The morning mist clung to the eaves of the Lin Estate like a lingering ghost. Located on the prestigious western edge of Green Lotus Town, the residence was a sprawling complex of dark timber and grey stone, but today, the air within its walls was suffocatingly tense. The estate's architecture spoke of faded grandeur, with curved rooftops adorned in faded green tiles that mimicked the lotus blooms for which the town was named. Vines of spirit ivy crept along the walls, their leaves shimmering faintly with absorbed Qi from the nearby mountains, where magical beasts roamed freely in the shadowed valleys. The town itself nestled at the base of these peaks, a humble settlement where Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators eked out their existences under the watchful eyes of the four branch families: Feng, Lin, Du, and Zhou. But in this moment, the Lin Estate felt like the epicenter of an impending storm, the mist not just a natural veil but a harbinger of secrets and shifting fates.
In the Main Ancestral Hall, the scent of expensive sandalwood incense fought against the humid mountain air, creating a thick, almost oppressive atmosphere that seemed to weigh on everyone's shoulders. Lin Bo, the current Head of the Branch Family, sat upon the central high chair, his robes of deep crimson silk embroidered with the family's lotus emblem, now slightly frayed at the edges from years of use. His face was a mask of rigid anxiety, lines etched deeper by the weight of responsibility, as he clutched a jade slip—a message from the Capital that had arrived via a high-speed messenger hawk, its feathers still ruffled from the long flight across the Yang Continent. The slip glowed faintly with residual spiritual energy, its contents sealed with the Main Family's insignia, a mark that commanded absolute obedience from branches like this one. Lin Bo's fingers trembled slightly as he held it, not from fear but from the gravity of what it implied for their quiet life.
His father, the retired Elder Lin Feng, sat to his right, his eyes closed in deep meditation, though the slight twitch in his fingers betrayed his unease. Lin Feng was a man of weathered strength, his cultivation at Peak Foundation Establishment, his white hair tied in a simple bun, and his beard streaked with the silver of age. He had once been a core disciple in a minor sect before retiring to oversee the branch, and now, at over two hundred years old, he carried the wisdom of battles long forgotten by the younger generation. The hall itself was adorned with ancestral tablets, each inscribed with the names of past Lin cultivators, their spirits said to watch over family gatherings like this one. Flickering spirit lamps cast golden hues on the polished wooden floors, and the walls were hung with scrolls depicting legendary ascensions to higher realms, reminders of the family's distant glory in the Capital.
"He arrives in three days," Lin Bo's voice rang out, vibrating with a tone that silenced the room, echoing off the high beams like a decree from the heavens. The words hung in the air, heavy with implication, as if speaking them aloud made the event inevitable. "Young Master Lin Shan. The pride of our main bloodline. A disciple of the Golden Mountain Sect." His tone carried a mix of reverence and dread, for Lin Shan was no ordinary visitor; at thirty years old, he had reached Nascent Soul, a feat that marked him as a once-in-a-generation talent. Whispers in the Capital spoke of his dangerously handsome features, his silver eyes that could pierce souls, and his mastery of the Nine Heavens Calamity Sovereign Spear, a Heaven Grade manual that summoned tribulations upon his enemies. But now, rumors swirled of his fall, and the branch family was to be his sanctuary—or perhaps his cage.
Around the hall, the family was gathered in a semi-circle of silk robes and hushed breathing, their postures rigid with the formality expected in such assemblies. The Wives: Lin Bo's three wives—the elegant Madame Su, with her graceful poise and hair pinned with jade lotuses; the sharp-eyed Madame Mei, whose gaze missed nothing and whose tongue could cut like a spirit blade; and the youngest, Madame Ruan, still blooming with youth but wise beyond her years—exchanged looks that weighed the political implications. Madame Su's eyes softened with concern, thinking of the Main Family's expectations, while Madame Mei calculated how this could elevate or doom their branch. Madame Ruan, ever the optimist, hoped it might bring resources from the Capital, perhaps even pills to aid their children's cultivation.
