In the center of Yan Town, amidst the grandest shops and busiest streets, stood the Three Flower Alchemist Association. It was the only officially recognized alchemy merchant in the region, and its building was a testament to its status, smelling richly of expensive herbs and delicate perfumes. This was where Li Xuan knew he would find the ingredients to fix his damn eyes.
As he approached, a dry, cynical thought surfaced in his mind, born from observing a thousand other stories.
'Alright, here comes the classic scene,' he thought, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. 'The ragged protagonist enters a fancy shop. The arrogant clerk tells him to get lost. A conflict ensues... I hope my luck holds out. This whole trope is incredibly tedious.'
With that thought, Li Xuan pushed open the polished wooden doors and entered.
The inside was clean, quiet, and filled with rows of neatly labeled drawers. A young woman sitting behind the counter looked up, her expression immediately souring at the sight of his torn, filthy clothes.
"Get out, boy," she said, her voice sharp. "This place isn't for beggars."
Li Xuan walked calmly to the counter. "You should learn to talk with some manners," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "I am here as a customer." He placed a handwritten list on the counter. "I need these herbs. Take it."
The girl's face flushed with anger. A beggar daring to talk back to her? She snatched the list, and with a spiteful sneer, ripped it into several pieces, throwing the scraps back at Li Xuan's face. "Take your trash and get out!"
"What is all this commotion?"
A new voice, laced with annoyance, came from a room behind the counter. A boy of about sixteen, dressed in fine silk robes, emerged. "I was in the middle of a critical refinement for a Cleansing Pill! If you don't have a good explanation for this, for fuck's sake, I'll throw you both out!"
The salesgirl immediately pointed a trembling finger at Li Xuan. "Young Master Lu! This beggar boy is disturbing the business!"
Young Master Lu turned his annoyed gaze on Li Xuan, but his expression quickly shifted to one of outright confusion. "...You," he said, his eyes widening in recognition. "You're the boy selling those cosmetics in the alleyway market."
The salesgirl froze.
"I came to your stall with my younger sister the other day," Young Master Lu continued, his full attention on Li Xuan. "She's obsessed with your products. From the looks of your business, I'm sure you have money. So why are you here causing trouble?"
"Big Brother," Li Xuan said, his tone perfectly calm. "I came here to buy herbs, but this bitch tore up the list I gave her and then slandered me."
He bent down, picked up the torn scraps, and pieced them together on the counter.
Young Master Lu's eyes scanned the list: 'Starlight Petal, Sunstone Powder, a vial of Eagle-Eye Fern dew, and a pinch of Silvermoon Moss.' His brow furrowed. The herbs weren't the most expensive in the shop, but the price for the lot would still be around ten silver coins. More importantly, the combination was utterly insane.
"Friend," he said, looking at Li Xuan, "this recipe… it makes no sense. You're mixing a 'hot' Yang ingredient like Sunstone Powder with a 'cold' Yin ingredient like Silvermoon Moss. Without a dozen other stabilizers, this would create a violent, useless concoction. What is this for?"
Suddenly, a foul, burning smell wafted from the back room, followed by a sharp crack.
"Shit!" Young Master Lu yelled, his face paling. "Not again! The pill failed again! Master is going to kill me!" He immediately spun around and ran back into his workshop.
Li Xuan followed him without hesitation. The salesgirl, snapping out of her shock, rushed after him. "Boy, go out! This is not a place for you!"
Li Xuan ignored her. He approached Young Master Lu, who was staring miserably at a small, cracked cauldron emitting a plume of foul-smelling smoke.
"Looks like you were making a pill to deal with… a blockage," Li Xuan stated calmly.
Young Master Lu frowned, turning to him in surprise. "How did you know?"
"You shouted you were making a Cleansing Pill," Li Xuan explained patiently. "And from the smell, I can sense the essence of the Blue Cap Mushroom, which is commonly used to clear stagnant Qi in the lower body. Most people just call that constipation."
Young Master Lu's face turned red with a mixture of embarrassment and amazement. He had failed this refinement seven times.
Li Xuan looked from the miserable young alchemist to the ruined cauldron, a confident, almost predatory smile touching his lips.
"Why don't you try making it again?" he said, his voice holding an unnerving authority. "And this time, you follow my instructions. In exchange for my help, you can give me the herbs on my list."