Qiu Yunru straightened up, quickly pinning this person as a participating disciple. They wore the blue and green silken robes of Fan Yao peak. Judging by the level of spiritual energy circulating around them, they stood at a high Golden Core status.
"I'm a mere disciple from the Jade Clouds Sect," He said humbly, giving a courtesy. "Who might you be?"
He had a feeling that he already knew, but figured it was most polite to ask.
"Ah." The person smiled, brushing bristles and charred leaves off their arms. "I see. And I'm a mere disciple of Fan Yao Peak. Shall we be more specific?" Their eyes glittered with playfulness.
However, Qiu Yunru had the creeping feeling that they already knew who he was. What's more, he felt slightly uneasy.
"This one is called Qiu Yunru. And you?"
The person quirked the corner of their lip, bowing their head slightly. "Then, I'm your senior. I'm Tian Shu of Fan Yao Peak. It's good to meet you. I had been hoping to."
Tian Shu of Fan Yao Peak--the number one favorite for winner of the competition! Her dress made a little sense now. In his research, Qiu Yunru had indeed heard that Tian Shu had eccentric tastes, and likes to wear men's clothes.
And she had supposedly been hoping to meet him...Qiu Yunru stowed this piece of information away. Why would she hope to cross paths with someone so far down the competitor favorite list from her? Perhaps it was that he also studied alchemy.
"I see," Qiu Yunru said, bowing once again respectfully. "It's good to meet you, Tian-qianbei. I see you've entered my preparation area."
Tian Shu had already begun to stroll around. The more Qiu Yunru looked at her, the more masculine he saw that he fashion was. Though her face was beautifully sculpted and clearly a woman's, her clothes were men's clothes, her hair was tied back in a masculine bun, and her hands were calloused, rather than smooth.
She was busy inspecting all of the things Qiu Yunru had been diligently working on. She clasped her hands behind her back and looked over his series of pastes and powders with a sparkling eye, nodding her head and rubbing her chin.
"Yes, yes," She said quietly. "Quite good. You're better than they say, then. Much better. Where did you learn about the plants of Heixi Gorge?"
"Ah...It's really nothing," Qiu Yunru said quickly. "I just found some old texts in our sect's central library."
"Really?" Tian Shu murmured, seeming surprised. "It's rare to find such texts, considering the rarity of these ingredients. The Jade Clouds Sect is truly impressive."
Qiu Yunru sighed in relief. Obviously, he couldn't tell her that his knowledge came from the experience of living one hundreds lives in similar worlds that all had the same ingredients with the same properties...haha...
However, he was also beginning to get worried.
He had really hoped he would be able to keep his plans a secret from other disciples before sunset. That way, his great advantage of alchemical knowledge could be kept a secret until it was time to strike. But now, it seemed that wouldn't be possible.
Tian Shu was a certified genius. If she was half as smart as he'd heard, then she had certainly figured out by now that he had been underestimated by the competition predictors. Since he didn't know whether she was a conniving or honest person, this was a risk that made Qiu Yunru nervous. He needed to get her out of here as quickly as possible, then check to make sure she hadn't changed anything once she was gone.
"Tian-qianbei," He piped up. "What brings you here? Have you completed your own preparations?"
Tian Shu rubbed her chin thoughtfully, looking up at the sky. "Indeed, I have," She murmured. "I was a little bored."
Bored? During the highest-stakes competition in this region of the Central Plains...? How much of a genius do you have to be to become so confident in yourself...ah...
Qiu Yunru mourned his own brain. If only he had been born with that kind of mental fortitude!
"I see," he said. "I have a few more preparations to complete."
What he said was one thing; what he meant, was: Get out, kindly!
Tian Shu's eyes glittered, and she looked at him sideways. Qiu Yunru hadn't realized how tall she was; she had to be around Li Chenyuan's height, if not even taller. Lithe and strong, she looked like a martial goddess.
What a toned figure for an alchemical cutlivator!
"I see that you need me to leave," She said. She sighed, stretching her arms up to the sky. "Would you allow me to sit a moment? I've been running around all day, and it would be good to get a few minutes of rest before the puppets arrive."
Qiu Yunru thought about this quickly. Was it a strange request? He certainly felt it was. But he neither wanted to come off as rude nor overly suspicious, so he nodded and agreed. He would just have to watch her carefully.
"Why don't you come and sit with me?" Tian Shu smiled, patting the ground next to her as she lounged back. "I'd like to get to know you more, Qiu-wanbei."
Qiu Yunru floundered. He really hadn't meant to get into a one-on-one small talk interaction. If there was anything he hated most in the world, it was these kinds of moments! But what could he do? He had already invited her to rest--wouldn't it be rude now to stand while she asked him to sit, as his senior? Qiu Yunru went to go and sit.
However, as he approached, he suddenly stopped. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
"Tian-qianbei..."
"What is it?" She asked warmly, patting the ground again. "Don't tell me you're confessing to me already!"
Qiu Yunru's face burned, but his eyes were cold. "Why have you scattered Binding Ink Powder in the grass?"