One week. Seven damn days Li Xuan had spent cooped up in this fancy room, doing nothing but sitting on his ass and breathing. That was the reality of the Wood Heart Sutra. Slow. Tedious. But, he had to admit as he finally stood up, stretching his small limbs, surprisingly effective. The constant, gnawing weakness that had plagued the orphan's body was lessened, replaced by a resilient, vital energy flowing through his veins. His meridians, while still mostly garbage, felt... wider. Cleaner. Less like cracked mud pipes and more like slightly-less-cracked stone channels. He could feel the gentle, green energy of the Sutra circulating with more vigor.
'Second level,' he assessed, flexing his fingers. 'Barely noteworthy by true cultivation standards, but a definite improvement. The self-healing is faster. Good.' His Soul Power range had also crept up another ten meters or so. Small gains, but gains nonetheless. What he really needed were the materials for the Body Technique. 'Where are those damn resources? Mortals move like snails.'
Just as the impatient thought crossed his mind, a hurried knock came. Lu Wen entered, looking slightly flustered but also deeply impressed, his usual calm ruffled.
"Master Li!" he said, bowing quickly, his voice slightly breathless. "Vice Patriarch Yan Zheng has arrived personally! He's waiting in the main hall."
Li Xuan raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Finally." He smoothed down the simple silk robes Feng had insisted he wear – another tedious mortal custom – and walked out.
He followed Lu Wen down to the main hall of the Three Flower Alchemy Shop. Yan Zheng stood there alone, looking visibly thinner and more weary than the last time Li Xuan had seen him, the stress of the past week clearly etched onto his usually sharp features. However, his eyes held an almost fervent light, a strange mixture of exhaustion and intense focus. He carried a simple, unadorned storage ring on his finger.
Seeing Li Xuan, Yan Zheng immediately performed a deep, formal bow, the kind usually reserved for royalty or esteemed elders. "Master Li," he said, his voice slightly hoarse but filled with a carefully controlled energy. "Forgive the delay. Some items required… significant effort and delicate negotiation to procure. But per the Patriarch's command, we have gathered everything you requested."
He respectfully removed the ring from his finger and presented it with both hands, his head slightly lowered. "The quality is the absolute best the Yan Clan could find in the entire southern region."
Li Xuan took the ring, noting the formality of the gesture. He extended his Soul Power into it, his mental 'gaze' sweeping over the contents within the spatial storage. He paused. His expression remained blank, utterly impassive, but inside, his mind registered the sheer volume and quality with genuine surprise.
The space wasn't just filled; it was packed. The fifty-year Blood Ginseng he'd requested? No, this was a ninety-year-old specimen, practically pulsating with crimson vitality, its roots thick as a man's arm. The Second-Rank Fire Wolf core wasn't just any core; it was peak Second-Rank, shimmering with barely contained berserk energy, clearly taken from a beast that had been moments away from evolving. The vial of Molten Earth Essence was twice the size he'd asked for, contained in a heavy jade flask that felt warm even through the ring's barrier. And the spirit stones… they weren't just high-grade; they were flawless, shimmering with an internal light, radiating pure energy. They had delivered triple the quantity he needed for the initial stage, and every single item was of exquisite, almost absurd, quality.
'Three times the amount?' Li Xuan thought, his gaze flicking up to meet Yan Zheng's nervous, watchful eyes. 'Why? Simple fear of providing substandard goods seems insufficient for this level of reaction. What game are they playing now? Are they trying to buy favor with my imaginary 'Grandmaster' that Feng must have concocted?' He couldn't grasp the depth of their paranoia, but the outcome was undeniably beneficial. 'An incredibly inefficient use of resources on their part... but the excess will significantly accelerate my progress through the later stages of the technique. Their strange motivations, whatever they are, serve my purpose. Acceptable.'
He lowered the ring, breaking eye contact. "The Yan Clan's efforts are noted," he said calmly, his voice betraying none of his internal surprise. "These materials are... more than sufficient."
Yan Zheng visibly swelled with pride and relief, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The 'Master' was satisfied! The sacrifice was worth it! 'Father will be ecstatic!' he thought, a wave of pure, unadulterated relief washing over him. 'Giving more resources, and only the best quality... it was the right move! It showed our respect! The Grandmaster will surely be pleased!'
Li Xuan immediately followed up, his tone shifting back to the familiar, cold business-like manner that somehow felt more normal coming from him. "However," he stated, his clear eyes fixed on Yan Zheng, "the quantity far exceeds our agreement. Significantly."
Yan Zheng blinked, his relief instantly replaced by confusion and a fresh wave of panic. Was this a complaint? Had they somehow offended him by being too generous? Was this another test?
"Repaying such a sum," Li Xuan continued, his voice flat and analytical, "especially with the agreed-upon interest... would be unduly burdensome, even for the enterprises Feng will establish. The numbers become impractical. It introduces unnecessary complications."
Yan Zheng opened his mouth, about to reiterate the Patriarch's desperate command to spare no expense, to offer it all as a gift, but Li Xuan held up a small hand, silencing him with a simple gesture.
