"I know the way to the pharmacy from the eastern entrance of the cultivator's open market," Song Hua said. "If you could lead us there…"

"Mm. Let's go?"

The city didn't look any different than when Wan Yu last saw it, though given it had been only a week or so, that wasn't a surprise. Wan Yu navigated them around the streets and its people, musing that it wasn't hard to find the cultivator's market from smell alone— enough people brought hunted beasts and animal parts it colored the air, dying it with a red, iron scent and a hint of rot.

The eastern entrance, an old thing made of wood, looked sad in the shadow of the afternoon. Wan Yu waited for Song Hua to orient himself to the sounds of nearby spots— a permanent stall selling cured meat and skewers, a workshop alive with the sounds of zithers plucked and wood being carved and polished, a dark store that, for reasons Wan Yu didn't know, kept releasing sounds akin to growls— before letting Song Hua lead the way, still pulling at his arm. The sounds of his walking stick against the ground melted into the background, right at home, not a curiosity, a limitation.

The pharmacy was not far. It was pretty big, possibly the biggest in town; when they entered, someone was waiting at the door, as if to greet anyone important coming in. But he stopped short upon seeing Song Hua, and let them both through without a word. They went up to the counter, where three people were serving several customers. It was a few minutes before one was free enough to come over.

"Immortal Song, you've returned," the middle-aged woman greeted with a smile. "Are you here to sell herbs, or is it something else?"

Wan Yu turned to him, waiting for him to answer. Though Song Hua couldn't see it, he surely must've felt it, because he tilted his head this tiniest bit in Wan Yu's direction as he answered, "I am here to buy several things. Do you still have Lady's Umbrella and Di-bird powder?"

At that, the medicine lady frowned. "Hmm… We do have some Di-bird powder, though it's not much. We do have shipment, it's just they're not yet dry. As for Lady's Umbrella, you're out of luck, I'm sorry. Shipments out of Yibi did arrive, but unfortunately they didn't send much this spring. Most of our stock is already purchased, and the rest reserved."

A certain name made Wan Yu pause. "Yibi?"

"Mm. Lady's Umbrella is native to Slumbering Dragon Mountain. It only grows in certain peaks abundant with spiritual qi, and other than the small, cultivated garden of it in White Swallow Sect, they're unfortunately the only source of the ingredient. Twice a year, they ship out what amount they'd sell to the general public."

"And White Swallow Sect?" Song Hua asked.

The woman shook her head. "They barely have enough for their own needs. Growing these outside their native habitat is apparently a struggle, hence their name being such. The locals believed it was a plant specifically given to them by their winter goddess."

Wan Yu turned to Song Hua. "What now, then? I'll follow what you decide."

Song Hua hesitated. "Is there not even a bit?"

Pursing her lips, the medicine lady hummed before pushing herself away from the counter. She went to the numerous cabinets lining the wall, opening several, before returning with a small paper pack. "There's only this much. How much does the prescription require? May I take a look?"

Wan Yu handed the scrap of paper to her. When she saw it, she paused.

"You're running errands for an influential family, huh. Next time, tell them to come reserve earlier."

That baffled Wan Yu. "What?"

"Lady's Umbrella is expensive," she said, sensing something wrong with Wan Yu's response. "This pack is 2 mid-grade lingshi. If this prescription is as it says, that's for a week."

Wan Yu blinked.

A mid-grade lingshi was anywhere from 8 to 12 silver taels, depending on where it was spent. Wan Yu was not too surprised by this price, given what he knew of jianghu medicine; they liked rare ingredients from dangerous sources, and price thus rose accordingly. Wan Yu had sold these medicine ingredients too, as a way to get quicker money. But…

The Sun madame had given him 15 taels, clearly indicating this was, roughly, her budget. How did she afford…?

Even that amount was incredible, given her situation. A family of two like that would already be eating comfortably with a quarter that amount. But it didn't change the fact that 15 taels was not enough for even this week's portion of Lady's Umbrella. What about the rest?

Wan Yu, feeling slightly lost, turned to Song Hua for answers. Song Hua stared down at the counter before looking up. "How much is the Di-bird powder?"

The lady seemed to sympathize with them. "The amount needed isn't too bad. For what's written, it's a mid-grade lingshi. Would you like it converted to taels?"

