Lin Tian swept leaves from the cracked stone steps outside the herb storage hall, his straw broom scratching against the ground. The other servants had already scattered, some to haul water, others to clean disciples' quarters. He preferred sweeping—it let him drift into his thoughts, replaying the Map's words from the night before.
But peace never lasted.
"Lin Tian!" A sharp voice rang from the doorway of the Task Pavilion. A thin, hawk-nosed clerk glared down at him, waving impatiently. "Quit staring at dust. You—yes, you—take this pouch to Master Yun He immediately."
He tossed a small cloth pouch toward Lin Tian. It landed with a thud, surprisingly heavy for its size.
"Yun He…?" Lin Tian echoed uncertainly.
The clerk snorted. "Don't pretend ignorance. The hermit alchemist who lives in the outer eastern ridge. Everyone knows him. Don't keep him waiting—and don't you dare speak out of turn in his presence. He's a Core cultivator, not some outer sect scrub."
Lin Tian's stomach tightened. He bowed quickly, tucking the pouch into his sash. "Yes, sir."
As the clerk turned away, the Map's dry voice rippled in his head. "Hermits. Always the same. Hide in remote corners, act like they've transcended the mortal world, then jump at the chance to display how mysterious they are."
Lin Tian frowned faintly. "He's still a Core cultivator. What if I anger him?"
"If he kills you, at least I'll get silence again. Do you know how grating your thoughts are? They never stop buzzing. Buzz, buzz, like flies."
Lin Tian rolled his eyes and started walking. "You sound happy for someone who spent eons begging for a vessel."
The Map sniffed. "I never begged. I endured. Magnificently. And don't twist my words, boy—I said keep yourself alive. Not because I care, but because efficiency matters."
---
The eastern ridge loomed far beyond the sect's central courtyard. Few disciples came this way; it was quiet, almost desolate, with moss-covered paths winding upward into thick pine. By the time Lin Tian reached the slope, the evening sun was low, painting the clouds crimson.
Nestled against the cliff stood a small hut, smoke curling faintly from its chimney. A faint herbal aroma drifted on the air—rich, bitter, sharp.
Lin Tian hesitated at the crooked wooden gate. His hands tightened on the pouch.
He raised a fist and knocked. "Elder Yun He? I… I brought the herbs."
Silence. Only the faint crackle of fire inside.
He knocked again, harder. "Elder?"
Still no response.
The Map chuckled. "He's busy. Or ignoring you. Alchemists love to pretend their art makes them untouchable. Go on. Open the door. What's the worst that happens? He turns you to ash?"
Lin Tian swallowed hard. "You're not helping."
But curiosity gnawed at him. He pushed gently, and the door creaked open.
---
Inside, the hut was dim, lit only by the glow of a roaring crimson flame beneath a massive black cauldron. The air shimmered with heat.
A man sat cross-legged before it, robes loose around his shoulders, his hair streaked with gray. His hands traced mudras, qi swirling from his palms into the flame. Sweat ran down his face, but his focus never wavered.
Several herbs floated in the air around him, suspended by strands of qi like marionette puppets. Their leaves trembled under the heat, releasing faint wisps of colored vapor into the cauldron.
Lin Tian froze, awed. He had never seen real alchemy before—only heard tales whispered by servants.
Then Yun He's hand flicked, and the pouch at Lin Tian's waist jerked upward, drawn by invisible force. The strings unraveled, and a faint green herb rose out, drifting toward the cauldron.
The Map's voice stabbed into Lin Tian's head, sharp and urgent. "Stop him. If that goes in, the flows collapse! Speak, now!"
Lin Tian blurted before he thought: "Wait! Don't add that one!"
---
Yun He's eyes snapped open, cold and sharp as knives. His qi flared, filling the hut with suffocating pressure.
A servant's rags. Bare feet. Dirt on his cheek.
"...A servant," Yun He said, voice low with disdain. "A servant dares to interrupt me? To teach me?"
The herb wavered in the air, then, with a flick of his wrist, dropped into the cauldron anyway.
The Map hissed. "Idiot! Run!"
Lin Tian didn't hesitate. He turned and bolted out the hut just as the cauldron erupted.
Boom!
The explosion shook the earth, a deafening roar as smoke and golden sparks blasted through the roof. The hut shuddered, half its tiles flying off.
Lin Tian stumbled down the path, coughing in the thick smoke. His heart pounded.
Then suddenly—
Yun He appeared in front of him. One moment, the man had been inside. The next, he was standing there, robes barely rustled, eyes like molten steel.
Lin Tian gasped, stumbling back onto the dirt.
"...You," Yun He said softly, though the weight in his voice pressed down like a mountain. "How did you know?"
---
Lin Tian stammered. "I—I just… felt it!"
Yun He's eyes narrowed. Qi surged, pressing on Lin Tian's chest until his ribs creaked. "Felt it?"
"Lie better, boy," the Map muttered lazily. "He'll crush you if you sound weak."
"I can't explain it," Lin Tian forced out, breathless. "I just knew."
Yun He's gaze sharpened. He released the pressure, though his eyes never left Lin Tian's face. The boy felt as if every secret in his bones was being peeled apart.
Finally, Yun He asked coldly, "If not that herb, then what should I have used?"
Lin Tian froze. Panic surged. He didn't know herbs, not their names or uses.
"I cannot name them," the Map admitted. "But I can see flows. Currents. Harmonies. Tell him to lay them out. I can tell you which one sings true."
Lin Tian swallowed hard, then said, "I… I don't know the herbs. But if you recreate the process—if you let me see the other herb—I can tell which fits."
The silence stretched. Yun He's brows rose, disdain tugging at his mouth. "A servant dares bargain with me?"
Lin Tian forced himself not to look away. His heart thundered.
Then Yun He chuckled once—cold and humorless. "Interesting."
He turned back toward the ruined hut. With a wave of his hand, cabinets rattled open inside. Dozens of herbs floated out, circling in the air, their colors vivid under the smoky sunset.
"Show me, then," Yun He said, eyes burning into Lin Tian.
The Map's voice thrummed with energy. "Yes. Yes, now I see it. The currents. The answer is here."
Lin Tian's throat tightened as he stepped closer, the herbs glowing like stars in Yun He's aura.