Chapter 017: Settling the Debt

The vast Zhang Family Spiritual Materials Shop was thrown into a small commotion by the appearance of a second-grade spiritual material. This alone showed that even in one of the top spiritual material shops in Pinghua Town, such rare items were seldom seen.

“What kind of strange lotus is this?” The assembled spiritual material masters exchanged glances of confusion, unable to recall its identity. One or two even pulled out thick tomes to consult.

“Blue Star Insight Lotus, a low second-grade spiritual material, mostly found in perilous places like cliffs. It thrives on the alternating energies of yin and yang between day and night, cultivating its core and balancing energies. It is an auxiliary ingredient in many healing elixirs and can also be used in the making of the ‘Lesser Yin-Yang Pill’...”

Before they could finish their research, a clear, firm voice recited the entire origin and uses of the second-grade spiritual material before their eyes.

Instantly, the masters and their apprentices stared at each other in surprise.

“So it’s the Blue Star Insight Lotus! I’ve found it—right here in the book... and it’s nearly identical to what he said,” an elderly material master exclaimed, clutching a tome over a foot thick.

After the commotion subsided, the looks cast at Xu Xuan were filled with newfound respect and wonder.

“Might I ask, at what price does your shop intend to purchase this rare second-grade material?” Xu Xuan clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze calm as it swept over the crowd.

Had it been an ordinary practitioner who obtained such a valuable material, facing so many esteemed experts, he might have been intimidated or even taken advantage of. But Xu Xuan’s composed demeanor and prior words had stunned the assembly.

What price was it truly worth?

The material masters began murmuring quietly among themselves. Xu Xuan’s keen hearing caught snatches of their discussion, but he remained indifferent.

After a moment, the middle-aged master familiar with Xu Xuan stepped forward, cautiously saying, “We’ve checked. The Blue Star Insight Lotus is a rare, low second-grade material, worth at least ten times that of ordinary first-grade items. However, this particular lotus has lost some of its spiritual energy and is not very large. Our offer is... five thousand five hundred spiritual yuan coins.”

Five thousand five hundred! Xu Xuan’s heart leapt. Even though he had anticipated a high price, the offer for the Blue Star Insight Lotus still brought him joy.

“Hmm... five thousand five hundred?” Xu Xuan propped his chin, pretending to contemplate.

Seeing this, the middle-aged master grew a bit anxious.

“The price is a little low. How about six thousand?” Xu Xuan’s gaze swept over the masters, unperturbed.

Six thousand?

The masters exchanged looks, brows furrowed.

“Six thousand is a bit too high. Perhaps we can settle on a compromise: five thousand eight hundred. What do you think, young friend?” the middle-aged master offered eagerly.

“Very well,” Xu Xuan shrugged. “In any case, I don’t have a ‘Spiritual Nurturing Chamber’ for cultivation, so it’s no great loss to let you have it.”

“Spiritual Nurturing Chamber?” At these words, several masters’ eyes lit up, their expressions growing even more serious. This youth was clearly well-versed in the trade.

The Spiritual Nurturing Chamber was a wondrous facility used by cultivators to nurture and grow materials of the world. Shops like theirs in this small town could only rely on spiritual farmland. True Spiritual Nurturing Chambers were only found at the main shop in Huanglong City.

Once the price was settled, the Zhang Family Spiritual Materials Shop paid promptly. This time, even the shopkeeper himself appeared—the same elder in a ceremonial robe who had greeted the Zhang family’s young master before.

When Xu Xuan faced this robed elder, his heart tensed. With his keen senses, he could tell that the shopkeeper was of a level far beyond ordinary mortals.

This shopkeeper was likely a cultivator...

Suddenly, an invisible spiritual pressure pressed upon Xu Xuan, making it almost impossible to breathe, as if a great mountain weighed upon his head. Now he was sure of the elder’s identity.

He hurriedly circulated his internal arts, steadying his mind like still water, striving not to react outwardly to the suffocating pressure.

“Hmph... Only at the second stage of Qi Refinement, yet daring to show off,” echoed the voice of a remnant soul from his past life in his mind.

“Second stage of Qi Refinement? So the shopkeeper is truly a cultivator,” Xu Xuan thought, though outwardly he betrayed nothing.

