Chapter 10: Curiosities and Thunder Veins
The Azure Phoenix Pavilion rose like a flame of blue fire at the heart of the trading district. Its banners—woven of azure silk embroidered with golden phoenixes—fluttered high above, casting long shadows that danced against the carved stone phoenixes standing guard at the gates. Compared to the Golden Pavilion's heavy grandeur, this place exuded elegance and quiet sharpness, as though every line had been honed to a blade's edge.
Lin Tian followed half a step behind Mu Qinyi as she crossed the threshold. Servants bowed low at her passing, their movements crisp and rehearsed. Clearly, this was not her first time returning as mistress of the hall.
Inside, the air was cool, perfumed faintly with sandalwood and rare herbs. Disciples in azure-trimmed robes moved about with discipline, taking ledgers and guiding clients into separate chambers. A faint qi formation hummed beneath the polished floorboards, proof of the Pavilion's wealth and reach.
Mu Qinyi slowed, turning just enough to regard Lin Tian with her steady gaze. Her eyes were like banked embers—calm, but heat and sharpness flickered beneath.
"Lin Tian, was it?" she asked, her tone formal but not unkind. "I am Mu Qinyi, of the Azure Phoenix Pavilion, and also a disciple of the Verdant Pine Sect's inner court."
She didn't say it to boast, but the weight of those words was not light. Inner sect. Lin Tian's shoulders stiffened instinctively.
The Map gave a soft, mocking whistle in his mind. Inner disciple. Middle meridians, fire-aligned qi. Qi Refinement, middle stage. Careful, boy—this one could roast you alive with a flick of her sleeve.
Lin Tian bowed quickly. "Yes, Miss Mu. Thank you… for earlier."
Her lips curved faintly, more a formality than warmth.
Lin Tian shifted awkwardly, clutching the jade box to his chest. He was still dressed in patched servant robes, yet here he stood inside a Pavilion of power, standing across from an inner sect disciple with fire blazing in her veins.
Mu Qinyi's eyes lingered on him for another heartbeat, searching, then she gestured lightly. "Come. The pills will be examined in private. Whatever the Golden Pavilion tried to steal, we will handle properly."
Lin Tian bowed again, following her deeper into the Pavilion, past the polished counters and toward the private appraisal chambers.
---
The Pavilion's air was heavy with faint incense and the sharper fragrance of spirit herbs. Disciples and merchants filled the hall, their murmurs like an undercurrent to the quiet bustle of attendants carrying trays and jade slips.
They approached the authentication counter, where an appraiser in blue robes sat behind polished wood. Lin Tian placed the jade box down with both hands, careful not to let them shake.
The appraiser opened it, and the faint glow of the pill spilled into the air. His brows shot up instantly, his hand tightening around the lid. "High-Grade Body Nourishing Pill?" he murmured, half to himself.
Even Mu Qinyi's usual composure slipped for a moment, though she quickly masked it. Still, her gaze flicked back to Lin Tian, assessing him with renewed interest.
The appraiser cleared his throat, composing himself, and began the formal assessment. His fingers glowed faintly with qi as he inspected the pill, tracing the lines of its surface, inhaling its fragrance.
"The refinement is exceptionally pure," he said at last. "Balanced heat. No residue of smoke or ash. I would say it was brewed by a Core-tier alchemist, at the very least. For such a pill, the market price begins at one hundred spirit stones."
He paused, glancing at Mu Qinyi, then back at Lin Tian. "But considering the mark of its refinement..."
Lin Tian's breath caught. The Map muttered slyly. Here it comes. Watch their faces, boy-this is where the real price is set.
The appraiser continued, "If this truly came from Elder Yun He as was claimed then the price rises. His name alone guarantees trust, and trust is worth more than gold. With Elder Yun He's refinement, the Pavilion would value this at one hundred and fifty spirit stones."
The number dropped into the air like a stone into still water.
Lin Tian's chest tightened. One hundred and fifty spirit stones... for one pill?
Mu Qinyi's lips curved faintly. Calm, businesslike, but there was an edge of satisfaction in her eyes. "Azure Phoenix Pavilion will match that price. If you choose to sell through us, Lin Tian, you will not be cheated here."
The Map snorted in his head. Ha! Hear that? She said your name this time, not 'servant.' Already worth more in her eyes. Don't faint, boy. Negotiate.
Lin Tian swallowed hard, unsure if he even could.