The Children: His five children stood in order of age, their youthful faces a blend of excitement and trepidation. The eldest son, Lin Chen, tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his face flushing with a mix of awe and hidden jealousy. At twenty-five, Lin Chen was at Late Qi Condensation, talented but overshadowed by the legends of Lin Shan. His siblings—two brothers and two sisters—shifted uncomfortably, their robes crisp but simple compared to what the Young Master might wear. The Siblings: Lin Bo's brothers, Lin Hu and Lin Xiao, stood near the pillars, their builds sturdy from years of guarding the family's spirit herb fields. Lin Hu, the older, bore scars from a beast attack in the mountains, while Lin Xiao's eyes darted nervously. Their sister, Lin Yue, fanned herself nervously with a silk fan painted with blooming lotuses, her mind racing with thoughts of alliances and marriages that this visit could forge.
"But the message is clear," Lin Bo continued, his voice dropping to a whisper that still carried authority, as if the walls themselves might eavesdrop. "The Young Master has suffered… an accident. He comes here to recuperate. We are to provide every luxury, every security, and above all—absolute discretion." The word "accident" was laden with unspoken horrors; the jade slip detailed the ambush in the Hidden Forest, where rival Shi Yun and his lackeys had struck, dropping Lin Shan from Mid Nascent Soul to Mid Core Formation, his Thunder Spirit Root shattered beyond conventional repair. To speak of it openly could invite assassins or spies, and the branch family, with its modest defenses, was ill-equipped for such threats. The room grew colder, as if the mist outside had seeped in, chilling their spines.
Along the periphery of the hall, a dozen maids moved like shadows, their heads bowed low in deference, their simple grey tunics blending with the stone walls. They poured steaming jasmine tea into porcelain cups etched with protective runes, the aroma mingling with the incense to create a soothing yet tense haze. Delicate lotus-paste pastries were placed on low tables, their fillings infused with low-grade spirit essence to calm nerves. While they appeared invisible, mere servants in the grand scheme, their ears were wide open, absorbing every word like sponges. Cai'er, a young maid with nimble fingers and a curious spark in her eyes, felt her heart race as she adjusted a tea tray, her mind whirling. The genius of the Golden Mountain Sect? Coming here? She imagined his towering 6'8" frame, his black hair flowing like ink, and those silver eyes that could command storms. By sundown, she knew, the news would drift through the back alleys of the town, carried on whispers and traded for favors, eventually reaching every ear—including those in a certain small physician's shop on the eastern side, where a mysterious Core Formation expert hid his true power.
"Three days," Lin Feng suddenly spoke, his voice gravelly and commanding, breaking the silence like a thunderclap, his eyes snapping open to reveal pupils sharpened by decades of cultivation. "The Town Lord, Du Jing, has already been notified by the Lady Yin Ji herself. We must prepare the Eastern Pavilion. If a single hair on the Young Master's head is harmed while he stays under our roof, the Main Family will not just strip us of our name—they will erase us from the Yang Continent." His words were not exaggeration; the Main Lin Family in the Capital wielded influence that could crush branches like insects, their elders in Divine Transformation realms capable of leveling towns with a thought. Lin Feng's twitchy fingers now steadied, channeling a faint aura of Qi to emphasize his point, the air around him humming faintly.
Lin Bo nodded solemnly, his mask cracking slightly to reveal the strain beneath. "Prepare the servants. Scrub the floors with spirit-cleansing water. And someone… go to the market. We need the best medicinal supplements available. I heard that Wu Physician Shop has been gaining a reputation. Send a scout there to see if they have anything worthy of a Nascent Soul—even a fallen one." The mention of the shop stirred murmurs; it had opened ten years ago, run by the enigmatic Alex Wu, believed to be at Peak Foundation Establishment but rumored to heal ailments that baffled others. The meeting adjourned with a wave of Lin Bo's hand, family members dispersing like leaves in the wind, but the ripples had already started. Orders were barked to servants, preparations begun in earnest. The quiet life of Green Lotus Town was over. In seventy-two hours, the "Calamity Sovereign" would descend upon their mountain base, and the balance of power was about to shatter. As Cai'er slipped out to the kitchens, her mind buzzed with the secret, ready to let it slip just enough to set the town ablaze with gossip. The mist outside thickened, as if the heavens themselves were conspiring to hide what was coming.
