"Young Master Wei," the old man said without looking up from his work. "What brings you to my humble establishnt at this hour?"
"My friend here is interested in so of your special products," Wei Lin replied. "The pure varieties."
Now the man did look up, his eyes fixing on with unsettling intensity. "Pure elental essences? For an Outer Disciple?" He chuckled. "You're either very ambitious or very foolish, young man. Possibly both."
I looked at the old man, pushing down any hint of offense at his words. Getting angry at soone who could help would be foolish, no matter how condescending they might be.
"You're right on both counts," I admitted with a slight bow. "I am ambitious, and probably foolish too. But I still need the essences for Earth, Air, and Water, if you're willing to sell them."
The old man's expression shifted slightly – was that approval? He reached beneath his desk and brought out three jade boxes, each carved with different patterns. When he opened them, I had to stop myself from gasping.
The first contained what looked like liquid starlight, constantly shifting and flowing within its container. "Pure water essence, extracted from a thousand-year spirit spring," the old man explained.
The second held what appeared to be a miniature whirlwind, perfectly contained within the box. "Wind essence from the peak of Mount Kunlun, where the air itself has gained consciousness."
The third showed a crystal that seed to contain an entire mountain range in miniature. "Earth essence from the core of an ancient spirit vein."
Wei Lin stepped forward. "For a friend purchasing all three at once, perhaps we could discuss a more reasonable price?"
The old man's expression didn't change. "The market rate stands. Three thousand high-grade spirit stones."
"Surely there's room for negotiation," Wei Lin pressed. "The wind essence was obtained over five years ago - its potency must have decreased sowhat."
"The containnt formations preserve their full power," the old man countered. "But since you ntion age..." He lifted the box with the wind essence. "This particular sample has had ti to stabilize. More suitable for foundation building than fresher specins that might be too... volatile."
Wei Lin nodded thoughtfully. "A fair point about stability. However, considering current market conditions - with the Southern Sects opening their spirit stone mines - perhaps twenty-five hundred?"
"The Southern Sects' spirit stones are of inferior quality. Three thousand."
I watched the back-and-forth with a sinking feeling. Even with negotiations, the price was far beyond my ans. I had maybe a hundred and sothing low-grade spirit stones saved up - my entire accumulated stipend from months of living on basically nothing while focusing on cultivation.
"I can loan you 700," Wei Lin offered quietly. "With your savings..."
The old man raised his hand. "Even with your combined resources, you're well short." He studied for a long mont. "However... I could let you have one of them now, not for spirit stones, but for a favor to be repaid in the future."
I tensed. In every cultivation novel I'd read, these kinds of deals always ended badly - usually with the protagonist either committing horrible acts or fighting their way out of an impossible situation.
The old man seed to read my thoughts. "Nothing too extre, young man. The favor would be proportional to what I'm offering now. I've developed a certain eye for talent over the years, and you... you seem neither foolish nor arrogant. I think you'll go far, and having soone like that owe a favor could be quite valuable."
"And what exactly would this favor entail?" I asked carefully.
"That would depend on future circumstances. But I give you my word - nothing that would risk your life or violate sect laws."
"Many things that don't technically violate sect laws can still be... problematic," I pointed out.
The old man actually smiled at that. "Cautious. Good. Let be more specific then - nothing that would risk life, limb, or cultivation. Nothing that would force you to harm others or betray your principles. Simply a favor, proportional to the help I'm offering now."
Wei Lin leaned close. "Favors are a currency of their own in our world," he whispered. "Sotis worth more than spirit stones."
I nodded slowly. "Then I accept, with those conditions."
"Take the water essence," Wei Lin advised. "It's usually the hardest to acquire."
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The old man carefully resealed the water essence's box and handed it to . "A pleasure doing business with you, young cultivator. I look forward to seeing how far you progress."
"Thank you for your generosity, Elder," I bowed deeply. "I won't forget this kindness."
"See that you don't," he replied, but his tone was more amused than threatening.
Our guide reappeared to escort us out. As we reached the door, the old man called out one last ti. "Young Master Wei, do give my regards to your father. Tell him his last shipnt of Ceylon spirit wine was... particularly interesting."
Wei Lin's expression didn't change as he bowed. "I'll pass along your complints."
The walk back was quiet until we were well clear of the warehouse district. Only then did I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
"That went better than expected," Wei Lin said, glancing at the jade box I was carefully cradling.
"If by better you an I now owe a mysterious favor to an equally mysterious underground dealer, then sure," I replied. "Speaking of which, who exactly is he?"
"Old Man Bu," Wei Lin said. "He's been running that operation for as long as anyone can rember. Story goes he was a cultivator who got crippled years ago when he was an outer disciple, lost all his cultivation. Decided to make himself useful by setting up this business instead."
"A mortal? Really?" I kept my tone casual, but sothing about that story didn't sit right.
"Oh yeah, completely normal mortal now. My father even had so Elental Realm cultivators confirm it when we first started doing business with him."
I nodded but kept my thoughts to myself. Having Elental Realm cultivators confirm soone had no cultivation was about as reliable as a child declaring there were no adults hiding during hide and seek.
Anyone powerful enough could mask their qi from lower realm cultivators. If anything, this just confird my suspicion that Old Man Bu was another example of the 'seemingly powerless elder who's actually absurdly powerful' trope.
"But if he's been around so long," I asked, "why does the Sect seem so... opposed to disciples dealing with him?"
Wei Lin's expression grew serious. "Because Old Man Bu doesn't discriminate in what he sells. Sure, he has righteous cultivation materials like what we just bought, but..." He lowered his voice. "He also deals in demonic cultivation materials. Cursed artifacts. Things that can corrupt your core if you're not careful. The Sect can't shut him down - he has too many powerful connections - but they strongly discourage disciples from going to him. Too many have been tempted by what he offers and strayed from the righteous path."
"Still," Wei Lin continued, his tone lightening, "he's always been fair in his dealings."
I just nodded again, my mind already moving ahead to the problem of the remaining essences. Making enough spirit stones quickly enough seed impossible - if only I had so kind of alchemy cheat ability, I could at least stay safely in the sect while getting rich.
Going outside to find natural sources was an option, but the death rate for Qi Condensation cultivators in the outside world was horrifyingly high.
"There's always the two suns world," Azure suggested in my mind. "Death there isn't permanent, after all."
I nodded slightly. No matter how many tis I died there, I'd just reset. Surely they must have so kind of elental resources...
"How important is this, really?" Wei Lin's voice interrupted my thoughts. "The elental essences – how vital are they to your cultivation?"
"Pretty vital," I admitted. "Without them, I can't properly progress."
Wei Lin was quiet for a mont, then smiled. "Then I guess we're making a trip outside the sect."
I imdiately tensed. "Wei Lin, that's too dangerous. We're both just—"
"We're going to my family ho," he interrupted.
I stared at him in confusion.
"My clan has wind essence," he explained. "Not as pure as what that old man was selling, but it should be good enough for foundation building."
"I can't accept sothing like that for free," I protested. "That's too valuable—"
"What are friends for?" Wei Lin spread his hands. "You said it's important to your cultivation. Of course I'll help."
"Not for free," I shook my head firmly. "I won't take advantage of our friendship like that."
Wei Lin sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. You can owe . Happy now?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Happy."
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