The interior of the Seven-Treasures Pavilion was cooled by formation arrays embedded in the brass floorboards, circulating a faint, crisp mist that smelled of cedar and crushed spirit-herbs. Glass display cases lined the walls, lit from within by low-grade illumination stones, showcasing rare minerals, Grade-2 spirit-herbs, and low-grade spirit armor.
Lin Xuan led Lin Chen through the grand hall, his eyes sweeping over the displays with cold evaluation.
Standard array work, he noted silently beneath his deep hood. The thermal regulation is off by three degrees near the northern display. They are wasting low-grade spirit stones just to keep the mist looking impressive for buyers.
They approached the main mahogany counter, where a plump, middle-aged supervisor wearing silk robes was leafing through a ledger. The supervisor glanced up, his sharp eyes taking in their coarse wool cloaks. He didn't offer a bow, but his professional smile remained practiced and smooth.
"Welcome to the Seven-Treasures Pavilion," the supervisor said, his voice dripping with polite indifference. "Are you selling raw mountain goods, or looking for specific pill ingredients?"
Lin Xuan didn't waste time on pleasantries. He reached into his cloak, placing a small leather pouch onto the counter with a dull clink.
"I need two stems of Grade-2 Spirit-Cleansing Lotus," Lin Xuan said, keeping his voice low and flat, deepening his tone slightly to obscure his young age. "And three ounces of Cold-Pith Root. Clean stalks, harvested within the last month."
The supervisor raised an eyebrow. Grade-2 herbs were not cheap; a pair of Spirit-Cleansing Lotuses cost at least thirty low-grade spirit stones—a small fortune for ordinary mercenaries. He reached out, unlying the pouch, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw ten sparkling, cut spirit stones resting beside a stack of high-denomination copper notes.
"Ah, a valued customer," the supervisor’s tone shifted instantly, leaning forward with newfound attentiveness. "Wait here a moment. The Spirit-Cleansing Lotus is kept in our inner cold-vault. I will have a clerk fetch them immediately."
As the supervisor hurried toward the rear storage rooms, Lin Chen leaned closer to Lin Xuan, her voice barely audible under her hood. "Xuan'er, thirty spirit stones... that's half of Uncle Shan's monthly allocation for our courtyard." You are reading on novelping . com, the official source.
"Currency is merely a medium of exchange, Chen'er," Lin Xuan replied calmly, his hands tucked into his sleeves. "Your meridian optimization will increase your Qi absorption speed by thirty percent. The return on investment far outweighs a handful of unrefined spirit stones."
While they waited, a loud commotion broke out near the pavilion's grand entrance.
The heavy ironwood doors swung open, and a tall, broad-shouldered youth strutted inside, flanked by four uniformed guards carrying broadswords. The youth was around sixteen years old, wearing a fur-collared leather coat embroidered with a dark bear head motif. His aura was unrefined, heavy, and aggressive—pulsing firmly at Level 1, Sub-Level 4 of Qi Gathering.
It was Iron-Bear Clan young master Xiong Wei.
"Supervisor Zhang!" Xiong Wei shouted, his booming voice echoing across the quiet hall, instantly drawing the attention of several wealthy patrons. "Fetch me the Grade-2 Earth-Vein Pill! My father said it was reserved for me yesterday!"
The floor clerks instantly bowed low, hurrying to serve the young master of the local ruling clan.
Lin Xuan didn't turn his head, keeping his hood down and his breath cycle completely suppressed. But internally, his dark eyes narrowed as he analyzed Xiong Wei's physical structure.
Level 1, Sub-Level 4 at sixteen years old, Lin Xuan thought, a faint, cold smirk touching his lips beneath the shadow of his hood. His posture is heavy, his shoulders are misaligned by two centimeters, and his Fire-element aura is leaking raw energy through his lower dantian. A brute force engine with terrible fuel economy.
Despite the disguise, Lin Xuan’s supreme internal arrogance remained untouched. To him, the young master of Mistbrook was just another primitive backwoods cultivator wasting his potential.
"Here are your Grade-2 herbs, valued guest," the supervisor returned quickly, placing a small mahogany box onto the counter to avoid keeping Xiong Wei waiting. New chapters come out on NovelPing first.
Lin Xuan reached out, opening the box slightly to verify the blue-veined lotus leaves and cold-pith roots inside. The energetic purity was satisfactory.
"The transaction is complete," Lin Xuan said, closing the box, storing it beneath his cloak, and turning to leave.
"Hold on!"
A harsh, booming voice cut through the air.
Lin Xuan paused, his foot hovering an inch above the brass floorboards. Beside him, Lin Chen’s breath hitched in her throat.
Xiong Wei had stepped into their path, his heavy boots coming to a stop three paces away. The Iron-Bear young master squinted down at the two cloaked figures, his eyes locking onto the small, delicate frame of Lin Chen and the faint, unmistakable scent of Grade-2 spirit herbs lingering around them.
"Who are you two?" Xiong Wei asked, his lips curving into a sneer as his guards fanned out behind him. "Covering your faces in my family's town? Take off those hoods."