Blossoming Path

I trudged up the path to Elder Ming’s house, the first rays of sunlight just beginning to peek over the horizon. My legs felt like they were made of lead, and my eyes… well, if I had to guess, they probably looked as tired as I felt.

But I didn’t care.

Every single batch of herbs in my garden had at least one or two miscolored hybrids. Now, even as exhaustion gnawed at the edges of my consciousness, the thrill of my discoveries kept me going.

As I approached, I spotted Elder Ming already seated in the courtyard, a small cup of tea in his hands. He glanced up as I neared, his sharp eyes immediately noticing my disheveled appearance. One eyebrow raised, just enough to let me know he saw right through me.

"Kai," he said, his voice calm but tinged with mild curiosity. "You're early. Did you even get any sleep?"

I let out a breathless laugh, dropping onto the nearest seat without so much as a greeting. "I didn’t sleep," I admitted, grinning like an idiot. "I’ve been up all night. You won’t believe what I figured out!"

Elder Ming sipped his tea, clearly amused by my state. He silently poured me another cup, and I gingerly accepted it, letting the warmth envelop my cold fingertips.

I could hardly sit still as I recounted my accidental discovery with Li Wei yesterday, dropping a ball of extracted mint essence onto one of my plants. How it absorbed into the astralagus, infusing itself with the essence.

Elder Ming’s eyebrow raised slightly higher, but he said nothing, just gestured for me to continue. He was used to my ramblings by now.