Nine Astra Skies

"Are you sure you're willing to buy two of my pills for two million silvers?" The old man looked at Ye Chen. The old man looked at the vase covered in mud that was in his hands. Was his vase a treasure too?

"I'll exchange two million and two hundred silvers along with fifty Chi Deposition Pills for that vase of yours. How does that sound, kind sir?" Ye Chen suggested. Ye Chen could not bring himself to cheat the vulnerable old man. To a wealthy man like him, silvers and Chi Deposition Pills were nothing. He felt like he had gotten himself a good deal. After all, the vase was a Tier Three spirit artifact.

"Really? All that for the vase?" The old man widened his eyes, looking at Ye Chen in disbelief. He was uneducated and did know the worth of the vase. Immediately, he agreed. "I'll take it, I'll take it!" Two Chi Deposition pills were rarity enough for him, what more with fifty of them.

Ye Chen took out fifty Chi Deposition Pills as well as two million and two hundred silvers. He placed the payment in a smaller Heaven-Earth Pouch and placed it in the old man's hands. "It's all in here. You can keep the pouch too. Do take good care of it." Ye Chen had a few Heaven-Earth Pouches, some of them had smaller spaces and were not worth much.

The elderly man had never seen a Heaven-Earth Pouch in his life. He opened it to inspect the item and got the shock of his life and he looked around. The Heaven-Earth Pouch was a good item. One vase for all these items - it felt so surreal to him. He excitedly shoved the vase to Ye Chen. "Here, you can have the vase!"

Just as the old man placed the vase in Ye Chen's hands, a loud voice came from the side. "Hold up!"

It was Hao Xu who had spoken. Initially, he could not tell that Ye Chen was buying a prized vase but now, he wanted it too. He looked at Ye Chen sternly. "Don't you think it's a little rude to take my customers away from my shop buddy?"

A few Hao Pharmacy staff got out from the counter and looked at Ye Chen menacingly.

"Willing buyers, willing sellers. Since the old man wouldn't sell it to you, I offered him a higher price for his vase. What's wrong with that?" Ye Chen retorted. He took the vase from the old man, feeling a sense of warmth in his palms. "Watch over your items, sir and leave now. Try not to come back here once you're out of the border."

Sensing something amiss, the old man tried to exit the shop, fearing for his life.

"No one's allowed to leave until this matter has been thoroughly settled!" Hao Xu behaved like a cat who had caught mice and looked at Ye Chen evilly.

Two of the staff stood in the old man's way. Ye Chen merely scoffed. As if they were brutally punched on the chest by something, the two men turned pale and stumbled a few feet backward. The old man quickly ran out of the shop and disappeared into the crowd.

"So, the shopkeeper wants to talk some sense, eh? I'd like if the Hao Pharmacy is a sensible place then!" Ye Chen was unfazed. He looked at Hao Xu intently. He was not fearful of Hao Xu at all.

"Are you going to fight, Mr. Ye Chen? Woohoo! Finally, some fun!" Little Wingsy remarked joyfully.

Ye Chen shot a look at Little Wingsy. Apart from being a glutton, he had no idea that he had a knack for violence.

Hao Xu frowned when he saw the faces of the staff. He knew what they were capable of and they were considered the faces of the Hao Clan and were Fifth Level. All it took was a scoff from Ye Chen and they would be injured. The boy was at least peak Ninth Level or Tenth Level!

It all explained why Ye Chen seemed so unfazed as he had the power of a peak Ninth Level!

"Which clan do you come from, buddy? Do you belong to the Three Major Sect? The Hao Clan has dealt with the Three Major Sect leaders from time to time. We'll surely inform the sect leaders of this misconduct!" Hao Xu looked at Ye Chen arrogantly. He thought that the boy would never go against him.

Who was Hao Xu? The fact that he could snag the top throne of the Xiwu Empire showed that he was not as simple as he seemed to be. Did the Three Major Sects bow to him? Then again, Ye Chen would never back out on his words. Plus, the vase could be useful in storing medicinal pills and it was a Tier Three spirit artifact, what gave Hao Xu the right to own it?

"I bought the vase. If you want it so badly, you lots working for Hao Xu can try snatching it from me. I'll be in the capital for months either way. You're more than welcome to do so." Ye Chen surveyed his surroundings. The men looked at him intimidatingly but they were Fifth or Sixth Level at best. The moment Ye Chen exerted his Tenth Level pressure, those lots turned pale and struggled to maintain their composure. "No matter how many there are of you bunch, you guys will end up just the same, dead."

"A Tenth Level combatant?" Hao Xu's expression changed. He stepped back slightly. He bore the clan name Hao and had experienced a lot in his life. He could tell Ye Chen was a Tenth Level combatant, not the kind that had advanced to Tenth Level recently but a peak Tenth Level. A young boy like him at peak Tenth Level, even Hao Xu did not dare upset him. Under the pressure of a Tenth Level's pressure, even he struggled to breathe, let alone speak.

