The invitation rested on the counter like a silent challenge.
Lin Mo examined it carefully.
The seal of the Blazing River Sect was stamped in crimson wax, faint heat still lingering within—an unmistakable mark of a sect that specialized in fire-based techniques.
"Pill & Artifact Exchange Gathering…" Lin Mo murmured.
This was no casual meeting.
Such gatherings were half-market, half-battlefield. On the surface, cultivators traded resources and knowledge. Beneath it, sects measured one another's foundations, techniques, and backing.
For a lone merchant like him, attending meant exposure.
For a cultivator of the Heavenly Ledger Dao, it meant opportunity.
That night, Lin Mo did not cultivate.
Instead, he reviewed every rule engraved within his Dao.
Fair exchange.
No coercion.
Cause recorded, effect returned.
Only when his heart was steady did he close his eyes.
***
The day of the gathering arrived swiftly.
Lin Mo left Ming City at dawn, traveling with a small Lin Clan escort—two outer disciples and a carriage marked discreetly with the clan insignia.
As they crossed the city gates, Lin Mo felt it clearly.
The moment he left Ming City…
The Heavenly Ledger reacted.
***
[Territory Change Detected]
Location: Chu Prefecture – Outer Zone
Local Rules: Sect Dominance | Trade Supervision Active
***
"So even territory has rules," Lin Mo thought.
The gathering was held at a floating pavilion suspended above a mountain lake. Stone bridges extended from every direction, each bearing banners of different factions.
Lin Mo stepped onto the bridge calmly.
Eyes turned.
Some curious.
Some dismissive.
Some sharp with intent.
A merchant without sect robes stood out immediately.
"Second Young Master Lin," a familiar voice called.
Gu Yan, the Blazing River Sect's outer deacon, approached with a polite smile.
"You came."
"I was invited," Lin Mo replied.
Gu Yan nodded. "You may set up at Pavilion Three. Standard terms apply."
"What are the terms?" Lin Mo asked.
Gu Yan paused, then answered honestly. "No deception. No forced sales. No undercutting sect prices."
Lin Mo smiled faintly. "Those rules are acceptable."
Gu Yan raised an eyebrow.
Most merchants negotiated.
This one accepted.
As Lin Mo stepped into Pavilion Three, the Heavenly Ledger pulsed softly.
***
[External Trade Zone Registered]
Temporary Ledger Extension Enabled
Risk: Elevated
***
Lin Mo arranged his goods carefully.
Only three items this time.
Less supply meant less chaos.
The first transaction did not take long.
A Qi Refinement cultivator purchased a Body Tempering Powder and left visibly shaken by its purity.
The second was a wandering talisman master who studied Lin Mo's Clear Mind Talisman in silence before buying one without comment.
Then came the third.
A young man in silver-trimmed robes stepped forward.
His cultivation was Foundation Establishment, but unstable.
"You sell clean goods," he said. "I want proof."
Lin Mo met his gaze. "Proof is purchased."
The man laughed and placed two spirit stones down. "Then sell me something dangerous."
The Heavenly Ledger reacted instantly.
***
[Warning]
Intent: Disruptive | Dao Misalignment Detected
***
Lin Mo slid the stones back.
"I don't sell to those who seek imbalance," he said calmly.
The pavilion fell silent.
The silver-robed cultivator's smile faded. "Do you know who I am?"
"I don't need to," Lin Mo replied.
Pressure surged.
Before it could touch Lin Mo—
A bell rang.
"Enough," an elder's voice echoed across the pavilion.
The silver-robed cultivator stiffened and retreated.
Lin Mo exhaled slowly.
The ledger recorded everything.
***
Later, as the gathering drew to a close, an elder approached Lin Mo personally.
"You follow a rare path," the elder said. "One that does not bow easily."
"I follow my technique," Lin Mo replied.
The elder nodded thoughtfully.
"When you reach Foundation Establishment… you will need a complete Dao Scripture."
Lin Mo bowed. "I am aware."
As he left the pavilion, the Heavenly Ledger turned another page.
***
[Major Event Recorded]
Dao Stability Increased
Reputation (Chu Prefecture): Established
***
Lin Mo looked back at the floating pavilion once.
"This world trades power," he thought.
"And I trade the rules that bind it."
The road ahead was no longer quiet.
But it was clear.
*****
The return journey to Ming City was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lin Mo sat inside the carriage, eyes closed, yet his senses extended outward through the faint resonance of the Heavenly Ledger. Every movement of the wheels, every fluctuation of Qi in the air, was calmly recorded.
No ambush came.
That alone was information.
"They're watching," Lin Mo thought. "Not acting yet."
When the city walls of Ming City came back into view, the subtle pressure he had felt since leaving eased slightly. The Ledger responded, its glow stabilizing.
