The morning after the market duel came with a brightness that felt different from other days. The light through the front windows seemed warmer, the air fresher, though Lin Xun suspected it was simply his own mood reflecting in the space. Word of the contest had spread fast.
The first customers arrived even before he had finished boiling the morning water. A pair of outer sect disciples in plain grey robes came in quietly, sat at the corner table, and ordered without speaking much. When they took their first sip, their expressions shifted the same way he had seen on the judges' faces... a small loosening in the shoulders, a breath held too long finally released.
More followed. Merchants, wandering cultivators, a pair of city guards on break. The Emerald Leaf's stools filled quickly, the chatter soft but constant. Some came because they had heard of his win, others because they had been there in the crowd. All of them seemed to expect something, and Lin Xun found himself listening more closely than usual, feeling the faint flow of Qi through each customer as they drank.
---
By midday, the kettle had been refilled four times. Shen Lan moved quietly among the tables, helping without being asked, her calm presence steadying the busy rhythm. She kept her sword within easy reach, and more than once, Lin Xun noticed her gaze drift to the open street, as though measuring the distance to the door.
When the rush finally eased, she brought her cup to the counter. "You are brewing faster," she said, watching him pour fresh water into the kettle.
"More practice," he replied. "And more… listening."
She tilted her head. "Listening?"
He gestured toward a customer finishing their cup. "The leaves speak when they meet the right hands. But so do the people who drink them. If I watch, if I listen, I can almost feel what they need before they ask."
Shen Lan studied him for a moment, then nodded once. "That will be useful."
---
The second day after the duel was quieter, though the shop still saw more customers than before. A young boy with a basket of herbs stopped by, trading a handful of wild mint for a half cup of yesterday's leaves. An older woman from the market square brought a small bag of dried lotus seeds as a gift, saying she had not tasted tea like his since her youth.
On the third morning, the rival's name came up for the first time. A merchant who had been at the contest leaned over his cup and said in a low voice, "The Crimson Kettle is still open, but fewer people are stopping there. He will not take that lightly."
Lin Xun nodded without comment, though he felt the words settle like a weight in the back of his mind. The rival was not gone. He was simply quiet for now.
---
When dusk came, Lin Xun closed the shop earlier than usual. The last customers left with their cups drained and their thanks offered. Shen Lan remained by the door until the latch clicked shut, then turned to him.
"You are going to meet him," she said, her tone flat but not disapproving.
"I am," he replied. "You heard what he said… leaves that grow where the sun never reaches."
"That is not a simple gift."
"No," Lin Xun agreed, "but good tea rarely grows in simple places."
She considered that, then reached for her cloak. "I will walk with you."
---
The southern gate lay at the edge of the merchant quarter, where the main road narrowed between tall, weathered buildings. Beyond it, the land sloped downward toward the river and the hills beyond. Lanterns burned low along the street, casting long shadows.
The man in grey waited just inside the open gate, standing as still as a carved post. When he saw them, he inclined his head but said nothing until they had drawn close.
"You came," he said simply.
"I did," Lin Xun replied.
The man's gaze flicked briefly to Shen Lan before returning to Lin Xun. "What I offer is not without risk. The leaves I spoke of grow in a place few dare to enter… the Hollow Valley."
Shen Lan's expression did not change, though Lin Xun saw the faint narrowing of her eyes.
"The valley lies east of the river," the man continued. "It is always in shadow, even at midday. The ground there drinks the light, and the air is heavy with damp. But the leaves that grow along the black stone cliffs… they are unlike any other. Brewed correctly, they can strengthen the flow of Qi in the meridians beyond what most would believe possible."
---
Lin Xun listened in silence.
"You will not find them easily," the man said. "And you will not be alone in seeking them. Beasts make their dens there. Some are harmless if left undisturbed. Others… not so."
He reached into his sleeve and produced a small, folded piece of cloth. When opened, it revealed a single, withered leaf, black with faint silver veins. The scent that rose from it was faint but sharp, like cold rain on stone.
"This is from the last harvest," the man said. "You may keep it as proof that I speak truth."
Lin Xun accepted the leaf with care, feeling the strange pulse of energy within it. "Why bring this to me?"
The man's eyes were unreadable. "Because you listen to the leaves. And the valley needs someone who listens."
---
Without another word, he turned and walked into the deeper shadow beyond the gate, vanishing as if the night had swallowed him whole.
Shen Lan stood beside Lin Xun for a long moment before speaking. "This could be a trap."
"It could," Lin Xun agreed. "Or it could be the start of something worth the risk."
She glanced at the cloth in his hand. "Either way, I will be coming with you."
Lin Xun smiled faintly. "I was counting on it."
They began the walk back to the Emerald Leaf, the streets quieter now, the night air cool against their faces. The leaf in Lin Xun's pocket felt heavier than its size should allow, as though it carried the weight of the valley itself.
By the time they reached the shop, the moon was high, casting silver light across the floorboards. Lin Xun set the leaf on the counter and looked at it one last time before turning down the lamps.
Three days had passed since the market duel, and already the next path was opening.
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