Impressions Made
The Treasure Cave.
A Luxurious Auction that happens only once a year...
Well, Lingyue long knew that the entrance looks like shit, yet the world underneath is a lot grander.
The entrance looks like a humble looking gambling shop on a quiet street of all things. To its credit, the business does have a signboard stating Treasure Cave above the entrance. Sadly, any sort of grandeur was lost by the peeling paint and aged structure.
But ignoramuses would never know that this place is where the renowned auction is.
When Feng Shen handed their invitation to a lazy-looking, sleepy old geezer, he looked at it and his eyes sharpened in recognition and looked at them up and down with prudence. The old man then promptly called out to those hiding in the back, 'Heaven room number one for these two distinguished guests.'
Some men led them in.
Led inside, Feng Shen and Lingyue soon entered a small room of shabby construction. A round table with two teacups and two chairs were all that was there to welcome them. They sat at the shabby table for two.
'I can just imagine the looks on ladies' faces when told to sit here for the auction for their first time.' she would chuckle as both had comical imagine spots and making spectacles of themselves, embarrassing who invited them.
'I heard something of that incident happened before...they badmouthed so bad it got them banned from Treasure Cave.' said Feng Shen. 'Being barred from Treasure Cave of all places, will deny them precious goods for the rest of their lives. To add insult to injury, that punishment is up to the third generation...the banned couple, their children regardless of who they married, and grandchildren.'
'Needless to say, the man's family never forgave the girl their son took out as his plus-one and destroyed them socially and economically. Out of rage, the family threw their daughter out in the streets for all the trouble she brought two families by being a brat, while they vanished somewhere to start over. That's why the previous Count Zhang is replaced with a new clan, the Shu Family. It was the talk of Xia City for almost a year, it doesn't help that Miss Shu was wandering around town begging for friends to help her but they all shunned her in fear their family will get banned too just by associating with her. She eventually vanished as well.'
'Ohhh...'
'That was two years ago.'
'Recent!'
Feng Shen chuckled at the memory and reached out for the cup in front of him. Then he turned his cup clockwise. In the next moment a slight grinding sound came from Feng Shen's side as he turned the cup, starting a mechanism. All of a sudden, their bodies and the chairs started to sink downwards. As the chair sank lower and lower, so does the speed they went at. It was at a speed of a plunging roller coaster going all the way down, or that freaky Drop Tower.
By the time the bristling sound of wind and the blurring background image came to a halt, what came into view was a scene that's finally worthy of the name Treasure Cave.
People, loads and loads of masked people like themselves in every direction, dressed in finery. And the place is already luxurious.
The strength levels here are all of Dan Realm levels.
'The customers here...are all Dan and Reincarnation Masters.' Lingyue muttered as her senses felt their strength. Everyone here, are monsters by standards. You won't see an Upper Celestial here even.
'Indeed so...those with money to shell out, gain such strength.' said Feng Shen ruefully. Its thanks to Lingyue he got the chance to cultivate, and quickly rose to Dan Realm with his sheer bull-headedness wrought by his frustration of years of helplessness as a living medicine pot. But she gave him hope and never gave up on him unlike most had done. 'For now, we're in the Yellow-Grade Floor.' he said. 'Then the lower we go, the classier the goods are; Black, Earth, and Heaven grades.'
The Treasure Cave's name isn't only famous in Daxia so its able to attract customers of all background from across the continent.
Generally speaking, only those with a net worth of millions are wealthy enough to warrant an entry slip. In Feng Shen's case, its no secret he's the richest man in Beiing so some lowly yellow class items couldn't possibly catch his fancy. His goal today lies on the second floor where the black grade items are stored.
'So Lingyue, anything catch your fancy?'
'It's next floor over, we best hurry.' Lingyue urged him. 'That bastard is here, I don't want him to get it first!' quickly nodding as what they want is on the same floor anyway, Feng Shen took her to the Black Level...and from there, she took the lead, with Feng Shen aware she is following her senses.
She led them to what wasn't there and next thing Feng Shen knew, a monk is before them.
He was a hidden vendor. Before him was a copper bowl, a monk's robe, and a scripture the size of a roof tile placed on top of the robe. The scripture was of the Iron Vedas school.
At one time this style of writing flourished in the Central Plains, but as war raged in that region and the evil cults took over, the Vedas schools there started to decline. He guessed this monk here is a survivor from one of the destroyed temples in that region of the continent.
Both bowed in respect to the old monk.