The sun had barely reached its zenith when the news began to spread like wildfire—not through spirit messages or official proclamations, but via the swift and potent channels of the servant class, weaving through the underbelly of Green Lotus Town like threads in a loom. It started in the inner courtyard of the Lin Family estate, where stone paths wound between spirit herb gardens blooming with low-grade lotuses that absorbed ambient Qi. Cai'er, the young maid from the meeting hall, was tasked with fetching fresh linens from the drying lines, her steps quick and light to avoid drawing attention. She caught the eye of Butler Jian, a stiff, formal man with a mustache as sharp as his temper, currently supervising stable hands who were brushing down spirit horses imported from the Capital's markets.
"Butler Jian," she whispered, ensuring no master was within earshot, her voice low but urgent as she glanced over her shoulder at the hall's distant doors. "Have you heard? Young Master Lin is coming. From the Capital." Her eyes sparkled with the thrill of forbidden knowledge, her nimble fingers twisting the linen as she spoke.
Jian, who already knew from the Elder's own stable order to prepare extra mounts, sniffed dismissively, his formal robes rustling, but he couldn't resist the pull of gossip. He passed the information to Cook Bao in the main kitchen, who was bustling over a boiling pot of bone broth infused with spirit beast marrow, the steam carrying scents of ginseng and astral root that filled the air with invigorating energy.
"Cook Bao! The Young Master of the Main Family arrives in three days!" Jian announced with an air of superiority, leaning against the doorframe as if he were the bearer of imperial edicts.
The kitchen, typically filled with the clatter of pans and the sizzle of spirit-infused oils, fell silent for a beat. Wei and Li, two scullery maids peeling potatoes with mundane knives—tools far removed from the spirit blades of cultivators—paused their work, their hands hovering over a tub of water that shimmered with faint Qi from the town's well.
"The Young Master? A genius from the Golden Mountain Sect?" Wei gasped, her round face flushing with excitement, her apron stained with vegetable juices. "What brings him to this quiet town? We're just a low-tier place at the mountain's base, with beasts lurking in the shadows."
Cook Bao, a portly man with a red face from years over hot stoves, who knew the value of fresh gossip as much as fresh ingredients, lowered his voice conspiratorially, stirring the broth with a ladle carved from spirit wood. "Word is, he had an accident. Something bad. Dropped in rank, they say. The Lady Yin Ji sent him here to hide, away from rivals in the Capital." His eyes darted to the door, ensuring no family member wandered in.
By now, the delivery driver from the local market, Old Man Huang, was loading sacks of rice and crates of bok choy onto his cart outside the kitchen door, his weathered hands calloused from hauling goods up mountain paths. He heard the word "accident" and "Golden Mountain Sect," his ears perking up like a beast sensing prey. A fallen genius needing supplies? Huang's eyes widened, visions of profit dancing in his head. He finished loading up faster than usual, his mind racing with the possibilities, whipping his mundane ox to trot quicker back to town.
Huang wasted no time upon reaching the central market square, a bustling hub of stalls selling everything from low-grade pills to beast hides, where mortals and low cultivators bartered under the watchful eyes of branch family patrols. He pulled up to Grocer Wei's stall, unloading crates with a grunt.
"Business is booming for the Lins!" Huang shouted, wiping sweat from his brow with a ragged sleeve, his voice carrying over the din of haggling. "The Young Master is coming from the Capital! An elite disciple needing the best medicine in town!"
A customer standing nearby, a scholar named Master Chen who valued peace and quiet above all else, his ink-stained robes marking him as a tutor for young cultivators, overheard this. "A Capital genius? Coming here? How prestigious for Green Lotus Town!" he exclaimed, adjusting his spectacles, his mind already composing poems about the event.