"Lingshi is easier," Wan Yu said. "I… We'll take the powder, but… It's, well, I'm also wondering if…"

He did still have some lingshi, enough to cover this. But then what? It would still not be enough.

The feeling setting in his gut was once again helplessness. He knew he should just get what he could and leave the rest to Jingjing's mother, but…

"You might be able to get it for somewhat cheaper if you go to Yibi yourself, to be honest," she said, with a slight shrug. Her expression, however, showed how little faith she had in that method. "It's just, well, Yibi is the city of Frozen Dragon Sect. You two don't seem to be from any wulin sect, maybe you'll have a better chance, but it still won't be that much cheaper. That Yibi cut down on the supplies can only mean they had reduced yield, or they need it. They're simply not selling much of it."

They fell silent once more, the weight of the decision apparent. The lady, perhaps out of kindness, didn't leave them as they deliberated to go do other tasks; she only waited, seeming ready to answer further questions.

But in the end, Wan Yu spoke up. Perhaps it was because the money had been given to him. "What about the other two ingredients? I'll take it, I guess. The Lady's Umbrella, Di-bird powder, and the two others."

The lady looked him in the eyes. "That would total three mid-grade lingshi and four low-grade ones."

Sighing, Wan Yu pulled out his own money pouch. "I know. But medicine, can you really refuse to buy it?"

The money from the night hunt had been spent for the long journey; Wan Yu was down to the ones he'd gathered up in Qunan. After this, he would need to go check on bounties so that they could travel the rest of the way to Yezhou without running themselves ragged. Wan Yu could take it, but he preferred that Quan Su didn't have to. After seeing that Wan Yu was certain, the medicine woman packed them up, and Wan Yu paid.

"Yibi always purchases herbs and medicines for the cold at a good price," she told Song Hua. "If you're really planning to try and get the rest, or cover this expense, you can try that. Selling it here has little worth, but in Yibi, it can be up to ten times as valuable. The weather is growing cold again. It's a double edged sword, going there, but it's an option."

"Thank you very much," Song Hua said. Giving a silent nod, Wan Yu took the medicine and put it away.

There was a certain kind of relief from having made a decision, even when the decision was not the best. As they walked out, Wan Yu felt much lighter, though perhaps not happier; should issues come up, that would be for the future. Each lost in their own thoughts, they walked with no aim in mind, not even thinking about lodging.

But Wan Yu was still paying attention to the road. Thanks to its location, Heiwu didn't have too many arrogant wulin sect disciples nor openly demonic ones either, so people weren't too arrogant. Still, he navigated the streets with care, making sure to give Song Hua ample warnings about streetside carts or stalls. As he walked, he paused for a moment.

"Wait, Song-xiong, I see mung bean cakes. I want a couple."

If Song Hua wasn't wearing a blindfold, perhaps he would've blinked in confusion. "After all that…?"

Spending, no doubt, was what he meant. But Wan Yu had already spent so much. He had little money left, but. "I'm already about to run out of money. What's a couple of cakes? It can't get much worse."

Song Hua, "......"

Since Wan Yu was an adult who knew the decisions he was making, Song Hua didn't stop him. He only got two small boxes, anyway, one of which he had put away. The other one, he plopped open and ate from, poking at Song Hua to try too.

It's not as good as the one he'd eaten before, the texture a bit coarser and scratchier. But it made sense, he supposed; a lot of cultivators refrained from eating these kinds of frivolity and as such, these were most likely for the local mortals to snack on. They were mere merchants and normal craftsmen, people who worked with nothing truly special, and their income would limit them to simpler foods like this.

"Let's find a place to stay the night," Song Hua said. His grip on Wan Yu's arm tightened for a second before loosening, like he was nervous. "You've spent so much. I will handle lodging and food."

"Then I'll leave my measly life in your hands, Song-xiong."

Before that, though, the two agreed to get food. To get here quickly, they'd forgone stopping to eat. It was no hardship to delay a meal for several hours, but now they truly were hungry. This time, the two of them compared places they ate at during their different stays in Heiwu, and decided to go with the one Wan Yu had. They sat down, and before long, the dishes they'd ordered came out.