'Destined person of the Buddhist way, both of you have a predestined affinity with me.' The old monk slightly opens his eye and returns the greeting with a bow of his own.
'I am here to answer to fate, and the sorrows of my elder...and what you have, will help me sooth his sorrows.' Lingyue told the old man. 'Will you hear my tale?'
'Of course. That may be why you are able to see me.'
Lingyue told him about the origin of her Ye Family and how she got to know her ancestor, the man who became Ye Wuming...and as the only family member after four centuries who became an Alchemist, she inherited from her grandfather the spirit tablet containing the remaining spirit wisp of Ye Wuming and his story.
'I see...so with my ware, you hope to complete your ancestor's project, the Nine Dragon's Howl and redeem his sorrow.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Lingyue...Chen Hongru is still alive.' Feng Shen croaked out. He was floored that someone can live THAT long! 'He's the number one Alchemist in my country! I had no idea how old he is until now. And cheat in a competition by sabotaging your ancestor's broken cauldron that you're even rebuilding?!' his teacher only gave the background of the cousins, nothing about this!
Lingyue pursed her lips.
'Karmic Burdens sure have a way of making us meet!' she grumbled with a scowl.
'Indeed so. Destined Fates tend to work that way.' the old monk agreed. 'This scripture is worth a thousand, fifth grade pills.' Lingyue winced horribly. Granted Meteor Metal is a 2nd grade metal so this old monk has to be black-hearted in charging. Good thing she came prepared, as she took out a large sack out of her space.
'Here you go sir.' Lingyue respectfully gave him the sack. The old monk looked and determined their number by the strength within the silk sack.
'Very well young miss, sold.' the old monk smiled to Lingyue's delight as she quickly pocketed the scroll in her space. 'May the buddha guide you to redemption.'
'I hope I succeed while I'm at it.' said Lingyue wryly. 'Otherwise my future children or my nephews and nieces will inherit the fate I carry for Ye Wuming. That's not even his real name as he threw his true name away upon settling in what later became our hometown.' politely excusing themselves, they left the monk. 'Feng Shen, thank you for letting me go first.' Lingyue thanked Feng Shen gratefully. 'That bastard Hong Fang is after this as well. No way in hell I'm letting him have it!' she swore hatefully.
'Fufu, you're on a rush as well.'
As promised, it's Feng Shen's turn to shop, with Lingyue guiding him to where was what he wanted, and she nearly fainted from the money he threw out.
'So anything else you may want?' Feng Shen asked Lingyue. She gave up her stockpiled pills to the monk, all of which, she revealed were medicinal pills as extra benefit to be further on the man's good side when she bought that scripture. It's not just the method for Meteor Iron...she also knew that underneath the buddhist scripture surface, it hid a recipe for what she already knew: Reincarnation Pill Recipe.
If anyone finds out she has such a formula, many will bug her into spamming out such pills...and she's already doing it to make Ninth Realm Reincarnation Pills...too bad for these assholes her pills are privileged to a certain few only!
Daxia is too corrupt right now with the Civilian Faction barely hanging on.
With her collaboration with Lan Cai'er, she gets wind of who really should get a Reincarnation Pill. Only Lan Cai'er and her father knows as does Marquis Wu that she can make Reincarnation Pills...tested and certified when Marquis Wu obtained such a pill from her and he gave a trusted man the pill...bam. So yes, she was supplying them in exchange for money as she's running an orphanage and the Civilian Faction is amassing power in secret.
No alchemist in Daxia has the ability to refine Reincarnation Pills...publicly that even the royal family is on the lookout for such talents.
Daxia is incapable of it that Reincarnation Realm Masters entered the hard, life-risking way that very few wanted to undergo it and remain in Dan Realm.
The reason Daxia cannot afford to go to war is because they lack such experts while Beiqing where Feng Shen lives, has plenty of such experts. That, and known only to few, they aren't allowed in the mecca of Alchemy because of such inability they'll be insulted and driven out by Senior Alchemists there for being 'incapable of a simple thing'! That, and forbidden to enter the Star Cave!
Well, she and her mother bypassed its barriers with ease that not even experts can do as she knew how, that unlike most morons, they wait for a certain time of the year for the barrier to weaken.
How pitiful.
She raided the cave of such treasures and happily resting in her space.
'Well, I still have some money on me, maybe I can buy new martial arts books...I only got Phoenix Feathers and now, the method for Meteor Iron forging.' said Lingyue wryly. 'A couple more to go.'