The news was out, spreading like ink in water. Within an hour, the simple fact had transformed into a sensational tale, embellished with each retelling: The Capital's genius, Lin Shan, had fallen from grace, crippled by a rival named Shi Yun in the treacherous depths of the Hidden Forest, where Demon Beast Kings prowled and ancient ruins hid forbidden treasures. He was coming to Green Lotus Town to heal his destroyed cultivation with the help of the mysterious new Wu Physician Shop, run by that pretty-faced outsider Alex Wu. Teahouses buzzed with speculation—old men sipping spirit tea debated if Lin Shan's spear manual could be salvaged, while young women giggled about his handsome features. Stalls echoed with whispers: merchants upped prices on healing herbs, anticipating demand; children played games pretending to be the fallen prodigy, thrusting imaginary spears. Even the branch families' spies caught wind, the Fengs plotting how to exploit it, the Dus reinforcing town gates. By midday, the entire town was buzzing, from the mountain paths where beasts howled to the quiet shops where secrets brewed. The calm was over. A great drama was about to unfold on their quiet doorstep, and no one could escape the web of rumors that now entangled Green Lotus Town.
The midday sun cast long, rhythmic shadows through the windows of the Wu Physician Shop, filtering through bamboo blinds that swayed gently in the mountain breeze, painting stripes of light across shelves lined with jars of dried herbs and glowing pills. Inside, the air smelled of dried star anise, bitter spirit-herbs harvested from the nearby peaks, and the faint, metallic tang of cooling Qi from a recent alchemical brew. Alex Wu was calmly grinding a set of Mid-Grade Spirit-Numbing petals in a mortar of enchanted jade, his movements precise and rhythmic, each turn of the pestle releasing a subtle hum of energy that resonated with his suppressed Early Core Formation cultivation. His pretty boy face, framed by violet hair with blue streaks tied in a stubborn long ponytail, remained focused, his caramel skin glowing faintly under the light, his slim swimmer's body—lean shoulders tapering to a slim waist, toned arms without bulk, and soft, plush lower body—moving with effortless grace in his simple physician's robes.
Near the back, the towering Gein stood motionless as a statue, his 7'2" frame draped in a simple gray robe that did little to hide the dense, V-tapered muscle beneath, his dangerously handsome face with black pupils and short black hair in a modern fade exuding an aura of silent menace. As a Tier 2 Human Puppet, refined through the 100 Demon Beast Blood Bath, he possessed a little mind, understanding commands but unable to speak, his presence a hidden guardian for the shop. Shao Ye was busy organizing a shelf of basic Fasting Pills, his handsome, ragged-edge face focused, his athletic V-taper body—lean, dense muscle with ripped abs—fitting easily into his attire, his Dual Wind and Water Spirit Root humming faintly as he worked, his Thirteenth Level Qi Condensation making him a standout among the town's youth.
The shop's bell chimed softly, a sound infused with a warding array to detect ill intent, and a young woman swept into the room, her silk robes embroidered with the emerald lotus of the Town Lord's manor, flowing like water over her graceful form. This was Lady Du Ji, the spirited daughter of Town Lord Du Jing, her eyes bright with the fire of youth, her cultivation at Early Foundation Establishment allowing her to carry an air of authority. Behind her, a small, limping Wind-Chasing Hound followed—a minor magical beast with fur that shifted like gusts, its injury from a recent beast skirmish evident in its uneven gait.
"Physician Wu!" she called out, her voice a mix of urgency and high-society charm, cutting through the quiet like a breeze, as she approached the counter lined with diagnostic tools and low-grade elixirs.
Alex didn't look up immediately, his hands continuing their steady grind, the powder turning to a fine dust that could numb meridians for surgery. "Lady Du. Your hound's leg again? I told you that beast needs more rest than pills," he said evenly, his tone carrying the weight of an Immortal Doctor, though he suppressed his aura to Peak Foundation Establishment.
"The hound can wait," she said, leaning over the counter, her eyes wide with the day's gossip, her perfume of lotus essence mingling with the shop's scents. "I need a batch of Bone-Knitting Salve and three high-grade Blood-Replenishing Pills. My father says we must be prepared for anything once the guest arrives." Her words tumbled out, laced with excitement, as she glanced at Shao Ye, who nodded politely but continued his work.
Alex paused, the pestle clicking against the mortar, a subtle release of Gray String Qi making the air thicken imperceptibly. He looked up, his expression neutral, violet hair catching the light. "A guest? I wasn't aware the Town Lord was hosting a banquet," he replied, his voice smooth, probing without revealing interest.
