Even uhe sunlight from the window, the mole remained fast asleep.

  Qiared at it doubtfully.

  "Just to make it clear, you do own this mole?" she asked with a frown.

  "You could say that..." Baiyun scratched his head.

  "What's with that shaky answer?" Qinghe huffed. "Whatever. I'm not sure what you want to do with the mole but I won't push you. Just know that it will be difficult to keep your hands on the mole once you return to the sect, given your status."

  Baiyun could only agree in silence.

  She was right; it wasn't as if a servant could stop the sect from fisg the mole, nor did he have a herb garden for it to tend to. The light spirit did own a garde the servants use freely, though it was only for mortal crops. Any spirit herbs phere would outpete and kill the ordinary pnts.

  But Baiyun had his own pns for the mole.

  "So, what are you here for then?" Qinghe asked.

  "I'm here to sell some of the mole's herbs."

  Qiared at the herb pouch between its paws and looked rather bemused.

  Baiyun smiled awkwardly and coughed.

  "But you might have to pretend to rob them from me... if the mole knows I'm willingly selling its herbs, all my efforts taming it would go to waste."

  Qinghe looked at him in silence for a moment, then turned away and covered her mouth.

  "Okay, I'll py along this time." she said, her voice strangely light. "Go lie over there and do your best to ascious."

  She poio a spot on the floor and Baiyun stared at it speechlessly. But he nodded helplessly and pced the mole bowl on the ground before flopping over and rolling his eyes over.

  In mere seds, his state was now identical to a truly unscious person, simir to how he slept with his soul still awake.

  Qinghe o herself, then squatted down and snatched the pouch from the mole.

  "Kr?"

  The mole was fused for a moment as it roused. But just as quickly, it let out a furious cry and charged at her! Its cws swiped at her shoes but gnced off harmlessly; even the clothes of a young master were no simple items.

  Qinghe sweated a little at the sight of the creature unleashing its fury.

  "Aren't you going to activate the binds on it? I'm starting to feel bad for the poor thing." she asked.

  Urgh. Still lying on the ground limply, Baiyun sched his face.

  "I'm just a mortal, I 't use qi." he lied.

  "Don't give me that nonsense! I reise that artefact, it's voice activated!"

  "...then I shouldn't let you know the keyword, shouldn't I?"

  But the real reason was that Baiyun absolutely refused to say any of the keywords Fei An came up with in front of anyone else. What was she thinking, ing up with keywords like "big monkey" and "giant squid"?

  "Fine."

  Qinghe pulled a small cage out of her bag and shoved the mole in as it let out shrill cries.

  She began to shove the cage into one of the inn closets, but paused for a moment. Theuffed a pill into its mouth and flicked down the mole's throat.

  It froze for a moment before rolling over, fast asleep.

  Baiyun had to admit he was slightly relieved. If Qinghe had left the mole to panid squirm in the closet, he worried it would get traumatised.

  He silently apologised to the critter, promising he would make up for this iure.

  Qinghe shook her head aurned her attention to the herbs in the pouch.

  Her hands moved with bzing speed as she pulled them out, blurring as she pced the herbs oable and sorted them. Every new herb would be sorted into a new line, while herbs of the same type would be arraop-down by quality.

  "So, how much for these herbs?" she asked.

  Qinghe's voice was casual as if she were merely buying roadside vegetables. She seemed to smile faintly for a brief moment, but just as quickly, it faded.

  Baiyun frowned. Was that tone an attempt to make him falter, w the herbs weren't worth much after all?

  But even if he didn't know the exact exge rates of the herbs, he uood just how useful the essences in them were.

  He did attempt to ask for their prig during his visit to the market previously, but uhe mushrooms, the mortal merts didn't reise them.

  Baiyu out an awkward ugh.

  "Well... I admit I don't actually have much clue how much these herbs are worth. I'll be ho, I came here in hope of trading some of them for your old alchemic equipment."

  A risky move! But Baiyun had a pn.

  "Oh?" Qinghe raised an eyebrow.

  "I've always been curious about alchemy, you see."

  Outside the door, Mohei put his hands to his face.

  "Well, if you want to take a look, I won't stop you. But just know that alchemy is beyond that of mortals."

  Qinghe spoke as she reached int. Several things came out to the wooden floor in a tumble: various cauldrons, old textbooks and strange gss apparatuses.

