Should he trade with the traveling merchant?

Elder Lü pondered the question for a moment before speaking. “Since the Qi Refining Spirit Boosting Pill and the Jade Spirit Berry are genuine aids to your cultivation, there is no harm in the trade itself.”

“However,” he added, his tone firm, “you must not appear in person. I will handle the transaction on your behalf. What is his price?”

“He doesn’t want Spirit Stones,” Han Yu explained. “He only wants the Thousand-Year Sunkwood Heart. Zhu San told him I had one, and ever since, he’s been obsessed with obtaining it from me.”

“The Thousand-Year Sunkwood Heart…”

Elder Lü frowned. “That item is a direct byproduct of the Ancestral Tree. It contains the purest essence of wood Qi. Even within Wanchun Valley, only disciples with Major Merit are permitted to exchange for it. Why does an outsider want it so badly?”

Han Yu recounted the story the merchant had told him.

“According to the merchant, a royal heir of a mortal dynasty secretly practiced a core technique stolen from the Spirit Sword Sect. But without guidance, he botched it. The metal Qi in his body damaged his wood Qi, causing a catastrophic imbalance of the five elements. He now suffers from an incurable ‘Earth Excess’ syndrome. He’s constantly bloated with phlegm and dampness. In severe cases, his body stiffens like a clay statue, unable to move.”

“He needs the pure wood essence of the Sunkwood Heart to nourish his liver and correct the elemental imbalance. Apparently, this heir offered the merchant a fortune, which is why the man has been so persistent.”

Elder Lü listened intently, then nodded. “Tomorrow, I will make inquiries at the Deacon’s Office. If this story holds water—judging by the Spirit Sword Sect’s involvement and the scale of the dynasty—this heir is likely the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty.”

“Our intelligence network is far better than it used to be. We have disciples returning from the outside world constantly; someone will know the truth.”

“As for the parchment your crow brought back and the Sunkwood Heart you intend to trade… bring them to me tomorrow. For tonight, do nothing.”

Han Yu hesitated, then spoke up. “Master, I actually still have the Thousand-Year Sunkwood Heart you gave me—”

Elder Lü’s eyebrows shot up. “You still have it?” His voice took on a sharp edge. “That item was given to you for cultivation, not for hoarding! Han Yu, your talent in techniques is exceptional, but your cultivation base is your only weakness. You must not let minor distractions delay your progress.”

“Remember this: cultivation base is the foundation. Without it, even ‘Universal Comprehension’ is meaningless. You could be the greatest fighter in the world, but in a hundred years, you will be nothing but a handful of yellow earth!”

Han Yu bowed his head. “Yes, Master. I will remember your teachings.”

Seeing his disciple’s contrition, Elder Lü softened his tone. “Furthermore, anything involving the Ancestral Tree requires caution. Normally, trading a Sunkwood Heart is fine. But if there is a trap, regret will come too late.”

“If the merchant’s story is a lie… then it is possible someone is using the Sunkwood Heart as a vector to target the Ancestral Tree itself. And by extension, the entire Wanchun Valley.”

“We must be on guard.”

Han Yu nodded, a chill running through him. He hadn’t considered the Sect-level implications.

A year ago, he was a lonely, secretive disciple trying to survive. Back then, trading for the Qi Refining Spirit Boosting Pill was a risk worth taking for personal gain.

But now? He was the genius of Wanchun Valley. The Elders protected him; the Ancestral Tree welcomed him. An attack on the Sect was an attack on him.

If there was even a shadow of a conspiracy, Han Yu would abandon the pill without a second thought. He would never trade with an enemy of the Valley.

The next morning, Elder Lü took Han Yu to the Deacon’s Office.

The hall was bustling. Deacon Liu Mo was busy managing exchanges for a long line of disciples. Sheng Yan and Lu Yun were assisting, handling the influx of Laborer Disciples from the Spirit Field Department who had come to spend their harvest earnings on Qi Condensation Pills and technique manuals.

Seeing Elder Lü and Han Yu approach, Liu Mo stepped away from the counter to greet them. “Elder Lü, do you have instructions for us today?”

Elder Lü signaled for him to step aside to a quieter corner.

“Of the disciples sent to the Great Zhou Dynasty, seven or eight should have returned by now,” Elder Lü said. “Find me one who is knowledgeable about Great Zhou politics.”

Liu Mo thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers at a junior deacon, sending him to fetch someone.

Moments later, a middle-aged disciple arrived. He was in his forties, with weather-beaten skin and the honest, simple face of a farmer. He bowed respectfully, though his eyes darted around nervously.

“Deacon Liu… am I being sent out again? Is the pay the same as before?”

Liu Mo waved a dismissive hand. “Relax. The Sect offered high rewards before because you were the first wave sent to establish contact with the Spirit Sword Sect. It was a suicide mission, so we compensated your families in advance.”

“Now? The Southern Region is stable. Missions are routine. Don’t expect hazard pay for a safe trip.”

“Besides,” Liu Mo added dryly, “you volunteered for the money. The Sect isn’t in the habit of forcing cowards to their deaths.”

The disciple let out a long breath, visibly deflating. It was clear his courage had been a one-time transaction for the sake of his children.

Liu Mo turned to Elder Lü. “This man knows the Great Zhou well. He can talk for hours about their court politics.”

Elder Lü nodded. “Tell me what you know. If your information is useful, I’ll reward you with a bottle of Qi Condensation Pills. Even if it’s useless, I’ll have Deacon Liu record a Minor Merit.”

The disciple’s eyes lit up. “Please ask, Elder! I will tell you everything!”

“How familiar are you with the Great Zhou royal court?”

“Because I am an ‘Immortal Master,’ I was invited to many banquets by high officials in the capital, Haojing,” the disciple said eagerly. “I heard many things.”

“Good. Tell me about the court. The Emperor, the princes, the officials. Start from the top.” Elder Lü kept his question vague, careful not to lead the witness.

“Well,” the disciple began, scratching his head, “I can’t say much about the Emperor. The common folk just curse the local officials, and the officials just praise the Emperor’s ‘wisdom.’ It’s all talk.”

“But the court is divided into three factions. The biggest is the Crown Prince’s faction. Then there’s the Second Prince, and finally the Third Princess…”

Elder Lü, Liu Mo, and Han Yu listened patiently as the disciple rattled off names and allegiances. After he had rambled for a while, Elder Lü interrupted.

“Have you seen the princes yourself? Describe them.”

The disciple blinked. “I… yes. The Crown Prince… well, he’s stupidly fat. People say he’s a bit dull-witted. Not exactly clever.”

Stupidly fat. Dull.

That matched the description of the “Earth Excess” disease perfectly.

Elder Lü exchanged a glance with Han Yu, then asked a few more verifying questions before dismissing the man.

Once they were alone again, Elder Lü turned to Liu Mo. “Liu Mo, you used to work in the Alchemy Hall. If a mortal damages their innate Wood Qi, are there pills to fix it?”

Liu Mo frowned in thought. “Pills… are tricky. Mortals can’t handle the potency of cultivation pills; they’d explode. As for spirit herbs, most are too strong. The ones that are gentle enough usually aren’t powerful enough to cure a root imbalance.”

“For a cultivator, damaging the five elemental balance is as catastrophic as shattering the Meridians or cracking the Spirit Root. It takes a fortune in pills to fix. For a mortal? It’s nearly impossible.”

“I see,” Elder Lü murmured. “No wonder they are desperate for the Thousand-Year Sunkwood Heart. It’s a slow, gentle cure. The only option left.”