Disciples who'd been leaning forward aggressively suddenly found reasons to examine their tea cups or adjust their robes.
Zhang Mei glided over to our table with practiced grace, her movements suggesting both martial training and political sophistication.
"Please, honored guests, allow me to offer you proper refreshment." She gestured, and a serving disciple approached with a tray of fresh tea—not the standard brew, but something that shimmered with spiritual energy.
"Spirit Blossom tea," she announced proudly. "A specialty of our sect, brewed from leaves that grow only in the highest meditation gardens. It's said to enhance clarity of thought and spiritual insight."
I studied the offered cup, my enhanced senses picking up layers of complexity in both aroma and energy signature. The base was definitely Spirit Blossom—expensive, potent, legitimately beneficial for cultivation. But underneath...