Given the scale and background of the Zhang Family shop, it was not surprising to have a cultivator overseeing it.

“May I ask your esteemed name, young friend?” The elder in ceremonial robes sized up Xu Xuan with a smile.

“My surname is Xu. I have lived in the mountains for many years. I did not expect to meet a cultivator at the second stage of Qi Refinement today,” Xu Xuan replied lightly.

At these words, the elder’s gaze sharpened and his heart trembled: this youth, who appeared not to have entered the ranks of cultivators, had seen through his cultivation at a glance. Could he be a reclusive master?

As a veteran cultivator, the old man knew well that one could never judge a practitioner’s age by appearances alone.

“Friend Xu, you flatter me,” the elder quickly replied, his tone turning cautious and deferential. He then asked whether Xu Xuan preferred to be paid in spirit stones or spiritual yuan coins.

“Give me fifty substandard spirit stones and eight hundred spiritual yuan coins,” Xu Xuan replied nonchalantly, showing no respect outwardly, though his palms were slick with sweat.

Yet the more unyielding Xu Xuan appeared, the more cautious and humble the elder became.

Taking the pouch of inferior spirit stones and the coins, Xu Xuan departed the Zhang Family shop and finally released a long breath, feeling almost drained.

Watching him go, an apprentice beside the elder whispered, “Shopkeeper, should we have someone follow him...?”

“Better not,” the shopkeeper said after a pause, shaking his head. “The origins of this man are unfathomable. We must not provoke him lightly.”

...

Leaving the Zhang Family shop, Xu Xuan unconsciously used the “Drifting” technique, slipping into the crowd like a fish.

The foot traffic in Pinghua Town was immense, and he soon vanished without a trace. He took such precautions to avoid drawing the attention of any interested parties.

Fortunately, he had seldom visited Pinghua Town—only a handful of times in fifteen years—so he did not fear being recognized.

Afterward, Xu Xuan purchased various supplies in town: paper, brushes, blank books, and so on.

He then stopped by an apothecary to buy a bottle of “Spirit Blood Powder,” which cost him over ten substandard spirit stones—equivalent to more than a thousand spiritual yuan coins.

Xu Xuan did not regret this expense, for it was meant for his father.

That afternoon, he hurried back to Yangmu Village, purposefully taking a roundabout route to avoid being followed.

Once home, he laid out a blank book and, brush flying, began transcribing from memory the contents of “An Introduction to Array Formation.” After writing a quarter of it—over a thousand words—he set it aside and handed it to his sister.

Xu Huilan took the book, her bright, intelligent eyes lighting up as she read the contents.

“These were all taught to you by that eccentric old man? The insights on the basics of array formation are exactly what I was lacking. When learning from Old Hu, he never imparted any real knowledge, only gave me trivial engraving work,” Xu Huilan said, immediately absorbed by the text.

Xu Xuan smiled and left the house.

This time, he made his way toward the grand and luxurious five-story compound of the main Xu family.

“Halt!” As soon as he arrived at the gate, two servants at the third stage of body refinement blocked his way.

“Please inform your master I am here to repay a debt,” Xu Xuan replied expressionlessly.

Moments later, the bald steward of the main Xu family came out, ledger in hand.

“The debt of Xu the Cripple’s family... so soon?” The steward’s face was full of suspicion as he checked the records.

“Well, if it isn’t young Xuan! What brings you to our house?” Young Master Xu Yuan, dressed in azure robes and smiling, came out from within.

Xu Xuan had no fondness for Xu Yuan and only responded coolly. When Xu Yuan learned Xu Xuan had come to repay a debt, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Six hundred spiritual yuan coins? Your family managed to gather it so quickly?” Disbelief was plain on Xu Yuan’s face.

Clatter!

As Xu Xuan tossed over a pouch of coins, both Xu Yuan and the bald steward nearly bulged their eyes out in shock.

“How is this possible? Given the Xu family’s circumstances, it should have taken at least half a year to pay off this debt,” Xu Yuan muttered, unable to accept the truth.

After the coins were counted, Xu Xuan reclaimed the IOU and tore it to shreds before their eyes, feeling a satisfaction he had never known before.

Xu Yuan, meanwhile, was left standing there, his face dark as a pig’s liver.

(Second update! The recommendation votes are rising nicely—let’s keep up the good work together!)