***
[Territory Re-Entered]
Location: Ming City – Lin Clan Sphere of Influence
Ledger Stability: Improved
***
Back at Mo's Miscellaneous Shop, Lin Mo dismissed the escort and reopened the doors.
News traveled faster than cultivators.
By the time the shop reopened, rumors had already taken shape.
"He refused a Foundation Establishment cultivator."
"The sect elder intervened."
"They say his goods obey rules, not strength."
Lin Mo listened without reacting.
He checked the system.
***
[Reputation Update]
Ming City: Trusted
Chu Prefecture: Recognized
Hidden Modifier: Cautious Interest
***
"So my value has changed," Lin Mo murmured.
Not wealth.
Not cultivation.
Credibility.
The first customer entered soon after.
It was Elder Lin Shen.
He stood quietly in the doorway for a long moment before stepping inside.
"This shop feels different," the elder said.
"The Dao has progressed," Lin Mo replied honestly.
Lin Shen nodded. "At the gathering, you embarrassed someone important."
"I followed the rules," Lin Mo said calmly.
The elder laughed softly. "That's exactly why you embarrassed him."
He placed a spirit stone on the counter.
"One Body Tempering Powder," he said. "For a clan junior."
Lin Mo slid the item over.
***
[Clan Transaction Complete]
[Ledger Record Reinforced]
***
Lin Shen did not leave immediately.
"Lin Mo," he said slowly, "do you know why sects fear techniques like yours?"
Lin Mo shook his head.
"Because strength can be crushed," Lin Shen replied. "But rules spread."
He turned and left.
The ledger pulsed faintly.
By midday, the shop sold out again—seven clean, orderly transactions.
Each one left Lin Mo feeling more grounded, more complete.
That night, Lin Mo meditated.
This time, the Heavenly Ledger opened to a page he had not seen before.
***
[Insight Gained]
Heavenly Ledger Dao – Principle: Price
Definition:
Every item has a value beyond spirit stones.
Every exchange carries weight beyond Qi.
Effect (Passive):
The user may intuitively sense imbalance in proposed exchanges.
***
Lin Mo opened his eyes, breath steady.
"So now I can see unfairness before it happens," he murmured.
At the same moment, far away within Chu Prefecture…
The silver-robed cultivator slammed his fist into a stone table.
"He humiliated me over trade!" he snarled.
An older cultivator across from him shook his head.
"You challenged a Dao," the elder said calmly. "And lost."
Back in Ming City, Lin Mo extinguished the lamp.
Tomorrow, prices would remain the same.
But the meaning behind them had deepened.
And those who ignored that truth…
Would eventually pay far more than they expected.
*****
Morning arrived with a faint drizzle, the kind that soaked slowly into stone and cloth alike.
Mo's Miscellaneous Shop opened on time.
Lin Mo noticed the change immediately.
The street was busy—but the gazes were sharper. Calculating. Not all of them were here to buy.
He sat behind the counter, expression calm, as the Heavenly Ledger opened within him.
***
[Daily Stock Generated]
1× Qi Recovery Pill
1× Body Tempering Powder
1× Clear Mind Talisman
1× Meridian Warming Paste
1× Minor Artifact Repair Charm
1× Low-grade Spirit Rice (1 jin)
1× Clear Qi Condensing Pill (New)
***
Lin Mo's eyes lingered on the last item.
"A refinement-type pill," he noted. "But still clean."
The first two sales passed smoothly.
The third customer, however, stopped at the counter without placing a spirit stone down.
He was a middle-aged man with shrewd eyes, dressed in the robes of a local apothecary guild.
"I've heard a lot about your goods," the man said. "But I don't understand your pricing."
Lin Mo looked at him. "Then don't buy."
The man's smile stiffened. "You sell pills that rival sect-quality goods for a single spirit stone. That disrupts the market."
"The market isn't my concern," Lin Mo replied calmly. "Fair exchange is."
The man leaned closer. "Do you know what happens when prices fall too low?"
"Yes," Lin Mo said. "People stop cheating."
The apothecary's eyes darkened.
He placed a spirit stone down. "Then let me test that fairness."
The Heavenly Ledger stirred.
***
[Imbalance Detected]
Hidden Clause: Post-Purchase Resale Intent
***
Lin Mo slid the spirit stone back.
"I don't sell to resellers," he said evenly.
A murmur rippled through the shop.
The apothecary's smile vanished. "You have no proof."
"I don't need it," Lin Mo replied.
The man's aura surged briefly—then halted.
The Ledger responded.
The imbalance pressed inward, reflected back on its source.
The apothecary staggered, sweat beading on his brow.
"You…" he hissed.
"You questioned value," Lin Mo said softly. "And revealed intent."
The man left without another word.
The shop fell quiet.
The fourth customer approached hesitantly.