- Five Element Cauldron = UNDER REPAIR
- Ancient Dragon's Blood =
- Phoenix Tail Feather = OBTAINED
- Nine Leaf Pearl Clover =
- Meteor Iron = IN PROGRESS
- Inner Core Earth Fire =
Yeah, long way to go.
Upon getting what they wanted they were about to leave, when they found an ugly, toad-skinned beaten woman by the entrance when they were about to leave. She was being helped by authorities.
'Who did this? They're pretty immoral.' Feng Shen frowned in distaste. He knew some people like to take their ire out on those they deem beneath them, acts that he holds in disdain.
'It's terrible milord.' said He Lao'er. 'Madam Lai's customer complained about her poison pills that cured her customer's father instead of killing him as he wanted because she was indebted to the man, she would never harm the person who saved her once, so he beat her up! We banned him unto the third generation from Treasure Cave as attacking our vendors is a grave offense.' he said angrily. 'Vendors who bring rare goods are valuable for this establishment!'
'We'll take her home.' Lingyue offered. 'We will take responsibility for her.'
With that, they took the injured woman to Lingyue's home where Lingyue refined a number of pills and tonics for her to use to stabilize the woman's condition...before using her 'unique skills' to gather the ruined, rotten skin of the woman's face, and peel it off like sunburn...before applying cream on her face.
'She'll recover by tomorrow, I used yellow-grade pills on her.' Lingyue reassured Feng Shen. 'Did Dao Nu do his job?' Lingyue sent Dao Nu on a job to retrieve a pair of kids...the woman's kids as a precaution incase her...angered customer decided beating Madam Lai up isn't enough!
'He'll be on the way soon.' said Feng Shen. 'I had Chi Lian arrange a room next to Madam Lai's. She'll surely be surprised to wake up in here tomorrow.'
'No kidding.'
'But why did you offer to save this woman?'
'...she has two little kids who can't be on their own yet, or they'll be dog food if the wrong person took interest in two little kids.' Lingyue tut-tutted. 'There's a brothel in this city specializing in pedophilia you know, and since the royal family doesn't know, they clearly got formidable backers who indulge in such a disgusting hobby.' Feng Shen went green in disgust at the idea. 'No child deserves that.'
'Urk...!'
xxx
Dao Nu soon came back with the children who took them to their mother's room. The fearful twins rushed to their mother's bedside.
'Mother!'
'What happened to mother?!'
The pair of twins cried in dismay at their mother who was clearly under treatment with a thick amount of cream on her skin.
'A terrible man did that.' Lingyue told the twins somberly. 'But big sister will help her get better.' she promised them kindly. 'Have you two eaten yet?'
The looks on their faces clearly said no.
'Mother was so late...now we know why.'
'Oh dear...'
And so...
Lingyue let the kids play with Yusi and Shanben before putting them to bed.
'Well, it's been a fruitful night.' said Feng Shen as it's time to go home. 'Tonight has been fruitful.'
'No kidding. I'd love to come back again next time.' Lingyue smiled. 'Hopefully they got other things next year.'
xxx
Next day...
When she opened her eyes again the surroundings had already changed places. No longer lying on the streets of Treasure Cave, she's now comfortably lying in bed of a luxurious room. Understanding this place must belong to some wealthy individual, her expression immediately changed for the worse as she struggled to get up. And somehow, she's no longer a cripple!
Over the years she had been accustomed to the ridiculing words and faces from those rich snobby people in the city. Despite their good outer skin, their hearts are rotten to the core!
She was about to leave when she noted that there's a huge note hanging from the ceiling for her to see.
Madam Lai,
Should you wake up, don't leave yet. You are still under recovery
and we have your story from Mr. He Lao'er. As a precaution, your
children are taken for safety incase your customer decides they're
his playthings. They're next room to yours. We will talk over breakfast.
Ling Yue
Madam Lai froze as she forced herself off her bed to check on her children...who are sleeping in a room to the left of hers in the hallway. "Xiaobei and Xiaonan are safe..." she thought in relief. That impudent boy will certainly do something so heinous just to spite her!
By the looks of things by the windows, it's still dark...the sun is about to rise soon. She took quite a beating last night yet her pain is 90% gone now which is why she can even walk. Who is this willing to spend high-class pills on her if she's in such a state now?
She returned to her room to rest some more. Hopefully by morning, her pain is gone.
Two hours later...
