A Visitor in the Dead of Night

“These are some of my insights from refining the Spirit-Stabilizing Pill!” Yu Daoyi said irritably.

“Spirit-Stabilizing Pill? You succeeded?” Song Qiuling was somewhat surprised; after all, there were only three stalks of the main ingredient, the Profound Spirit Branch.

“Of course!” Yu Daoyi rummaged in his pocket for a while and finally produced a pitch-black pill—it was indeed the Spirit-Stabilizing Pill.

“Ugh~ Where did you pick up that trash? I despise it as much as I despise you.” Song Qiuling replied without a second thought.

……

You little brat, don’t push me! As if you don’t know what the Spirit-Stabilizing Pill looks like! You’re doing this on purpose!

“If it weren’t for this thing exploding the pill furnace at home when I was secretly refining it, I wouldn’t have been kicked out by my family.” Yu Daoyi let out a deep sigh and muttered softly.

“What did you say?” Song Qiuling hadn’t caught his murmur.

“Nothing, it’s just that I happened to succeed on the third try, quite the coincidence, don’t you think? Honestly, I didn’t expect it to work out exactly after three attempts.” His words brimmed with pride.

So annoying—did he come here just to show off his talent for alchemy?

“All right, you keep it. It’s not a valuable thing to me anyway. Besides, I’ll be joining the alchemist examination as well, so I hope we both pass smoothly.”

“Although I don’t want to admit it, at least for the Tier One beginner’s test, you shouldn’t have any problem. You might even try for the intermediate test. Just be careful—exploding the furnace during the exam is a serious taboo. Don’t get yourself eliminated right then and there.” Song Qiuling sighed as she warned him.

……

Damn, I forgot about that! What if I get thrown out for blowing up the furnace?

“All right, I’ll keep it. As for the matter of the back mountain, shall we set it for seven days from now?” Song Qiuling shifted to another topic.

“That works. We can gather some herbs for alchemy while we’re at it.” Yu Daoyi considered for a moment and agreed.

“Then why are you still here?”

“??? You’re kicking me out already? Where’s your hospitality?”

“What, am I supposed to invite you to stay for a meal?” Song Qiuling said with annoyance.

“Well, that would be rather embarrassing, but if you insist, I wouldn’t refuse.” Yu Daoyi scratched his head, looking bashful.

“Out! Or I’ll make you the main course!” Song Qiuling kicked at him.

“Do you smell something burnt?” Yu Daoyi suddenly asked, serious.

Song Qiuling looked left and right at the scorched backyard, remnants of the explosion everywhere. Was he doing this on purpose?

“Is your brain fried?” Song Qiuling retorted bluntly.

“Take a little responsibility, will you? Why do you keep igniting my heart? So annoying~” Yu Daoyi waved his embroidered fists, wearing a coy expression.

“Hoo~~~” Song Qiuling inhaled and exhaled repeatedly, suppressing her emotions. Finally, she formed a fire spell with her left hand, and a flame rose instantly.

…Maybe next time I shouldn’t play with fire? This guy knows magic… And there’s no way to link your heart with mine…

“Come on, I think it’s not fully cooked yet. I don’t like eating things raw.” Song Qiuling said with a blank face.

“Ah, I think my fire is out now. I’ll go check if my brother and parents are done, oh no, if they managed to crawl out. Farewell! See you!”

Yu Daoyi tossed a bag to Song Qiuling and vanished in a flash.

Song Qiuling stared at the empty space where Yu Daoyi had been, then at the devastated backyard, feeling a headache coming on. She opened the bag in her hand and found six Spirit-Bane Pills inside, her lips curving in a faint smile, a touch of delight.

In the distance, Song Cheng was helping to clean up the “battlefield.” He watched his sister’s slight smile and was struck speechless, feeling very much like an extra…

At the gate of the Yu residence, Yu Daoyi stretched lazily, glancing to the left. There, a beggar was asking passersby for coins, dressed in rags, hair filthy and messy, as if he hadn’t washed for months.

Yu Daoyi walked over and smiled, tossing three copper coins into the beggar’s cracked bowl.

What a coincidence~ if memory serves, there’s a beggar at my gate too, hands filthy but no calluses, eyes bright—his acting is half-hearted.

