CHAPTER 9: The Merchant's Smile
The hut was quiet, save for the faint scratch of pages turning. Lin Tian sat cross-legged at the low table, the Elementary Herbal Codex spread open before him. His eyes roamed the dense diagrams and cramped script, but his mind wasn't on the words. Every character, every drawing, already glimmered in perfect detail behind his eyelids, engraved there by the Map's golden scan.
To Yun He, however, he had to look the part of a dutiful apprentice. So he turned the pages slowly, lips moving faintly as if sounding out the terms.
"You make a fine actor," the Map snorted in his head. "Eyes empty, mouth twitching—ah, the image of diligence. Truly, you could fool an immortal."
Quiet, Lin Tian thought sharply, though the corner of his lips tugged upward.
Across the room, Yun He finished checking a set of jars, then turned toward the worktable. His gaze flicked to the boy, lingering just long enough to see the Codex open before him. Without a word, he approached and placed a small jade box on the table.
Lin Tian looked up, startled. "Elder?"
The box opened with a soft click. Inside, two round pills rested, smooth as polished jade, their faint glow giving off a subtle warmth that filled the air.
"High-Grade Body Nourishing Pills," Yun He said, his voice steady but curt. "Take them."
Lin Tian's breath caught. He'd seen outer disciples fight over a single low-grade pill, and now… two high-grade ones were being pushed toward him. "Elder, I… I can't—"
"You can," Yun He interrupted, his tone firm as stone. "An alchemist compensates. That is the way. You gave effort. You receive return. Refuse, and you insult me."
Lin Tian froze, then bowed deeply. "Yes, Elder. Thank you, Elder."
Yun He's gaze sharpened. "Do not thank me yet. What will you do with them?"
The question struck Lin Tian like a blow. He looked from the jade box to Yun He's unreadable eyes, fumbling for an answer.
"Sell one, swallow one," the Map said dryly in his mind. "Even your tiny servant brain should see that."
"I…" Lin Tian hesitated aloud. "I don't know."
Yun He's voice dropped, slow and deliberate. "Then learn. Keep one. Sell one. A pill's worth is not in swallowing alone, but in knowing its value. Today, I go to the market for materials. You will come with me. Sell it there."
Lin Tian's heart jumped. The market? He had only ever swept its outer paths, never dared to enter its bustling heart. To step inside with Yun He himself…
The Map chuckled darkly. "From sweeping floors to bartering pills. Hah. What a leap."
Lin Tian bowed again, gripping the box tightly. "Yes, Elder."
"Good." Yun He turned, his robes whispering across the floor. "Guard it well. If you lose it, don't bother returning."
Lin Tian's hands tightened around the cool jade. For the first time, he held something truly valuable—no, more than that: a thread of recognition from the elusive Elder Yun He.
---
The Verdant Pine Sect's mountain paths wound downward, lined with lanterns swaying gently in the morning breeze. Lin Tian followed a step behind Elder Yun He, clutching the jade box to his chest as if it contained his very life.
He had walked these paths countless times as a servant, broom in hand, but today every step felt heavier, different. The Map's voice hummed lazily in his mind.
"Relax, boy. You're holding a pair of pills, not the heavens themselves."
Easy for you to say, Lin Tian muttered inwardly. If I drop this, my life is over.
"Correct. At least you grasp the stakes."
The path opened up, and the bustling market came into view. Unlike the simple stalls near the outer courtyards where servants traded herbs or tools, this was the inner sect's trading district. Wide stone streets thrummed with noise—disciples haggling, merchants shouting, the rich aroma of roasted spirit beast meat wafting through the air.
Rows of pavilions stood tall, their banners rippling proudly. Golden characters gleamed against painted wood: Azure Phoenix Pavilion, Golden Pavilion, Thousand Treasures Hall. The air practically buzzed with qi, many merchants using subtle techniques to advertise their wares.
Lin Tian slowed, awe creeping into his wide eyes. He had never dared step past the outer rings, yet here he was, walking alongside Elder Yun He, one of the sect's most respected alchemists.
"Don't gape," the Map chided. "Mouth open like a carp. You'll draw flies."
Lin Tian snapped his jaw shut quickly.
