The air in the marketplace, already thick with the tension of the economic war, solidified into a block of stunned, breathless silence. Xiao Ning, the proudest and most powerful of his generation within the Xiao Clan, was frozen in place, his face a mask of straining crimson as he pushed against an enemy he could not see, touch, or comprehend. He was like a fly caught in an invisible web, his raw physical power utterly negated.
Ming hadn't moved a muscle. He simply stood there, a calm island in a storm of confusion, the black fabric of his blindfold seeming to absorb the light and fear of everyone present. He was the center of a reality that had momentarily broken.
The crowd stared, their minds scrambling to process what they were witnessing. There had been no flare of Dou Qi, no shout of a Dou Technique. One moment, Xiao Ning was charging forward; the next, he was stopped dead by nothing at all. This wasn't a battle between experts; it was something far stranger, far more terrifying. It was a violation of the fundamental rules of their world.
The harried Xiao Clan manager, who had been overjoyed at the sale just moments before, now looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He rushed forward, his hands flapping uselessly.
"Young Master Ning! Young Miss Bai! Please, please, there is a misunderstanding!" he stammered, his gaze flicking nervously between the immovable Ming and his own straining young master.
I stepped forward, my movement deliberate and calm, drawing the crowd's attention back to me. Now was the time to control the narrative.
"There is no misunderstanding, manager," I said, my voice clear and steady, projecting a sense of absolute authority. I looked directly at the struggling Xiao Ning, my expression not one of anger, but of mild disappointment, like a teacher scolding a disruptive student. "Your Young Master has accused us of being vultures. He is mistaken."
I turned my address to the crowd, my voice rising slightly so all could hear. "Vultures circle a dying carcass, waiting to feed for free. We are not waiting. We are paying. We are paying the price that your own clan set, a price designed to generate immediate cash flow during a crisis. We are injecting hundreds of gold coins into your coffers at a time when your rival is attempting to bleed you dry. This is not profiteering. This is a business transaction, one that your clan desperately needs."
My words, logical and sharp, cut through the emotional haze of the confrontation. I could see the understanding dawn on the faces of the more intelligent onlookers and merchants. We weren't robbing them; we were their biggest customers, the lifeline they didn't even know they had.
"He dares to interfere with a transaction that is actively helping his family?" I continued, my gaze sweeping back to Xiao Ning. "His pride is blinding him to the reality of the situation. He would rather his clan suffer financially than accept help from an outsider who plays the game better than he does. That is not the thinking of a future leader. It is the tantrum of a spoiled child."
Every word was a precisely aimed blow, dismantling his righteous anger and reframing it as childish foolishness. Xiao Ning's face went from red with effort to pale with humiliation. He stopped pushing, sagging against the invisible barrier as the weight of my public condemnation settled upon him.
At that moment, the Great Elder, Xiao Li, arrived, his face a thunderous mask. He had clearly been watching from afar and had decided that the situation required his direct intervention.
"Xiao Ning!" his voice boomed, crackling with authority. "Stand down. Now!"
As if on command, Ming let the Infinity dissipate. The invisible barrier vanished. Xiao Ning, suddenly released from the force holding him back, stumbled forward, catching himself before he could fall. He looked at the Great Elder, his eyes full of shame and confusion.
"But, Great Elder," he began, "they are taking advantage of us!"
"They are conducting business," Xiao Li corrected him sharply, his gaze like chips of ice. "Business that Manager Su, under my authority, has already approved. Their gold is helping us counter the Galeo Clan's assault as we speak. Your emotional outburst has done nothing but cause a scene and bring further shame upon our family. You have forgotten your place. Go back to the training grounds and reflect on the difference between pride and foolishness."
The public rebuke was absolute. Stripped of his authority and his dignity, Xiao Ning could only bow his head in sullen submission. He shot one final, venomous glare at me and Ming before turning and stalking away, disappearing into the crowd.
The Great Elder watched him go, a deep, weary sigh escaping his lips. He then turned to me, his expression complex. The anger was gone, replaced by a grudging respect and a profound weariness.
"Young Miss Bai," he said, his voice low. "My clan owes you another apology. It seems we have a great many lessons to learn today." He gestured to the crates of herbs. "The transaction is valid. Please, conclude your business. We will ensure there are no further interruptions."
He gave a final, curt nod, turned, and walked away, leaving the marketplace to slowly return to its frantic, chaotic rhythm. The crisis had passed. We had not only secured our prize but had also publicly asserted our position and systematically dismantled the opposition of our primary antagonist within the clan.
We swiftly concluded the transaction, our cart now laden with a fortune in medicinal ingredients. The manager, deeply humbled and immensely grateful for the influx of cash, practically bowed us out of the marketplace.
As we made our way back to the alley where our driver was waiting, I felt a sense of profound finality. We had come here seeking opportunity and had found it in spades. But we had also irrevocably altered our relationship with the Xiao Clan. We were not simply business partners anymore. We were a force they had to reckon with, a mysterious power that could be both a lifeline and a lesson in humility.
Back within the secure walls of our pavilion, the sheer scale of our heist became apparent. We had the driver unload the crates into our storeroom, the air filling with the rich, earthy scent of dozens of different herbs. After paying him generously for his work and his silence, we were finally alone with our spoils.
Ming let out a long, low whistle, looking at the mountain of crates. "Alright, Qing-er. I know we got a good deal, but just how good are we talking?"
I picked up a stalk of what looked like a common, dried weed. Its leaves were a dull grey, and it had no discernible scent. This was the "Bone-Tempering Grass" from my list.
"This," I said, holding it up, "is something the Xiao Clan likely used as filler in low-grade trauma ointments. They probably sold it for five silver coins a bundle. In reality, it's the primary ingredient for the Tier 4 'Steel-Bone Pill,' a single one of which can sell for tens of thousands of gold coins in a major imperial city."
I then gestured to a crate filled with fragrant purple flowers. "And this is the Purple-leafed Orchid. They likely sold it as a simple incense ingredient for maybe one gold coin per flower. It's actually a key spiritual tranquilizer needed for alchemists attempting to break through to the next tier, stabilizing their soul perception during the volatile process. Its true value is almost impossible to calculate. It's an item that money can rarely buy."
I went down the list, explaining the true nature of each herb we had acquired. We had crate after crate of ingredients that were orders of magnitude more valuable than what we paid for them. Our initial investment of three hundred gold had purchased a treasure trove that was, conservatively, worth well over one hundred thousand gold coins. The profit margin was so absurd it was almost comical.
Ming listened, his grin growing wider and wider until he finally threw his head back and laughed, a loud, joyous sound of pure, unrestrained victory.
"Qing-er, you're not a vulture," he said, wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of his eye. "You're a dragon who just convinced a village of farmers to sell you their entire mountain of gold for a handful of shiny pebbles. This is amazing!"
"This is our future," I said, a smile of my own finally breaking through. "This is our arsenal. With these herbs and the Monster Cores, I can push my cultivation and my soul mastery at a speed that should be impossible. I can refine my own 'pills'—concentrated orbs of purified spiritual energy. This is how we get strong enough to stop worrying about Dou Masters and start thinking about Dou Kings."
Our path was clear. The first phase of our plan, the acquisition of resources, was complete, and its success had exceeded our wildest expectations. Now came the long, arduous second phase: converting that raw potential into tangible power.
I looked at the mountain of crates, then at Ming, who was practically vibrating with excitement. The city outside could continue its petty economic war. The Xiao Clan could struggle. Xiao Yan could train with all the furious desperation in his heart. It didn't matter.
Here, in our quiet fortress, we had everything we need to begin our ascent. The grind was about to begin in earnest.