The afternoon sun bathed the sprawling merchant district of Wu Tan City in a warm, golden hue. The streets were an absolute cacophony of haggling merchants, clanking armor, and the heavy scent of exotic spices and roasted meats.
While Xiao Yu happily wandered a few paces away, her attention captured by a stall selling caramelized spirit-apples, Yoriichi stood before a rugged, scarred mercenary whose stall was laid out over a thick animal pelt.
Yoriichi's crimson eyes were locked onto a specific item sitting in the center of the pelt: a fiery-red, translucent crystal about the size of a plum.
It was a Rank 2 Pure Yang attribute Magical Beast Core.
With his new understanding and the failures of his previous forging attempt, Yoriichi knew he needed this specific core. The pure, unadulterated Yang energy was necessary to act as a stabilizing catalyst for the Katana he intended to craft soon.
"Six thousand five hundred gold coins, boy. Not a copper less," the mercenary grunted, crossing his massive, tree-trunk-like arms. "That core came from a Two-Tailed Solar Fox. Killed my best tracker to get it."
Yoriichi remained completely expressionless. "The energy is pure, but the core has a hairline fracture on the left axis. The berserk Qi is already leaking. In a week, it will degrade to Rank 1. Four thousand gold."
The mercenary's eyes narrowed dangerously, his hand drifting toward the heavy broadsword at his hip. "Are you calling me a swindler, brat? Do you know who you are talking to?"
Before the situation could escalate, a smaller, thinner mercenary standing behind the stall urgently grabbed his leader's arm. The smaller man leaned in, his eyes darting to Yoriichi's distinctive long black hair with red tip, and the calm, terrifyingly still aura the youth projected.
"Boss, wait," the companion whispered frantically. "Look at him. The dark robes, the stoic face... that's him. That's the 'Demon of the Xiao Clan.' The one who broke those 'thieves' bones in an alleyway without even drawing his sword. Don't provoke him!"
The burly mercenary froze. The anger instantly drained from his scarred face, replaced by a pale, calculating caution. In Wu Tan City, rumors spread faster than wildfire. A young master who fought like a seasoned, bloodthirsty veteran was not someone a rogue mercenary wanted to offend, especially not in the heart of the clan's territory.
The mercenary cleared his throat, offering a stiff, awkward smile. "Ah... my apologies, Young Master Xiao. You have a sharp eye. The fracture... yes, it is there. Four thousand gold is a fair price for a man of your... reputation."
Yoriichi simply nodded. He pulled a heavy pouch of gold coins from his inner robe, tossed it onto the pelt, and picked up the warm, pulsing core, securing it safely away.
As he turned to rejoin his sister, Yoriichi's keen senses picked up a distinct shift in the market's atmosphere. He noticed groups of Xiao Clan guards patrolling the streets in heavily armed squads of five, rather than their usual pairs. Their eyes were sharp, scanning the crowds with heightened vigilance.
'The Patriarch moves quickly,' Yoriichi thought, nodding approvingly to himself. Xiao Zhan had kept his word from last night, instantly tightening security to protect the clan's women from the rumored lustful alchemist.
He found Xiao Yu holding two skewers of candied fruit. She handed one to him with a bright smile, and they resumed their leisurely stroll deeper into the market, searching for the specific high-carbon metal ores Yoriichi still needed.
A few minutes later, their path intersected with a group of finely dressed youths.
At the center of the group was Xiao Mei. She was dressed in an elegant, pale-green dress, her youthful beauty drawing the eyes of several passing merchants. When she saw the tall, imposing figure of Yoriichi approaching with Xiao Yu, she physically stopped in her tracks.
It had been weeks since Xiao Mei had truly interacted with her cousin. In the past, Xiao Ning would have swaggered up to her, puffed out his chest, and aggressively tried to demand her attention with arrogant boasts.
But the young man walking toward her now felt like a completely different species.
He didn't swagger; his footsteps were entirely silent. His posture was flawlessly straight, and his crimson eyes were deep, calm, and utterly indifferent. He radiated a quiet, suppressed danger—like a sheathed blade resting in the dark.
Xiao Mei's expression turned highly complicated, a mix of deep suspicion and genuine, undeniable awe. 'Is this really Xiao Ning?' she thought, her heart giving a strange flutter. 'He feels... majestic.'
"Sister Yu! Cousin Ning!" Xiao Mei greeted, recovering her composure and offering a polite smile.
Xiao Yu stepped forward, her natural charisma taking over. She chatted amiably with Xiao Mei and her friends, discussing the latest silk trends and the upcoming clan assessment.
Through the entire exchange, Yoriichi remained mostly silent. He offered a polite, single nod of acknowledgment to the group, his gaze passively scanning the surrounding crowd for any threats, effectively playing the role of a silent, intimidating bodyguard.
Finding his stoic silence unnerving yet strangely magnetic, Xiao Mei and her friends eventually bid their farewells, whispering excitedly among themselves as they walked away.
Yoriichi and Xiao Yu continued their path, eventually passing by a vibrant, colorful stall overflowing with exotic blooms.
It was the same flower shop owned by the cheerful elderly woman Yoriichi had visited weeks prior to his breakthrough.
"Ah! The handsome young master returns!" the elderly woman called out cheerfully, her face breaking into a wide, wrinkly smile.
She wiped her hands on her apron and bustled over to the front of the stall. Her eyes immediately landed on Xiao Yu, who was clinging happily to Yoriichi's arm. Because Yoriichi came to this side of the market alone, and Xiao Yu was usually busy at the training grounds or the academy, the old woman had absolutely no idea they were siblings.
An expression of absolute, joyful enlightenment washed over the woman's face. She nodded to herself knowingly.
"My, my! I wondered what kind of beauty could capture the heart of such a serious young man," the elderly woman beamed, reaching into her display and pulling out a masterfully woven garland of pristine white lotuses and fragrant jasmine.
She presented the beautiful garland forward with a convincing, practiced merchant's charm. "Young Master, you simply must take this. It will look absolutely breathtaking on this young lady. Such a perfect match! I hope you both live a very long, happy life together!"
Yoriichi's stoic mask finally cracked. His mouth visibly twitched.
A couple? He opened his mouth to immediately shut down the ridiculous, slightly horrifying misunderstanding. "Elder, there is a misunderstanding. She is my—"
Before he could finish the sentence, he felt a sharp poke in his ribs.
He looked down. Xiao Yu was actively poking his sleeve. Her face was flushed a brilliant shade of crimson, but her eyes were glued to the beautiful lotus garland.
She wasn't offended by the misunderstanding at all; in fact, she found her stoic brother's rare moment of flustered awkwardness incredibly amusing, and she really, really wanted those flowers.