“From now on, go to my place. The gate’s big, you won’t get chased off, and at night, business might be decent.” Yu Daoyi patted the beggar’s shoulder, smiling, then strode away.

The beggar watched him go, face full of astonishment, then pondered deeply. After sitting for a while, he quietly slipped away.

Yu Residence, dinner.

Unlike his brash self that morning, Yu Daoyi now sat trembling, barely daring to breathe, cautiously picking at his food, trying to make himself invisible.

“I heard you were alchemizing at home, then went to Song’s house to refine more pills—the kind that exploded from your iron plate. Apparently you caused quite the trouble at the Song residence, ruined their whole backyard.” His father spoke mildly.

Yu Daoyi shuddered violently, as if everything had lost its flavor.

Emm, not the flavorless feeling after shuddering, it’s just the taste of the food.

“Father, someone is trying to sow discord between us. Rumors like these aren’t trustworthy. I went to the Song family peacefully—how could I have caused trouble?” He denied vehemently.

“The Song girl sent someone to inform me. It’ll cost a good deal of silver, perhaps even spirit stones.” His father’s tone remained calm.

“No way! That girl from the Song family always opposes me—don’t take it seriously.” He shook his head, refusing to admit anything.

“Oh? Then is the fire in this grand Yu residence just a joke?” His father smiled lightly.

“…Ha, haha, exactly, what silly rumors!” Yu Daoyi was a bit awkward.

“Then what, your mother, brother, and I couldn’t crawl out and had to rely on you to drag us to safety?” His father still wore that gentle smile.

“Father, Mother, I’ve finished my meal and will excuse myself now,” Yu Yunfan put down his bowl and chopsticks, speaking calmly.

“Just as well, I’m done too. Yun’er, walk with me, let’s not disturb your father and brother,” their mother said softly.

“Yes, Father, please be gentle with big brother.” Yunfan pleaded.

Wuwu, little brother, you’re the best, always pleading for me.

“Just leave him with a breath.” Yunfan added.

Go! Go far away! Don’t let me see you again!

Yu Daoyi watched his brother and mother walk away, feeling utterly hopeless.

Damn it, did Song Qiuling have to send someone to report every little thing to my father? Fine, fine, I’ll pay! Did she really have to tell him about something I just mentioned offhand?!

“…Well, Father, I’m done eating too.”

“Sit.”

“Alright.”

Yu Daoyi sat down silently, stripped of all rights.

“Hoo~ Tell me, how come you never learn from your mistakes? You’re making things difficult for your father.” His father looked troubled.

“Sorry for causing you so much worry, Father!”

“No trouble.”

A moment later.

“Ah!!!”

Lin Residence.

Lin He lay quietly in his room, gently waving his fan.

He looked at a small slip of paper in his hand and smiled softly.

A fire spell ignited in his palm, and the paper was instantly burned to ashes.

Lin He gazed out at the night; the evening breeze blew in, moonlight bathed the earth, leaves danced on branches. His eyes were deep, lost in thought.

In another direction, Lin Tao stood by his window, watching the sparse stars of the night. His room was pitch dark, cold and oppressive.

A shadow appeared behind him.

“The seal on the back mountain is progressing faster. It should open within the next few days. Young master, please be prepared.” A raspy voice sounded, then added, “I hear a few youths from the Song and Yu families plan to go to the back mountain for herbs in a few days.”

“I understand.”

Silence returned.

Outside, the night was dense, shadows fluttering, wind stirring.

Yu Residence.

Yu Daoyi and his troublesome little brother sat quietly in the courtyard. Looking up, they could see the bright moon and scattered stars; the vast night sky sparked endless imagination.

Yu Yunfan glanced at his slightly bruised and swollen brother and said, “Why couldn’t you talk inside? Why come out to the courtyard in the middle of the night?”

“I’m just worried someone wouldn’t recognize the way~ Probably never comes out anyway~” Yu Daoyi replied lazily.

“Someone?”

“He should be here soon.”

At that, Yu Yunfan frowned at the distant figure.

A man in a dark robe approached, one hand behind his back, the other idly playing with three copper coins, walking steadily toward them.

Seeing this, Yu Daoyi smiled lightly.