Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

Zhenhai City, Teleportation Hall!

A slightly hurried figure quickly walked out of the teleportation hall.

He was an elderly man with a fair complexion and no beard, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe with faint cloud patterns embroidered on the cuffs. He exuded a restrained aura and appeared ordinary, but there was a hint of anxiety hidden in his eyes.

His hair and beard were all white, but his face was ruddy. He walked hurriedly, and there was a faint light flashing under his feet.

Obviously!

This is because he used agility techniques.

His robes billowed in the wind, his expression tense, his brows slightly furrowed.

It was as if there was something extremely urgent that couldn't be delayed even for a moment.

Not long after...

The old man walked through several bustling streets and alleys without pausing for a moment, and came straight to a shop located in a prime location.

The shop wasn't ostentatious; a gilded plaque hung above the entrance, bearing the three large characters "Ningcui Pavilion."
The plaque was surrounded by a faint spiritual light, clearly indicating that it had been blessed by magic.
Two pots of flourishing medicinal herbs were placed on either side of the door, emitting a delicate fragrance, adding a touch of elegance compared to the bustling shops around them.

Without the slightest hesitation, the old man stepped over the threshold marked with a defensive array, and in a flash, he entered the shop.

The moment I entered the shop, the noise inside filled my ears—

Several monks dressed in blue servant robes were carefully introducing the magical artifacts and spiritual materials on the counter to a group of guests.

Upon seeing the old man enter, the servants who were busy introducing him immediately stopped talking, their faces filled with respect, and they all bowed and greeted him.

The voices were clear and respectful:
"Manager, you're back!"

"Greetings, Head Manager!"

"Thank you for your hard work, Manager!"

Greetings echoed throughout the small shop.

Upon hearing this,

The old man strode into the shop without pausing, only slightly turning his head to nod gently to the servants. His expression remained tense, and the anxiety between his brows had not dissipated.
His gaze went straight to the wooden staircase leading to the second floor in the corner of the shop, and he walked quickly.

They were clearly in a hurry to get upstairs and did not want to linger here.

Just as he was about to step onto the stairs, he suddenly stopped.
As if suddenly remembering something important,
His body stiffened slightly, then he slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the shop's servants, and asked,
His voice carried a barely perceptible urgency:

"By the way, has the boss returned?"

next moment,
A young attendant, who was introducing a bronze ritual artifact to a guest, immediately paused, turned around, and bowed respectfully towards the stairs.

He responded respectfully and clearly:
"Reporting to the head manager, the master has already returned."
He's probably currently in seclusion on the second floor, meditating and adjusting his breathing; he hasn't come out yet.

Upon hearing this, the white-faced, beardless old man slowly nodded, the anxiety between his brows easing slightly.
He then spoke again, his tone serious and his command leaving no room for argument:
"Well, I need to discuss some important matters with the owner. You all should stay on the ground floor and take good care of the guests. Don't go upstairs and disturb us."
Also, don't let anyone unrelated near the second-floor staircase, understand?

"Understood, Manager!"

"Understood, I will guard the shop well and will not disturb the owner and the head manager's discussion!"

The servants bowed respectfully in response, none daring to voice a dissent.
After the old man finished speaking...

The servants turned around again and carefully attended to the guests in front of them, though their gazes would occasionally drift towards the stairs with a hint of curiosity.

The old man withdrew his gaze, let out a soft breath, and looked at the wooden staircase in front of him again. The urgency in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a complex and unreadable expression.

A moment later, it was replaced by a resolute determination.

Then,

He stepped onto the stairs, his steps steady yet hurried, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet stairwell.

Soon, the old man quickly went up to the second floor of the shop.

The second floor was remarkably quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of the first floor.
Several ink paintings hung on both sides of the corridor. The scenes in the paintings were lifelike and exuded a faint spiritual aura. They were obviously spiritual paintings containing magic.

The old man's gaze swept quickly around the long corridor without lingering, and soon his eyes landed on a room at the end of the corridor—

The room's door was tightly shut, its surface engraved with intricate defensive and soundproofing arrays, and it was enveloped in a faint, shimmering white light.

The light, soft yet resilient, completely enveloped the room, isolating it from all outside sounds and smells...
This is the quiet room where the master usually secludes himself to meditate and handle important matters.