Her door opened to reveal a beautiful young woman in unflattering clothes. Normally, girls will flaunt their figure to attract good marriage material, yet this one hid her waist under such large, flared skirt! Why? And she had a muscular servant carry a very short-legged table where food was for her. A rice bowl, a plate of three boiled eggs, a bowl of soup, and a bowl of vegetables. Then a mug of wine!
'Glad to see you're well.' said the woman as the bulky manservant put the table over her lap. 'I am Ling Yue. I own this sort-of orphanage-plus-school called Flame of Hope.' she said. 'I educate and train young orphans I take in, before they're eligible for Martial Hall for civilians. I am their legal guardian.'
'Thank you for saving me and my children.' said Madam Lai gratefully.
'Well, you're more of a priority, otherwise if you never came home...there's a hidden brothel for pedophiles in this capital and you wouldn't want that.' Madam Lai choked at the idea. 'This place is pretty big but few children in my care only...since most orphans in this city aren't in streets for long...they're snatched up for that.' Lingyue shook her head. 'And you know full well we cannot save them due to their...powerful patrons.'
'Get some breakfast and rest some more, we will be back for you after half a shichen. The rest of us will be in our dining hall.'
'Alright.'
xxx
The Dining Hall...
It was one large table where everyone eats the same thing to be fair to everyone. Rice, soup, protein and vegetable plus a mug of monkey wine, and for Chi Lian who doesn't drink even for cultivation, a cup of tea. Lingyue also sent a Spirit Crane to her senior that she would be absent from work today because she has a patient at home. The only thing she can make in the morning, is her class with Houqi.
The new twins have never seen such food in their lives, being poorer than dirt, only getting to eat well in autumn and winter because of Treasure Cave where their mother earns the most. Otherwise, during spring and summer, they struggle.
After breakfast, Lingyue got the twins in a bath and had Yanche scrub the twins, and Chi Lian wash the twins' clothes. Once she's done, take the squeezed clothes to Lingyue for her to dry, before the twins wear it. In the meantime, she'll talk to Madam Lai.
And so...
'You're back.' said Madam Lai, her used up bowls and plates on the table on the floor. 'I certainly felt better with that wine.'
'You'll be right as rain by lunch time then.' Lingyue smiled softly. 'The twins are bathing so we have time while we talk.' Madam Lai nodded. 'According to my friend's manservant, you're a person of interest to one Yan Qing, the Head of Sha Sect in Xia City's underbelly.' Lingyue can see rage flare in the woman's eyes. 'He had heard a woman of your description is around. After some digging, he found that you have twins as well.' she said. 'The Sha Sect under the powerful backing of the Hong Clan, have done many evil deeds to keep the Hong Clan afloat in power.
'Hell will rain on earth before I let him have my children!' Madam Lai seethed, her fists fisting a clutchful of the blanket her knuckles went white. 'I may have cured him of his injuries many years ago before he betrayed and expelled me, the fact is he is now infertile in exchange for his miserable life! But where can I go?'
'Well, nobody ever suspects a newly-opened orphanage.' Lingyue smiled. 'I just opened this place a couple months back.'
'This isn't for free.' Madam Lai isn't stupid. The medicine used on her is expensive no doubt, if she healed in just a few hours! So now she's under a hefty debt.
'Of course. I ask of your help to help me perfect a Poison Man...a warrior who began practicing martial arts at a late age that they have no hope for normal cultivation, so their next avenue is a Poison Man capable of competing with Upper Celestials in strength. But the better material its possible to help Yanche reach Dan Realm Class in strength, though that's as far as a Poison Man can go. The younger kids at least, can practice normally.'
'So it's like that...why did Yanche start to decide he wants martial arts at a late age, that to be a Poison Man is his last resort?'
'Well, he and the first kids he rescued and protected were from the Central Plains where evil alchemists ran amuck. Many barbarian tribes destroyed and killed, survivors used as inhumane sacrifices for evil alchemy while children are sold as slaves...by the time I took them in when I came to Xia City, its already too late for Yanche as he and the children lived for quite some time in propped-up tents outside the city.'
'Oh...'
'I am gathering and aging the materials. But I still hope for better wares if I can find them.' Lingyue told her. 'When it's time when I have all he needs, you will assist Yanche in this...very painful process that lasts three years.' she conjured a scroll where she wrote the materials and process for Madam Lai to look at. Like hell she'll give a book away. 'Your family can then stay in this mansion. You will be paid 40 gold a month in your employment with free board and your task is to look after my massive farmlands of herbs to lighten my workload a little.'