At the edge of the district, Yun He finally halted. His voice was clipped, his gaze scanning the shops ahead. "From here, we separate. I have matters to attend."
Lin Tian stiffened. "Elder… alone?"
"You will not die from selling one pill," Yun He said dryly. His tone carried neither warmth nor malice—it was simple fact. "Take it to a pavilion. Do not be fooled by smooth words. Do not undersell it. I will know if you do."
Lin Tian bowed, trying to hide the nervous flutter in his chest. "Yes, Elder."
"Good." Yun He turned away, already striding toward the row of stalls where rare herbs were displayed.
Lin Tian stood frozen for a moment, the jade box heavy in his hands. His heart pounded as he looked toward the grand buildings. The Golden Pavilion's golden characters shimmered under the sun, while the Azure Phoenix Pavilion's phoenix emblem glowed like fire, wings outstretched as if ready to soar.
The boy drew in a deep breath. He had survived bandits, endured beatings, lied to Grandpa Chen, and now stood here holding more wealth than he'd ever dreamed.
"This is where it begins," the Map whispered, a sly smile in its tone. "Choose wisely, boy. Every step in the market is another stone on your path."
Lin Tian tightened his grip on the jade box and stepped forward, into the sea of noise and light.
The Golden Pavilion loomed like a small palace, its twin lion statues gleaming at the entrance, golden banners fluttering proudly. Lin Tian swallowed hard before stepping inside.
The air was thick with the fragrance of rare pills and herbs. Rows of attendants in silk uniforms moved briskly, attending to disciples who carried jade bottles and spirit stones. Behind the polished counters, shelves glowed faintly from protective formations.
Lin Tian hesitated only a moment before approaching the nearest counter. He placed the jade box down carefully, almost reverently.
"I... I want to sell a pill," he said, his voice small but steady.
The attendant's smile froze when she lifted the lid. Her eyes widened at the sight of the pills gleaming faintly inside. She quickly snapped the box shut and hurried into the back without a word.
Moments later, a stern-faced manager swept out, his robes embroidered with the Golden Pavilion crest. His gaze fell to the servant's patched robe, then to the jade box in the boy's hands.
The manager's eyes narrowed as he examined the pill again, then crawled slowly over Lin Tian's patched robe and frayed cuffs. His voice came smooth and cutting.
"You. Where did you get these pills?"
"They're mine," Lin Tian said, keeping both hands on the jade box so they wouldn't shake.
"Yours?" A short, sharp laugh. "Do you even know what you're holding? This pill could buy a dozen years of your life. What 'master' did you filch it from?"
"I didn't steal it."
"Oh? Then name the refiner. Which hall? Which seal?" The manager leaned closer, breath faint with wine. "Speak plainly, boy. Lies only make the punishment worse."
"It was given to me," Lin Tian said. "As compensation."
"Compensation," the manager repeated, savoring the word as if it were a joke. He turned his head just enough for the nearby clerks and customers to hear. "A servant claims the right of compensation. From whom? A broom? A latrine?"
Snickers fluttered around them. Lin Tian's face heated, but he lifted his chin.
"From my elder," he said.
"Name," the manager snapped.
Lin Tian's tongue stalled. Saying Yun He's name out loud felt like throwing a spark into oil. He gripped the box harder.
"Scared now?" The manager's smile thinned. "You want coin for something you can't prove you own. That smells like theft in any hall."
"I'm not a thief."
"Then open your sleeves." A flick of the manager's fingers; two guards eased closer, hands on short staves. "Let's see if more 'compensation' falls out."
"Careful," the Map murmured, dry as old paper. "He'll strip you of coin and face both."
Lin Tian drew a breath through his nose. "I came to sell one pill fairly."
"Fairly?" The manager's eyebrows rose. "Fair would be handing it over for inspection. If genuine, we'll consider payment. If not—"
"You'll 'consider' keeping it," Lin Tian said, the words sliding out before he could stop them.
A ripple went through the watching crowd. The manager's eyes iced.
"You dare," he said softly. "In my Pavilion."
"I only want a fair price," Lin Tian answered, throat tight but steady.
"Guards," the manager said, not raising his voice. "Confiscate it for inspection."
Boots clicked. The two guards stepped in, staves angling to pin Lin Tian's wrists.