"Do you think we should go to Yibi?" Wan Yu asked as he started picking up some tofu. The plates of vegetables and chicken he knew Song Hua liked he pushed closer to him, making sure he made just enough noise in the move that Song Hua could better determine its position. Eating with Song Hua was always a time intensive affair, but so was most things; but it was another way to learn how to savor time, to truly make it worth the while. Wan Yu slowed down the pace of his eating.

"It might be, if it doesn't take too long," Song Hua answered. He ate a bite and chewed on it slowly, before continuing, "If nothing else, I do have a stock of herbs and pills that can be sold there. It might not be worth much, but it can return to you some of your lingshi."

Wan Yu made a small noise. "What's gone is gone. I can always work for more. I may have to make a bit of a detour, but I don't think Xiao Su and I will reach the point of being destitute. But honestly, if it's Lady's Umbrella for just a week… Before we go our way, a second trip would be expected of us anyway."

Song Hua hummed. 

"If you're not too tired, Song-xiong, we can start heading up the mountain starting tonight. It won't be impossible to reach there in a day, I think. Just beware, it gets cold. Even with cultivation it's something to actively keep an eye on."

"I did hear once that the founders of the Frozen Dragon Sect had been survivors of an extreme winter," Song Hua commented. "They were a cultivator family, but only a handful lived through it. Perhaps that was the difference between cold brought by natural weather and one brought on by gods. They worship the winter god, don't they…"

"Yeah. Her, and their dragon god."

"I may have leftover pills to handle the cold. It won't stop the chill, but it will make it bearable."

Wan Yu finished his bowl of rice. "I also have a spare cloak. You can wear that."

Wan Yu did not. But his cultivation base was higher than Song Hua's, and someplace deep in his guts, he was convinced that he had handled worse temperatures.

They finished eating, and Song Hua paid. With the sun sliding westward, they headed for the exit out of town. Heiwu was a cultivator's trading hub. Everyone came and went without much fanfare, and nobody made a comment about the several other people making their way to a demonic sect's city. There were only a few of these people, though. Wan Yu murmured about them to Song Hua in a hushed voice, pausing whenever they caught wind of the supposed wolves that roamed the mountains. Night descended, but it was only once they reached a plateau well past midnight that they stopped to rest.

Song Hua's voice had a tremble to it, one that came deep from the belly. "I was not expecting… this cold."

Wan Yu, too, felt it. His cultivation made it still bearable, where he could feel the bone-piercing wind but stand steady despite it. The two of them stepped into the line of trees, hoping it would break some of the wind, and settled down.

"Here, a cloak, should keep the wind away. We'll have to stick close if we want to stay warm though. Do you mind, Song-xiong?"

Without a word, Song Hua took the cloak given to him, sat down on the ground, covered his front again and kept one side open, as if waiting for Wan Yu to come sit next to him and share the cover. Wan Yu did so, saying nothing. They feel asleep leaning against the tree, Wan Yu's head resting against the nook of Song Hua's neck, having gotten there at some point in the night. He did not dream; at the same time, it might have been because he kept stirring awake at the slightest sound in this mountain forest.

They rose alongside the sun, and Wan Yu shook his head and didn't take the cloak when handed back to him. "Keep it. It's still cold."

"You won't wear one?" You did mention a spare.

"Nah. It's not that far anyway, the town."

That doesn't answer the question, actually. They were still going higher up, after all, and it would only get colder. Even now, in this early morning, fog was thick as it rolled down on them like relentless waves. Whenever it abated, it would return with renewed intensity. 

The two of them resumed their ascent, this time on foot. Movement helped, while the speed the sword provided only served to make the winds more biting.

"With the weather like this, I see why they value herbs and medicine so much," Song Hua murmured. The bottom of his stick made dull, rhythmic clacks as it found purchase on the hard ground. The slope forced him to raise his arm higher, exposing it to the cold; Wan Yu couldn’t help but feel distressed seeing the way veins jumped to the surface on the back of his hand as he readjusted his grip, his calloused fingers reddened by the temperature. "We might as well sell the cold-resistance pills."

"The decision is in your hands, Song-xiong."

