to the Amber Lily Academy tomorrow."
"Oh, um, I didn't, um, that is…" Yu Jinqi stammered several times, uncertain about what he should say in the presence of a lofty Alchemist who wasn't a member of his sect.
"Brother Yu, I'm glad you could join us," Wu Ling said, stepping forward to put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Since you've already met, maybe it's a lucky bit of fate that you have a chance to pick Big Sister Yeyan's brain before we head out. If you ask nicely, I'm sure she can tell you all about the herbs she found on our last trip through the mountains," he added with a wink toward Alchemist Huang.
"Of course, I'd be happy to," she said, taking a seat next to the young alchemist and reaching for a jug of wine from the center of the table. "Since you're Little Brother Ling's friend, you can just call me Big Sister Yeyan if you want," she said with a light blush coloring her cheeks.
"Fang Lin, what are you doing here?" Su Xiang said, taking a seat at the table and eyeing the young lord suspiciously. "I didn't think you were inclined to this sort of adventure." Wu Ling had told her that the Fang family intensified their courting efforts toward her cousin after she'd awakened but if that was the case, what was the young lord doing all the way out here?
"Greetings Fairy Su," Fang Lin said nervously, cupping his hands in salute. "Since your cousin joined the Bamboo Silk House, unfortunately, we've made no progress in arranging an engagement. My father is currently negotiating with her sect about those matters," he began, withering under Su Xiang's intense sapphire gaze.
He'd been warned that she held a greater power to detect falsehood than other members of the Su family and he didn't dare offend a late-stage Brawler now that he didn't have his father's protective presence nearby. In truth, he didn't want to be here at all, but he didn't have much choice in the matter. Now that things had reached this point, he could only try his best to make what inroads he could with Su Xiang and her sworn brother.
The only question was, under the penetrating gaze empowered by Su Xiang's bloodline, would she believe the story he'd come prepared to tell?