"Left elbow, then pivot," the Map snapped, tone changing from lazy to exact. "Two steps. Now."
Golden lines flared across Lin Tian's vision—threads mapping the guards' strides, a narrow seam of space between their weapons, the precise angle of a hip turn that would slide him through before wood met skin. He moved without thinking. His elbow slipped under one staff, his shoulder turned, and he slid like water through the seam the light laid open.
A guard cursed as his staff struck his partner's shin. Lin Tian was already past them, feet pounding, the jade box tight to his chest. The entryway yawned ahead, bright and loud.
"Go," the Map barked. "Down the steps—don't look back."
He burst into sunlight, lungs burning. Shouts exploded behind him, boots hammering after his. He took the stairs in two jumps, hit the street, and cut across the flow of bodies.
"Angle right," the Map said. "Three stalls. Phoenix crest—there."
She was there—Mu Qingyi—moving with unhurried grace through the press, two attendants at her back and the Azure Phoenix embroidered in cool blue at her shoulder. Her gaze flicked over the street, missing nothing.
Lin Tian didn't slow. He slid to a stop before her, breath ragged. "Miss—please. Help me."
Her brows lifted a fraction. She took in the jade box, the servant robe, the guards flooding from the Pavilion doors. Her eyes sharpened, calm turning to edge.
Behind Lin Tian, the manager's voice knifed through the market noise. "Seize him!"
Mu Qingyi's steps halted, the silk hem of her robe whispering against the cobblestones. For a heartbeat, she only regarded Lin Tian in silence, her cool gaze sweeping from the sweat plastered against his brow to the jade box clutched in his hands.
"What trouble have you dragged to my feet, boy?" she asked evenly, her voice clear, carrying over the crowd without needing to rise.
Before Lin Tian could answer, the Golden Pavilion manager shoved through the doors, red-faced, his guards flooding after him. His finger stabbed the air.
"There! That servant tried to sell stolen pills! Stop him at once!"
Gasps rippled through the gathering market-goers. Whispers darted like sparks in dry grass.
"Pills? From a servant?"
"Golden Pavilion never lies. Must be theft."
"But look—that's Mu Qingyi of the Azure Phoenix Pavilion."
"She's intervening?"
The guards closed in, staves raised. But before they could take another step, Mu Qingyi shifted her stance, just a fraction. Her attendants moved instantly, sliding between her and the advancing men. Their presence alone, marked with the Azure Phoenix crest, made the guards hesitate.
The manager's eyes narrowed. "Miss Mu. What the Golden Pavilion does with its business is no concern of yours. Are you siding with a thief? Or perhaps…" His smile cut sharp. "Perhaps this boy is yours, and you're both attempting to swindle us together?"
The jab struck like a slap across the square. The crowd sucked in a collective breath.
Mu Qingyi's gaze sharpened to ice. Her lips curved faintly, though no humor touched her eyes. "Swindle? From a child servant who still smells of smoke and ash?" She let the words hang, cool and disdainful. "Golden Pavilion must be running very thin on pride if you fear being outwitted by him."
The crowd chuckled nervously, emboldened by her poise. The manager's face darkened further, sweat beading at his temple.
Lin Tian's pulse hammered. He had not expected her defense, and for a flicker of a moment, he wondered if she truly believed him or if she was simply striking at a rival Pavilion in public.
The Map's dry whisper coiled in his mind. "Sharp tongue, that one. A wolf in silk. She doesn't care if you're guilty—she smells blood, and the Pavilion's face is bleeding."
The manager snapped, "Enough! Guards, seize him!"
But before they could move, Mu Qingyi lifted a slender hand. Her tone cut like a bell.
"Wait. If Golden Pavilion dares accuse theft so boldly in the open market, then surely you would not object to Law Enforcement Hall investigating. Unless, of course, you fear what would be uncovered?"
A stir ran through the onlookers at the mention of the sect's authority. Even the guards faltered, staves lowering a fraction.
The manager's eyes blazed, but his jaw locked. He was caught—if he pressed, it would seem Golden Pavilion did fear the truth. If he retreated, he would lose face.
His teeth ground audibly.
Lin Tian swallowed, then—against every instinct to stay silent—found his voice. "The pills are mine. Elder Yun He gave them to me. I came only to sell, nothing more."
