Book 1 Chapter 14 The Reckoning at Green Herb Shop
…
Master Cui Tong, a man built like a poorly-packed sack of rice, sloshed the cheap rice wine around in his earthenware cup. The pub he was currently occupying, The Tipsy Toad, was the grungiest establishment in Slow Turtle Town, a place where the scent of fermented grain battled a losing war against the smell of unwashed mortality.
He sat hunched in a dark corner, his usual veneer of meek store manager replaced by a mask of sullen, entitled rage. He was a noble by birth! His family's misfortune, his time as a slave—these were mere temporary setbacks! He had risen, thanks to Elder Jing's blind generosity, to manage the most profitable herb shop in this entire backwater town. It should have been his. All of it. The Green Herb Shop was his redemption, his little fiefdom of dried roots and preserved leaves.
Then that farmer, that ignorant, bland-faced oaf named Han Rowan, had simply walked in and taken it all. With a casual wave of his hand, Elder Jing, the sentimental old fool, had gifted his life's work to an outsider.
"He should be dead by now," Cui muttered, downing the last of the wine and slamming the cup onto the scarred wooden table.
He had hired five—no, six!—of the most intimidating-looking rogues he could afford. They were the best in the field, especially the last one who approached him secretly. He knew that they were skilled mortal assassins, known for their silent blades and thoroughness. How could a simple, un-cultivated farmer, fresh from the fields, possibly survive six trained killers?
A nervous sweep of a hand interrupted Cui's dark contemplation. It was one of the local louts he paid to bring him news—a skinny boy named Li.
"Master Cui! Master Cui, sir!" Li gasped, looking like he'd seen a ghost, or worse, been forced to bathe. "He... he's back. He just walked into the shop. But I could not find the rest…"
Cui Tong's portly frame went rigid. The glassiness in his eyes evaporated, replaced by cold disbelief. "Nonsense. Those people should not have failed. What happened to the five who followed him? Did you see anything else?"
"No, sir, but... but there are rumors. Whispers of a bloody mess near the old stone well outside of town. And the farmer, Rowan, he's… fine. He looks like he just finished a nice morning walk, except for the dirt on his sandals."
A chilling dread—the kind that only a low-level schemer recognizes when his plot has spectacularly failed—slid down Cui's spine. He threw a coin at the messenger, his mind racing. Talismans? Did Elder Jing give him defensive talismans, too? No, Elder Jing only gave me the good stuff. Maybe he just got lucky.
He burst out of the pub, his robes fluttering behind him in a display of surprising speed for a man of his girth. He stomped down the dusty main street, ignoring the townsfolk who politely averted their eyes from the store manager's uncharacteristic hurry.
The Green Herb Shop was quiet. Too quiet.
He marched past the main counter, stacked neatly with dried roots and herbs, and found Han Rowan exactly where Li had said he was: sitting in the small, private back lounge used for discussing large orders or, occasionally, for Elder Jing's solitary afternoon tea.
Rowan was perched casually on a low stool, his boots dusted with trail grit. He had his Stone Knife and his strange, dirty vest visible, but otherwise looked utterly unremarkable. A man who barely registered on the scale of existence. He was idly playing with the cup in his hands.
He looked up with an expression of mild, almost academic curiosity.
"Ah, Master Cui. Good to see you. I was almost bored out of my mind wondering when are you're coming back," Rowan said, his voice flat, emotionless, but carrying a sharp edge of knowledge that made Cui's stomach clench.
Master Cui's rage, initially directed at the situation, now focused entirely on the bland face of the usurper. The farmer knew. He knew Master Cui sent the assassins. The calm demeanor, the casual mention of waiting—it was all a subtle, calculated provocation.
Cui Tong drew himself up, puffing out his chest, which strained the silk of his threadbare robes. The time for meek deference was over.
"Rowan," Master Cui hissed, using the name with undisguised contempt. "You should not have returned… In fact, you should have accepted your fate."
Rowan merely tilted his head. "I suspect a great many people feel that way. Including, I imagine, the six gentlemen whose remains are currently being processed by the local wildlife."
