Chapter 90: Friends
The most valuable treasures cannot be stored in spirit pouches or hidden in secret vaults. They reside in shared laughter, whispered confidences, and the silent understanding between kindred souls who walk the path together.
—Master Yan Hui, Teacher of Common Wisdom
Xiulan hummed a cheerful tune while completing the final strokes on her talisman practice sheet. The morning sunlight streamed through the pavilion windows, highlighting the fresh ink patterns.
Finished. She gathered the brushes and arranged them neatly beside the inkstone.
Ming rolled her eyes at Xiulan’s obvious excitement. “Go ahead. I’ll finish cleaning up here.”
Xiulan paused. “Really?”
“If I hold my junior sister back from seeing her friends after a month apart, I’ll probably incur bad karma.” Ming straightened the stack of completed talismans.
Xiulan launched forward and wrapped her arms around Ming in a quick embrace. “Thanks! You’re the best!”
She darted through the pavilion halls toward her quarters, her footsteps light against the polished wooden floors. Inside her room, Xiulan grabbed her bag and secured her small spirit stone pouch at her waist. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed her robes sat perfectly aligned, not a wrinkle in sight.
She burst through the pavilion’s ornate doors into the bright morning sun. The cultivator district buzzed with activity—disciples in various colored robes hurried between buildings while merchants hawked cultivation supplies from wooden stalls.
Xiulan wove between a cart loaded with spirit herbs and a group of chattering disciples. The scent of medicinal plants mixed with incense from nearby shops filled the air. Her feet carried her past arrays of gleaming weapons and stacks of talismans toward the market proper.
The market square was packed with colorful awnings and people. Xiulan ducked under a merchant’s arm as he gestured wildly about his “authentic” spiritual trinkets. She spotted the Tea Lotus tavern’s wooden sign swaying gently in the breeze.