The journey to Green Willow Town had taken Chen Wei three days instead of the usual one, but the roundabout route through the wilderness had been worth the extra caution. He had registered his destination as Mountain Gate Village with the town guards, then slipped away into the forest paths that Liu Mei had known from her herb-gathering expeditions. Only after making certain no one was following did he circle back toward his true destination.
Green Willow Town was smaller than the place he had left behind, with narrower streets and older buildings that showed their age in weathered wood and faded paint. The town got its name from the ancient willow trees that lined the main thoroughfare, their drooping branches creating natural curtains that provided shade and privacy. Chen Wei appreciated this feature immediately, as it made it easier to move through the town without being clearly observed from a distance.
He had arrived in the early morning, when mist still clung to the ground and most residents were just beginning their daily routines. The town had no proper boarding houses for cultivators, only a single inn that catered mainly to traveling merchants. This suited Chen Wei perfectly, as it meant fewer cultivators to potentially recognize that something was different about Liu Mei's spiritual signature.
After securing a small room at the inn under a false name - claiming to be a distant cousin of Liu Mei rather than the woman herself - Chen Wei spent his first day simply observing the town's rhythm and layout. Green Willow Town was built around a central market square, with four main streets branching off in cardinal directions. The eastern street contained most of the shops and businesses, the western street held residential areas, the northern street led to the town's small temple and administrative buildings, and the southern street connected to the main road leading to other settlements.
It was on the eastern street that Chen Wei discovered the Jade Blossom Tea House on his second day in town. The establishment occupied a corner building that had once been painted green but had faded to a softer sage color over the years. Hanging wooden signs decorated with carved flowers announced its name, and the scent of high-quality tea drifted through its open windows, mixing with something else - the subtle presence of spiritual energy.
Chen Wei observed the tea house from across the street for nearly an hour before approaching. Customers came and went at a steady pace, mostly well-dressed mortals with a sprinkling of low-level cultivators. What caught his attention was how peaceful everyone seemed when they emerged, as if the tea house offered more than just refreshment. He also noticed that all the visible staff were women, moving with a coordinated grace that suggested martial or cultivation training.
The interior of the Jade Blossom Tea House was more elegant than its weathered exterior suggested. The main room featured low tables surrounded by comfortable cushions, with painted screens providing privacy between different seating areas. Soft music played from somewhere unseen, and the walls were decorated with paintings of flowers and landscapes that seemed to shift subtly when observed from different angles - a sign of spiritual artistry.
Chen Wei chose a table in the corner where he could observe while remaining partially hidden behind a screen decorated with blooming plum blossoms. A young woman in pale pink robes approached to take his order, moving with the careful steps of someone in the early stages of Qi Condensation.
"Welcome to the Jade Blossom Tea House," she said with a practiced smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Up close, Chen Wei could see the fatigue in her expression and the way her hands trembled slightly - signs of spiritual exhaustion from overwork. "What may I serve you today?"
"What would you recommend for someone seeking clarity of mind?" Chen Wei asked, keeping his voice soft and non-threatening. He had learned that tea houses often used coded language, and asking for 'clarity' usually indicated a cultivator looking for something to aid meditation.
The server's eyes sharpened with interest, reassessing him with the quick judgment of someone used to evaluating customers. "Our Spring Mist blend is excellent for meditation, especially for those with water-affiliated spiritual roots. One pot is three spirit stones, or fifty silver taels if you prefer mortal currency."
The price was steep but not unreasonable for spiritual tea. Chen Wei nodded and placed three small spirit stones on the table, careful to choose the lowest quality ones from Liu Mei's collection to avoid appearing wealthy. As the server left to prepare his order, he settled back to observe the other patrons and listen to the ambient conversations.
At a nearby table, two merchant cultivators were discussing recent trade disruptions. "The Bronze Eagle Trading Company lost another caravan last week," one said grimly. "Bandits are getting bolder now that the sects are too busy with their own conflicts to patrol the roads properly."
"It's not just bandits," his companion replied, lowering her voice. "I heard from a reliable source that some of the missing caravans were found completely intact but with everyone dead, their souls extracted. That's demonic cultivator work."
Chen Wei filed this information away while pretending to study the artwork on the walls. The painting nearest to him showed a garden scene that seemed to move in his peripheral vision, flowers blooming and fading in an eternal cycle. It was beautiful but also unsettling, reminding him that in this world, even art could carry hidden dangers.