Madam Lai gaped.
Free board she can understand, but 40 gold a month? FOR FARMING?! She and her children can enjoy decent clothing, full stomachs year-round and can pay for an apartment with that money! For a commoner, it's a huge deal!
She accepted her employment if only for her children and hiding them from Yan Qing!
Lingyue then took out more tonics and put them by the drawer beside the bed.
'Well, you will be fully-recovered soon, so rest some more after ingesting these tonics every after half-hour and continue resting. In another two shichen, peel that dried cream off your face before you can take a bath...and your children will be under tutoring in the meantime.'
'I'm grateful!' Madam Lai kowtowed to the smiling girl.
Needless to say, Madam Lai is sold!
xxx
Another newcomer is Alchemist Mei who was driven out of the Royal Hospital for failing to be productive...as well as ahem, political background pushing and the authorities in the Royal Hospital are firmly in the Noble Faction camp. She was so focused in trying to make a Reincarnation Realm Pill that the whole hospital is made to work on that she forgot she has quotas of blue pills to make every month, minimum of at least, 100. It doesn't help that she was using a Public Cauldron Room and allocated only lowest quality of materials as befitting her rank.
She cannot return to Alchemist Association considering she left due to recommendation that expulsion means she has nowhere to go as the association will not take back such disgrace, even if she keeps her license to sell pills.
'I see...so that's how it is.' said Lingyue.
Lingyue taught the unaware woman that how Daxia is divided into half through court and military politics.
'Manager Chou is in the pockets of Consort Luo as well and she's of the Noble Faction side.' Lingyue told her. 'The only way for you to redeem yourself is to study, to be capable of Yellow-Grade Pills that's worth 500 blue pills churned out by Royal Hospital. And promotions there aren't fair...considering.'
'I know, right?' said Alchemist Mei unhappily.
Lingyue later gave Houqi a notebook containing her investigation of the Royal Hospital for the Queen and Empress Dowager to look at...after he reads it as National Matters are his business as he will soon regain his Crown Prince spot back...should he swallow her Reincarnation Pill before end of autumn!
For now, Alchemist Mei is an ally, is training under Lingyue in the afternoon alongside training the orphans...and she delivered proof of her expulsion from Royal Hospital to her seniors by obtaining letters and the like, that got her senpais furious.
'What Noble Faction?! Most who came to Alchemist Association are civilians who became medicine and weapon suppliers to serve the country!' a senpai named Gao Dong burst out. 'There's only very few nobles who bothered!'
The alchemists were furious that word reached Master Longyue's residence...naturally, the guy angrily wrote a letter to his longtime friend the Dowager.
Welp, she finds out before Houqi even finished the book she gave him and she wasn't too happy, but cannot act yet.
But she'll find a way to act somehow!
'Queen, do you know a young alchemist we can sneak in into the royal hospital somehow?' the Dowager was livid upon visiting the Morning Flower Wing. The queen was concerned with what angered the Dowager so. 'The Alchemist Association and Master Longyue are furious about this!'
'Well, Qi'er's tutor has a lot of free time...' said Yunxiu. 'She works at the Alchemist Tower in the mornings, then Qi'er's teacher in Martial Hall for one hour...after that, almost nothing since she's a part-time Brewmaster and part-time teacher of her orphans she took in.'
'Miss Ling Yue, is it?'
'Yes.'
The Dowager then looked thoughtful.
'I have a good impression of her back at school...does Houqi talk about her?' Lingyue treated both her grandson and his first friend Qing Shizi to two unknown eggs...with astounding results. Houqi enjoys his new pet dragon, a 7th rank beast that because Lingyue had great record in picking Unknown Eggs with treasure beasts within, the Pet Shop was forced to change rules as to not lose money! She got Princess Lan a Yin-Yang Carp, too!
'Favorably so.' said Yunxiu with a smile. 'The way she teaches is very easy to understand he says even a little child will learn well from her. She is also very professional for her age when normally, girls her age try to get his and young Sir Qing's attention. She's thirteen despite how she looks, which speaks well of her strength as well.' this pleased the elderly Dowager before her eyes blazed again.
'Call that girl over. I need a way to undermine the Noble Faction ruled hospital!' said the Dowager. 'With all proof we have, we can easily clean up the Hospital with her help!'
'Of course. Now what angered them when it's to everyone's detriment for crossing the association?'
The Dowager explained and this got Yunxiu choking, and quickly made a Spirit Crane to send to Lingyue.