Inside the private lounge of the Thousand Veil Chamber, sunlight filtered through layers of translucent silk curtains, scattering soft ripples of gold across the polished floor. The chamber carried a serene fragrance of sandalwood and ancient scroll ink — a sanctuary that normally calmed Yue Lan's mind, yet today it failed to soothe the exhaustion in her eyes.
Behind her desk, Yue Lan sat with her usual elegance, but the weight of the past few days clung to her shoulders.
The ceaseless tension between Zhao Clan and the rising influence of Lin Xian had kept her sleepless, her thoughts constantly turning like storm clouds.
Yet the moment Lin Xian stepped inside, his presence cut through her unrest like a quiet dawn after a long night.
He approached without haste, each step steady, his white hair shimmering like frost catching the sun. A calm aura followed him — subtle yet undeniably profound.
He placed a small jade bottle on the table.
A gentle, refreshing fragrance flowed out instantly — pure, clean, and strangely soothing, as if the world itself took a deeper breath.
> "This is the first batch," Lin Xian said, voice soft yet carrying a quiet certainty.
"The Pure Spirit Rejuvenation Pill. Try it."
Yue Lan opened the bottle carefully, almost ceremonially.
Inside lay a single pill, shimmering with a faint golden radiance, as though sunlight had been trapped within it.
Her lashes trembled. "This… this quality—"
Lin Xian cut in gently, his voice steady and factual.
> "Fifty percent qi recovery in a single pill. No impurities. Completely stable, even under external suppression."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"And it's still thirty percent cheaper than Zhao Clan's lowest grade pill."
Yue Lan's heartbeat faltered for a moment.
She lifted her gaze to his face, searching, evaluating — but all she saw was unshakable calm.
No pride.
No boastfulness.
Just absolute confidence.
It made her spine tingle.
> "Are you ready," Lin Xian asked softly, a faint curve lifting his lips,
"to dominate the market?"
Yue Lan exhaled sharply, as though struck by the weight of the future he had just placed before her. The way he phrased it was terrifyingly straightforward — not a prediction, but a declaration.
"Tell me," she whispered, "what do you need me to do?"
Lin Xian tapped his finger once against the table, a deliberate, measured sound.
> "Tomorrow, you will attend the grand opening of Nine Tails Apothecary.
You will officiate it.
Endorse the pill personally."
His gaze deepened.
"Announce that Grandmaster Xu Tian himself has confirmed its authenticity."
Yue Lan blinked. Slowly. "You're not going?"
Lin Xian shook his head, turning slightly toward the sunlit window.
> "No. The puppeteer never stands on the stage."
His voice lowered, almost serene.
"I'll be behind the curtain."
A soft chill ran through Yue Lan.
He spoke as though he stood above the entire board of pieces, rearranging them with effortless precision.
She let out a small, helpless laugh. "Young Master Lin… you truly are not an ordinary man."
Lin Xian's gaze drifted toward the cityscape beyond the window, where streaks of sunlight glimmered over Azurecloud City.
> "Ordinary men don't change the game," he murmured.
A calm statement — yet the room itself felt different afterward, as though reality shifted in response.
---
The Next Morning — Azurecloud City in Uproar
By dawn, rumors had spread like wildfire.
A brand-new apothecary, daring enough to open beside the Zhao Clan's most prestigious branch?
Boldness or madness — nobody could agree.
Yet countless cultivators flooded the streets, drawn by curiosity and spectacle.
Nine Tails Apothecary, with its outrageously large golden fat-cat mascot perched above the entrance, was impossible to miss. Crimson banners fluttered like flames, carrying the scent of fresh paint and ambition.
Across the bustling street, in a quiet restaurant, Lin Xian and Bai Yusheng sat by a window overlooking the grand opening.
Bai Yusheng leaned forward, excitement glowing in her eyes. "Are you truly not going? This was all your idea."
Lin Xian lifted his teacup, steam rising gently.
> "If the pill is genuine," he said,
"my presence is irrelevant. The product will speak for itself."
Below, Fang Qi — the newly hired shop manager — stood confidently at the entrance, beaming with enthusiasm.
"Welcome, welcome!" he shouted. "Today marks the grand opening of Nine Tails Apothecary! Allow me to introduce our star product — The Pure Spirit Rejuvenation Pill!"
Instant uproar.
Fang Qi raised a jade bottle with flair.
"Approved by Grandmaster Xu Tian of Pill Academy!
Restores fifty percent of qi instantly — and thirty percent cheaper than Zhao Clan's lowest grade!"
The crowd erupted like thunder.
"Fifty percent? That's insane!"
"Zhao Clan only has twenty percent recovery pills!"
"No way, it must be fake!"
Zhao Clan attendants smirked loudly.
"Hah! Scam! If a pill like that existed, Zhao Clan would've made it ages ago!"
Fang Qi only smiled. "If you don't believe, ask Grandmaster Xu Tian yourself."
As if summoned by fate —
The bustling street fell into a profound silence replaced by the soft, rhythmic clatter of iron-shod hooves on cobblestone, as a lacquered luxury carriage, drawn by two impossibly sleek horses, parted the crowd with its silent, imposing presence. It halted, and the door opened.
Yue Lan stepped out of her carriage.
Gasps spread like ripples in a still lake.
"Yue Lan?"
"The Thousand Veil Chamber's representative?"
"She deals with half the city's trade market!"
"If she's here— something's serious!"
Yue Lan approached with effortless grace, her presence cutting through doubt like a blade wrapped in silk.
She stood before the crowd.
> "Thousand Veil Chamber officially endorses Nine Tails Apothecary," she stated.
"And I can personally confirm— Grandmaster Xu Tian has approved the Pure Spirit Rejuvenation Pill."
The uproar intensified.
"No… way…"
"He never approves anything outside the Academy!"
"Then the pill… might actually be real?"
Yue Lan's gaze swept calmly across the doubtful faces.
> "You need not believe words."
Her voice rang clear.
"Believe results."
---
A dusty cultivator, his robes torn and aura depleted, stepped forward.
"Fine," he said, tossing thousands of gold coins down. "Let me try one. I've been drained for three days."
Fang Qi handed him a pill.
The man swallowed it without hesitation.
One breath—
Two—
Boom!
A golden mist burst around him, his aura rising sharply — clean, vibrant, unmistakably restored.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"It's real… it's really real! My qi came back in an instant!"
The entire street exploded.
"Ten bottles for me!"
"I'll buy the whole stock!"
"Out of the way!"
Crowds surged, nearly overwhelming the poor storefront.
Across the busy street, the Zhao Clan's branch manager went rigid. His smug smile vanished instantly. As the golden mist of the pill's effect burst out and the crowd erupted in excitement, his face turned pale. He stared at the cheering customers, realizing—clearly and painfully—what this meant for the Zhao Clan's business.
A Disaster!
Without saying a single word to his attendants, he spun around and bolted toward the Zhao compound, cloak flying behind him. He wasn't just running—he was delivering the first warning of a disaster heading their way.
Meanwhile,
Upstairs in the restaurant, Bai Yusheng pressed against the window, voice shaking with excitement.
"Look! They're rushing in! It's a complete sellout!"
Lin Xian calmly took another sip of tea, eyes serene.
> "As expected.
When truth appears, doubt vanish."
She stared at him, wonder softening her voice.
"You really anticipated every single move."
Lin Xian's faint smile returned — cool, unreadable.
> "This is only the first wave."
Below, Yue Lan tilted her head slightly — as if instinctively sensing his distant gaze.
A quiet smile touched her lips.
> "Young Master Lin… what kind of storm are you preparing next?"