Du Ji blinked in genuine surprise, her fan snapping open for emphasis. "You haven't heard? The whole town is shouting it from the rooftops! The Main Lin Family is sending their prodigy, Lin Shan, here to recuperate. They say his spirit root was shattered in an ambush at the Hidden Forest!" She leaned closer, whispering details: the rival Shi Yun's betrayal, the drop from Mid Nascent Soul to Mid Core Formation, the bodyguard Xiong Kaun's desperate defense. Her hound whined softly, sensing the tension.
Alex's eyes narrowed imperceptibly, his Fusion Spirit Root stirring at the mention of a shattered Thunder Spirit Root—a rare opportunity for extraction and synthesis. A shattered spirit root. A fallen Nascent Soul. Internally, visions of the Monochromatic Loom of Ruin flashed: Gray String Qi stitching meridians, the Sovereign's Myriad Flesh-Loom refining the body into a puppet or ally. But outwardly, he remained composed.
"And?" Alex asked coolly, resuming his grinding, the sound rhythmic like a heartbeat. "What does that have to do with my shop?" His soft lower body shifted slightly as he leaned, a subtle reminder of his unassuming appearance hiding heaven-grade manuals found thirty years ago in the Nine Lotus Realm.
Du Ji laughed, a bit nervously, fanning herself. "Physician Wu, don't play modest! Everyone says you're the most skilled doctor in Mountain County. My father told me the Lin family is already scouting for specialists. They expect you to be the one to stabilize the Young Master's condition. My father even mentioned that Lady Yin Ji herself might be looking for your expertise." She spoke of the town's rumors, how Alex had healed impossible cases, his shop a beacon since opening ten years ago after his breakthrough.
Alex remained silent, but internally, the gears were turning. He had spent ten years hiding in this town, slowly refining his Monochromatic Loom and Myriad Flesh-Loom, building wealth from the spirit veins and treasury inherited from the old man's spirit in that hidden cave. Now, the most famous "broken" genius in the Yang Continent was being delivered to his doorstep, a perfect subject for Spirit Root Extraction & Transplantation, perhaps even Core Spiritual Root Synthesis using a Demon Beast Core.
"I am a simple town physician, Lady Du," Alex said, his voice dropping to a smooth, dangerous calm, laced with the authority of one who wove fates. "I heal broken bones and upset stomachs. A shattered spirit root is a matter for the gods." Yet his mind calculated: the pain of the Spirit Root Restoration Pill, the Agony of Rebirth that could kill, and how his Psychic Suture could mitigate it.
"Well, the town thinks you're the closest thing we have to a god of medicine," Du Ji countered, sliding a pouch of spirit crystals across the counter for her beast's pills, the crystals clinking with low-tier energy. "The Lin carriage arrives in three days. You might want to clear your schedule." She turned, leading her hound out, the bell giving a final, sharp ring that echoed like a warning.
Alex stood still for a long moment, the shop's quiet returning, broken only by Shao Ye's soft footsteps. From the rafters, the Fire-Crow Sun Ki ruffled his gold-streaked feathers and let out a sharp, raspy cackle, his glowing ember eyes fixed on Alex.
"A shattered root, Master?" the crow spoke, its voice dripping with dark amusement, high intelligence allowing snarky commentary. "That sounds like a very... expensive project for our Loom." As a Tier 2 Animal Puppet, refined with a Fire Demon Beast Core, Sun Ki served as eyes and ears, spying on the families.
Alex glanced back at Gein, whose guttural hum acknowledged the opportunity, and then at Shao Ye, who paused, his sword manual ready but unused. "Shao Ye, stop cleaning. We need to check the inventory for the Spirit Root Extraction materials. It seems the Nine Lotus Realm has sent us a patient." His words carried the weight of a weaver planning his next tapestry, the shop's shadows deepening as plans unfolded, the town's buzz outside a mere prelude to the high-stakes drama brewing within these walls.