Hao Xu knew all of the Tenth Level combatants in the Xiwu Empire, so how was it possible that a relative unknown would emerge without his knowledge? Perhaps the other counties did not know about him too? The boy was a Tenth Level at such a young age. Whoever raised Ye Chen must be a powerful figure!

Ye Chen could not be bothered to act. He looked at Little Tanuki and Little Wingsy. "Little Wingsy, Little Tanuki, let's go."

Hao Xu and his men watched helplessly as Ye Chen exited the pharmacy. The moment the tightness had dissipated off their chest, they panted heavily. Their shirts were drenched in sweat and their eyes spoke of a certain fear.

Hao Xu only came to his senses after a brief moment. He looked to his men and gave an order. "Bring the hawk messenger. I'm going to relay the news to the elder chief!"

The moment Ye Chen left the pharmacy, Little Tanuki turned invisible and went back into the shop. Ye Chen tried to make sense of the situation with his Astral Body. He knew what she was up to and chuckled.

After a moment, Little Tanuki came out from the store, holding a pouch in her mouth. Inside the pouch were a ton of prized herbs, silvers, golds, and some pills. Little Tanuki had ransacked another place clean once more.

Ye Chen smiled disapprovingly. He looked inside the pouch. There were two million silvers, two million golds, hundreds of Chi-amassing Pills and seven to eight Chi Deposition Pills. There were also some rare herbs including the one that Ye Chen had seen at the left-most cabinet. It was a spring of good quality Flaming Herb of Parlance, probably five to six hundred years in age and would make a good Tier Eight or Nine medicinal pill. Once Ye Chen became an apothecary, he could use it for his own gain.

Bet even Hao Xu would not know what it was, only that it held a large concentration of Celestial Chi and was a good stuff. If he had managed to deliver it back to the Hao Clan, they would surely keep it.

What a rich pharmacy. After all that drama, Ye Chen had managed to regain the value that was offered in exchange for the Tier Three porcelain vase.

"Let's go." Ye Chen walked toward the streets with newfound joy.

"Squeak, squeak," Little Tanuki said a few words to Ye Chen.

"What's Little Tanuki saying, Little Wingsy?" Ye Chen looked to Little Wingsy for clarification. He understood some of her words but was still far from being able to decode the entire sentence. Ye Chen was worried he might misinterpret the message.

"Sister Tanuki said if you wanted some herbs, don't bother going to the pharmacy. She could steal all the valuable herbs in the capital in days for you." Little Wingsy shared the same sentiments too. If they needed herbs, why not just take them instead of buying them? It was a waste anyway.

Ye Chen was nervous just listening to what Little Wingsy had said. Little Tanuki meant every word that she said. Would that cause the capital to descend into chaos? That would not be good, right?

"Miss Tanuki said it's called borrowing, not stealing," Little Wingsy spoke seriously. There was that undeniable innocence that sparkled in his eyes.

"We'll talk about that another time." Ye Chen gave it rest. Taking without consent was stealing though stealing herbs from a rip-off like the Hao Pharmacy was justified and they did not deserve Ye Chen's sympathy. It was not stealing but serving justice. "We're almost at the capital, let's look for Master Li. I still have to learn alchemy from Master Apothecary Xuanyi."

Since he had arrived at the capital earlier than expected, Ye Chen did not meet Master Li right away. Instead, he asked around for Prince Yin's whereabouts. The moment Prince Yin's men saw the tanuki perching on Ye Chen's shoulders and his face, they turned courteous and offered to take his belongings for him. Prince Yin had reminded them to be nice to a young man with a tanuki if they ever came across him. Naturally, they would do as the prince had said.

The moment the men at Prince Yin's abode knew Ye Chen was looking for Master Apothecary Xuanyi, they immediately sent someone to inform Master Li of his arrival. Li Xu, too, rushed over to the abode upon receiving news of Ye Chen's arrival.

In Prince Yin's abode, Ye Chen was cultivating. The place was quiet.

"Master Li has arrived!" A voice came from outside.

Ye Chen, who was meditating, opened his eyes and looked at Little Tanuki and Little Wingsy. He was happy. "Little Tanuki, Little Wingsy, Master Li's here!"

Ye Chen quickly ran to the hall.

"Master Li." Seeing Master Li, Ye Chen quickly saluted him.

Li Xu was sitting on a chair and sipping his tea. The moment he saw Ye Chen, he smiled. "I didn't think you'd arrive so soon. Thank god for Prince Yin's help, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to find you."

Ye Chen felt welcomed under Li Xu's kindness.

"Get ready, we're going to meet master." Li Xu smiled. He could not wait to introduce Ye Chen to Master Apothecary Xuanyi.