This blunt admission, delivered with the cadence of discussing the weather, shattered Cui Tong's composure.
"You… you dare!" Master Cui's face mottled, turning a vibrant shade of eggplant purple. He let out a low, guttural roar—not of anger, but of focused Qi.
The shift was immediate. The air in the small room grew thick and heavy. A faint, almost transparent golden-brown aura shimmered around Cui's body, subtle enough that a mortal would mistake it for a trick of the light, but undeniable to any cultivator.
"I have no need for theatrics, peasant. I am a cultivator," Cui Tong snarled, finally releasing the secret he had guarded for years, his voice thick with malicious pride. "Elder Jing didn't just teach me how to stack herbs! I am a Level 2 Martial Body cultivator! And you, Han Rowan, are nothing."
He took a step forward, his stance shifting into a crude but powerful martial posture.
Rowan, however, didn't flinch. Instead, a tiny, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips—the smile of a man who was about to receive a tax refund he desperately needed.
A transparent, floating display flashed into existence before Rowan's eyes.
Hostile Entities Detected. Engaging Automatic Battle System.
[Han Rowan (Level 2). HP: 3/3/3/3/3/3. Qi: 5: Status: Normal.]
[Opponent: Master Cui (Level 2 Martial Body Cultivator): HP 3/3/3/3/3/3. Status: Enraged.]
Level 2 Martial Body. Three HP per unit, just like me, Rowan mused internally, a thrill of excitement overriding his usual phlegmatic calm. Excellent. A guaranteed two coins if I can finish the job.
Master Cui saw the slight widening of Rowan's eyes and took it as terror. "That look! I knew it! Now die!"
He lunged with surprising agility, his short, thick fingers aimed for Rowan's throat in a simple, but deadly, strike infused with his nascent Qi.
…
The automatic battle system engaged instantly, bypassing Rowan's reaction time.
ITEM ACTIVATION: Stone knife (1x2)Damage: 2-4. Range: 3m. Target: Master Cui (Head).
A spectral, faintly glowing projection of the Stone Knife—a crude, sharp piece of flint—materialized from the grid above Rowan's shoulder. It zipped forward, guided by the system's unerring logic, not aiming for a dramatic strike, but the shortest route to the primary target zone.
Cui Tong was powerful, but he was slow-witted. He was so focused on the mortal-style throat grab that he didn't register the attack until the knife was a blur of grey light.
It hit him with a jarring thwack right on the forehead.
Master Cui (Head) takes 2 damage.
[Opponent: Master Cui: HP 1/3/3/3/3/3. Status: Stunned (2.1s).]
Cui Tong stumbled backward, howling. The blow had not broken the skin, but the concentrated force had left a dark, throbbing bruise. His golden aura flickered violently. The 'Stunned' status made his movements jerky and uncoordinated.
Before Cui could recover, the system continued its relentless, automated assault.
ITEM ACTIVATION: Malignant Marble 1 (Rock, 1x1)Damage: 2. Range: 6m. Target: Master Cui.
ITEM ACTIVATION: Malignant Marble 2 (Rock, 1x1)Damage: 2. Range: 6m. Target: Master Cui.
Rowan's two prized river stones, the 'Malignant Marbles,' also materialized—one from the upper-left corner of the grid, the other from the lower-right—and shot across the room like tiny, malevolent cannonballs.
What are those things?They're fast! Cui thought, stumbling. He raised his arms reflexively to guard his chest.
The stones struck with sickening dull thuds.
Master Cui takes 2 damage.
Master Cui takes 2 damage.
[Opponent: Master Cui: HP 1/1/1/3/3/3. Status: Stunned (1.2s remaining).]
Master Cui fell to his knees, clutching his ribs and gasping for breath. The fight had started literally two seconds ago, and he was already on the verge of unconsciousness.
"What… what kind of sorcery is this?!" he wheezed, looking up at Rowan, who hadn't moved an inch, merely watching the invisible ballet of automated violence.
Rowan felt a satisfying tickle of excitement. Efficiency rating: 98%. Excellent.