The heavy silence that followed Lady Du Ji's departure was broken only by the rhythmic thump-thump of Shao Ye resuming his work, though his movements were now stiff with thought, his mind swirling with the implications for his own Spirit Root Blend Recipe. Above, Sun Ki hopped down from a blackened cedar rafter, his red and golden-streaked feathers shimmering like dying embers in the dim shop light, his sharp beak clicking as he perched on a shelf of alchemical tools.
"Speak your mind, Sun Ki," Alex said without turning, his hands resuming the slow, hypnotic grind of the mortar and pestle, Gray String Qi infusing the mixture subtly.
"Expensive? Master, that's an understatement," the Fire-Crow rasped, his intelligent eyes glowing with ember light, his voice laced with sarcasm honed from reconnaissance flights. "The 'prodigy' Lin Shan is a walking target. If you touch his meridians, you're touching the politics of the Golden Mountain Sect and the Capital. One slip of your 'strings' and this whole town becomes a funeral pyre. Why bother? We have the crystals. We have the peace." He ruffled his feathers, recalling overheard meetings of the branch families, their plots like fragile webs.
Shao Ye paused, leaning his sword against a shelf of Spirit-Gathering herbs, the blade humming with his Regular Grade Sword Manual's energy. His athletic, V-tapered frame cast a long shadow across the floor, his ripped abs tensing under his robe. "The Crow is right, Master. But... if the rumors are true, his Spirit Root is destroyed. In the whole Yang Continent, who else can actually fix that? If you ignore him, he dies or remains a cripple. If you heal him, you hold the life of a Capital Young Master in your hands." His Dual Wind and Water roots stirred, reminding him of Alex's promise to fuse them into Heavenly Ice, a transformation that could elevate him beyond the town's limits.
Shao Ye looked at his own hands, calloused from training, thinking of the Wind and Water roots Alex promised to fuse into Ice. "A patient like that is a once-in-a-lifetime material," he added, his ragged-edge handsome face serious, envisioning the surgical implantation of a Demon Core.
Alex finally stopped, lifting the pestle and letting the fine gray powder coat his fingers—the same color as his Gray String Qi, a manifestation of the Monochromatic Loom of Ruin's philosophy of connections. "I am not going to offer my services," Alex said, his voice smooth and cold as mountain jade, carrying the authority of one who had destroyed his Qi Condensation to restart with heaven-grade manuals.
Sun Ki tilted his head, confused, his talons scratching the wood. "Then we just watch him rot?" he cawed, his high sapience allowing for strategic insight.
"No," Alex replied, a small, knowing glint appearing in his eyes, his pretty boy features sharpening with cunning. "We wait. The Lin family is proud. The Town Lord is desperate. They will try every famous doctor from here to the Capital first. They will spend their fortunes on useless 'Root-Fixing' pills that will only cause the boy more agony." He spoke of the Nirvana Root-Severing Elixir's torment, the liquefaction and lightning shock that few survived without aid like his Internal Alchemy of the Three Treasures.
He walked over to the window, looking out toward the West where the Lin Estate sat, misty mountains framing it, beasts' distant roars echoing. "When their 'High-Tier' doctors fail, when the Young Master is screaming in the Agony of Rebirth and the family is at their wits' end—that is when they will come to this humble shop. I will not seek him out. I will wait for the moment his life is worth everything they own. I want them to realize that the only person who can 'stitch' him back together is a 'simple' physician in Green Lotus Town." His Fusion Spirit Root thrummed, envisioning the extraction, the grafting with matching materials, turning ruin into power.
Gein, the 7'2" human puppet, let out a low, guttural vibration from his chest—not a word, but a sound of primitive understanding, his demon-blood hardened body ready for action.
"Shao Ye," Alex commanded, turning with the weight of a judge. "Go to the cellar. Prepare the 100 Demon Beast Blood bath. If we are to treat a 'prodigy,' we must be ready for the storm that follows him." The air hummed with Gray Qi, unseen filaments ready.
Sun Ki let out a sharp, mocking cackle, spreading his wings. "A storm is coming, indeed. I'll go keep an eye on the gates. I want to see the face of a man whose soul is about to be owned by a Weaver." He flew out, blending into the sky, as the shop prepared for the weave of fates.