“Junior Brother Han, did your cultivation yield unexpected fruit yesterday?”

The moment Han Yu stepped out of his quarters, he ran into Hua Qi, whose eyes widened in surprise.

Han Yu blinked, feigning ignorance. Hua Qi gestured urgently toward the water vat in the courtyard. “Look at yourself. Your face… it’s different.”

“Is it?”

Han Yu formed a quick hand seal, casting the Water Control Technique. A stream of clear water rose from the vat, twisting in the air before flattening into a pristine, circular mirror.

He examined his reflection.

His skin possessed a jade-like luster, glowing with an inner light. His eyes were profound pools of vitality, sharp and brimming with spirit. Anyone with half a brain could see he had just experienced a significant leap in cultivation.

With a thought, Han Yu suppressed the external signs of his epiphany, dimming the glow until he looked like his usual, unassuming self. He chuckled, “I suppose the residual potency of the Qi Gathering Pills built up. Just a bit of overflow.”

Hua Qi shook his head, smiling with a trace of envy. “Poping pills for cultivation… Junior Brother Han, you really are a cut above the rest. You’re flying your own colors while the rest of us scrape by. Even mid-stage Qi Refining disciples can’t afford to eat pills like candy.”

“Though,” Hua Qi added, watching the water mirror dissolve, “seeing your mastery over spells, it feels only natural.”

As they spoke, a heavy-set figure approached with a wide, ingratiating grin. “Senior Brother Han! Do you have time for the market today? By my count, that traveling merchant should be arriving from Black Mountain Market any moment now.”

It was Zhu Laosan.

Han Yu nodded slowly. “Right. It is time to take a look.”

He turned to Hua Qi. “Senior Brother Hua, I’m heading to the market to check on spirit fruits. If Senior Sister Li asks, please let her know.”

“Go ahead, Junior Brother. Good luck.”

Han Yu summoned his Plantain Leaf artifact. He signaled for Zhu Laosan to hop on, and together they ascended, streaking toward the Green Grain Market.

Once they cleared the Spirit Field Department and passed through the sect’s Guardian Formation, Han Yu’s large crow swooped down from the sky. It landed heavily on his shoulder, tilting its head to glare at Zhu Laosan with a sharp caw.

Zhu Laosan chuckled nervously. “That spirit bird is truly majestic.”

The crow stared at him with its dark golden pupils, its gaze piercing. Zhu Laosan shifted uncomfortably until the bird finally turned its head away.

“Those two women living with you,” Han Yu asked suddenly, his voice casual. “I haven’t seen them helping with the harvest these past two days.”

“Ah?” Zhu Laosan blinked, caught off guard. He quickly recovered his smile. “Oh, them? They were feeling a bit homesick, Senior Brother. I sent them back to their families for a while.”

Han Yu glanced at him, his face an expressionless mask. He said nothing.

He sent away the women carrying his own children?

Han Yu’s internal calculation turned cold. A man who discards his own pregnant wives is ruthless and selfish to the bone. How long will he remember my kindness? A month? A year?

He is untrustworthy. Unusable.

In the future, I’ll need to find new sources for information. Relying on this man is a liability.

They arrived at the entrance of the Green Grain Market. Han Yu landed the Plantain Leaf, stowed it in his Storage Bag, and led the way into the bustling trade zone. Zhu Laosan and the large crow followed close behind as they navigated through the reed mat section to the more established bamboo stalls.

Zhu Laosan craned his neck, scanning the crowd. “That’s odd. Why hasn’t the merchant arrived?”

A nearby cultivator, thin as a rail and twitchy as a monkey, chimed in immediately. “Are you looking for the traveler from the other markets?”

“Yes, Fellow Daoist,” Zhu Laosan said eagerly. “Do you know where he is?”

“I do. He was here just a moment ago,” the lean, monkey-like man replied. “But someone wanted to trade some… sensitive goods. Taboo items. They couldn’t do business inside the Green Grain Market, so they went to the ‘Small Gathering’ ten li to the east.”

Zhu Laosan slapped his thigh in realization. He turned to Han Yu. “Senior Brother Han, should we wait here, or go check out this Small Gathering?”

“We wait,” Han Yu said flatly.

“Right, right. He should be back soon…” Zhu Laosan nodded, though his eyes darted around.

The lean cultivator chuckled, a grating sound. “Oh, he’ll be back. But by then, his inventory will be picked clean.”

He leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “At the Small Gathering, nobody asks for names. Everyone covers their faces. There are plenty of wealthy cultivators there who spend lavishly. When good items appear, they vanish in seconds—much faster than here.”

Zhu Laosan looked panicked. He whispered to Han Yu, “Senior Brother, he’s right. The Small Gathering is full of masked figures throwing money around. If we wait, the spirit fruit you want will definitely be gone.”