His tea arrived in a pale jade pot accompanied by a matching cup so thin it was nearly translucent. The server poured the first cup with practiced movements, and the rising steam carried a scent that immediately made Chen Wei's mind feel clearer. When he took a careful sip, he felt a gentle coolness spread through his meridians, soothing the minor damage left from Liu Mei's failed breakthrough.
"This is excellent," he said honestly, and the server's smile became slightly more genuine.
"Madam Feng personally blends all our spiritual teas," she explained with obvious pride. "She studied tea ceremony in the capital before establishing this house five years ago."
Before Chen Wei could ask more questions, a commotion arose from the entrance. A group of young cultivators in matching yellow robes burst through the door, their loud voices and aggressive movements disrupting the tea house's peaceful atmosphere. Chen Wei recognized the type immediately - outer disciples of some minor sect, drunk on their tiny amount of power and eager to throw their weight around.
"We demand a private room immediately!" the leader shouted, a young man whose cultivation was barely into middle-stage Qi Condensation but who acted as if he were an immortal. "The Golden Fist Sect requires proper accommodation!"
The serving staff exchanged worried glances, and Chen Wei noticed how they all seemed to be waiting for something - or someone. They didn't have to wait long. A door at the back of the main room opened silently, and a woman emerged who could only be Madam Feng.
She appeared to be in her early thirties, with elegant features and hair arranged in an elaborate style held in place by silver ornaments. Her robes were deep purple with subtle embroidery that seemed to move like flowing water. But what made Chen Wei instinctively shrink back into his corner was the spiritual pressure she exuded - the unmistakable aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Gentlemen of the Golden Fist Sect," Madam Feng said in a voice like silk over steel, "welcome to my establishment. I regret that all our private rooms are currently occupied. However, I would be happy to arrange comfortable seating in our main area."
The lead disciple, too drunk on his own importance to recognize the danger he was in, sneered at her. "Do you know who we are, woman? The Golden Fist Sect doesn't wait for anyone! Clear one of those rooms immediately, or we'll clear it ourselves!"
Chen Wei watched with professional interest as Madam Feng's expression didn't change, but the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. The smart customers were already quietly gathering their things and heading for the exit, recognizing the signs of impending violence. Chen Wei remained still, knowing that sudden movement might draw unwanted attention.
"I think there has been a misunderstanding," Madam Feng said pleasantly, taking a single step forward. The wooden floor creaked under her foot, and hairline cracks appeared in a spider web pattern around where she stood. "This is a place of peace and refinement. Those who cannot conduct themselves appropriately are not welcome."
The Golden Fist Sect disciples finally seemed to realize they had made a serious error in judgment. The leader's face went pale as he properly sensed Madam Feng's cultivation level, and his companions took involuntary steps backward. In the cultivation world, the gap between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment was like the difference between a child and an adult - insurmountable through numbers alone.
"We... we apologize for the disturbance," the leader stammered, his earlier arrogance evaporating like morning dew. "We'll take our business elsewhere."
"A wise decision," Madam Feng agreed, her smile never wavering. "Please do spread the word among your fellow disciples that the Jade Blossom Tea House maintains certain standards. Those who meet them are always welcome. Those who do not..." She let the sentence hang in the air like a blade.
The Golden Fist Sect disciples fled with as much dignity as they could muster, which wasn't much. As soon as they were gone, the atmosphere in the tea house returned to its previous tranquility as if nothing had happened. Customers who had paused in their conversations resumed them, and the serving staff went back to their duties with visible relief.
Madam Feng's gaze swept across the room, pausing briefly on each customer as if memorizing their faces. When her eyes met Chen Wei's, he felt a probing sensation, gentle but thorough, like fingers leafing through the pages of a book. He kept his expression neutral and his spiritual energy as calm as possible, projecting nothing more threatening than a weak cultivator enjoying expensive tea.
After a moment that felt much longer than it probably was, Madam Feng's attention moved on. She spoke quietly to one of the servers before returning to her private room, and gradually the tea house settled back into its normal rhythm. Chen Wei remained for another hour, slowly finishing his pot of tea while processing what he had observed.
The Jade Blossom Tea House was clearly more than just a business - it was Madam Feng's domain, run according to her rules and protected by her power. The serving staff were all female cultivators, though none above early Qi Condensation, suggesting that Madam Feng either trained them herself or specifically recruited women with cultivation potential. The establishment's focus on peace and refinement wasn't just marketing but a genuinely enforced standard.
