What Happens in Lanling

The Amethyst Lotus

Lan Wangji walked down the streets gracefully weaving between the bustling night crowd. Cheers rang down from the balcony of a brothel up ahead while sounds of the drinking glass clinked together in celebration and filled the light atmosphere. LanlingJin sect was restless tonight, they would have a new leader soon.

His attention was called toward the stall nearest him as a very familiar and pleasant fragrance tickled his senses reminding him of the person he held most dear. A near imperceptible smile graced his elegant face and he turned towards the peddler.

He stared at all the different offerings artfully laid across the table. Jars of cream and vials of oil all were decorated with a lotus in different colors and forms. He reached for a particularly potent jar with cream the color of lavender, its scent was particularly enticing and he thought it would be a nice gift for Wei Ying, something from his hometown of Yunmeng.

"Gongzi, I can see you have very fine taste, that is one of my best selling concoctions. People come far and wide for that one," the man said with a chuckle. "It's very popular, for obvious reasons of course, would you like to purchase a jar?"

Wangji looked at the white jar with its deep purple lotus and small scroll tied to the stopper and wondered for what reason it would be so special. He was about to ask when he heard the bellman yell the time across the lane. Lan Wangji was not a man who kept others waiting and Wei Ying was waiting for him at the inn. Decision made he reached inside his money pouch and pulled out some silver and handed it to the man.

He nodded his thanks, placed the jar carefully in the pocket of his sleeve and walked away when the man stopped him. "Don't forget to read the scroll on how to use amethyst, that is a very potent mixture."

Wangji nodded again, his thanks, and walked towards the inn. Wei Ying, Jiang WanYin and his brother were all set to meet for dinner and he knew Wei Ying would be put out if he was late. There were celebrations to be had after all. Cultivators from all over the continent would be coming into Lanling for the ceremony of Jin Ling becoming the leader of the LanlingJin sect now that his uncle deemed him old enough and able to take over.

Wangji had always wondered how Jiang WanYin handled the affairs of both Yunmeng and Lanling. Even though he himself had left the Chief Cultivator position his own responsibilities were not insignificant. It wasn't any wonder Wei Ying's brother was in a bad mood most of the time.

He stepped lightly up the stairs into the inn and through the bustle of the downstairs great room where people were dining and taking their wine. He headed for the main stairs and before he could even move up a step he quickly tried to move aside when a group of youths came running down the stairs laughing.

He shook his head in mild irritation when he felt a jolt to his arm, not dodging enough. He continued up the stairs and was about halfway to his floor when he felt something drip down his arm, the strong smell of the lotus flower overwhelming his senses. Upon a closer look, he could see his own blood along with the cream on his arm.

The injury was little more than a scratch but he would have to clean the wound. He pulled the jar out from his sleeve and it was cracked down the side but not too badly damaged aside from the mess of cream and blood. Perhaps he could repot the cream so it could still be gifted, he thought. He started back up the stairway when a wave of dizziness hit him and he leaned on the wall for support.

Shaking his head for clarity he made his way up the rest of the stairs and found his rooms. He leaned on the doorframe heavily, before making his way inside, his heart pounding in his chest and his breath short. He started to feel heat spread through his limbs and confusion laid in as he stumbled to make it into the next room trying to reach the bed.