Suddenly, Master Cui's eyes locked onto something else—a small, intricate paper talisman clutched in his hand.
"Elder Jing's gift!" Cui roared, remembering his trump card. "You want to play games, farmer? Let's play!"
He slammed the paper onto his chest. It flared with a brilliant, blinding light—a pulse of raw defensive Qi.
ITEM COOLDOWN: Stone knife (2.1s). Malignant Marbles (6.0s).
Master Cui Status: Defensive Qi Barrier.Master Cui heals 3 HP.
[Opponent: Master Cui: HP 2/3/3/3/3/3. Status: Defensive Qi Barrier.]
Cui Tong, despite the severe throbbing in his head, immediately felt the dull, bone-deep ache in his ribs vanish. The light surrounding him was a physical deterrent.
"Ha! You see, peasant? This is a genuine Level 3 Defensive Barrier Talisman! It cost a fortune! It blocks all incoming attacks! Now, it's my turn!"
Cui Tong, revitalized and protected, lunged again.
Rowan, calculating the Thorns effect, sighed internally. The downside of automated systems is their lack of strategic depth. The system just wasted its entire opening salvo.
The Thorns accessory, which he wore invisibly, activated as Master Cui's meaty fist connected with the mysterious leather vest, which Rowan wore under his simple shirt. This mysterious vest is something he got after defeating a level 5 martial body cultivator named Ro Fung.
DEFENSE: Vest +2.
Master Cui (Left Arm) connects with Han Rowan (Body).
Han Rowan (Body) takes 1 damage.
[Han Rowan: HP 3/2/3/3/3/3. Qi: 5. Status: Normal.]
ITEM ACTIVATION: Thorns.Master Cui (Left Arm) takes 1 damage.
[Opponent: Master Cui: HP 2/3/2/3/3/3. Status: Defensive Qi Barrier.]
Cui Tong recoiled with a yelp, clutching his hand. "A prickle! Did you wrap yourself in cactus needles?"
Rowan didn't answer. He was busy looking at the damage taken.
One HP to the body. Acceptable. And the Thorns are working exactly as advertised. Good value for two coins.
The commotion—the loud shouts, the strange lights, and the sound of furniture being pulverized by an invisible force—had not gone unnoticed. Slow Turtle Town was entirely mortal, and loud noises meant spectacle.
A crowd quickly gathered outside the open storefront, pressing their faces against the window and peering through the main entrance.
"What's happening? Is the store manager fighting a bear?" asked an elderly woman, shading her eyes. "No, it's that new fellow! The one Elder Jing gave the shop to! They're having a… a very vigorous disagreement about inventory!" a merchant next to her exclaimed. "Look at the furniture!" another gasped. The lounge was now a splintered mess. The invisible knife and the two rocks were currently harmlessly ricocheting off Cui's shimmering barrier, patiently waiting for their cooldowns.
Rowan made a split-second tactical assessment. He had a few seconds' window where his weapons were on cooldown, and Cui Tong was currently almost invulnerable. Fighting within this crowded shop, risking collateral damage, was foolish. He needed space. And crucially, he needed to make Master Cui think he was winning.
"You're strong, Master Cui," Rowan said, making his voice sound strained and a little panicked. "But I can't fight here! The town!"
He turned and bolted, sprinting out of the destroyed lounge and through the herb-filled storefront. He knocked over a large, ceramic jar of dried honeysuckle on his way, sending a plume of fragrant white petals into the air.
Cui Tong, protected by the talisman, swelled with renewed arrogance. He runs! He was weak all along! Elder Jing gave him one defensive talisman, and now it's wearing off!
"Hah! The farmer runs! Coward! You can't escape me!"
Cui Tong, discarding the final shred of his mild-mannered persona, lumbered out of the shop in pursuit, leaving the townsfolk gaping at the destruction inside the shop and the two men sprinting down the street.
"He's chasing him!"
"Incredible speed! Like a pair of frantic pigs!"
"That poor farmer never stood a chance! The manager is clearly possessed!"