[ things have already been rather tricky for many alphas and omegas that call the xianzhou alliance home, at least those with a very large presence and an abundance of pheromones, but things have been even more difficult since the ambrosial arbor's reawakening. something in the damned tree, the so-called gift from laoshi, exacerbates symptoms of heats and ruts, making them more frequent. making the individual more mindless, sometimes more sex-crazed in the worst of them.

and they can trigger others if their pheromones are strong enough. the betas and automatons should not be left to contend with this at best, and at worse... well. he tries not to think about it.

jing yuan holds onto his faculties well enough through sheer determination (and age, leading to experience aiding him). but he has been through oh so many omegas before the bloom of a reawakened ambrosial arbor, it's only worse, now.

a proposal, from a party that does trade with the xianzhou - and, specifically, the luofu - does intrigue him. someone that could stand up to the general himself. perhaps even help to stabilize his ruts, make them less intense, less frequent. he smiles serenely during the talks, as he always does when his own tensions aren't high. he's recently off a rut, so his mind is unfogged, clarity not needing to hold on by the fingernails. caelus is... interesting. quiet. something stands out to him.

so, once he has the chance - they're out, under the guise of getting to know one another. jing yuan isn't inclined towards bedding unwilling partners, and this deal being proposed niggles at something in the back of his head, instincts sharp, alert.

still, the smile upticks at the corners into something beyond his default when caelus says that. amused. ]

I'm afraid that I am, primarily, married to my job. It can make for "getting out there" being difficult.

Likewise, though, I'm surprised you're not already spoken for.