Principles

Xu Yinyin blinked. "I think it's reasonable. You've done the Law Enforcement Hall a huge favor, so you deserve to collect a little extra."

Yang Ning smiled. "I opened a shop, so I'm a merchant. Merchants value profit, but wealth flows like water, and there's a proper way to draw from it.

Today, if I greedily take fifty Spirit Stones, it's like building a dam in a canal and blocking the flow—leaving nothing but stagnant water.

If I don't take them and have the patience to do business as usual, I can draw from the current bit by bit and guide it along its course. Then, instead, it can gather into rivers and seas."

Xu Yinyin froze at Yang Ning's words, repeating to herself, "Have patience, guide it along its course, gather into rivers and seas..."

Seeing her lost in thought, Yang Ning stepped forward and waved a hand in front of her face.

"What are you spacing out for? Put the Spirit Stones back, then. There are people checking everyone outside, and I'll have to trouble you to escort me out of the Law Enforcement Hall!"

"Oh... all right."

Xu Yinyin was still mulling things over. She nodded absently and walked into the room, looking dazed.

Before long, Xu Yinyin came back out. She'd put aside her playful manner, and her expression had grown considerably more serious.

"Come on. I'll escort you down the mountain."

Yang Ning nodded and followed Xu Yinyin out of the front hall. They crossed the square in front of the main hall and stepped onto the stone stairway leading down the mountain.

With the Hall Master's personal disciple by his side, no one stopped them to ask questions along the way. They only had to make a simple entry in the register at the Law Enforcement Hall's gate.

As they descended, Xu Yinyin walked half a step ahead of Yang Ning, silent. The mountain wind stirred the bamboo leaves with a soft rustle. Yang Ning didn't speak either. To him, Xu Yinyin was just a potential customer; they weren't exactly close.

Suddenly, Xu Yinyin stopped. Caught off guard, Yang Ning this time crashed into her back.

"Ow! What are you doing~?"

At Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Xu Yinyin didn't budge an inch. Yang Ning, on the other hand, bounced backward and landed hard on the stone steps. The Spirit Stones in the Urea Bag were caught between his bottom and the steps, digging painfully into him.

Xu Yinyin hurriedly turned around and reached out to help him up, apologizing repeatedly. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I was distracted just now. I'm sorry."

Rubbing his sore behind, Yang Ning said helplessly, "You're so careless and jumpy."

Xu Yinyin gave an embarrassed giggle. "My master says that to me all the time, too. She says I'm restless and impatient every single day."

As she spoke, Xu Yinyin helped Yang Ning to his feet and took the Urea Bag from him, hoisting it onto her own shoulder. She gave an awkward smile. "I'll carry the bag for you."

Grimacing, Yang Ning got up and kept rubbing his bottom. "Tss... tss... These Spirit Stones are so heavy and hard. That really hurt."

Knowing she was in the wrong, Xu Yinyin could only offer an apologetic smile. She carried the Urea Bag on her left shoulder and supported Yang Ning's arm with her right hand. Leaning on Xu Yinyin, they continued down the mountain, limping along.

"Say, Boss Yang," Xu Yinyin suddenly said.

"What is it?" Yang Ning replied casually, rubbing his bottom with his right hand while Xu Yinyin supported his left arm.

Xu Yinyin hesitated, then asked quietly, "Um... could I join your Incense Sect?"

Yang Ning gave Xu Yinyin a helpless glance and stressed, "There is no Incense Sect. I'll say it again: there's no such thing as an Incense Sect!"

"Oh, right, right. There isn't," Xu Yinyin agreed, then ventured, "Then I could..."

"And you're not allowed to go ask Qiao Bin about joining some Incense Sect, either!" Yang Ning cut her off at once. "That 'incense' stuff—you're too young to get involved!"

Xu Yinyin pouted. "I'm not young. I'm twenty already. If I were a commoner, I'd have been married at this age."

"That still doesn't make it okay!" Yang Ning said sternly.

Looking at the girl beside him, half a head shorter than he was, with her youthful, lively, mischievous air, Yang Ning couldn't imagine her puffing clouds of smoke in the Incense Burning Room with a stick of Enlightenment Incense in hand. As Yun Zishan's most valued personal disciple, if she turned into a "spiritual little sister" because of him, he couldn't bear that responsibility.

But looking at Xu Yinyin's thoughtful expression, Yang Ning knew she was definitely up to something.

"Are you interested in the goods in my shop?" Yang Ning asked tentatively.

Xu Yinyin nodded without thinking. "That's part of it. I really am interested, but..."

"But what?"

"Nothing, nothing." Xu Yinyin hurriedly shook her head, hiding what she was thinking.

Yang Ning sighed inwardly. "If you're interested in those unusual things, you can come by anytime. If you think they're too expensive, my shop happens to be short a pair of helping hands.

You can come work whenever you have time, and I'll give you a discount on anything you want to buy. How does that sound...?"

Xu Yinyin's eyes lit up at once. She was so happy that she even skipped along with a joyful little hop. "It's a deal!"

What Yang Ning didn't know was that, as Yun Zishan's personal disciple, Xu Yinyin received three times Qiao Bin's monthly allowance. If she didn't join the "Incense Sect" and buy something like Enlightenment Incense, which steadily consumed Spirit Stones, her savings would be more than enough to shop freely at Yang Ning's store.

The two chatted all the way down the mountain. Xu Yinyin, soon to be a part-time shop assistant, eagerly asked Yang Ning all sorts of questions about the store, ...