Han Yu remained unmoved. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll stroll around here. If I can’t buy it, then I won’t.”

He waved his hand, dismissing the large crow on his shoulder. “Go. If you get bored waiting, head back first.”

The command was ambiguous. It seemed directed at the bird, but the weight of the words fell squarely on Zhu Laosan.

Zhu Laosan watched the crow launch itself into the sky, his smile straining. “Senior Brother Han… you weren’t talking to me just now, were you?”

“Are you impatient too?” Han Yu asked, his gaze level. “I thought only the crow lacked discipline. If you’re in a rush, feel free to leave. I can browse the market alone.”

“Senior Brother, what are you saying?” Zhu Laosan waved his hands frantically. “You lifted my restriction and gave me a second chance at cultivation. That is a debt of rebirth! How could I be impatient? I’d wait days for you without a single complaint.”

Han Yu didn’t respond. He began walking through the stalls, browsing idly.

He didn’t know if the monkey-like man was lying, but his instincts were screaming. He had sent the crow not to return home, but to gather the flock just outside the market’s perimeter.

For the past six months, Zhu Laosan had invited him to check on fruits seven or eight times. Never once had they needed to leave the safety of the market.

Now, suddenly, they needed to go to a “Small Gathering” outside the sect’s protection?

Only a fool would walk into that trap.

Even if Zhu Laosan was a saint, Han Yu wouldn’t bet his life on an unsecured location based on hearsay. And Zhu Laosan was certainly no saint—he had just exiled his pregnant wives to clear the board.

Zhu Laosan and the monkey-like cultivator exchanged a quick, veiled glance.

Zhu Laosan stayed glued to Han Yu’s side, while the skinny man hurried away, vanishing into the crowd only to quietly circle back a few minutes later.

An hour passed.

“It seems the merchant won’t be returning today,” Han Yu said, dusting off his sleeves. “I’m heading back. We can discuss the fruit another time.”

Zhu Laosan looked genuinely anxious. “Senior Brother Han, just a little longer?”

“No.”

Han Yu turned and walked toward the exit.

Whether by coincidence or design, a man in black robes strode in from the entrance just as Han Yu approached. He sported a goatee and a conspicuous Storage Bag at his waist.

The monkey-like cultivator popped up, pointing excitedly. “Look! Fellow Daoists, the merchant is back! Are you still buying?”

Han Yu stopped. He looked at the newcomer. “You are the traveling merchant? Where do you hail from?”

“I travel the Southern Region’s markets,” the goateed man said with a practiced, oily smile. “I’ve even ventured beyond the borders. What can I do for you, Fellow Daoist?”

Zhu Laosan stepped forward. “Do you have spirit fruits? The rare kind I asked about last time!”

“Ah,” the merchant sighed dramatically. “I had some yesterday. But I just sold the last batch at the Small Gathering.” He smiled apologetically. “However, if you tell me what you need, I can bring it on my next trip. No trouble at all.”

Zhu Laosan turned to Han Yu, his face a mask of regret. “Senior Brother Han, look at that! Cleaned out! We really should have gone earlier.”

He nudged Han Yu. “Why don’t you describe the fruit you need? He might be able to find it for next time.”

Han Yu’s gaze drifted over the trio—Zhu Laosan, the lean monkey, the goateed merchant. The air around them reeked of conspiracy.

“I am looking for a specific fruit,” Han Yu said slowly. “About an inch wide. Crimson skin, like fire, covered in a translucent, gauze-like layer. Its effects are quite potent for enhancing a Fire Spirit Root.”

He invented the description on the spot.

The goateed merchant didn’t blink. He nodded sagely. “Ah, yes. That one. Easy enough. Next month, when I return to Green Grain Market, I will definitely have it for you.”

The merchant’s eyes narrowed greedily. “But you must prepare your Spirit Stones. Sourcing such a specific item is costly. If your purse is light, I won’t sell.”

“Then we will speak next month,” Han Yu said.

I just made that up. It doesn’t exist. Yet you “definitely” know it and can bring it?

The pieces fell into place. The entire trip was a setup. From the moment they left the fields, every person he met had been an actor in a clumsy play designed to lure him into the wild.

“Next month, I will be at the Small Gathering,” the merchant added. “Come find me there.”

“Fine.”

Han Yu agreed without hesitation. He didn’t linger, signaling Zhu Laosan to follow him out of the market.

On the flight back, Zhu Laosan was ecstatic. He chattered endlessly about how he would secure the fruit next time, swearing he would help Han Yu even if it meant “losing everything he owned” to pay for it.

Han Yu landed the Plantain Leaf at the Spirit Field Department. He looked at his “loyal” follower and nodded.

“Good. It is rare to see such dedication.”

I will make sure you get your wish. You will lose everything.