A murmur swelled through the crowd. The name Yun He carried weight even whispered, like fire catching dry pine.
Mu Qingyi's gaze slid to him, sharp and assessing. Her eyes lingered a heartbeat longer, then she turned back to the manager.
"You heard him," she said coolly. "If you doubt it, then summon witnesses. Otherwise, release him. Or shall I personally carry word of this insult to my father, and to the Law Enforcement Hall?"
The marketplace hushed, all eyes locked on the red-faced manager, waiting for his answer.
The manager's jaw worked furiously, teeth grinding as if he were chewing stone. His eyes flicked between Mu Qingyi, whose poise was unshakable, and Lin Tian, whose small frame still looked every bit the servant he was dressed as.
Finally, he let out a harsh laugh, brittle and desperate.
"Fine words, Miss Mu. But talk is wind. How do we know this brat didn't spin lies? He names Elder Yun He—anyone could spit out a famous name. What proof does he have?"
He sneered, leaning forward. "Unless you intend to vouch for him personally. Are you so sure you won't be dragged down with a liar?"
The jab struck sharper this time, and a ripple of unease coursed through the crowd. Some onlookers murmured agreement—after all, what proof did the boy have?
Mu Qingyi's lips parted, her gaze flicking once to Lin Tian. For the first time, her composure cracked ever so slightly—not fear, but calculation. She was weighing the risk of staking her Pavilion's name against the word of a ragged servant boy.
Lin Tian's throat tightened. He could feel her eyes on him, probing, silently demanding: Are you lying?
The Map chuckled in his mind, low and taunting. "Well, boy? Care to dance on the edge of a blade? Say the wrong word, and even your savior will abandon you."
Lin Tian clenched his fists, forcing the words out. "I'm not lying. Elder Yun He gave me these pills. They're his work, entrusted to me. That's the truth."
Mu Qingyi's brows lifted slightly at his steadiness. She did not speak further, but her silence was its own form of acknowledgment.
The manager opened his mouth to retort—but the air itself shifted.
A new presence pressed down on the square, sharp as steel, heavy as a furnace's heat. The crowd instinctively stepped back, heads bowing slightly under the weight of it.
"There is no need for proof."
The voice was calm, unhurried, yet it cut through the market like thunder.
From the crowd, a figure emerged: plain gray robes, hair bound simply, a faint aura of heat rolling from him like a banked fire. Elder Yun He walked with unhurried steps, each one steady as stone.
The manager paled instantly, knees buckling before he could stop himself. Sweat burst across his brow. "A-Alchemist Yun He!"
Yun He ignored him. He came to stand at Lin Tian's side, his gaze sweeping once across the boy before lifting to meet Mu Qingyi's eyes.
"This pill was indeed mine," Yun He said, voice carrying without effort. "I gave it to this boy. If he brings it to market, it is under my will."
The marketplace erupted in whispers, the crowd nearly breaking into chaos. The servant—backed by Yun He himself?
The manager collapsed fully to his knees, trembling. "Alchemist Yun He, forgive me! I— I did not know—"
Yun He's gaze slid to him, cool and cutting. For a heartbeat, silence held the square. Then, to everyone's surprise, he turned instead to Mu Qingyi.
"Miss Mu," he said simply, inclining his head. "Thank you for defending my servant. Tell your father I will visit sometime."
Mu Qingyi's usually composed mask slipped, shock flashing openly in her eyes. She, a Pavilion heiress, had just been thanked—personally—by Elder Yun He.
She quickly gathered herself, bowing lightly. "I was only doing what was right, Alchemist Yun He. My father will be honored by your visit."
The faintest flicker of a smile touched Yun He's lips before vanishing. His gaze swept once more across the square, silencing the crowd, before returning to Lin Tian.
"Come," he said, voice curt but not unkind.
Lin Tian blinked, then quickly hurried to his side, the weight of countless stares burning into his back as they walked.
---
Before the crowd's whispers could settle, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from within the Pavilion. A man in gold-trimmed robes strode out, his presence like a drawn blade sheathed in velvet.
