Arbor

II. Yanqing

II. Yanqing

It was time for his daily sparring session. The Cloud Knights had gathered around, and a squadron stepped forward. Most were knocked out by flying swords, and the rest were taken care of by Yanqing. He sidestepped as swords jabbed at him, and he parried and swung his blade, like a dance. But today, there was one Cloud Knight who just wouldn't give up. He sidestepped Yanqing's flying swords like a master, anticipating his every move. After all the others fell, he rushed toward Yanqing, swinging his blade, his strength matching Yanqing's skill. He was soon taken out, though, for the young boy was nearly unmatched in swordplay. The Cloud Knight fell with a groan, and took off his helmet, revealing a man with white hair and golden eyes.

"Jing Yuan?" Yanqing laughed. "What're you doing?"

Jing Yuan smiled. "I wanted to spar with my student."

"Geez, wow. Isn't someone gonna get mad that you aren't doing your job?"

"Nah, I took the day off. Let's go to the Sleepless Earl."

They stepped into the store and Mengming greeted them.

"What type of tea would — Oh, it's you two. Startaro? Immortal's Delight?"

"Two Immortal's Delights, please." Jing Yuan said, opening his phone to access the IPC app.

"You know what I say to everyone who buys that? You are sensible. Those IPC marketers were crazy. The Startaro Bubble is disgusting."

Jing Yuan laughed. "Yep. Oh! Also, I'll take a Scalegorge Spring Water."

"Sure, here." Mengming threw him a bottle of the strange clear water. "This stuff never goes bad. You could drink this one in a thousand years."

Yanqing laughed. "Thanks, Mengming. You know we love your bubble tea."

Mengming was in the middle of making his drink. She memorized the way he liked it — warm, half tea, half milk, with loads of brown sugar and tapioca. She squirted a mountain of whipped cream and drizzled a pound of sugar on the drink. Yanqing grinned.

"Thanks for the tea. I love this stuff."

Mengming smiled. "I love making this junk. You'll die really early if you drink this on a daily basis."

"But it has L-carnitine in it! That's supposed to be good for you!" Yanqing complained.

"Healthy? Sure, L-carnitine is, but this drink? It's anything but that." Mengming laughed. "Nine thousand credits, please."

Jing Yuan held his phone in front of the credit processor.

"Thanks for your business." Mengming shouted as they waved goodbye, walking out the door.

Yanqing shook his drink as they walked down the street. He mixed the whipped cream, tea, milk, and brown sugar with his straw, and he drank his concoction with a smile on his face.

"They say that when you drink Immortal's Delight, you'll always have a secret smile on your face." Jing Yuan commented, grinning as he sipped his drink.

Yanqing laughed. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Jing Yuan muttered, looking at the road. "It's a..."

"You want me to meet someone, don't you?" Yanqing muttered. "The drinks must be to cheer me up."

"It's a little different. I need you to watch someone."

Jing Yuan climbed up a ladder on the side of a building. Yanqing followed. From the roof, Yanqing noticed a path. Trees and gutters, paths from roofs, it was amazing how inconspicuously they were placed — and they were placed perfectly.