  "Here, take your pick."

  She arrahem ly in rows as if she were selling goods at a bazaar. Baiyun found it quite strange. If she was capable ed herbs and items in su orderly manner, why was her room such a mess? Youths truly perplexed him sometimes.

  He put on a perplexed face as he looked through the various items, frowning and musing to himself as he poked at the various tools and flipped through the textbooks.

  Finally, Baiyun picked one of the cauldrons, all the alchemical textbooks, several gss tainers, 2 metal filters of sorts and a mortar with its pestle.

  The cauldron's insides were stained a bckish-blue by some kind of pill explosion. inated essence like that would affect the quality of pills but he could easily make a solvent to remove it.

  As for the textbooks, they were worn and tattered, evidence of the tless hours Qinghe had studied them.

  He could have easily read them all on the spot with divine sense, but Baiyun figured they'd make food cover up. Besides, he liked to read alchemy manuals page by page and without spoilers; he enjoyed reading them more than he did novels. Mere fuals were uo be of any use to him, but he was ied in seeing how alchemy was taught in this world.

  Baiyueo fidget nervously as he gathered the st of his items.

  "Um, so these are the items I want. Will these herbs be enough to pay for it?"

  Qinghe's eyes seemed to shift for a moment but she smiled.

  "Hm... you're cutting it close, but I'll make an exception for you. It's barely enough."

  This girl!

  But she fell right into his trap. Other than his idea to make use of Mohei's eavesdropping, he still had many schemes!

  His nervous facade faded and he marched to the table of herbs with fident strides.

  "Silver Leyleaves, golden veined mudroot, crimson truffles. Bed mugwort, twisted-head opsis, rockskin ginger," Baiyun spoke.

  Qinghe's eyes widened incredulously as he slowly recited their names. One by one, all 30 herbs were named; he even reordered the herbs while he was at it.

  She had secretly arrahem by aesthetiot quality! Baiyun's new arra was far more accurate, but he iionally made mistakes for those with internal damage hidden from sight.

  "Tsk, tsk tsk. Did you really think I'd e here to iate without prior knowledge? Please, let's have a fair trade, shall we?" Baiyun smiled.

  Outside the door, Mohei widened his eyes in disbelief, then jumped iement.

  Qi out a sigh and held out her palms in resignation.

  "Fine, fine. You had me fooled this eime, well pyed. So, what's your actual price then?"

  "Well..." Baiyun coughed. "I'd like you to make the offer instead."

  Qinghe raised an eyebrow.

  "It's the least you do after that fiasco, isn't it?" Baiyun said awkwardly.

  He knew if he named an actual price, he would likely make a mistake and ruin all his prior efforts.

  "Okay. Fine. For the items you've chosen, how about all the crimson truffles and the purple brackets?"

  Baiyun began to feel the tension. Now that his cards had been pyed, it would e down to Mohei now! If the kid proved unreliable, he would have to find an excuse to make tad use Iion Reading.

  He reached out with divihread and found that outside the door, Mohei was frowning.

  This... Baiyu a really bizarre feeling he couldn't describe. His ridiculous idea might just work!

  "That's a bit expensive for an old defective cauldron, basic tools and outdated textbooks, isn't it? I tell the cauldron has suffered some essence damage."

  Baiyun spoke with a smile.

  "They're not outdated." Qinghe grumbled. "Fine, what about that k of Golden Mudroot?"

  Outside the door, Mohei's frown lessened but he didn't seem impressed.

  "Still too expensive."

  Baiyun stared at her with pierg eyes.

  Finally, Qinghe raised her hands and shook her head befhing.

  "Alright, alright! It was just one final test! I give up." she said. "Just the silver leyleaves and the iron bloodroot then, alright? I'll give you a good deal to make up for the discourtesy."

  Mohei seemed to get excited. Baiyun smiled.

  He had been a little worried about how reliable the kid would be, but it worked out surprisingly well! Mohei was still a young master in the end; even if he wasn't an alchemist, his would make sure he had a well-rounded education in all fields.

  Despite how pyful and childish Mohei was, it seemed he still did his lessons properly.

  "Thanks, I accept."

  Qinghe and Baiyun traded their items and began stashing their bags. But Baiyun couldn't hide his excitement as he reached for his st item, the cauldron.

