The moment Lin Xuan stepped inside the Heavenly Balance Trading Association, the noise of Yunqing City dulled—not vanished, but softened, as if swallowed by thicker air.
The interior was vast.
Not extravagant, but deliberately spacious. Polished stone floors reflected soft light from formation-lamps embedded into the ceiling. The walls were lined with engraved patterns of scales, clouds, and flowing lines—symbols of balance, trade, and measured exchange.
His eyes moved first, instinctively.
Three reception counters stood near the front, each staffed by attendants dressed in the same uniform—blue robes trimmed with fine gold threading. The pattern wasn't flashy, but it was unmistakably intentional. Men and women alike wore it, posture straight, expressions calm and practiced.
Beyond the reception area, the hall opened wider.
People were everywhere.
Some stood in orderly queues near the counters, holding sealed boxes or storage pouches. Others gathered around a massive board mounted against the far wall.
At the top of that board, carved in bold characters:
Mission Board
Most of the people there looked like mercenaries—weathered armor, weapons worn but well-maintained. A few bore the insignia of minor clans. Some were lone cultivators with sharp eyes and guarded expressions. There were also guards, likely hired escorts or association affiliates.
No chaos.
No shouting.
Everyone moved with purpose.
Lin Xuan absorbed it quietly.
Efficient. Structured. Neutral ground.
That, more than anything, shaped his first impression of the Heavenly Balance Trading Association.
His gaze drifted to the staff moving through the hall.
Several attendants guided newcomers, explaining procedures with patient voices. Others carried sealed ledgers or escorted clients toward side corridors leading deeper into the building.
Activate All-Seeing Insight.
Information slid into place.
One staff member:
Realm: Body Forging (Early)
Potential: White
Emotional State: Focused
Insight: Recently promoted, eager to prove reliability
Another:
Realm: Mortal
Potential: White
Emotional State: Calm
Insight: Long-term employee, values stability over advancement
Mixed.
Mortals and cultivators working side by side.
That alone spoke volumes.
The HBTA didn't rely on strength alone—it relied on systems.
As Lin Xuan continued scanning, a particular figure caught his attention.
Not because of appearance.
But because of absence.
A young man stood slightly off to the side near the reception area, hands clasped loosely behind his back. He wore the same blue-and-gold uniform, but unlike the others, no clients stood near him.
His posture was professional.
But his eyes—
Tired. Disheartened.
Lin Xuan focused.
Name: Fang RuolinAge: 19Realm: MortalPotential: PurpleEmotional State: Suppressed frustrationInsight: From a declining merchant family; struggling to gain recognition despite competence
Lin Xuan stopped walking.
Purple.
With no cultivation.
That alone was unusual.
Most people with that level of potential would have been scouted early—by sects, by clans, by cultivator families. Yet Fang Ruolin stood here, a low-level staff member in a trading association branch.
Which meant opportunity had missed him.
Or passed him over.
Or hadn't yet arrived.
Lin Xuan studied him for a brief moment longer.
The system didn't push. Didn't highlight. Didn't insist.
Good.
This wasn't fate screaming—it was possibility whispering.
He walked toward Fang Ruolin.
The young man noticed him approaching and straightened immediately, professionalism snapping into place despite the flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"Welcome to the Heavenly Balance Trading Association," Fang Ruolin said smoothly. "How may I assist you?"
Lin Xuan didn't waste words.
"I have pills to sell."
Fang Ruolin blinked—just once.
Then nodded, expression polite, neutral. Internally, however, the disappointment lingered.
Lin Xuan saw it clearly.
Pill sellers were common.
Low margins. Small commissions. Often trouble.
Still, Fang Ruolin bowed slightly. "Of course, sir. Please follow me."
He led Lin Xuan away from the main hall, down a side corridor lined with quiet doors etched with sound-insulating formations. They stopped before one marked with a small bronze plaque.
"Private Trading Room — Third Rank."
Fang Ruolin opened the door.
Inside was a modest chamber—two cushioned couches facing one another, a low table between them, and a faintly glowing formation circle embedded into the tabletop for item verification.
Lin Xuan entered and sat without ceremony.
Fang Ruolin took the opposite seat, posture attentive.
"May I know what type of pills you're offering?" he asked.
