Chapter 15 — The Sun Burst Misunderstanding
Recovery & The Secret
Ten days passed.
Inside the Long family hut, the air was still and cold. Long Tan stood shirtless in the center of the room. The deep claw marks on his chest had closed into jagged, angry pink scars.
He closed his eyes. Inhale. Exhale. Sun-Moon Breathing.
He clenched his fist. The muscles in his forearm twisted like steel cables. POP. The air exploded inside his palm.
"450 Jin," he whispered.
He looked down at his hands. They were rough and calloused. He remembered the final moment of the fight with the Alpha Wolf.
He hadn't just punched it. He had utilized the hidden, dangerous technique from the manual: [Sun Burst].
It was a technique that forced all the body's blood, heat, and Qi into a single point for a split second. It allowed a man with 450 Jin of strength to hit with the explosive force of 800 Jin—but only for one instant.
"It drained me completely," Long Tan muttered. "But the result..."
He looked at the wooden table. There lay the Alpha Wolf's Head.
It was a ruin. The skull wasn't just cracked; it had exploded from the inside out. The nose bone was dust. The eye sockets were burst wide open. It looked like the beast had been struck by a falling boulder, not a human fist.
"This head is my ticket," Long Tan smiled, a cold, calculating expression crossing his face. "Let the city think I am a monster."
The Yan Trading House
Long Tan walked into Meng City with the heavy bundle. He walked straight into the Yan Clan Trading House.
He chose them carefully. The Yan Clan was a powerful Second-Grade Merchant family with two Second-Grade Martial Artists guarding them. They were strong, but the Zhou Clan was stronger—they had three. The Yan family was desperate for talent to balance the scales.
Inside the shop, a clerk sneered at Long Tan's clothes. "We don't buy trash."
Long Tan didn't speak. He dropped the bundle. THUD.
He untied the knot. First, the pelts. Then, he placed the Shattered Alpha Head right in the center.
The clerk gagged at the gore. "Manager!"
The Calculation
Manager Yan Bo hurried out. He was annoyed at first, but his eyes froze when he saw the skull.
He walked forward slowly. He poked the caved-in forehead of the wolf. The bone crumbled under his touch.
'Heavens...' Yan Bo thought.
He looked at Long Tan. He saw a man in rags. But then he looked at the skull again.
Yan Bo was a businessman, but he knew martial arts. He did the math instantly.
'An Alpha Wolf skull is harder than iron. To burst it like this requires immense, concentrated force. At least 700 to 800 Jin.'
Yan Bo's heart raced.
'800 Jin? That is the peak of the mortal body. He is only a half-step away from the Third Rank (1000 Jin). If he breaks through, he becomes a true Martial Artist. Why is such a master dressed like a peasant?'
"Apologies, Honored Guest," Yan Bo bowed deeply, shoving the rude clerk aside. "My staff is blind. To deliver such a blow... your skill is profound."
Long Tan didn't correct him. He kept his face blank.
"How much?" Long Tan asked.
"For the pelts... and out of respect for your skill... 7 Silver Coins."
It was a premium price. Yan Bo was buying a connection, not just fur. Long Tan accepted the heavy pouch.
The Soap Negotiation
"One more thing," Long Tan said. He placed the Golden Soap on the counter.
"Wash your hands."
Yan Bo obeyed. He wouldn't dare refuse a "Hidden Expert." When he saw the soap clean the ink and soften his skin instantly, his merchant eyes lit up.
"This is a treasure for the noble ladies," Yan Bo gasped. "I will buy the recipe. 10 Silver."
"No," Long Tan said. "Partnership. 50/50."
Yan Bo frowned. He straightened his back. "Honored Guest, 50/50 is impossible. The Yan Clan provides the shop, the reputation, the distribution. We have two Second-Grade Masters protecting our caravans. You provide... a block of fat."
Long Tan shook his head. He tapped the counter with a heavy finger.
"I do not just provide fat," Long Tan said calmly. "Listen to my terms."
"First," Long Tan pointed to the barrels in the corner of the shop. "This soap requires high-quality fat, oils, and base herbs. I do not have a farm for that. I will buy all these raw materials from you."
Yan Bo's eyes widened slightly.
"You sell me the raw materials at market price," Long Tan explained. "You make a profit there. Then I take those materials, turn them into soap using my secret technique, and bring them back. Then we sell the soap, and split the profit."
Long Tan stared deep into Yan Bo's eyes.
"You profit when I buy the ingredients. You profit when we sell the soap. It is a perfect circle of money for the Yan Clan."
"Second," Long Tan leaned forward, his voice dropping low. He tapped the Shattered Wolf Skull.
Click. Click.
"I am a hunter. I walk the path of martial arts. Look at this skull, Manager Yan. I am close to the next step."
Yan Bo swallowed. 'Yes. He is close to Third Rank.'
"The Zhou Family has three Second-Grade Masters," Long Tan said, his voice quiet but sharp. "The Yan Family only has two. Am I correct?"
Yan Bo stiffened. That was a sore spot for the Yan Clan.
"A recipe is just a piece of paper," Long Tan continued. "But a Partner... is an ally. Do you want to buy a paper for 10 silver? Or do you want a partnership with a man who can crush an Alpha Wolf's skull?"
The Decision
Yan Bo was stunned.
The business logic was sound—the Yan family would make money on both ends. But the strategic logic was undeniable.
'He is right. We are weaker than the Zhou. If this hunter reaches the Third Rank... and eventually the Second Rank... he could be the sword we need to balance the power. We cannot afford to turn away a potential Master.'
Yan Bo wiped sweat from his forehead. He looked at the shattered skull, then at Long Tan.
"You are... surprisingly straightforward," Yan Bo whispered. "You turn our raw materials into gold, and you offer us strength in a dangerous city."
"I am a simple man," Long Tan said. "I want fair trade. I buy your goods, you sell mine."
"Agreed," Yan Bo bowed low. "I cannot sign the final paper without the Clan Head, but I will advocate for this 50/50 split. I will tell the Head that the creator of this soap is a man of significant martial potential who supports our supply chain."
"Good," Long Tan said. "I will take 50 coppers worth of fat and oil right now. Deduct it from the silver."
Yan Bo smiled. The business had already started.
"Of course."
The Exit
Moments later, Long Tan walked out with a new bundle of raw materials and a heavy pouch of silver.
Yan Bo watched him leave, his heart pounding. He looked at the pulverized bone powder on the table.
"A Hidden Dragon..." Yan Bo muttered, scribbling Long Tan's name in his private book. "He knows business, and he knows violence. We must secure him before the Zhou family realizes what he is.
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