As Chen Wei prepared to leave, the server who had attended him approached with a small wrapped package. "Madam Feng asked me to give you this," she said, placing it on his table. "She said you might find it useful."
Inside the silk wrapping was a single tea cake, pressed with the image of a blooming lotus. Even through the packaging, Chen Wei could sense the spiritual energy contained within - this was high-grade spiritual tea worth at least fifty spirit stones. More concerning was the small note tucked beneath it, written in elegant calligraphy: "For one who appreciates tranquility."
Chen Wei's hands remained steady through years of practice, but internally he was calculating rapidly. Madam Feng had noticed something about him, something that made her think he was worth cultivating a connection with. This could be either very good or very bad, depending on what she had sensed and what she wanted.
"Please convey my gratitude to Madam Feng," Chen Wei said carefully, tucking the gift into his spatial ring. "Her generosity is unexpected but appreciated."
The server smiled more genuinely this time. "Actually, if you're interested, Madam Feng asked me to mention that we're currently looking for additional staff. The work is demanding but fair, and Madam Feng provides cultivation resources for employees who prove themselves reliable."
This was an interesting development. Working at the tea house would provide legitimate employment and a reason to remain in town without attracting suspicion. It would also put him under the protection of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, which could be valuable given the apparent lawlessness of the current era. The downside was that it would also put him under the observation of that same powerful cultivator, and Chen Wei had learned to be wary of powerful people's interest.
"What would such employment entail?" he asked, maintaining a tone of cautious interest rather than eagerness.
"Serving tea, maintaining the spiritual formations in the private rooms, occasional herb gathering for our special blends," the server explained. "Madam Feng prefers to hire female cultivators, especially those who understand the value of discretion. The pay is one spirit stone per week plus accommodation, with bonuses for exceptional service."
It was a generous offer for someone at Chen Wei's apparent level. Too generous, perhaps, which made him wonder what Madam Feng really wanted. But he had learned that sometimes the safest place to hide was in plain sight, working for someone powerful enough to discourage casual troublemakers.
"I would be interested in learning more," Chen Wei said finally. "When might I speak with Madam Feng about this opportunity?"
"Return tomorrow at the hour of the snake," the server instructed. "Come to the side entrance and tell them you're here for an interview. Madam Feng will assess your suitability personally."
As Chen Wei left the tea house and made his way back to the inn, he reflected on this unexpected turn of events. He had come to Green Willow Town seeking anonymity and had instead attracted the attention of exactly the kind of powerful individual he usually tried to avoid. But perhaps this was an opportunity rather than a threat. Working at the tea house would provide structure, protection, and resources while allowing him to maintain a low profile.
That night, as he practiced the basic water element meditation techniques in his room, Chen Wei noticed something that had been gradually becoming apparent over the past week. The spiritual energy flowed through his meridians more smoothly than Liu Mei's memories suggested it should. Despite having three spiritual roots, which should have made cultivation difficult and slow, he was absorbing and refining spiritual energy at a rate closer to what someone with two spiritual roots might achieve.
It seemed that his reincarnation had brought more than just his memories and trauma from his previous life. His soul itself had been strengthened by the experience, perhaps tempered by surviving seven years of torture that would have broken a weaker spirit. This enhanced soul strength was compensating somewhat for his body's inferior spiritual roots, allowing him to cultivate more efficiently than Liu Mei ever could have.
This discovery both pleased and worried Chen Wei. On one hand, it meant he might actually be able to progress in cultivation rather than remaining stuck at the bottom of the power hierarchy. On the other hand, unusual cultivation speed would draw attention, and attention was what he least wanted. He would need to be careful to hide his true rate of progress, perhaps deliberately holding back to appear more normal.
The hourglass pendant remained cool against his chest, offering no visions of tomorrow's interview. Perhaps the future was still too uncertain, too dependent on choices yet unmade. Or perhaps meeting with Madam Feng posed no immediate danger, which was both reassuring and somehow more unsettling than a clear warning would have been.
As Chen Wei settled into sleep, he thought about the strange path his new life was taking. He had wanted to be a nobody, invisible and forgotten, slowly cultivating in obscurity. Instead, he found himself about to interview for a position at a tea house run by a mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator who had noticed something unusual about her within minutes of their first indirect encounter.
But perhaps this was how survival worked in the cultivation world - not through complete isolation, which would mark him as suspicious, but through finding the right protector and making himself useful enough to keep but not so valuable as to exploit.
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