Lin Xuan answered by reaching into his storage pouch.
He placed the pills on the table.
One bottle after another.
Eight Low Grade Vitality Pills.
Twelve Medium Grade Vitality Pills.
Two High Grade Vitality Pills.
The room went very still.
Fang Ruolin's breath hitched.
His eyes widened before he could stop himself.
High grade.
In a private sale.
From an unknown client.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Lin Xuan spoke calmly. "Those are the quantities. I'm aware of their grades. What will the association offer?"
Fang Ruolin's professional mask snapped back into place—but the shock beneath it transformed into something else.
Excitement.
This… this was real business.
"I—please allow me a moment," Fang Ruolin said, standing. "There is a standard verification process. I'll have these examined by our branch alchemist. It won't take long."
"Do so," Lin Xuan replied.
Fang Ruolin gathered the bottles carefully and left.
The door closed.
Lin Xuan waited.
Five minutes passed.
He didn't move.
Didn't fidget.
Didn't speculate wildly.
Instead, he observed.
His All-Seeing Insight lingered faintly on the door, catching distant emotional shifts—excitement, disbelief, rapid calculation.
Finally, footsteps returned.
The door opened.
Fang Ruolin stepped inside, bowing more deeply this time.
"Apologies for the delay," he said sincerely. "Verification was successful. The quality is… excellent."
Lin Xuan inclined his head slightly.
Fang Ruolin sat and began calculating, fingers moving swiftly across the ledger.
"Here is the offer from the Heavenly Balance Trading Association."
He laid it out clearly.
Low Grade Vitality Pills
Market Price: 5 Silver per pill
Association Cut: 2 Silver
You Receive: 3 Silver per pill
Quantity: 8
Total: 24 Silver
Medium Grade Vitality Pills
Market Price: 25 Silver per pill
Association Cut: 5 Silver
You Receive: 20 Silver per pill
Quantity: 12
Total: 240 Silver
High Grade Vitality Pills
Market Price: 60 Silver per pill
Association Cut: 5 Silver
You Receive: 55 Silver per pill
Quantity: 2
Total: 110 Silver
Fang Ruolin looked up.
"Total payout: 374 Silver Coins."
"Equivalent to 3 Gold and 74 Silver."
Internally, his mind raced.
Strong.
Very strong.
Not absurd—no Flawless pills, no impossible quantities—but impressive. Enough to suggest either desperation or private production.
And private production meant… leverage.
Lin Xuan accepted without hesitation.
"That's acceptable."
Fang Ruolin felt relief—and satisfaction.
As the transaction completed, Lin Xuan watched Fang Ruolin's emotional state shift.
Honest excitement.
Professional respect.
No hidden schemes.
Good.
They shook hands.
"If you have future sales," Fang Ruolin said carefully, "you may come directly to me. I'll ensure you receive fair pricing. Some staff… adjust margins for personal benefit."
He paused, then added, more formally, "My name is Fang Ruolin."
Lin Xuan met his gaze without hesitation. "Lin Xuan."
The name registered—but only as a name.
Fang Ruolin searched his memory out of habit, expecting recognition to spark. A branch young master? A known alchemist? A minor clan prodigy?
Nothing surfaced.
Which only deepened his curiosity.
"I look forward to working with you in the future, Young Master Lin," Fang Ruolin said, bowing slightly once more.
Lin Xuan inclined his head in return. "Likewise. I value efficiency."
To Fang Ruolin, it was simply a polite exchange.
To Lin Xuan, it was confirmation.
Unknown was still his greatest shield.
That single sentence settled something between them.
"Before I leave," Lin Xuan added, "I'd like to purchase materials. Ten batches of Basic Vitality Pill ingredients."
Fang Ruolin's eyes lit up again.
"Of course."
The price was settled quickly.
One silver per batch.
Ten silver total.
When the materials were delivered, the idea fully rooted in Fang Ruolin's mind.
This wasn't a reseller.
This was an alchemist.
A real one.
Lin Xuan left the chamber with 3 Gold and 64 Silver remaining.
He browsed the sales hall briefly—scrolls, weapons, artifacts.
Nothing caught his eye.
Nothing worth his attention.
Satisfied, he exited the Heavenly Balance Trading Association.
The scales behind him remained perfectly level.
For now.