Chapter 888

It turned out, despite Yang’s pouting that eventually she caved because the food smelled nice to her. Perhaps the fact she hadn’t eaten in days, but Kat liked to think she’d cooked it all well, ignoring the taste of it when she tried a second one, risking the tiniest bit of salt as well. Kat only gagged slightly at the start, and forgot about it afterwards. Probably wasn’t worth it because the meat definitely still needed more salt but it was enough for now.

Lily was quickly woken by the smell of cooking meat and made her way over. She took some of the raw stuff when she saw Yang chomp through her fourth patty in just as many minutes, which was actually her sixth considering Lily missed the first two. Kat even had to do up some more mince but it wasn’t too much of an issue for someone of her speed and strength.

When the meal was finished, Kat finally asked, “So do you want to know what happened for real or not?”

Yang sighed, “No, no I do not... but Xuena would kill me if I didn’t take the time to catalogue a unique poison for her and how it was treated. So I guess I’m going to have to ask you to tell me despite my displeasure,”

Kat wasn’t sure how to react to that statement until Yang pulled out a light blue notebook with ‘Yang’s Sickly Poison and Stupid Mistakes for Xuena’. Kat felt the book strike a cord in her heart. It was the kind of dumb name that she could see Lily coming up with for her notebooks on occasion. It was also a very best friend to do. *Shit. Do I actually think Yang is an admirable person now? ... No she’s still a bit of a cunt but she has a best friend too. So while I don’t like her much more... I will make sure Xuena manages to escape safely. Even if I have to take some risks.*

With that in mind, Kat started to explain, “Well I’m not sure how much you remember so I’ll start right at the beginning even stuff you likely already know...” Kat started from the beginning, explaining the symptoms for Yang mostly, and touching on when Xiang seemed to have difference symptoms. This continued easily until Kat got to the more gruesome details involving the poison after they’d been at the brook for a few days. Then when Kat started to go into the salt... Yang’s hands were shaking.

Yang actually had to go up and vomit behind the tree. Apparently Kat’s detailed recount brought up lost memories of the smell, “That... oh god that really happened. I... I can’t believe you managed to get through it all while taking care of us both... ugh...”

.....

“If it makes you feel better, know that both Lily and I have better senses then you,” added Kat.

Yang shivered. “You do know I don’t wish harm on people right? I mean... I wouldn’t wish that on anyone!”

Kat raised an unamused eyebrow, “I stand by what I said,” Yang retorted, “I don’t wish harm on people. Sure I yell a bit... and people are regularly idiots but to inflict something like that on someone... I don’t really have the stomach for it and I hope I never will. Cultivation is a tough rode but... well... this whole thing has really been a step too far I think. Especially when you consider this was apparently just the diluted stuff.

“I’m not sure what the sect could have possibly done to justify this particular poison masters ire. I mean... a whole sect subjected to this? I already mentioned that I can barely comprehend that sort of thing for enemies... but to take out an entire sect with it... I just don’t know how someone could ever think that sort of thing is acceptable...”

*Do I point out she probably gets sexual satisfaction from arguing? Hmm... no she’s just barely recovered. Maybe point out it’s possible?* “Sexual Gratification?” suggested Kat aloud.

Yang looked mortified for a second before pausing, letting the gears turn in her mind and consider the idea a bit more seriously. “Gods I hope not. That... that sort of thing isn’t something you can properly reason with,” *we noticed Yang* “and if they’re already at that stage... they’ve obviously decided it’s worth it... and if it’s worth it to them... damn hard to talk someone down from that sort of position. I think I have a new least favourite cultivator type.”

“What was it before?” asked Lily, returning to human form in Kat’s lap just for a moment to ask the question.

Yang glanced down at Lily before looking away, “You guys might think it’s silly... but I sort of had a grudge against moon cultivators. They haven’t even done anything but I thought for quite a long time that they were my biggest counter. So I researched pretty extensively about them for years to try and make sure they’d never be an issue for me...

“It was only much later when Xuena asked me why, and I explained, that she also explained. Just how stupid that was. They aren’t opposites at all but complimentary elements. They aren’t terribly effective against each other sure, but the sun cultivator is no better or worse off. After that... I didn’t really have any major issues with any one type...

“Until now that is. Fuck poison cultivators,” hissed Yang.

Lily, deciding this was too good a chance to miss transformed again, “But poison cultivators and medical cultivators are basically the same except with an attitude difference.”

Yang didn’t even hesitate for a moment, “That little bit of attitude makes a massive difference to me. Xuena, despite being an iced focused cultivator is also a medicinal based one as well. Did you really think I would walk right into that trap?”

Now, Lily, unlike Kat, could lie in this situation... but she was so much more interested in seeing how this went. “Yes. Yes I very much did,” this time Lily stayed human for the follow up.

Yang scrunched her face up for a few moments. The temptation to yell building but she pushed it down. “Why?”

“Huh” mumbled Lily. “Well I expected you to fly off the handle at least a little bit. You seem to take any chance you can to get into an argument, and the only way for you to be doing that so consistently is either you’re not smart enough to understand basic concepts, which I doubt, or you go actively looking for arguments and then use your intellect to keep those arguments going. It’s the only way.”

“Is it really that obvious?” asked Yang surprised.

“Wait... I was right?!” choked out Lily.

“Why did you ask that if you didn’t think you were right?!” said Yang, stepping up a bit in volume.

“Well... I mean... I thought I was probably right... but I thought you’d just deny it, either convincingly or unconvincingly and I’d go from there... just admitting it... that wasn’t really in my cards,” said Lily.

“You do realise that self-reflection and understanding are important for cultivation? It’s quite hard to advance more complex things if you don’t know yourself well enough. Sure I don’t always reflect on everything, but it IS a rather large part of my personality,” explained Yang.

Lily could feel her mind shuddering as it tried to process this. “But... but why? If you know and you are fully aware... and willing to admit it... why?”

“Oh I wouldn’t admit it to just anyone,” said Yang easily, “but I trust you enough at this point to not spread it around. You’ve mentioned quite a few times you could just leave me to die but you obviously didn’t, Kat even risked my ire to make sure I healed better. To answer the other part of the question, because I really do enjoy it.

“I can’t say I know why I enjoy it precisely, but I do very much enjoy it, and I use it to annoy a lot of people I don’t like. I’m still not really a big fan of you both... but it’s also quite clear you’re devoted to each other so... I’m willing to give you at least a bit of a peak behind the curtain,” said Yang.

“Why does that last part matter?” asked Kat confused.

Yang sighed and said, “I suspect Xiang is destined for great things. Perhaps it’s just female intuition, but I can practically FEEL the strings of fate binding him tightly. I want to ride that wave. I just assumed you were both interested in him and faking a relationship to get closer at the start. Oh, and he’s hot.”

“Is he?” asked Kat and Lily at the same time as they glanced over at Xiang.

Yang slapped a hand over her face. “Why did I ever think you pair were competition at all when you do stuff like this. Maybe I really am slipping a bit with all this anger to miss signs this blatant. There’s easy to spot and then there’s a punch to your face...”