Cattaleya leaned back against the smooth stone, raising the wine jar to her lips and draining it in a single, long pull.
She didn’t even pause before reaching for another, popping the seal off with a casual flick of her thumb and taking another deep swig. The sharp aroma of immortal-grade liquor filled the night air, mingling with the faint fragrance of the lake water.
Lin Mu, sitting beside her with his legs crossed, watched with faint amusent as she downed two whole bottles without a break.
Her bronze-toned throat worked rhythmically as she swallowed, her flushed face a picture of stubborn determination. Only after finishing did she sigh loudly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Phew... that’s better. Needed to burn away all that tension," she muttered, setting the empty jar aside with a clink.
Lin Mu raised an eyebrow. "Cattaleya, is it fine drinking like that? Won’t you stumble into the lake again if you get drunk?"
Her eyes narrowed playfully as she leaned toward him. "Please. I was only acting like that because of the bombs you dropped on . Don’t flatter yourself."
Lin Mu chuckled. "Mm, if you say so."
She waved her hand dismissively, then after a pause, glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You know... my friends and family don’t call Cattaleya. They call Catt. If we’re going to be drinking together like this, you might as well call that too."
Lin Mu tilted his head slightly, then nodded. "Alright then. Catt."
A grin spread across her face. "Better. Much better."
The two sat in companionable silence for a few monts, the night air cool and refreshing after the heavy warmth of the banquet. Eventually, Catt broke the quiet, swirling the last drops of her third jar.
"So, tell , Lin Mu," she said casually, "where are you going once you’re done dealing with all that Ephera Sect shit?"
Lin Mu pursed his lips, his gaze drifting toward the rippling surface of the lake.
His fingers tapped against his knee in thought. "To be honest, I don’t have an exact destination yet. At least not for the ti being. I suppose I can go anywhere."
"Anywhere, huh?" Catt twirled the empty jar on her finger, curiosity sparkling in her slightly hazy eyes.
Lin Mu leaned back, resting on his hands. "I have a few places in mind. The Immortal Court, perhaps. Or the Great Kang Clan—I still have so matters tied there. I’ve also thought of visiting my friend Ziran. He’s on a demonic world. Oh, and Daoist Chu asked to stop by the Zenith Dao Sect at so point. So that’s another option."
Catt gave an approving hum, nodding with every option. "Not bad. All sound like good destinations. I haven’t been to the Immortal Court either, so that would be new. A Demonic World also sounds fun, I’ve been to a few. Demons are really nice sparring partners.
As for the Zenith Dao Sect... They have a presence in the Celestial world too, so it might be interesting to see how they fare in the Immortal realm." She thought over the options.
"But then again, I don’t really have limits on where I go, so I wouldn’t mind any of those. But—" she leaned closer, squinting at him with a teasing grin, "you said for the ti being. What did you an by ’It’ can change?"
Lin Mu was silent for a few heartbeats, then exhaled slowly. "I’m searching for sothing. A part of a legacy. But I don’t know where it is. So my path may change depending on the clues I find."
Her playful expression lted into one of interest. "A legacy? What are you looking for exactly?"
"I can’t say everything," Lin Mu admitted, "there are restrictions at play. But I can tell you this much—it’s a vault. A vault once held by the Virtuous Calamity Daoist."
The na made Catt frown instantly.
She set down her jar, her brow furrowing as mory stirred. "Virtuous Calamity Daoist... I’ve heard of him. A great immortal of the Immortal Court... but branded a traitor long ago. His na was whispered like both a curse and a warning." She shook her head. "Unfortunately, even I don’t know where his vault might be. If it still exists at all, it’s hidden far too well."
Lin Mu nodded calmly. "I expected as much. It’s not easy to find. I’ve already asked Lady Kang of the Great Kang Clan to help locate it. But even with her resources, it’ll take ti."
A thought ca to him then, and his expression shifted slightly. "Ah, speaking of Lady Kang... I also have a commission from her. To find her clan’s Seal. But that, too is on hiatus. She needs to determine where it was lost long ago before I can act."
Catt gave a long, low whistle, eyes widening slightly. "You sure have a lot on your plate."
Lin Mu smirked faintly, glancing at her. "More than most, yes."
She laughed, tossing her empty jar into the grass. "Well, I can’t say you’re boring, Lin Mu. Traveling with you is going to be like walking straight into the storm or perhaps finding so hidden paradise."
They two continued to chat as the night passed over a few more drinks.
The earlier tension lted away as if it never existed, and the two grew closer as friends. Lin Mu also had a lot of fun talking with Cattaleya, or rather Catt, as she was soone he could talk about things he could not talk to with Daoist Chu and ng Bai.
Things such as matters related to the Celestial realm. There were immortal realm’s restrictions in place, but since Cattaleya was from the Celestial realm, Lin Mu could at least talk about so relatively ’common’ matters.
While he could of course talk with his Master Xukong or even the Saintess, both weren’t exactly people he could talk to regularly. Xukong was deep in cultivation, and the Saintess was soone Lin Mu didn’t wish to bother unless necessary.
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