"Shopkeeper Lin," a young cultivator asked, "if prices don't matter… why charge at all?"
Lin Mo considered the question carefully.
"Because price is a rule," he replied. "Not a measure."
The sale completed.
***
[Sale Complete]
[Ledger Record Strengthened]
***
By sunset, all seven items were sold.
The Heavenly Ledger glowed steadily.
That night, Lin Mo did not meditate immediately.
Instead, he reviewed the day.
"Today wasn't about selling," he realized. "It was about defining worth."
The ledger responded.
***
[Dao Insight Unlocked]
Principle: Market Boundaries
Effect:
The user's transactions subtly enforce localized pricing stability.
Exploitative undercutting is naturally resisted.
***
Lin Mo exhaled slowly.
"So the Dao protects balance," he murmured. "Not profit."
Far away, in a secluded courtyard, the hidden traveler sipped tea and smiled faintly.
"He's learning the dangerous part now," the man said to himself.
Back in Ming City, rain tapped gently against the shop's roof.
Lin Mo closed his eyes.
Tomorrow, someone would try again.
They always did.
*****
The next morning, the rain had stopped.
But the street outside Mo's Miscellaneous Shop was crowded earlier than usual.
Too orderly.
Lin Mo noticed it the moment he stepped out and lifted the wooden sign.
No noisy cultivators.
No impatient buyers.
Just people standing at measured distances—like pieces already placed on a board.
"Someone organized this," Lin Mo thought.
He sat behind the counter and allowed the Heavenly Ledger to open fully.
***
[Daily Stock Generated]
1× Qi Recovery Pill
1× Body Tempering Powder
1× Clear Mind Talisman
1× Meridian Warming Paste
1× Clear Qi Condensing Pill
1× Minor Artifact Repair Charm
1× Low-grade Spirit Rice (1 jin)
***
No new items.
That, too, was information.
The first customer stepped forward—a young cultivator Lin Mo had never seen before. Qi Refinement Stage 3. Nervous. Honest.
The transaction completed smoothly.
The second did as well.
The third customer, however, did something different.
He placed two spirit stones on the counter.
"I only want one pill," the man said. "The extra is… appreciation."
The shop fell silent.
Lin Mo looked at the stones.
The Heavenly Ledger stirred uneasily.
***
[Warning]
Detected Attempt: Price Distortion
Intent: Artificial Inflation
***
Lin Mo pushed one stone back.
"Take it," he said calmly.
The man hesitated. "Why? You're losing profit."
Lin Mo met his eyes. "Because profit isn't the point."
The man swallowed and accepted the stone, then left quickly.
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
The fourth customer stepped forward.
"I'll pay double too," someone said from outside.
Another voice followed. "I'll pay triple."
Lin Mo stood.
The ledger flared.
The shop's air grew heavy—not with pressure, but with clarity.
"Enough," Lin Mo said.
His voice was calm, but it carried.
"Prices are fixed. Scarcity is fixed. Intent is recorded."
He swept his gaze across the crowd.
"If you try to raise value by force," he continued, "the Dao will treat it the same as cheating."
Silence.
Several people stepped back unconsciously.
One man did not.
He walked in openly, robes embroidered with gold thread—a representative of the Ming City Apothecary Union.
"You're overstepping," the man said coldly. "Markets require flexibility."
"Markets require trust," Lin Mo replied.
The man sneered. "And who gave you authority to define that?"
Lin Mo did not answer immediately.
Instead, he completed the next transaction—with a trembling cultivator who paid exactly one spirit stone.
***
[Sale Complete]
[Ledger Record: Stable]
***
Only then did Lin Mo look back at the apothecary representative.
"I didn't take authority," Lin Mo said evenly. "I followed my technique."
The Heavenly Ledger turned a page.
***
[Principle Enforced]
Balance Cannot Be Forced
Effect:
Attempts to manipulate price—upward or downward—generate resistance proportional to intent.
***
The apothecary representative felt it.
Not pain.
But a sudden sense of being out of step—as if every calculation he had ever relied on slipped half a beat behind reality.
His expression changed.
"This is a Dao enforcement effect…" he muttered.
Lin Mo nodded. "Now you understand the cost."
The man said nothing more and left.
By midday, fewer people tried to game the rules.
Transactions resumed.
Clean. Simple. Uneventful.
That night, Lin Mo sat alone in the darkened shop.
His cultivation did not advance.
Yet his Dao did.
***
[Heavenly Ledger Dao Scripture]
Completion: 18%
***
Lin Mo opened his eyes slowly.
"They're learning," he thought. "But soon, someone will decide rules aren't enough."
Outside Ming City, a messenger bird took flight toward Chu Prefecture.
Its destination was marked with a sect seal.
And its message was simple.
A merchant has begun enforcing balance.