Lin Tian's hands tightened around the jade box as the number settled in his chest like thunder. One hundred and fifty spirit stones... For a servant who had never touched more than a few copper coins, it felt almost unreal.
The Map chuckled dryly in his head. Don't drool, boy. Hold your back straight. Look grateful, not desperate. She'll respect that.
Lin Tian drew in a breath, then lifted his gaze to Mu Qinyi. His voice was steady, though the corners of his mouth tugged into smile he couldn't quite hide.
"Even if you had offered less, I would have chosen to sell to you, Miss Mu. For what you did earlier... and to thank you."
For a heartbeat, silence hung between them. Then-just barely- Mu Qinyi's expression softened. A rare smile touched her lips, brief and elegant, like the flicker of a flame before it steadied.
Without hesitation, she gestured to the attendant. "Pay him the full one hundred and fifty."
The appraiser bowed quickly and passed the spirit stones to Lin Tian in a carefully counted pouch. The weight in his hands made his heart race all over again.
Mu Qinyi inclined her head slightly. "Azure Phoenix Pavilion honors those who honor us. And since you are here, Lin Tian, I suggest you take a look at our collection. We deal not only in pills, but in treasures, artifacts, and... curiosities. You may find something of worth."
Lin Tian bowed deeply. "Thak you, Miss Mu".
The Map's chuckle slid in like smoke. Curiosities, hm? Now that is where fools lose coin and the wise find treasure. Keep your eyes sharp, boy. This could be entertaining.
After the transaction was sealed, Mu Qinyi personally handed the jade pouch of spirit stones to Lin Tian. "One hundred and fifty stones," she said calmly, though the faint curve of her lips hinted at something warmer. "Fair payment".
Lin Tian bowed deeply, clutching the pouch as though it were the heaviest treasure in the world. "Even if you had lowered the price, I still would've sold it to you, Miss Mu. It was the least I could do to thank you for standing up for me."
For the first time, Mu Qinyi's composure softened into a rare, genuine smile. "Then I'll look forward to future dealings, Lin Tian. In the future, you can find me here at the Pavilion, or in the Inner Sect. And if I am away..."-she gestured lightly toward a poised young woman at her side-"this is Yu Xuan, my personal attendant. You may speak to her in my stead."
Yu Xuan bowed politely. "Young Master Lin, I will remember your name."
Lin Tian bowed again, overwhelmed by the formality. "Thank you, Miss Mu. Thank you, Miss Yu."
She gave a slight nod to the attendant at her other side. "Show him around. Let him see what the Pavilion has to offer."
With that, the young mistress of the Azure Phoenix Pavilion turned and left, her attendants following, her calm figure quickly swallowed by the bustle of the upper hall.
The attendant led Lin Tian past the main shelves, each glittering with jade slips, artifacts, and pill bottles. His heart sank with every step.
"Introduction to Flame Control-three hundred and fifty stones." "Basic Foundation Pill Recipe-four hundred stones."
"Bronze Spirit Sword-two hundred and eighty stones."
Lin Tian's grip tightened on his pouch of one hundred and fifty spirit stones. To him, it had felt like the fortune of a lifetime. Here, it was barely enough for scraps.
He bit his lip, slowing before a jade slip glowing faintly on its pedestal. What if / just... His eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. Couldn't I do what I did with the Codex? Let the Map scan it-
"No." The Map's retort was instant, sharp. "These jade slips are Pavilion property. Wrapped in powerful seals, not weaker than your sect's walls. The moment I touch them, you'll trip every formation here. Unless you want to be skewered as a thief, keep your greedy little thoughts to yourself."
Lin Tian's faint spark of excitement was doused like cold water on embers. He forced a small cough, turning quickly from the slip as the attendant raised an eyebrow at his hesitation.
The attendant led Lin Tian deeper into the pavilion, past rows of shelves gleaming with jade slips and sealed boxes. Each bore price tags far beyond his reach. Three hundred stones. Five hundred stones. A thousand. His pouch of a mere hundred and fifty suddenly felt like a sack of sand-heavy only because it was pitifully light compared to everything here.
As he lingered near a shelf of manuals, a sudden commotion rippled from the lobby.
"Again with your junk talismans, old man?" a clerk snapped, voice loud enough to carry. "How many times must I tell you-we don't buy broken scraps here?"
"Broken?" The voice was reedy, offended. "These are genuine! I carved them myself back when your mother was in swaddling clothes!"
The laughter of nearby disciples followed. "If they were genuine, why can't you activate even one? Hah, they're just pretty firewood. Sell them on the roadside where they belong."
