Of Forgotten Dreams (Book 1) [NANOWRIMO 2022]

Chapter 24

Yun double-checked her satchel, nodding at she counted through the items. Turning around, she looked at the large door slowly swinging open. Cheers and applause erupted from the other end as the announcer's voice boomed loudly over them.

"The participants of the Inner Tournament may enter."

She looked over at the other disciples, offering them a small smile as they walked into the hall together. There were a few whom she was close with, and others she did not know, but one thing was for certain, which was they were all the best of the healers partaking in the herbal potions category of the tournament.

Somehow, the crowd grew even louder as they came into full sight of the audience. She lifted up her head, and saw that all the seats around her, winding upwards, were all filled. Immortals of all types, looking vastly diverse with vibrantly coloured clothing clapped and cheered. Some pointed towards them and looked excited when she caught their gaze.

I don't even understand what is there to be so excited about. She looked baffled, but her lips curled upwards nonetheless, trying to appear non-flustered.

"Take your places." The announcer boomed again from the middle of the hall where he stood on a raised round dais. "You may set up your tools needed for the tournament."

Yun did as she was told, setting up the cauldron and rolling out her tools with fluid ease. Her eyes glanced towards the front of the hall, where few large chairs sat. Shifu Nalan was supposed to be the main judge today, but there were a few other Elders, which were masters at healing, as judges. However, the largest chair was a chair that she had never seen before, and Shifu Nalan's chair was pushed aside.

"Now, it is our honour to be inviting the judges today. Let us give a round of applause to Shifu Nalan of the Viridescent Isle, and the other Elders that came from all over the Nine Realms to judge the tournament."

The door swung open again, and the few men entered, looking amicable with each other as they made their way towards the other side of the hall. Yun looked eyes with the man standing at the first in line. His stern eyes were appraising as they acknowledged her, and she got a small nod of encouragement. His bushy white beard twitched as he turned back forwards, breaking the eye contact.

Shifu Nalan always acts this way. She thought as she kept her eyes forwards again. He would act so strict and stern towards her, but Yun always got comments from his other private disciples that she was the one whom received the best treatment from him. She got the best tools without asking, and the best room out of all of them, which she didn't realise until she went around confirming that statement. But he never treated her any better when the others were around though, in fact, he was twice as harsh on her with her studies, often giving her extra work to do if she failed tasks assigned to her or missed out on her studies.

"And lastly, we have an esteemed guest from the warfront. His Royal Highness has only been back for not more than a month, but he insisted on coming to see the tournament, saying that healers played a vital part in the war, and he wanted to see for himself the making of great healers whom would help countless of people while risking themselves."

"Let us welcome, His Royal Highness, Third Prince Choi Yufan."

Yun's eyes widened as the doors swung open again, her mind suddenly blanking out. She watched, completely fixated on the familiar silhouette that walked towards her. He looked exactly like she remembered, and he wore a polite smile, looking up at the cheering crowd. Her heart thudded at that smile, and she felt her mouth slowly falling open.

Breathtaking.

But then she immediately snapped back to her senses, shutting her mouth.

His eyes looked downwards suddenly, snapping towards her. And the smile became warmer and brighter if possible. His eyes twinkled, and Yun again, found her mind becoming blank.

He strode towards her, and Yun took a step backwards without meaning to. Her fingers curled into her white and green robes. Is he going to...?

He brushed past the table that she was at however, but he mouthed something that Yun caught immediately. Good luck.

Her gaze was still focused on him as he walked upwards to the highest chair. He turned, the cape fluttering and sat on it, one of his hands resting on the armrest and the other on his knee.

"Let the Inner Tournament begin." The announcer boomed once again as Yufan nodded to him, signalling that they may begin.

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"The rules are simple."

"All the contestants must make three concoctions randomly selected by the main judges, Shifu Nalan of the Viridescent Isle. You will have only three hours to do so. You will be judged on the basis of the completion, the potency and effects as well as the time taken, in event if the contestants are tied."

Shifu Nalan stood up, rolling back one of his sleeves as the announcer brought up a basket of leaves towards him. Yun watched, her gaze intent as her Shifu picked out a leaf, a thin, long one. He then handed it over to the announcer.

"Green snow tonic." He read the words on the back of the leaf.

A murmur of excitement ran throughout the crowd, but Yun frowned slightly, as well as the majority of the contestants.

Another male Elder with a goatee pulled out a second leaf, this one was a broad one that was a deep green. The announcer squinted at the words as he read it out.

"Bone-cleansing tonic."

The last Elder pulled out a small leaf that was barely the size of half his palm. He handed it over and the announcer's eyes widened even without having to read the words on the back of the leaf.

"Tonic of Hun Yuan."

There was a collective harsh intake of breath that went around the participants tables while the crowd erupted into an excited chatter.

Yun eyebrows pinched together. Her mind was already racing at the sequence that she would had to make the tonics and brews.

The green snow tonic would require the ingredients to immediately be brewed after she chopped and peeled them, so it would have to come first. And it would need to be iced while she made the others.

The bone-cleansing tonic was the fastest, and required the least amount of effort while processing the ingredients. The main focus was instead on the fire when it was cooking and the duration of the boil. Any longer, and the tonic would not be so effective when ingested; any shorter, and the tonic could bring about nasty effects when ingested instead.

Last but not least, the hardest one of them all, the Hun Yuan tonic. The main purpose of ingesting the tonic was to significantly increase the powers of an Immortal for a temporary period of time. When brewed inappropriately, it will affect the powers of the Immortal that had ingested it permanently. So, everything, from the control of the fire, to the handling of ingredients and the way that it was stored must be perfect.

She lifted her gaze towards Shifu Nalan, and saw that he looked slightly troubled, and Yun immediately guessed why. But she had to complete all three successfully, even though that would mean trouble for her in the future. Her gaze further slid upwards to Yufan, and they locked eyes.

She remembered the words that he told her the other day, for his eyes seemed to convey the same meaning right now.

I'll keep you safe.

It made her heart feel instantly at ease, and she knew that no matter what she did, she was protected.

Time to brew some tonics then.