Things became more bearable as the sun rose. Song Hua's face was flushed too, though the cloak kept his body warm. Wan Yu, dressed in multiple layers, still had hands that looked far too red. But hours passed without pause, and finally, they reached the city gates.

It was just as imposing as it had been last time. Now, though, the gates were open, and two guards were visibly standing by, thickly dressed with fur collars. Wan Yu and Song Hua watched as an unfamiliar group were, after a long conversation, admitted in. Once it was their turn, the guard glanced at them.

"Name and purpose?"

"Wan Rushu, Song Hua, we want to go to the pharmacy for medicine."

The guard on the left had deep, inquisitive eyes as he scanned the two of them. Judging by the fact that Wan Yu could tell the level of it, though, meant that he was just someone average, perhaps not even of the sect proper. After checking for several things, he hummed and took a step back, his fellow guard following suit. He looked at Wan Yu.

"Mm. Follow the main road for about 3 li, it's to the left. Don't linger too long. It will hail in several days."

Song Hua's expression twisted in bafflement. In summer?

But Wan Yu led him into the town before he could linger on the thought further. As they walked down the rather empty streets, Song Hua said, "That was easier than I thought."

"Probably because we're looking to get medicine, and there's just the two of us," Wan Yu said, shrugging. "They heavily guard this town, yanno. They're hardly all the security here."

The presence of the patrol was obscured back during the festival, but in today’s quiet, they felt like the most noticeable thing around. Several people came out of the buildings to cross the street and go to another, but very few of them traversed the streets for too long. The braziers keeping the place warm seemed to be at full blast. The two of them hurried down the streets until they found the pharmacy. After checking that this was the place, they entered without a pause, eager to get out of the cold.

Warmth hit them in the face the second they lifted the heavy drapes at the entrance. Between the sound of the doors and the fabric falling with a muffled smack, the man behind the counter had already put aside what he was doing to look at the newcomers by the time Wan Yu looked up.

"Good afternoon, Immortals. How may I help you?"

Despite the size of the store, only this one man was here, his serious face lacking much of a smile. But his conduct was still professional as he waited for the two to answer, body language revealing no trace of impatience, only utmost attention. He also did not bat an eye at Song Hua, not jumping into the conclusion that he was a sick patient despite him still holding on to Wan Yu for navigation.

"Two things, I guess." Wan Yu tapped Song Hua's hand, who then stepped forward and put on the table a small qiankun pouch.

"I would like to sell these, please."

The pharmacist nodded as he came over to open the pouch and sort through the items. There was quite a lot of it; it made Wan Yu wonder if Song Hua took out his entire stock. Rattling of pills in bottles and rustles of dried herbs filled the air as they went through everything. "These are warm source pills?"

“That bottle is. The other one is to restrict flow in the extremities and promote warmth in the core, so that someone who is in the cold for too long does not lose too much heat.”

The two talked about the herbs and pills for a while longer, the pharmacist humming and taking mental notes as they went on. After some time, he put the things aside, promising that he would count it out afterwards, and turned to Wan Yu. “The other thing?”

Wan Yu startled, having tuned out the conversation long ago, and scrambled before he handed over the prescription. "I'm wondering how much the Lady's Umbrella would cost here."

“Lady’s Umbrella? That… We’ll have to see.” Taking the prescription, he gave it a quick glance at first, but then his gaze slowed as he went further down the list. The man fell silent before looking up from the scrap of paper, saying, "Give me a moment, I need to check in the back to see if we have any left."

"Take your time."

As the door closed, silence fell. Wan Yu leaned against the counter as he looked around, taking in the sight of the big store, with its brazier in the corner keeping the space warm. Song Hua had relaxed a bit, not that it was that visible— the slight slump in his shoulders seemed to say that he was relieved that they could handle the matter of Jingjing's prescription a bit better. There was the sound of something swinging open, then several muted thuds. Wan Yu, yawning, turned his attention elsewhere and started to fiddle.

But then the front door opened with a slam.

"Stay where you are and do not move," a voice said, harsh and loud in the quiet day. Wan Yu and Song Hua, startled, turned to where it came from. Three strangers dressed in Frozen Dragon Sect uniforms had blocked entry, with two blades crossing into an X over the doorway, and a talisman plastered on last for good measure. "You are not to go anywhere until we permit it."