Lin Tian craned his neck slightly. An old man in patched robes stood by the counter, his hands shaking as he clutched a bundle of yellowed talismans. Even from across the room, Lin Tian could see the faded ink strokes, some smeared, others fractured like spiderweb cracks. The clerks waved dismissively until the man finally spat on the floor and shuffled out, muttering curses.
The disciples jeered behind him, then returned to their shopping. Soon, the moment was forgotten.
---
Lin Tian's eyes followed the hunched figure as the jeers faded. The old man's steps were shaky, but his grip on the bundle of talismans never wavered. Something about the way he clutched them—desperate, unwilling to let go—made Lin Tian's pulse quicken.
Boy, the Map hissed suddenly. Go. Stop him.
Lin Tian stiffened. Why? They're just scraps—
Not scraps, the Map snapped. Masked. One of those slips hums faintly. A lightning sigil. Rotten, but not dead. Restored with Primordial Qi, it could summon a strike to rival even a Nascent cultivator.
Lin Tian's heart skipped. Without thinking, he darted forward, weaving through the crowd until he caught up to the old man just outside the pavilion doors.
"Senior, wait!" he called.
The old man turned, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at the servant robes. "What do you want, boy? Come to laugh too?"
Lin Tian shook his head quickly, clutching his pouch. "No. I… I want to buy one of your talismans."
The man blinked, startled, then barked a hoarse laugh. "Buy? Hah! The Pavilion dogs wouldn't pay me dust, and now a servant comes wagging his tongue? You have spirit stones for this 'trash'?"
Lin Tian straightened, forcing his voice steady. "I do. How much?"
The old man eyed him, suspicion and bitterness warring in his gaze. Finally, he thrust the bundle out. "Five stones. Take the lot. Better in your hands than spat on by fools."
Lin Tian fumbled quickly into his pouch, pulling out the five spirit stones. They clinked against the man's palm, and he tucked them away with surprising swiftness, as if afraid Lin Tian would change his mind.
"Foolish boy," the old man muttered, shaking his head. "But… better a fool with courage than a coward with nothing." With that, he shuffled off, his robes brushing the dusty street.
Lin Tian hugged the bundle to his chest. The parchment was brittle, its faded ink like scars—but beneath it, a faint static prickled against his fingers, raising the hairs on his arm.
The Map chuckled low. Hide it well, boy. The world sees firewood. Only we see thunder.
---
Lin Tian tucked the brittle bundle of talismans into his sleeve, heart still hammering. He followed the attendant back inside, but every glittering jade slip, every artifact gleaming behind glass mocked the weight of his pouch. One hundred and fifty spirit stones was a fortune to him, yet here it barely scratched the surface.
He drifted past shelves of manuals and trinkets, feigning interest, but the numbers on the price tags crushed his hope one by one. Three hundred stones. Five hundred. A thousand. Each more distant than the last.
At last, he exhaled quietly, forcing a small smile. "Thank you for showing me around," he said politely to the attendant. "But it seems… nothing suits my budget today."
The attendant gave the faintest of nods, clearly unsurprised. "As you wish, Young Master Lin."
Lin Tian bowed once more before stepping out into the sunlight, the bustle of the trading street swelling around him.
---
What he did not see was that as soon as his back vanished beyond the doors, the attendant turned swiftly and made his way up the polished stairs to the Pavilion's upper offices.
Inside, Mu Qinyi sat at a lacquered table, scanning ledgers while Yu Xuan poured her tea. She did not look up when the attendant bowed low.
"Well?" she asked, voice calm. "Did he buy anything?"
The attendant hesitated. "He did not purchase from the Pavilion, Miss. But… he did buy something outside."
Mu Qinyi's eyes lifted at that, dark brows arching faintly. "Outside?"
"Yes, from the old man who tried to sell talismans earlier. He… bought the entire bundle."
The faintest ripple of surprise touched her usually calm face. Her fingers stilled above her cup. "Talismans?" she murmured, more to herself than to him. Her gaze drifted, thoughtful, as though weighing an unseen scale.
Yu Xuan exchanged a glance with the attendant, but said nothing.
---
Meanwhile, Lin Tian had no notion of the interest his small purchase had stirred. He strolled deeper into the market, clutching his pouch close, eyes scanning every stall and display with mounting hope—and disappointment.
