Chapter 175 – Pearl

  Jun De led Elder Wen across the Outer Sect, moving at an unhurried pace so that the respected Elder didn’t appear to be rushing. Elder Wen’s presence, combined with Jun De walking beside him, drew attention from the surrounding Disciples.

  Lin Yue and Mei Lian had contacted Jun De as soon as they had returned to the Sect, requesting that he bring someone who might be able to identify the valuable pearl they had discovered in a stone while gambling.

  Jun De didn’t think Elder Wen would be interested and had prepared to offer him a favour when the old Pill Refiner had insisted on coming personally to appraise it.

  They arrived at Mei Lian’s courtyard, where the two young women waited. Lin Yue was practically bouncing, while Mei Lian stood beside her, attempting to appear calm but failing to fully hide her own excitement.

  “Elder Wen, thank you for coming.” Lin Yue greeted him with a bow. While she hadn’t met him personally, as a pill refiner herself, she was aware of the legendary figure she was meeting. Mei Lian clasped her hands and bowed respectfully.

  Elder Wen waved his hand to dismiss her politeness.

  “No thanks needed. Now, where is this pearl that caused Jun De to interrupt my afternoon refinement?”

  Mei Lain stepped forward and opened her hands. Resting in her palms was the small, lustrous orb that glowed iridescently with a watery radiance. A thin mist seemed to coil around its surface, swirling about it before disappearing.

  The effect on Elder Wen was immediate, with his eyes widening and his breath catching in his throat. He leaned in to stare at it more closely with an almost reverent expression.

  “Heavens above, it’s a Dragon Pearl.” Elde Wen whispered.

  Jun De peered at the object with curiosity, while Lin Yue’s draw dropped. Mei Lian just stared at it blankly, not knowing what a ‘Dragon Pearl’ was.

  “A relic left behind by a dragon during their passing, or when they need to shed a portion of themselves during their slumber. This kind of pearl contains condensed essence and bloodline power, along with a portion of the creature’s innate comprehension. It is not something mortals should casually touch.”

  Elder Wen looked at Mei Lian’s hands that were cradling the priceless object, before meeting her eyes.

  “Disciple Mei, do you understand? This would sell for a fortune beyond most Sect’s yearly income. Even great clans would fight and die for the mere possibility of possessing such a treasure.”

  Lin Yue gasped and placed a hand over her mouth in shock, while Mei Lian shook her head quickly.

  “I wasn’t thinking of selling it! I just wanted to know what it is.”

  Elder Wen nodded.

  “If you choose to make use of it, consuming a Dragon Pearl will grant you a trace of the dragon’s bloodline. It may awaken a special constitution or alter your body in some fundamental way. Conversely, it may do nothing at all. These items are rare, after all, and few have a chance to interact with them.”

  Elder Wen straightened from where he was leaning forward to stare at the pearl and stroked his beard as he considered.

  “Regardless of what you choose to do with this item, the Sect will support you. The Tranquil Mountain Sect will not allow such a treasure to be taken from you without your consent.”

  “Thank you, Elder Wen.” Mei Lian replied, bowing to the Elder again before showing him out of her courtyard.

  When the Elder had left, Lin Yue immediately turned to Mei Lian with her eyes shining with excitement.

  “You should consume the pearl. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” Lin Yue said as though the conclusion was so obvious that it barely needed to be stated.

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  Mei Lian immediately shook her head and tried to push the pearl into her friend’s hands again.

  “But Sister Lin, it was your spirit stones that bought it. I only picked a stone at random. You should be the one to use it.”

  “No! Absolutely not, Sister Mei. I brought us to that gambling game for fun; you’re the one who pulled out something valuable. The Heavens gave you this chance, and you must take it!”

  Still uncertain, Mei Lian looked to Jun De with an expression that was conflicted and torn. Jun De gave her a gentle smile and nodded.

  “Lin Yue is right; this belongs to you. Opportunities like this are meant for the person who finds them; it wouldn’t be right if you gave it away to someone else.”

  Mei Lian hesitated for a heartbeat longer before exhaling sharply and nodding.

  “Very well, I’ll accept it.” She placed the pearl in her storage bag, and she could almost feel the dormant power waiting within it.