"Alchemist Yun He!" he greeted with a broad smile, ignoring the kneeling manager at his feet. "You honor my humble Pavilion with your presence. Why did you not send word ahead? I would have welcomed you properly."
It was the Pavilion's Deputy Chief, Wang Zhen, one of the most powerful figures in the marketplace and a man known for his careful tongue. His smile seemed warm, yet his eyes glinted sharply as they swept across the scene.
Yun He returned the smile, thin and measured. "Chief Wang. I would have enjoyed your tea. But, as you can see, a little problem arose."
He gestured faintly with his sleeve, and the weight of his aura pressed harder. "Your men dared accuse my servant of theft. They sullied his name—and yours."
Wang Zhen's smile never faltered, but his eyes sharpened. He clapped his hands once.
At once, several Pavilion enforcers appeared, moving like shadows from the corners of the square. With swift precision, they seized the kneeling manager and the guards who had threatened Lin Tian earlier.
"Take them," Wang Zhen ordered coldly, his voice dropping the false warmth. "Deliver them to the Sect's Law Enforcement Hall. Their crime: tarnishing the Golden Pavilion's name and offending Alchemist Yun He."
"Yes, Deputy Chief!" the enforcers chorused, dragging the wailing manager and guards away.
The manager's voice cracked as he cried out. "Chief Wang! I— I was only safeguarding the Pavilion! I did not know! You cannot—"
"Enough." Wang Zhen's smile remained, but his tone carried the weight of iron. "Your ignorance is no excuse. From this moment, you are no longer of the Pavilion. Beg forgiveness at the Law Hall, if you can."
The man's pleas were swallowed as he was dragged into the crowd, disappearing from sight.
Silence settled again. Wang Zhen turned back, bowing slightly to Yun He. "Is that satisfactory, Alchemist Yun He?"
Yun He's eyes slid past him, toward Lin Tian, who stood half-hidden behind his sleeve. "It is not me who was wronged. My servant was the one humiliated."
Wang Zhen followed the gesture, his gaze landing on Lin Tian. The boy stiffened as that sharp, calculating smile turned toward him.
"Then allow me to correct it." Wang Zhen spread his arms lightly, voice smooth as silk. "Young hero, forgive us. Accept this token as recompense."
With a subtle flick of his fingers, an attendant stepped forward, presenting a small jade bottle. Inside glowed three scarlet pills, their fragrance hot and invigorating even through the stopper.
"Scarlet Marrow Pills," Wang Zhen said. "They temper the body and refine marrow—most effective for one at your stage. And as further apology: should you wish to sell any more pills, the Golden Pavilion will purchase them… at double the market price."
The crowd gasped at his words. Double the market price? Even Core-tier cultivators rarely received such treatment!
Lin Tian's fingers twitched as the bottle was offered to him. He looked instinctively to Yun He.
Yun He sighed, taking the bottle himself, then pressed it into Lin Tian's hands. "Take it."
Lin Tian bowed quickly. "Thank you, Elder. Thank you, Chief Wang."
But inside his chest, his heart raced.
The Map's voice whispered slyly. "Double the price, hm? That man smiles like a fox. Careful, boy. Kindness from men like him is sharper than blades."
The crowd was still buzzing from the confrontation when Lin Tian tugged lightly at Elder Yun He's sleeve. He bowed his head respectfully.
"Elder... I'd like to go to Miss Qinyi's pavilion to sell the pills properly. And... to thank her for helping me earlier."
Yun He studied him for a breath, then gave a single nod. "Mn. That is only right."
Across from them, Chief Wang Zhen's smile didn't falter, but something behind his eyes flickered. The corners of his lips tightened ever so slightly, as though the smile was carved in place.
Elder Yun He noticed, but said nothing. His voice was calm, steady as stone. "After you finish your business there, Lin Tian, do not wait for me. Return to my hut tomorrow at the same time."
"Yes, Elder," Lin Tian said quickly, bowing again.
The Map muttered in his mind, dry as ever. Look at that chief's grin. Like a merchant who just lost a gold mine. Careful, boy-the smile of a snake is worse than its fangs.
Lin Tian clenched the jade box in his hands, steeling himself. He turned to follow Mu Qinyi toward the Azure Phoenix Pavilion, unaware that his next steps would set more eyes upon him than he could yet imagine.