The visit from Fat Pig had been a pleasant, and profitable, diversion. After his blissful session in the Koi's Sanctuary, the Vice Guild Master had spent a week at the sect, not resting, but engaging in a whirlwind of commercial diplomacy. He toured the menagerie with Brother Kai, establishing new, more efficient supply chains.
He met with the sect's alchemy elders, striking a deal for the bulk purchase of their pills to supply the growing needs of Traveler's Rest. He was a force of nature, his every action aimed at maximizing profit and strengthening the bond between the Guild and the Sect.
It was during this week that a formal request for a meeting arrived at the menagerie's newly constructed guest building—a fine, multi-story structure of wood and stone that now served as the official outpost for the Golden Shell Guild when their representatives were in the region. The request was from the First Elder, Jin Wei, on behalf of himself and the royal guests residing on his peak.
Fat Pig, who was in the middle of a spirited negotiation over the price of spirit fish with Uncle Wei, immediately composed himself, his greedy merchant's expression replaced by the dignified, benevolent mask of a powerful Vice Guild Master. He had learned well from Kui. This was not a business deal; it was a matter of cementing relationships.
He received them in the main hall of the guest building. The First Elder, his stern face holding a rare, respectful warmth, entered first. He was followed by Su Ling, who now carried herself with the quiet confidence of a princess and the sharp aura of a seasoned cultivator. And beside her was her mother, Lin Ruyan, her former weariness now replaced by a serene, regal grace.
"Vice Guild Master," the First Elder began, offering a formal bow, a gesture of immense respect from a man of his standing. "We have come to offer our formal thanks."
Fat Pig immediately returned the bow, his own gesture even deeper. "First Elder! You honor this humble one! Please, please, there is no need for such formality between partners!"
Su Ling stepped forward, her own expression one of sincere, profound gratitude. "Vice Guild Master, you may not have been present at the battle, but we know the power that protected our sect that day was the power of your Golden Shell Guild. Your Grand Elder saved our sect. Your Guild saved my life. This is a debt I can never repay."
Her mother, Lin Ruyan, added her own thanks, her voice a soft, melodic sound that held the weight of an empress's consort. "The Guild has not only protected my daughter, but has given my family a safe harbor in a time of great storm. The name of the Golden Shell Guild will be remembered and honored by the House of Lin for generations to come."
Fat Pig's heart swelled with a pride that was almost as satisfying as a mountain of spirit stones. He played his part to perfection, just as Kui had taught him. He was humble, magnanimous, and eloquent.
"My ladies, First Elder, you are too kind," he said with a wave of his hand, his smile wide and benevolent. "The Golden Shell Guild and the Green Mountain Sect are more than mere partners; we are a family, bound by trust and mutual interest. An attack on our family is an attack on us all. We did no more than any brother would do for his own kin. There is no debt between us."
He spoke of the bright future of their alliance, of the prosperity that their cooperation would bring to the entire southern region. He was charming, he was generous, and he was the perfect public face for Li Yu's hidden empire. The meeting concluded with the bonds between the sect, the hidden princess, and the Golden Shell Guild stronger and more unbreakable than ever.
After they had departed, a wide, greedy, and utterly triumphant grin spread across Fat Pig's face. He had done it. He had played the part of the powerful, benevolent merchant perfectly. Big Brother Kui would be proud.
A few days later, his visit concluded, Fat Pig sought out Li Yu in his quiet valley.
"Wise Host," he said with a deep bow. "This one's visit has been most… rejuvenating. But the world of commerce does not sleep, and a river of profit awaits he who is bold enough to sail it! It is time for me to depart."
"You are returning to Traveler's Rest?" Li Yu asked.
"Not directly, Wise Host," Fat Pig replied, his small, shrewd eyes gleaming with a familiar, avaricious light. "The town is stable, my subordinates are competent. No, I am heading further north. To the Boreal Frost Empire itself."
Li Yu's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Wise Host, think of it!" Fat Pig said, his voice dropping to an excited, conspiratorial whisper. "The empire is in chaos! A civil war is a tragedy, of course, a terrible, lamentable affair. But it is also the single greatest business opportunity in a century! An army needs weapons, it needs armor, it needs healing elixirs by the thousand! A nation in turmoil needs food, it needs resources, it needs a stable, neutral party to move goods across dangerous borders. And who is more stable, more neutral, than a merchant who is willing to sell to both sides?"
His plan was audacious and utterly ruthless. He intended to take the Golden Shell Guild directly into the heart of the storm, to profit from the chaos of the war, selling vital supplies to both the Third Prince and the Seventh Princess, all while maintaining a perfect, mercenary neutrality.
"Where there is war, there is wealth," Fat Pig concluded, his voice trembling with a greedy fervor. "And this one intends to reap a grand harvest."
Li Yu listened, and he was not shocked or appalled. He was intrigued. He had seen the peaceful south, the savage wilderness, the disciplined demonic territories. But the frozen, war-torn north of a dying empire? That was a world he had never experienced.
He thought of the weeks he had just spent in peaceful, repetitive cultivation. His skills had been honed, his foundation had deepened, but a part of him, the part that had awakened during his recent adventures, was restless. An epiphany was not found in a quiet room, but in the crucible of new experiences.
"You will need a guard," Li Yu said, a slow, thoughtful smile on his face.
Fat Pig blinked. "Of course, Wise Host! I will take a contingent of my best men from…"
"No," Li Yu cut him off gently. "I was thinking of someone… more reliable." He looked out at the peaceful valley, at the quiet pagoda that had been his only world for so long. "I have not seen the northern snows. The landscape is said to be quite beautiful. I think… I will accompany you on this trip."
Fat Pig's jaw dropped. The Wise Host himself was going to join him on a business trip? This was an honor beyond his wildest dreams! "Wise Host! You… you would grace this humble one with your presence? The journey is dangerous! The north is a treacherous land!"
"I am aware," Li Yu replied. "Which is why I will be bringing my own bodyguard as well."
And so, the new plan was set. Fat Pig, his heart pounding with a mixture of terror and ecstatic glee, made the final preparations. The journey would be long and dangerous, but with the Wise Host by his side, he felt invincible.
The next morning, three figures met in a secluded valley far from the prying eyes of the sect. There was Li Yu, his expression calm and full of a quiet, adventurous curiosity. There was Fat Pig, his merchant robes now replaced by a set of thick, fur-lined traveling cloaks. And there was Cyra, a silent, elegant shadow, her silver eyes taking in the world with a serene, watchful gaze.
Li Yu raised his hand, and the shimmering, watery portal to his sanctuary opened. From its depths, the colossal, draconic form of Spine emerged, his great, golden eyes blinking in the morning sun.
Fat Pig, who had seen the great beast before, was still overcome with a wave of pure, unadulterated awe. He looked at the 7th core formation monster that was to be their personal mount, then at the 8th-stage sovereign who was to be their bodyguard, and finally at the calm, unassuming young man who commanded them both. In that moment, he felt a surge of absolute, unshakeable confidence. A business venture into a war-torn empire? With this kind of backing, it wasn't a risk. It was a guaranteed victory.
They leaped onto the great beast's back. With a powerful, silent beat of his fins, Spine surged into the sky, a dark, draconic shadow against the rising sun. He turned, not west, not south, but to the cold, distant, and unknown lands of the frozen north. Li Yu's quiet life of peace was once again on hold, by his own choosing this time. A new, grand, and dangerous adventure had just begun.