  He held it with trembling hands and couldn't help but stroke it with a grin. Qinghe furrowed her eyebrows slightly at the sight.

  These were but the simplest of tools, but he had finally gotten his hands on alchemic equipment once more!

  Perhaps 8 years was not teically a long time to a prior immortal, but even a mortal would find it unbearable to be locked away from their is for months or even weeks. Baiyun had to take a deep breath before he posed himself enough to stash it into his bag. It was almost as if he was being forced to say goodbye to a friend he had seen for the first time in years.

  Qinghe sighed.

  "Your name is Baiyun, right? I didn't know you had this side to you.

  Since you've already done your research, you should already be aware, but I'll still remind you as a formality. It's impressive how you've honed your theoretical knowledge to su extee your ck of education, but ultimately, alchemy is built upon qi trol.

  Even if you kly how to process a medie, what's the point of that if you 't use a cauldron? I assume you're trying te your path regardless despite that. But the truth is, sometimes, we just weren't born with the talents for the things we pursue.

  F yourself against the tides for years before realising your efforts are in vain... there's no greater pain than that."

  Qinghe looked off with a forlorn look and Baiyun's eyebrows twitched. This from a girl who couldn't even keep her own room ? From how she appeared around 15, it should be at least another decade before she could say such things!

  Still, she was right for the most part. They didly apply to Baiyun, but he still appreciated her se despite his pints.

  "I'll manage somehow." Baiyun smiled.

  "Good luck with that." Qinghe shook her head. "Well, if it's ultimately futile, let me know and I'll refund your purchase. I even reend you as an instructor for basics at the Myriad Herbs . An instructor without meridians... Hah, that would make for quite the story, wouldn't it?"

  It seemed something about a servant learning alchemy despite the limitations resonated with her somehow.

  The world of barter was cutthroat, but with the hard fought battle over, pleasantries returo the table.

  Baiyun shook her hand and thanked her before heading out.

  Mohei suddenly rushed away from the door as he heard the footsteps. As Baiyun opehe door, he turned away and whistled badly, pretending he hadn't been eavesdropping.

  "O-oh, you're finally out! Did things go well?"

  "Haha, it went perfectly! I'm in a good mood today, so let's py for the rest of the day!" Baiyun smiled.

  "Really?" Mohei's eyes lit up. "Wait no, don't call it py, that's for children! We're hanging out!"

  Baiyun ughed.

  "Why are you holding that anyway?"

  Mohei poio the cauldron in Baiyun's hand, the mole pced in it instead of the wooden bowl.

  Baiyun coughed.

  "It seemed like it would be more fortable for the mole, wouldn't it?" he made an excuse. "And the lid is more vehan rags."

  "But isn't it heavy?" Mohei seemed puzzled.

  "Just think of it as weight training."

  "Well, okay..."

  Baiyun wasn't going to admit the real reason was because he wao hug the cauldron.

  The two of them headed downstairs as they chattered.

  Mohei took Baiyun and showed him around town, introdug him to various snacks. Baiyun wao pay for them as a token of gratitude, but Mohei refused, saying he had a huge allowance, so he should be the oreating instead. Baiyun could only relent helplessly. It seemed he would have to repay Mohei's favour another day.

  The afternoon passed in an instant and the sun soon began to set.

  The two of them sat by the al with the elderly fishermen.

  Mohei spshed iers and ughed as he swung at the fish with his wildly. The old men seemed to have fun as well, chug at the antics of the young.

  Baiyun was the only one who didn't uand. Wasn't what made fishing enjoyable sitting by a tranquil ke, taking in the sery and the sounds of nature peacefully? He had ohought that it was strangely simir to meditation.

  But he still pyed along.

  As the sun fully set and night followed, the fishermen waved goodbye a.

  The mole finally began to stir and Baiyun passed it to Mohei. It stared at him in fusion, not uanding why it was being "abandoned" and tossed to aniant. But it still had its herb pouch so it didn't pin.

  "Mohei, you help me take care of the mole tonight?" Baiyun asked.

  "Tonight? Are you doing something?"

  Mohei began to pat the mole as he spoke and it squirmed in his arms.

  Baiyun made a few excuses before hurriedly fleeing from the fused boy. After his preparations this afternoon, it was time for arip to the forest!

  With the mole's ingredients, once he got his hands on the bckhorn root, there was something he po make.

  LunaTheGhost