Immediately.

The old man walked quickly to the door of the meditation room, stopped, took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, slowly raised his right hand, and gently tapped his finger.

A wisp of spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips and landed on the layer of shimmering white light...

Instantly, a faint ripple appeared on the light screen.

It rippled out slowly like waves on water.
The spiritual light of the formation softened slightly as a result.

A moment later, the light curtain that had been covering the door of the quiet room slowly opened to both sides like a water curtain, revealing the tightly closed vermilion door behind it.

The moment the light curtain fully opened, the tightly closed door automatically and slowly opened inwards without any wind.

A clear, melodious, and somewhat gentle young woman's voice came from inside the room, reaching the old man's ears clearly:

"Uncle Yuan, come in."

see,

Without further hesitation, the old man strode into the quiet room.

Upon entering, the quiet room is spacious and elegant, with warm white jade floor tiles.
The air was filled with a rich and pure spiritual energy.
A pot of blooming Ice Soul Orchid sits in the corner, emitting a cool fragrance that dispels the stuffiness of the room.

In the center of the room, on a cloud-patterned bed covered with soft brocade cushions...

A young female doctor with an elegant demeanor and delicate features slowly stood up.

She wore a moon-white gauze dress with delicate orchid patterns embroidered on the hem. Her long, black hair was tied up with a jade hairpin. Her skin was as white as jade, and her eyebrows and eyes had a scholarly air about them. Her bright, clear eyes were sparkling.

At that moment, she was filled with anticipation as she quickly walked towards the old man.

"Uncle Yuan!"

The female cultivator's voice carried a barely perceptible urgency. She walked up to the old man, stopped, and stared intently into his eyes.

He asked expectantly.
"Have you found out the details?"

Which force is trying to forcefully acquire our Ningcui Pavilion?
What exactly is their purpose in being so aggressive?

Her fingertips curled slightly; clearly, this matter was causing her considerable anxiety.
After all, Ningcui Pavilion was the only memento her father left her, and the foundation she had in Zhenhai City.

Upon hearing this,

The old man raised his head and looked at the female cultivator before him with a complex expression.
That gaze held a mixture of guilt, helplessness, and a barely perceptible hint of resolve.

He slowly raised his hand, let out a soft sigh, his voice heavy and bitter:
"Master, how about... we sell this shop?"

That force is too powerful, deeply entrenched, and wields immense authority; we cannot afford to offend them, nor can we possibly contend with them.
Rather than ending up with nothing, your family destroyed, and all you have left, it's better to compromise early on, at least leaving yourself some room for maneuver.

The voice paused slightly.
The old man's bitterness deepened. Looking at the female cultivator's dimming eyes, he continued to persuade her:
"Moreover, the price they offered was extremely generous, far exceeding the value of the shop itself, enough for us to buy an even larger and more impressive shop in another location in Zhenhai City."

With our centuries-old reputation and our extensive network of regular customers,

With me here, I'm sure we can make the new business thrive, and we won't lose our regular customers. We might actually be able to start over.

His voice carried a hint of pleading.
It seemed as if he was truly thinking of the female cultivators and the future of Ningcui Pavilion.

Upon hearing this...

The young female cultivator's eyes immediately dimmed; her once bright eyes instantly lost their luster.
Her delicate brows furrowed tightly, her face filled with hesitation and reluctance.

His lips moved slightly, but he couldn't utter a single word for a long time, only muttering out one:

"This……"

Her hands gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white. The expectation in her eyes was replaced by disappointment, and her heart was churning with endless struggle.

On one hand, there was her father's dying wish, and on the other hand, her own years of perseverance.

On one side is an insurmountable, powerful force.
For a moment, she didn't know what to do.
see,

The head manager, alarmed, quickly stepped forward and earnestly advised:

"Boss, don't hesitate!"

They had only sent people to test and persuade us before, without actually doing anything. But once we completely angered them...

If they start calculating seriously, it won't be long before...
Certain departments of the monks' association would use various pretexts to come and extort money or cause trouble.

Although they wouldn't dare to directly shut down our shop, if they came every few days, harassing our customers and withholding our goods...
If this continues, even the most loyal regular customers will eventually be driven away.

