As he finished up the training, he visited Yu Huan who he noticed from afar earlier this day.

He meant to go see her after exiting his seclusion either way, but at the time he finished his conversation and stroll with the Tingren Kingdom princess, Yu Huan was busy dealing with her new subordinates, so he opted to delay his visit.

“Mister Wu!”

Her eyes widened at the sight of him and then a pleased smile touched her lips.

“Please come in, I will make some tea”

She let him in her courtyard and made tea as usual. He felt like her tea became even more fragrant and tasty the more her alchemy skills and flame control improved, not to mention it seemed that she put more and more care into brewing it.

Her beauty that has recently been finally getting the care it long deserved, has flourished as her charming smile was now even more alluring.

“I am glad you are doing well, I have come to express my gratitude for the pill, which turned even more effective because of the flawless quality”

He smiled after breathing in the aroma of the tea and taking a sip. Her smile became wider as her cheeks turned slightly rosy.

“I am glad it was of use to you. I was starting to worry that something went wrong because your seclusion lasted longer than you warned us”

“Ah, not at all. It lasted longer precisely because the pill was so potent.

To be completely honest I did not expect flawless quality. Don’t take it as an insult, as I regard your talent and capabilities very high.

It is just incredibly rare for someone to achieve this quality even with perfect refinement with the ingredients you had, and even more unlikely with the refinement using tricks to make up for the lacking cultivation level”

He chuckled as he explained.

The pill she refined was a little bit peculiar in that its effect and difficulty of refining vastly varied depending on the ingredients as there were several formulas. Such pills aptly called “Variation Pills”.

The ingredient set including the Liquid Fire Flower that was used this time was an exceptionally rarely attempted combination precisely because of the difficulty of refining a quality product.

In return, a flawless quality pill made from this set of ingredients was also incredibly potent, its effects rivaling that of a 1st or 2nd-tier Profound Grade pills of the same category.

In comparison, a low or standard quality pill, which Wu Long initially hoped to get would have yielded a result of an 8th-tier Mortal Grade pill with little difference between the two.

Yu Huan’s gaze turned down at the table, into her cup of tea as the rosiness of her cheeks intensified.

“I have only done as you have instructed… I also discussed with you any ideas I had so it is your achievement”

“Haha, don’t be too modest, Fairy Yu Huan. I unfortunately have no talent for alchemy, and can only boast theoretical knowledge. It was you who refined that pill. Besides, we ended up using some of your ideas, even if you discussed them with me beforehand”

He chuckled, urging her to take the deserved credit.

They talked a little more, first discussing the alchemy process and the effects of the pill, as Wu Long described the potency and detailed way it was absorbed which was incredibly important knowledge for the alchemist as there was direct causal effect between the pill refinement process and the way the pill behaved when consumed.

They also discussed the status and further plans for the subordinates Yu Huan was preparing for the job.

It would still take quite some time before they could start truly giving results, but just the job of assisting alchemists while continuously improving their skills and learning was already not that far for most of them.

A bit later, the conversation shifted to more distracted themes, their voices relaxed and the tone of the discussion pleasant and light.

Finally, Yu Huan started asking light, very careful questions about Wu Long, what he liked, disliked, and what he thought about. Which in turn opened up similar questions from Wu Long to her as well.

At the end, Wu Long smiled and thanked her for the “pleasant talk and the delicious tea” as he left the courtyard she stayed in.

“Haa~ Sister Bi Rui… what should I do…?”

As her gray eyes with a hint of light green hue in them looked at his receding figure, she then turned and placing both hands on a wooden pillar pressed her forehead above them, muttering as her face turned red to the ears.

As he walked he soon felt a herbal aroma and his lips curled up in a smile as he moved toward where this scent was coming from, soon appearing at a courtyard with a pond he had visited not long before entering seclusion.

In the wooden gazebo stood a beautiful woman, seemingly observing the pond as her sensual back facing him was left mostly open by the bold dress.

The long smoking pipe in her hands had a thin line of smoke rise from the relatively small golden bowl as she cupped the elbow of the hand holding it with the other one.

“Enjoying the night view?”

Wu Long chuckled as he moved toward her.

“People of my profession enjoy the privacy of this time of day”

She smiled not turning her body to him, and only partially turning her face. .

“Haha, I guess that is true. Though for someone of your profession you are awfully modest in asking questions”

“It is not that I don’t have them, I’m just not sure if I am allowed to ask. Part of this job is to know where I should not put my nose into too”

“Hmm, I am honestly not that secretive, and if I was asked about something I do not wish to share I would just not answer. But asking in of itself is not something I will take offense with”

“Then… are you willing to tell me why are you here?”

Her deep emerald green eyes turned to him as he now stood next to her, facing the same way as her with his hands behind his back in a relaxed pose.

“I did not come here to do something, if that is what you are asking. As for why I am here in general, that is something even I am not sure of”

He chuckled as she widened her eyes. Something in his tone told her he was not lying or joking, but was speaking sincerely.

“So you did not choose to be here?”

“No”

He shook his head, as his gaze became a little contemplative.

“If I were to answer your question philosophically, from the standpoint of fate I am here to regain that which I have lost”

He then turned his eyes to her and her heart skipped a beat from that piercing gaze. She broke the eye contact, turning to look at the pond again as her heart was beating at a slightly accelerated rate.

“Did you regain it?”

“Yes, though I found even more than I could ever imagine”

He smiled. She felt warmth and contentment in his voice, something she did not expect from someone of his standing even if she knew he was generally gentle in his demeanor… at least with those he considered not enemies.

“So… will you leave here soon?”

“Haha, not before the confrontation so you don’t need to worry about that”

He chuckled, indirectly replying to her question.

“And your ladies…”

“Will come with me of course, there is a long road ahead”

As she heard his answer, she nodded and sank into thoughts. He saw her gaze becoming deeper and distracted and lightly nodding to her, turned, quietly leaving the courtyard to give her space.

“Haa~…”

‘I shouldn’t have asked who he was’

She slightly heavily sighed, but did not dare to voice her next thoughts as she did not want them to be heard.

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