Unfettered Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Tea

Read chapter 8 of Unfettered by driftwoodblossom on NovelPedia.

The middle-aged man silently got up and walked toward the bed. Getting on one knee, the man pulled out a small hemp pouch and tossed it unceremoniously on the table. Grabbing the pouch, Ye Fan's master opened it and held a dry tea leaf with his thumb and index finger. Inspecting it, he remarked with slight surprise. "9 Lives Leaves… How'd you get these?" The middle-aged man didn't respond and resumed the same posture he held before, hunched over holding the wooden cup of water with both his hands. Seeing that he was ignored, the immortal cultivator waved his hand and conjured a teapot filled with hot water. He placed the tea leaves into the teapot and waited for the tea to steep. Watching in silence, the boatman and Ye Fan ate the dry rations. Dry and hard biscuits had to be soaked in saliva and chewed extensively before swallowing, making eating an arduous process. Ye Fan's face showed clear displeasure as he made faces while he chewed. The boatman fared much better and placed more of his attention on the Immortal cultivator’s and the middle-aged man’s interactions than the biscuit and jerky. As the tea leaves steeped in the pot, the immortal cultivator continued to pester the rigid middle-aged man. "Could you tell us where we are? Although my boatman knows our general location, it would be better to know our exact location." The middle-aged man cast a side glance at his talkative guest but didn’t immediately respond. Observing the lack of response, the Immortal cultivator continued to sit in silence and waited for the tea to steep. It took a few minutes before the middle-aged man's stiff voice broke the silence. "This is Peach Blossom Village." "Peach Blossom Village… Boatman, does that ring a bell?" The Immortal cultivator turned towards the boatman and asked him. Swallowing the dry biscuit in a hurried manner, the boatman quickly replied to Ye Fan's master. "The nearest city on our path should be Crimson Snow City… On the way to your abode, the young master and I didn't stop in any villages for rest. I do not recall this village being here, but it may have been that I was just too tired and didn't notice. I apologize that I can't be much help, great Immortal Master." Saying his part, the boatman cupped his head and bowed. Ye Fan's master nodded lightly and gestured for the boatman to relax. "You have done the best you can. No one can fault you for such a minor oversight." The immortal cultivator turned towards the middle-aged man and continued his inquiry. "How far is your Peach Blossom Village from Crimson Snow City?" The middle-aged man stared at the cultivator and replied. "It'll be about half a day's journey downstream with an experienced boatman. But, I'm sure if you used your cultivation it would be much faster." The cultivator was quiet for a moment's time before he spoke up with another question. "Since this village is named after peach blossoms, do you have any peach blossom tea?" For once, Ye Fan's master seemed to show expression. His eyes shined expectantly with a tinge of melancholy. The middle-aged man replied woodenly. "It's the middle of Autumn. We do not have any peach blossoms." The Immortal cultivator retorted. "Do you not have any dried peach blossoms?" The middle-aged man turned back towards his wooden cup and stared into the clear water once more. All conversation stopped as they waited for the middle-aged man's response. While they were waiting, the tea had finished steeping. With a flick of his sleeves, Ye Fan's master conjured three elegant teacups: one for himself, one for the boatman, and the last for Ye Fan. Seeing this, the middle-aged man spoke up. "Where's mine." The teapot started to float as it was enveloped by a faint golden mist and filled the three teacups before settling back down in the middle of the table. Ignoring the shack owner's words, the Immortal cultivator picked up his teacup and took a sip. Seeing this, the middle-aged man asked again. "Where is my cup." The immortal cultivat