Mo Yuan and Ye Hua, the strict and cunning twin God's of War, were gifted a winsome yet peculiar, ancient peach blossom sapling from their friend Zhe Yan, to plant on Mt. Kunlun. Time passed and the tree climbed great in size, greater than any bloss...
"Are you blind? This herb is wormtail, not fairy's hair."
"Now you are getting it! About two hundred more to go."
"No, no, no... Do it over."
I spent the next five days with various disciples, hauling, delivering, grinding, hanging, peeling, stripping, washing, churning, stacking, mixing, chopping, and most of all-- running. I ran non-stop to keep up with those that led me while Si Yin was away. Everything was done by foot and hand. No magic was used or the fast travelling that Mo Yuan had shown me. Everyone here worked as I did-- like a mortal.
My mind wandered as I jogged to my next workshop to be tasked.
Si Yin... where are you... You said two days but its been five...
A pop-up workshop that I fancied the most was beside a narrow rushing creek, where heavy floral aromatics, oils and sweet creams were steaming in iron troughs. I was so curious to get closer and stick my nose right over the troughs, but I was quickly assigned elsewhere every time I spoke to the one working there. He was the first disciple of Kunlun, head of all in white robes-- Die Feng.
Die Feng was a polished, lucid man, with a long-suffering look in his eye every time I approached him. I must have reported back to him four-dozen times in the last five days, but with every crash, do-well, or falter I made, he stayed patient despite the twitch in his brow. He was very fair-skinned and handsome with a very tall, pointed nose-bridge and squared jaw. Though he showed no anger toward my being here, there was caution cloaked in his reposed face and he never once made full eye-contact with me. So, I decided I'd make it more comfortable for him and just stare at his feet for the rest of my life.
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At the day's last light in winded rain, I met up with him once more at the creek-side. I peered around with my nose but found nothing left. All troughs had been emptied, and no finished product of what he had made was around anywhere. I was instructed to carry a long bundle of tools that were wrapped in a leather sleeve. A light sigh escaped my lips as I followed him to his study where he sat and began ink affairs.
"Tomorrow is a day of rest for us all. Use that time wisely," he said blithely.
"Yes, First Disciple."
I kept my hands cupped behind me and made sure to not fidget or dally as my eyes stayed low. I gave him only solid responses and tried not to let my weary reserve show, or even a bead of sweat drop. I felt I was only two toad-leaps away from death; this was my fifth day of work here, and my feet were barely there and nearly numb. My robe was sopping wet, and my body was shivering from running about in the rain and wind. Even so, I needed to show I was not too weak to be here. As I kept my eyes down, my side vision picked up the tiniest movement of Die Feng's chin turning up to look at my face. I instinctively looked back at him, but he quickly looked away to his parchment.