"Very well," Li Xuan declared, his tone that of a superior making a concession he found slightly annoying but logically necessary. "The excess quantity makes the original loan agreement illogical." He paused, looking directly at Yan Zheng, his expression unreadable. "I will accept these materials as a gift, a sign of the Yan Clan's sincerity in our alliance."
Yan Zheng's eyes widened. He had accepted! He had acknowledged their sincerity!
"However," Li Xuan added instantly, his gaze sharpening, "understand this clearly. This changes the nature of our agreement, not the balance. I owe the Yan Clan no specific favors now." He paused, letting the implication hang, his voice taking on a strange, distant quality. "But I am still a child right now. When I have achieved my goals, when I am... stronger... I will naturally remember the Yan Clan's generosity today and find a suitable way to express my gratitude."
It was a masterful move. He accepted the gift, erasing the debt, but framed it as accepting their sincerity because he was currently weak, while promising a far greater, unspecified return in the future. Yan Zheng felt like he had just been played by a master strategist, navigating treacherous waters he couldn't even see, but the outcome was undeniably good. The 'Master' was happy, acknowledged their sincerity, and had even promised future benefits! He felt a surge of confidence; he had handled this delicate transaction perfectly.
"Thank you, Master Li! Your magnanimity is vast! The Yan Clan is honored!" Yan Zheng bowed deeply again, completely won over. He then eagerly reported their other efforts, desperate to show their continued obedience and competence. "Master Li, regarding your profound guidance for my son and daughter… the Patriarch has acted swiftly! Elder Hui reports that Qing'er shows exceptional aptitude for arrays, grasping concepts far beyond her age! And we have already dispatched envoys to the capital with lucrative offers to recruit a Spear Arts Grandmaster and Array Master!"
Li Xuan gave a slight nod, his attention already shifting back to the ring in his hand. "Good."
Having received his 'investment capital'—now officially a 'gift'—Li Xuan turned his attention back to his own plans. The pieces were falling into place faster than anticipated.
"Lu Wen," he commanded. "The chamber beneath the shop. Is it prepared?"
Lu Wen bowed immediately. "Yes, Master Li," he reported concisely. "Following the order you gave last week, I prioritized its construction. We repurposed the deepest storage cellar, reinforced the walls with ironwood and granite, and installed a triple-locked steel door. It is the most secure location in the shop."
He hesitated, looking frustrated. "However, regarding the silencing and protective arrays you requested… forgive my incompetence, Master, but we were unable to procure them. Finding a skilled Array Master willing to travel to Yan Town on such short notice proved impossible, even with the Yan Clan's assistance."
Li Xuan looked at him, then glanced around the slightly shabby main hall of the Three Flower Alchemy Shop. 'Of course they couldn't find one. This place is a dump, relatively speaking.'
He gave a dismissive wave, the gesture filled with casual confidence. "Trivial," he said, his tone making it clear it was barely an inconvenience. "The reinforcements will suffice for now. I will handle the arrays myself later."
Lu Wen and Yan Zheng stared at him, jaws slack. 'He knows arrays too?!' The thought simultaneously terrified and impressed them. The boy's talents seemed utterly bottomless. It only solidified their belief in his terrifying background.
Li Xuan ignored their shock. He looked at the storage ring in his hand, a cold, predatory light entering his eyes. "Inform Feng that I am entering seclusion," he announced to Yan Zheng, his voice taking on a finality that brokered no argument. "I do not know how long it will take. Ensure I am not disturbed. Under any circumstances."
He turned to head towards the cellar entrance Lu Wen indicated. Then, he paused and looked back at the two men, who were still standing rigidly, looking slightly overwhelmed by the sheer density of revelations.
"And one more thing," Li Xuan added, his tone flat, almost an afterthought. "Stop calling me 'Master Li'. It is inappropriate and draws unnecessary attention." He thought for a moment, settling on something slightly less ridiculous. "Henceforth, you may address me as Young Master Xuan."
Before they could even process the new title, he turned again and walked towards the reinforced cellar door without a backward glance. Lu Wen scrambled to open it for him. Li Xuan stepped inside, and the heavy steel door boomed shut, the triple locks clicking firmly into place, sealing him away with a mountain of volatile treasures.
Silence descended on the main hall. Yan Zheng and Lu Wen stood there, looking at the door that now sealed away the boy. The air felt heavy with anticipation.
After a long moment, Yan Zheng finally turned to Lu Wen, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Lu Wen," he asked, his voice low, "did he… did he truly just say he would handle the arrays himself?" He knew array mastery was a discipline even more profound and difficult than alchemy. "Does Young Master Xuan possess mastery in the Dao of Arrays as well?"
Lu Wen just looked back at him, his face completely blank, utterly dumbfounded. "Vice Patriarch," he admitted honestly, shaking his head slowly, "that was the first I've heard of it too."
The mystery surrounding the boy they now called Young Master Xuan had just deepened significantly, reaching almost mythical proportions in their minds.