Lin Hao raised an eyebrow. A hundred times multiplier? That was insane. But an all-or-nothing coin toss was a brutal way to gamble. Still, he needed good tea right now, and he had nothing else to use.
"Yes," he thought. "Flip it."
A glowing gold coin materialized in the air right in front of his face. It was completely silent and cast no shadows on the walls, meaning only he could see it. On one side of the coin was a carving of a dragon. The other side was a tiger.
"I pick the dragon," Lin Hao thought.
The glowing golden coin flipped upward. It spun rapidly in the air, blurring into a sphere of light. Lin Hao held his breath, watching it arc toward the ceiling and drop back down. It landed flat on the back of his hand without any physical weight.
The carved dragon stared up at him.
[Ding. Gamble won. 100x Quality Multiplier applied.] [Item upgraded: Imperial Grade Spring Leaves.]
The golden coin shattered into specks of light and vanished. Lin Hao looked down at the tin cabinet.
The dry, crumbly brown flakes were gone. In their place were tightly rolled, deep green tea leaves.
it wasen't hard to realized that a hundred times better than cheap, stale trash was still just mortal tea. It wasn't going to turn into some legendary immortal herb.
But it was, without a doubt, the best tea leaf he had ever seen.
A rich, earthy scent drifted up from the tin. It smelled like fresh rain on a spring morning. Just breathing it in made Lin Hao's lungs feel clean, and the lingering headache from his transmigration faded away. It was incredibly refreshing.
The water in the iron kettle started to boil, bubbling loudly. Lin Hao grabbed a pair of wooden tongs. He picked up a small pinch of the new leaves, dropped them into his cleanest ceramic teapot, and poured the hot water over them.
A crisp, sweet aroma immediately rose from the pot, filling the cramped kitchen. Lin Hao put the lid on, placed the teapot and five cups onto a wooden serving tray, and took a deep breath.
He pushed his way back through the beaded curtain into the main shop.
The room was still tense. The mercenaries stood stiffly near the door, sweating and trying to look invisible. The young girl was sitting at the table, her face blank and bored. The Sect Elder stood perfectly still behind her like a statue.
As Lin Hao walked over to their table, the steam from the teapot trailed behind him. The fresh, soothing scent of the tea hit the air.
The old Sect Elder blinked, his nose twitching slightly. The young girl sat up a little straighter.
Lin Hao set the wooden tray down on the table. He flipped the cups right-side up and poured the tea. The liquid came out a clear, bright, flawless amber color.
"Please, enjoy," Lin Hao said, keeping his voice steady. He stepped back and rested his hands behind his back, waiting.
The young girl picked up her ceramic cup. She looked at the amber liquid for a second, probably expecting bitter, muddy water. She took a small, careful sip.
She paused. Her eyes widened just a fraction. Then, she took a longer drink.
Lin Hao watched as the tight, bored tension in her shoulders completely melted away. She let out a soft, relaxed breath.
"This is fantastic," she said. Her quiet voice carried clearly across the room. She looked down at the cup in genuine surprise.
The young girl took another slow sip, closing her eyes for a brief moment. The elder picked up his own cup. He drank it in one go, then stared at the empty bottom in genuine surprise.
"Excellent," the elder said, his voice deep and rumbling. "Truly excellent. The water is ordinary, but the leaves are flawless. I haven't had tea this good since I visited the Royal Palace."
He set the cup down and looked at Lin Hao with a hint of respect. "It is rare to find such skill in the borderlands. You should feel honored, boy. You are serving the Young Master of the Cloud Peak Sect, Zhao Yue."
At the exact moment the words "Young Master" left the elder's mouth, there was a faint shuffling sound near the entrance. Lin Hao glanced over. The three heavily armed mercenaries were completely gone. They had slipped out the door so quietly and quickly in their terror that nobody even noticed them leave.
Young Master? Lin Hao thought. He dug through the original owner's memories. Then it clicked.
The Young Master of the Cloud Peak Sect wasn't just a talented cultivator. She used to be the Seventh Princess of the Azure Wind Empire. There was a strict law in the royal family: anyone who wanted to take over a major cultivation sect had to completely give up their royal title to prevent the sects from controlling the throne. She had chosen the sect over the palace.
Zhao Yue set her cup down, resting her hands on the table. "The elder is right. It is incredibly refreshing. I have never tasted anything quite like it. It clears the mind."
Hearing her praise, one of the young male disciples standing behind her stepped forward. He wore the same spotless white robes, but his chin was tilted up with clear arrogance. Obviously wanting to impress Zhao Yue, he walked right up behind Lin Hao and clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder.
Lin Hao's knees almost buckled. To the cultivator, it was just a friendly pat. To Lin Hao's mortal body, it felt like being hit with a sack of bricks.
"You heard the Young Master," the young man said with a wide smile. "Your tea is good. How about you pack up this dirty shack and come open a tea shop inside our Cloud Peak Sect? We can give you a spot in the outer disciple area."
Lin Hao forced a polite smile, but inside, his stomach dropped.
Move into a sect full of monsters who can crush me with two fingers? he thought. Hell no. I don't even know how this System fully works yet. What if I run out of points? What if the coin lands on the skull next time and I serve you a cup of literal ash? You people would cut my head off before I could even explain.
Lin Hao gently but firmly stepped out from under the young man's heavy hand. He gave a respectful bow.
"I thank the young lord for the generous offer," Lin Hao said, keeping his voice smooth and steady. "It is a great honor. But I am afraid I must decline. This humble shop has been in my family for generations. My grandfather built these walls with his own hands. It is my ancestry, and I promised him on his deathbed that I would never abandon it."
It was a complete lie. The original owner had bought the shack for five copper coins from a drunk lumberjack. But to these traditional, honor-bound cultivators, it was the perfect excuse.
The young male disciple paused, then nodded slowly. His arrogant smile turned into a look of genuine respect.
"Filial piety," the young man said, crossing his arms. "Honoring your ancestors' wishes even when a great opportunity is right in front of you. That is a rare and honorable trait, shopkeeper. I respect your choice."
Lin Hao kept his polite smile, but inside he let out a massive sigh of relief. The excuse worked perfectly.
The elder reached into his robe and tossed a small silver piece onto the table. It clinked heavily against the wood. "For the tea," the elder said. He turned and headed for the door, the young disciples following closely behind him.
Zhao Yue stood up. She smoothed out her white robes and started to follow them, but halfway to the door, she stopped. She glanced at the empty spot near the entrance where the mercenaries had been standing just a few minutes ago.
Then, she looked back at Lin Hao.