Blossoming Path

I downed another cup, savoring the taste as it spread warmth through my chest, helping to smooth out the tension that prickled along my spine. I caught Gu Bei’s eye, raised my cup in a cheerful toast, and clinked it against his. He smirked, clearly amused, but Wei Long’s sharp gaze stayed fixed on me, observing with a calculating intensity that didn’t waver. I felt his eyes studying every shift in my expression, every movement, as though he were peeling back my words, layer by layer.

“So,” Wei Long began, his tone casual but edged with something keener, “what brought on this change of heart? Last we spoke, you seemed reluctant. Has something... happened since then?”

Feigning a thoughtful pause, I poured myself another cup, letting the silence drag out just long enough to seem genuine. I raised the cup in salute to Wei Long before taking a slow, deliberate sip, then set it down with a bright, easy smile despite the dampening on my back.

“Well, I suppose you could say I’ve been a little… rattled. This break-in shook me up more than I expected. Just when I thought things had settled, someone comes along to tear it all apart.” I chuckled, leaning back and shrugging with a bit of exaggerated exasperation. “And I realized I might have been stubborn. It’s not easy admitting you need help.”

Wei Long’s eyes narrowed, but he let me continue, his interest piqued.

“It’s strange, really,” I said, raising the next cup and clinking it lightly with another member of the Five Fists adjacent to me. “I thought I could manage it on my own, but after everything, well… I suppose the events at the Verdant Lotus Sect only added to it.”

I glanced around, catching a few curious glances from the Five Fists as I took another sip. I made sure to let the words come out casually as if it were just an offhand detail.

“Oh?” Wei Long tilted his head, his smirk fading into a look of intrigue. “What events, if you don’t mind sharing?”

I set down my cup and leaned forward, putting on a rueful smile. “I went to the Grand Alchemy Gauntlet, you know? It's where I had my run-in with these guys. I thought getting in as a sponsored contestant might open some doors, and maybe secure me a position as an official member of the Verdant Lotus Sect. But… they didn’t want me. Said I was too old.” I let a hint of bitterness seep into my tone, shaking my head slowly. “Imagine that. Too old. As if all that matters is a number.”