Most of what glittered was hollow: trinkets polished to look like treasures, pills boasting false names, beast bones gnawed down to useless husks. Every time the Map snorted in his head—"Fake. Useless. Trash."
"Then where's the treasure?" Lin Tian muttered back under his breath.
"If true treasures were common," the Map replied dryly, "the world would already be empty of fools."
Hours slipped by as he drifted from stall to stall. By the time he realized how weary his legs felt, the sun had dipped low, staining the sky in hues of orange and violet. Lanterns lit along the market streets, their glow mixing with the calls of merchants beginning to close for the night.
Lin Tian stopped before a butcher's stall where the savory scent of roasting meat curled through the air. Cuts of monster beast flesh—coarse, rich with qi—hung from hooks. His pouch was lighter now, but he tightened his grip and smiled faintly.
"One cut," he said firmly, placing down stones. "Tonight, I'll celebrate."
Grandpa Chen's weathered face flashed in his mind, the way his eyes always softened over a simple meal. For once, Lin Tian wanted to bring him something finer than scraps.
By the time he left the market, the sky was fading into night. He cradled the wrapped bundle of monster meat close, talismans hidden deeper in his sleeve. The road back up the mountain gleamed with lantern light, the murmurs of the market fading behind him.
The Map chuckled low. "A talisman and a feast. Hah. Riches suit you, boy. But remember—luxury burns fast. The true path lies ahead."
Lin Tian smiled faintly, his steps quickening toward the sect. "For tonight, I'll settle for sharing a meal."
---
By the time Lin Tian trudged up the winding stone path toward his small quarters, the sun had dipped low, shadows stretching long across the mountain. His pouch of spirit stones weighed heavily at his waist, and under one arm he carried a wrapped bundle of monster meat, still faintly steaming from the butcher's stall.
Grandpa Chen was waiting by the doorway, leaning on his broom, though the path was spotless as always. His clouded eyes brightened the moment they saw the bundle.
"What's this, brat? Trying to bribe me with food?"
Lin Tian grinned sheepishly. "Not bribe, Grandpa. Celebrate. Something… happened today."
He set down the bundle, fetched a small iron pot, and soon the courtyard was filled with the rich smell of sizzling beast meat. The fire crackled, casting warm orange light against the old man's face. For the first time in weeks, Chen's lips twitched into something close to a smile as he chewed the tender meat.
"Well?" he asked around a mouthful. "Spit it out. What happened?"
So Lin Tian told him. The errand to Elder Yun He's hut. The failed cauldron. Being made medicine boy. Then, more hesitantly, he recounted what happened in the market—the Golden Pavilion's greed, the humiliation, the sudden intervention of Mu Qinyi, and finally Elder Yun He's dramatic appearance that turned the situation on its head.
Grandpa Chen listened in silence, his chopsticks frozen midway through the pot. When Lin Tian finished, the old man finally let out a low whistle.
"So the reclusive Yun He dragged you into his den, and then saved your hide in public." He shook his head, chuckling softly. "Boy, you walk straighter into fate's jaws than most cultivators with ten times your courage."
Lin Tian scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "I didn't mean to…"
"Hah." Chen waved his chopsticks. "Doesn't matter what you meant. What matters is you walked out alive, and with your name not in the mud. That girl—Mu Qinyi, was it?—remember that name. People don't help without reason. And Yun He…" His tone grew quieter. "If he's keeping you close, then you'd best brace yourself. That man doesn't waste his time."
Lin Tian nodded, swallowing the last bite of meat with difficulty.
Later that night, when the fire had burned low and Grandpa Chen had retired, Lin Tian sat cross-legged in his small room. The pouch of spirit stones lay hidden under his bedding, the talisman bundle wrapped carefully beside it.
He drew in a deep breath, letting his body relax into the familiar lotus position. The thin stream of Primordial Qi in his meridians stirred, pulling faint threads of heaven and earth qi inward. It was slow—painfully slow compared to the disciples he had seen—but steady.
The Map's lazy voice murmured in his head. "Not bad. You didn't spill the truth to the old man. And you didn't drop your pouch. Small victories, boy."
Lin Tian ignored the jibe, focusing inward. The world outside quieted into crickets and moonlight, but within, his body was alive with faint warmth, each cycle of breath refining him little by little.
Tonight, for the first time, he felt not just like a servant sweeping paths, but like someone standing at the very edge of the path of cultivation.
When at last he opened his eyes, the moon hung high above the pines, silver light spilling through the window. Another day had ended, and tomorrow promised to test him even more.