Even if we manage to keep the shop, it will just be an empty shell, and we'll have lost more than we gained!
It would be better to back down now and accept their terms.
At least they can preserve themselves and retain the resources to turn things around.

At this time,

The young female cultivator slowly raised her head, her delicate brows furrowing even more deeply.

The hesitation in his eyes was gradually replaced by a hint of determination.
She looked at the old man, her tone tinged with reluctance and urgency, and pressed him for an answer:

"Uncle Yuan!
Tell me, which force is behind those cultivators who came to our shop and tried to take it over?
Why are they so fixated on our Ningcui Pavilion?
If we know their identities, we might still have room to maneuver.

Even if it involves giving gifts or making compromises, it might still be possible to save the shop!

Upon hearing this,

The head manager sighed softly again, slowly shook his head, and a profound, enigmatic expression appeared on his face.

He said in a heavy tone:
"Boss, stop asking. Anyway, this is not something a small business like ours can afford to mess with."

Their influence extends throughout the entire Endless Sea, and even the higher-ups of the Cultivator Association have to give them some respect.

Let me give you a piece of advice: just sell it. Stop being so stubborn. We can't fight them at all.

Resistance will only bring utter destruction.

He deliberately avoided mentioning the names of the forces involved, a barely perceptible hint of panic and guilt flashing in his eyes.

"Uncle Yuan!"

The young female cultivator hesitated for a moment, then bit her lower lip.
With a slight sob and a firm tone, he slowly began to speak.

"This shop was built by my father with all his heart and soul. It is the only memento he left me, and I really can't bear to sell it."

Moreover, as you know, our Ningcui Pavilion is located in the prime location of Zhenhai City—

Located next to the headquarters of the Cultivators' Association, any slight movement could be detected by the association, so they dared not be too presumptuous.
It is adjacent to a number of large chain stores, with a constant flow of customers and booming business;

Moreover, it is extremely close to the teleportation hall, making it very convenient for both purchasing goods and receiving guests;
Even though it's only a few streets away from the bustling market area, it still attracts many casual shoppers on weekdays.

She paused, her determination growing stronger, and continued:
"Once this shop is sold, it will be virtually impossible to acquire another shop in Zhenhai City with such a prime location."

The foundation of our Ningcui Pavilion, built over hundreds of years, will be completely destroyed in an instant.

So I've decided, I won't sell this shop!

Anyway, with the Cultivator Association in Zhenhai City, they wouldn't dare to directly harm people or shut down shops.

Keep in mind, this place is so close to the headquarters of the Cultivator Association.

Once the spiritual energy shows abnormal fluctuations...

Before long, monks from the association will arrive to investigate;
As for their attempts to use their power to control and harass us, the Monks' Association has a dedicated oversight department.
We can appeal directly; there's always a place to seek justice!

Upon hearing this,

The head manager froze, clearly not expecting his usually gentle and humble boss, who always listened to his opinions, to be so resolute this time.

He paused for a moment, looking at the unwavering determination in the female cultivator's eyes.

The old man knew in his heart that no matter how he tried to persuade her, he could not change her mind.

But he was still unwilling to give up and took another step forward.
With a hint of pleading in his voice, he gently advised:
"Boss, are you really not going to reconsider?"
This is no small matter; one wrong step can lead to a series of mistakes, and if that force is angered...
We probably won't even have a chance to regret it!

"Uncle Yuan!"

The young female cultivator slightly raised her chin, her tone firm and without the slightest hesitation.

"You don't need to say anything more. I've already made up my mind about this matter, and it's settled!"

No matter what forces are behind them, I will protect what my father left me, and protect our Ningcui Pavilion!

"Ok."

Looking at the female cultivator's resolute expression, the head manager sighed softly.

His tone was full of helplessness and bitterness, and he slowly lowered his head.

Just as he lowered his head...
A deep sense of guilt and struggle flashed in her previously dim and remorseful eyes.
But in just a moment, this guilt and struggle were replaced by a chilling, piercing glint of light.

That cold light contained no warmth, only resoluteness and ruthlessness, moving so fast it was impossible to catch.

At the same time!

A palm-sized, jet-black talisman inscribed with intricate and mysterious runes...
It slipped silently from the wide sleeves of his brocade robe.

...(End of this chapter)