Chapter 111 - Hundred And Eleven - I meet a pervert (1/2)

Why did Jin Li kiss him? Why did Jin Li kiss him then tell him not to forget about it? And why did Jin Li kiss him on the lips in revenge for a drunken kiss upon the cheek? These sorts of questions swirled about in Leon's mind all night to the point where he got nothing but a headache. As dawn broke the pitch of night, Leon's heavy eyelids fell over his eyes and he finally slept for a couple of hours, before the noise of the awakened streets spilled into the bedroom denying him any more rest.

Jin Li had returned to their room at some point to lie stiffly upon the other side of the bed, unmoving. And when Leon rose drowsily from the bed, Jin Li followed suit, moving quickly as if it was his plan first for them to descend for breakfast. They ate in silence, Leon surreptitiously glanced at Jin Li in between bites of food, while Jin Li ignored him completely. Seeing as Jin Li really was not going to explain what happened the evening before, Leon decided to let it alone as well and try bury the memory. It sort of... kind of... hurt knowing that the man he had feelings for would prank him like this, but Leon could not explain his actions any other way.

”You are returning to the alchemist school?” Jin Li finally ended his silence as they stepped out of the inn late morning.

”N-no, n-n-not yet,” Leon replied, softly. ”Selling p-p-Pills.”

”Did you not sell pills to pharmacist Clawse yesterday?” Jin Li questioned, startling Leon. Had Jin Li been looking for him yesterday? Was it not coincidence then, their meeting? So that kiss...? No, no, don't question it Leon!

He shook his head to stop himself, then said aloud; ”N-new b-buyer. M-mister Clawse said t-to m-m-meet him t-today.”

Jin Li raised a lone eyebrow. ”Lead the way.” As it happened, that was unnecessary as the meeting was to take place at the pharmacy anyway. Mr Clawse greeted them with a slightly chiding sentence;

”I expected you a little earlier, Leon.” To which the young alchemist could only stutter an apology as they followed Mr Clawse up to the stairs and into his receiving room.

The man that Mr Clawse wished to introduce was named Ursam, he did not use the suffix of Mister and had no other title per-say.  He was a 'retired' Cultivator; that was to say, that he did not practice cultivation anymore, although, in the past, he had until reaching Senary and two stars stage cultivation level.  If it wasn't for meeting the ordinary woman who became his wife, he would likely have reached the peak of Senary or even have half step into Septenary stage by now.

Regardless, Ursam was a round face, jovial man with long, midnight hair that reached midspine, tied by a leather string at the nape of his neck.  He grinned brightly upon seeing the two young men and his eyes twinkled as Leon produced his clear spiritual pills.

”So,” he said, his voice quite musical to listen to, resonating deep but as Leon soon found out, it would reach high frequencies with ease.  ”You discovered the secret of the Purple Spirit Grass!”  He said this as if speaking to a co-conspirator then laughed merrily as Leon froze for a moment in surprise.  Mr Clawse simply rolled his eyes heavenward as if he was used to this odd behaviour.