  Lin Yue clapped her hands with triumphant energy.

  “Good! Now that that’s settled, we should eat.” Lin Yue declared, before she mischievously glanced at Jun De.

  “We brought all of your favourites from Tranquil City, and a special surprise.” Lin Yue said dramatically, causing Jun De to raise an eyebrow inquiringly.

  “What could be more special a surprise than a dragon pearl?” Jun De asked in amusement.

  With an exaggerated flourish, Lin Yue thrust her hand into her storage bag and pulled out a beautifully carved jug sealed with red wax. A wave of potent, fruity aroma immediately spread through the courtyard despite its still intact seal.

  Jun De laughed loudly.

  “I concede that is quite special.”

  The three arranged the food on Mei Lian’s small table. Steamed buns, skewers of roasted spirt-beast glazed with honey, and sweet cakes filled with jam filled the surface of the table as they sat down to enjoy the meal.

  Lin Yue poured the wine into small cups before taking one and raising it in a toast.

  The first sip hit Jun De like a physical blow.

  It was liquid flame that raced down his throat and exploded into warmth in his chest so intense that even the Dawnheart Flame stirred in response. Lin Yue let out a tiny squeak and pressed her fingers to her cheeks as they immediately flushed red. Mei Lian choked and coughed, unused to the strong wine.

  Because of the strength of the wine, whatever awkwardness lingered between them faded away as the night went on. Lin Yue leaned against Mei Lian and chatted about the stalls in Tranquil City, while Mei Lian would laugh and tease her.

  By the time the jug was half-empty, all three were warm and relaxed, and the world of cultivation and the responsibilities that came with it were far away.

  The next morning, Jun De woke up with a groan as a dull, throbbing ache pulsed behind his eyes. For a moment, he lay completely still and let the unfamiliar ceiling overhead come into focus.

  ‘This isn’t my room.’ Jun De thought.

  The wooden beams were different, and the smell in the air was a mix of wine, perfume and something floral.

  Jun De shifted, only to realize that his skin touched the cool sheets beneath him directly. He wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing, nor could he find his storage ring or any other belongings.

  Slowly, almost reluctantly, he turned his head to the left.

  Lin Yue was curled up against him, her hair tousled and her cheeks faintly pink even while she slept. A small, contented smile rested on her lips, making her look serene and comfortable. One of her hands rested lightly on his chest as though she had fallen asleep mid-embrace.

  Jun De swallowed hard as the memories of the night before came flooding back, slow at first, then all at once like a dam breaking.

  He remembered how the wine had burned like molten iron as it slid down his throat. Lin Yue’s bright laughter, with her cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she leaned in closer and closer to him with every word that he said to her.

  He recalled Mei Lian, usually quiet and composed, relaxing under the warmth of the wine and companionship, and her eyes softening as she looked at him with an openness she rarely showed.

  Then, after the fourth cup, things had shifted.

  Lin Yue had reached across him to refill his cup, her chest brushing against his arm more than necessary. Mei Lian had placed her hand gently over his, her fingers light but deliberate. Lin Yue’s laughter had softened into a tender smile, and Mei Lian had moved closer to him, her shoulder pressing against his as she leaned against him.

  The air itself seemed to have changed, and Lin Yue’s hand had slid from his wrist to his chest, while Mei Lian’s breath lingered close to his ear as she whispered something he couldn’t recall, but had made his heart race.

  Finally, he remembered the feeling of being pulled toward the bedroom by two pairs of hands and two soft voices.

  Then, with a small amount of anxiety, he turned his head to the right.

  Mei Lian slept just as deeply as Lin Yue, her expression calm and relaxed in a way he rarely saw when she was awake. Her breathing was even, and her face was nestled against his shoulder. A faint glow shimmered around her, a subtle indication of a pending breakthrough in her cultivation.

  Jun De froze, then turned his head to stare at the ceiling once again.

  His cultivation might have reached Foundation Establishment, allowing him to battle fierce beasts and demonic cultivators, but no technique in the world could prepare him for this. He sighed as he realized that he was naked and caught between two beautiful women who were going to wake up very soon.

  And he had no idea what he was supposed to say to them.

  Everything had just become far, far more complicated.