A cold breeze swept through the courtyard. Soaked to the bone and drained of his qi, Princess Aria shivered slightly. Caelan Thorne paid her no mind—no sign of concern or sympathy.
Aria gritted her teeth and picked up the wild rabbit from the ground."I poisoned this one with my own toxin. Your so-called universal antidote pills won't touch it. Explain that."
Caelan chuckled."Selling herbs at the mountain's base, I only deal with poisons native here. What do I care if you bring some foreign plague? African swine fever or whatever — don't blame me for that."
Aria ignored the confusion over the foreign term and snapped, "I knew you'd say that. Can you even cure it? If you can't, then you're just a quack with no knowledge."
Caelan took the rabbit, noting its stiff limbs—rigid as iron."It's not poison, really. It's a technique that hardens muscles like stone. Useful in battle but leaves side effects." He casually tossed the rabbit aside. "The effects wear off in half an hour. You want me to fix its muscles afterward? I say, let it stay tough."
Aria blinked, speechless.
Truth was, she'd been petulant. Angry that her brother pretended to seek immortality with her but clearly had other plans, turning her hopeful journey into a joke. She wanted to prove him wrong.But now, it seemed… her brother was right.
That stone-hardening powder was crafted by Arch-Lector Cassius Evernight himself, a secret only a reclusive alchemist could recognize. Caelan was indeed such a mysterious figure.
A wave of cold washed over Aria as the effect faded. She hugged herself, curling on the chair, white stains still dripping from her hair. Her face, streaked with wet patches, and tangled hair made her look helpless.
Just as Caelan expected tears, she stood slowly."Sorry for the misunderstanding, Mr. Thorne."
With that, she turned sharply, spear in hand, and strode out with proud, straight posture.
"Stubborn girl," Lumière muttered in Caelan's mind. "Her muscles are weak, qi drained, yet she won't ask for help. Walking out like that, she's asking to be wolf food. Hey, aren't you gonna do something? You're just gonna sit there?"
Caelan snapped out of it. "Wait."
Aria paused, voice cool. "Planning to make it up to me?"
"My humble home offers lodging, warm hearth, herbal baths, muscle therapy, and blood circulation treatments. All for three copper coins a night."
Aria hadn't expected such an offer. She almost refused but the chill struck her with a sneeze. This mountain wasn't safe, and in her state, the journey to her brother would be dangerous. She swallowed her pride.
After a moment of silence, she placed a silver ingot on the stone table, expression unreadable, then walked inside."Water, please," she called.
Watching her retreating figure, Caelan laughed softly."Awkward little lady."
Lumière scoffed. "Awkward man."
Caelan whispered, "How am I awkward?""Who else takes a bath holding a wolf-toothed mace?""That's just showing we're tight — inseparable…""Cut it out," Lumière mocked. "She barges in and you curl up like a scared kitten. Aren't you worried I'm a lady spirit and you're flashing everything?"Caelan snorted. "Spirit with gender? Yeah right. One macho mace spawning a female spirit? If anything, she'd be a green-faced, fanged brute with a barrel waist."
No reply from Lumière.
—
Aria soaked in the hot water, gazing at the guest room.
A simple wooden cabin, unpainted but finely crafted. The polished pillars hinted at the boy's careful handiwork, the smooth wood sealed with a protective gel. A potted flower bloomed faintly under moonlight, filling the air with subtle fragrance.
The bed was plain white silk, neatly made, smelling faintly of sunshine.
On the wall hung a black-and-white painting of misty mountains and forests, drawn with unusual skill — fine brush strokes gave depth and light, vivid despite the absence of color.
The signature read: Caelan's doodle, Year One, Month Two, Day Eight.
Aria frowned — what kind of calendar was that?
The room's simple elegance suggested a calm, refined life. Hard to imagine it belonged to a mountain boy or some mystical alchemist — it felt more like a scholar's home.
The herbal bath's warmth seeped through her limbs, chasing away the chill. The Soft-Tendon Powder's effects dissipated, the blocked meridians opened, qi flowing freely once more.
Aria found Caelan a confusing man.
Setting traps at his gate suggested paranoia or extreme caution. Yet, despite recent tensions, he'd kept her inside and helped remove all restraints.
Was he too soft-hearted?Or maybe confident in some hidden power?
Faced with such a strange alchemist, Aria wasn't sure what to expect.
Suppressing thoughts of revenge, she exhaled and reached for a basin by the tub.
Inside was a towel and strange supplies — one called "Fragrant Fat" Caelan claimed he made himself, replacing the usual soap pods. Another was "bath beans," for washing the face.
Trying them, Aria felt the water silky smooth and fragrantly clean. The sticky residue on her hair washed away, leaving it shiny and soft.
She also picked up a strange wooden brush with stiff bristles fixed at one end. Caelan said it was a toothbrush substitute, paired with his homemade "toothpaste," replacing salt powder.
Everything was odd, yet undeniably practical.
Was this what made these alchemists special? Bizarre but effective concoctions.
Why hadn't Arch-Lector Cassius's people made stuff like this? Always stuck on tonic pills and immortality elixirs for the king.
Aria even thought it might be worth kidnapping this Qin guy to the capital just for his inventions.
Unexpectedly united with her brother, she almost smiled — then quickly hardened her face. She'd made an enemy of Caelan; no chance of easy peace.
Dressed in a neat set of men's clothes from her pack, her slender figure transformed into a handsome youth.
Stepping out, she found Caelan still awake in the yard, mixing herbs by moonlight.
She caught a whisper: "Purple Lotus Root can be asked from Brother Zhang when he goes to the county… furnace? Hmm… they're everywhere, right?"
Caelan stopped and looked her way.
The breeze lifted her damp hair, and though dressed like a boy, her femininity shone through. Her sharp eyes, spear in hand, and upright stance showed pride and strength rare in girls.
Actually, she was a very pretty girl…
Caelan's eyes flickered. "Not resting yet?"
Aria's face hardened. "You need better herbs, better furnaces, right?"
"So what?"
"I'm hiring you as my family's alchemist. You only answer to me. I'll cover all your needs." She eyed him coldly, a mocking smile twitching. "Though I doubt you can afford much."
"None of your business."
"I'm the lord… and I'm hiring you."
"You're nuts." Caelan rolled his eyes. "Lord? You haven't been hung enough?"
"You!"
"What if I said I want you instead? Would you cover that?"
Aria's face turned steel cold. "Do you even know what you're saying?"
"Nope."
"If you're kept, you're expected to keep the bed warm. You want to keep me and not let me warm your bed? That's just cruel. I'm a professional — can't do that."
Aria barely stopped herself from stabbing him with her spear, then spun away and slammed the door.
Lumière snickered in Caelan's mind: "Ugh, clueless men. The girl's proud, a little sweet talk wouldn't hurt."
Caelan yawned. "You know old Big Dog at the village entrance?"
"What about him?"
"That poor mutt's always licking Old Man Xu's shoes, and Xu doesn't even build him a doghouse. Shows how licking dogs don't get homes."
"…" Lumière, used to Caelan's weirdness, just grumbled:"Are you not interested in women? I never see you talk to any. But this girl, icy and graceful with sharp eyes — even I'm impressed. And you act like you don't care."
Caelan blinked, surprised. "Wait, you want me to cultivate and chase women? Aren't those at odds?"
Lumière hesitated, then laughed:"Not always. Taoist masters have dual cultivation; the dark path has its own… if one day you truly walk the immortal way, don't be surprised if I keep seeing you scared and hiding in that tub. Hey, fair maiden, behave yourself."