After gathering some potions, Qiu Yunru handed them over in a burlap bag.
"If it's good," He said cautiously, "Will you return? It's, ah, always good to have returning customers, and I'm sure you'll find our tinctures to be most useful!"
What he really meant, was: If you don't come back, I'm really fucked, so I'm begging you to keep coming back!
The demoness gave him a long look. She took another long drag on her pipe and blew it out to the side. "If it's good, I'll come back for more. Why not? It's cheap."
Qiu Yunru tried to keep his shoulders from melting with relief. He was confident those potions would work. After all, he'd picked out only the very best pain medications and sleep tinctures that he'd concocted. With all of his alchemical knowledge, they were sure to work well. He just had to hope that she would keep to her word. Otherwise, he'd have to go searching for her residence to try and ask her to open a portal, and what a pain in the ass that would be!
Ah, shit--he should really get some information on her just in case, shouldn't he?
"Ah! I never asked your name!" He blurted. "Apologies! This one's name is Qiu--ah, Wang Zhi."
The demoness raised a thin eyebrow, giving him a long, curious look. "You don't know who I am?"
"Ah...no...This one is new around here..."
She stowed her pipe away, humming hoarsely. "Hmmm. I suppose news of my condition isn't quite as legendary as I'd thought. I am Yue Fengyan, head of the Yue family."
Though it wasn't much information, he couldn't research later. Qiu Yunru stored away that name in his head. He'd have to read up on the local noble families and figure out more. Bowing his head, he saw her out of the store. With surprising grace for her fragile appearance, she drifted down the street and disappeared.
Strangely, the lowly demons milling about the street from store to store seemed to scatter as she walked by, like grains of rice split by water. Qiu Yunru caught sight of one of their faces. Though it was covered in a mask, he could see that their eyes were wide with terror.
Huh. Am I missing something? She really didn't seem that scary...
That night, he shared the good news with Liao Li.
"Oh! That demon!" Liao Li recalled, shivering. "She was a bit terrifying. I was waving flyers one moment, and the next, she was towering over me. Her eyes were red and glowing, and I felt cold all over."
"Actually?" Qiu Yunru gaped. "Did she do anything to you?"
"No, no. She just said, Are you a scammer? Of course I said I wasn't, because I'm really not, and you know how to brew potions. Then she took a flyer and left!"
It seemed she truly did have an intimidating side! Later, Qiu Yunru went upstairs to go and ask Madame Red about this woman.
"Yue Fengyan," Madame Red mused. She was flicking golden beads on an abacus and wearing a monocle. "I'm busy right now."
"Ah...all right..." Qiu Yunru said awkwardly, bowing his head. What else could he do? He wasn't one to insist, and even if he was, he'd just get slapped out of the room!
"Come back in the morning," Madame Red muttered. "I'll tell you then."
And so Qiu Yunru was sent back down the stairs. There wasn't much else to do--he went to bed.
____
In a teahouse in the shadow of Gan Sha Mountain, a young and strapping cultivator with tanned skin sat at a table by himself. He wore well-maintained white and green robes, and on his head was a veiled douli. He seemed anxious, tapping the table over and over again.
This was Fang Hai of the Jade Clouds Sect.
"Your tea, gongzhi." The teashop owner bowed her head, setting down a porcelain cup of steaming jasmine tea.
"Thank you." Fang Hai picked up the tea, sipping it. He looked up at the sky, squinting at the sun.
What a rude kid. Even now, at such an important time, he was late!
He had barely finished this thought when a cold voice snapped him out of his irritation.
"Fang-shixiong."
A young man had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, right next to his table. It was like he had come from the shadows themselves. Turning, what Fang Hai saw was this: a tale and pretty male cultivator with dark eyebrows, phoenix eyes, and flowing violet robes. Under his glittering eyes sat dark circles, and his skin was as pale as snow.
Strangely, he looked--incredibly ill! Or at the very least, like he hadn't slept in weeks!
"Li-shidi." Fang Hai's eyes bulged a little. "Are you unwell?"
"No," Li Chenyuan snapped, sitting down across from him. "Where's the menu?"
Fang Hai frowned. He couldn't help but feel totally miffed. "Hey! I'm your shixiong. Where's your respect and greeting? Just asking for the menu right away?"
"Whatever!" Li Chenyuan glared. Fang Hai could see that his eyes were bloodshot. There was a harried look to his gaze, as though he was on edge.
Sighing, he decided to let up a bit. If this kid was in such a bad state, it was his responsibility as Head Disciple to guide him a little. On top of this, Shizun had asked him to make sure that Li Chenyuan was all right. Even in the face of rude behavior, he would have to keep his cool.
"Green tea. A whole pot. Strong." Li Chenyuan was already ordering from the tea shop owner. Upon seeing the terrifying look on his face, she paled.
"Yes, gongzhi! Right away!" She hurried off like a startled mouse.
Turning to Fang Hai, Li Chenyuan snapped: "So, what is this about? I'm very busy, you know."
"Are you serious? You have to know what this is about!"
"Shizun sent you. Is it about the Eight Purple Winds Sect?" Li Chenyuan's jaw tightened. "I won't separate from them. Not right now, at least. I need them. We're so close."
"Close? Close to what?" This wasn't good. Indeed, that was the purpose of this meeting. He Yongliang, who had been on a sickbed for months, had sent Fang Hai to go and reason with Li Chenyuan. If he was already shooting him down, that made things difficult. But what should he expect? Pah! This kid was completely the difficult type!
"It's not your concern!" Li Chenyuan snapped. The tea shop owner meekly delivered the tea, bowing and scurrying off again. Like it was a bowl of wine, Li Chenyuan picked up his cup and chugged it all in one gulp, setting it down and wiping his mouth aggressively.
How was it that this kid had become even angrier and more violent than he'd been before?!
"Li-shidi," Fang Hai tried putting on a commanding tone. "If you don't stop working with the Eight Purple Winds Sect, I'll have no choice but to inform the Baohu Council of your actions. If it comes to that, I really can't help you escape again."
There was silence for a moment.
Suddenly, Li Chenyuan laughed.
It wasn't a laugh of humor. No; it was cold and sarcastic, sharp like the bite of an untamed cat.
"If someone tries to stop me," He snarled, "I'll just kill them!"
Fang Hai paled. "Are you serious? Are you really that far gone?"
BAM!
The porcelain cups shook. Li Chenyuan had smashed his hand down on the table so hard that it had left a dent in the pinewood.
"Am I that far gone? Why shouldn't I be? My--gege has been in the Demon Realm for months. I've had to work with the people who sent him there day and night to find a way to reach him. Am I that far gone? He could be--!" Li Chenyuan's bloodshot eyes bulged, his fist clenching. He raised a hand and pulled at his own hair, eyes wide. "He isn't! He isn't. He's alive!"