Transaction

Both the Qin Household's and Feng Household's shops had closed, and it had been the same for two days running.

With no other option, Lu Fan could only put on the Cracked Mask and head for the secluded little shop at the end of the street. Recovering from his injuries and breaking through to the Transformation Force Stage as soon as possible were the top priorities.

Thunder Martial Hall's suppression of Blackstone Martial Hall grew harsher by the day. It likely would not be long before the conflict completely erupted.

Before then, he had to break through to Transformation Force as quickly as possible. Only then would he have the capital to contend with Li Xiao.

Inside the shop.

Shen Yuniang sat alone behind the counter, her fingertips tapping the account book again and again. Her thoughts were in such turmoil that she could not take in a single word.

Today was the third day—the final deadline her mother had given her.

If she still could not make a decision, the Shen Household would make one for her.

Over the past few days, she had tossed and turned over the matter until she finally understood one thing.

The Shen Household would never offend a Transformation Grandmaster for the sake of her and her daughter.

Even if she and Zhang Yao divorced completely, she might not escape the trouble.

Once Blackstone Martial Hall was destroyed, Li Xiao might not even need to say a word. Her beloved mother would deliver her and her daughter straight to him.

How were the two of them supposed to survive this whirlpool?

Shen Yuniang thought for a long time, running through every powerful figure and martial artist in Chi City in her mind. In the end, only one image remained.

At the Qin Household's banquet, that hunched figure wearing the Cracked Mask had stood firmly before a Transformation Grandmaster, refusing to retreat even half a step.

That Elder Chen Liu.

If she could find a way to obtain Elder Chen Liu's help...

As long as Chen Liu was willing to lend her and her daughter a hand at the most dangerous moment...

Then, even if the two great martial halls truly went to war, she and her daughter would still have hope of surviving.

Or rather, this was already the only method she could think of.

But the problem was that she had no idea where Chen Liu lived, much less where he had come from.

Forget her—even the Qin Household probably did not know Chen Liu's whereabouts.

The only clue was that Chen Liu had come to her shop not long ago to purchase Qi-Replenishing Pills.

Now that all the major medicine shops on the streets had closed, perhaps Chen Liu would come again.

At that thought, Shen Yuniang instead calmed down.

She rose and cleaned the shop inside and out, wiped the counter twice, brewed fresh tea in the teapot, then returned to her chair and waited quietly.

She did not know whether Elder Chen Liu would come, but if he had not yet left Chi City and still needed Qi-Replenishing Pills, then there was a good chance he would come here.

Before long, the door was pushed open.

Shen Yuniang looked up and met that Cracked Mask.

It was as if something had sharply yanked her upward. She sprang from her chair, instinctively reaching up to straighten the loose strands by her temples and smooth her somewhat rumpled dress before quickly hurrying over.

"Senior Chen—you're here."

Shen Yuniang's voice carried an urgency she could not conceal, half a beat faster than usual.

"Do you need pills? Qi-Replenishing Pills? Or something else?"

Lu Fan took in her earlier flustered behavior. Beneath the mask, his expression did not change much.

He had seen this woman glare coldly at him. He had seen her hold out her palm and demand meat from him. He had seen her point at his nose and curse that he was worse than a dog.

Yet now, her face was piled with smiles, and her tone was so respectful it was nearly fawning.

So Shen Yuniang did know how to smile. She simply had never smiled at him.

"Qi-Replenishing Pills." Lu Fan drew back his thoughts and spoke hoarsely.

"Yes, yes. Please wait a moment, Senior Chen."

Shen Yuniang turned and hurried into the inner room. Soon, she came back carrying several porcelain bottles and lined them up across the counter.

There were not only Qi-Replenishing Pills, but also pills for strengthening one's foundations and nourishing one's vitality, as well as pills for nurturing the meridians. She practically wanted to lay out every presentable pill in the shop before him.

"Senior Chen, these are all gifts for you. You saved my life last time, and I never had the chance to properly thank you. Please accept these pills as a small token of my appreciation. I beg you not to refuse."

Shen Yuniang spoke smoothly, but her fingers unconsciously rubbed the cap of one porcelain bottle, her fingertips sliding back and forth over the cold ceramic surface while her gaze drifted uncertainly.

Lu Fan swept his gaze over the porcelain bottles, then looked at Shen Yuniang again and realized something.

"All I want are Qi-Replenishing Pills."

His calm words carried a faint, cold rejection.

How could Shen Yuniang fail to notice? The smile on her face stiffened, and her fingers stopped moving.

After thinking for only a moment, she bit down on her lips. Her legs gave out, and she slowly knelt, her knees striking the wooden floor with a dull, soft thud.

"Senior Chen."

Shen Yuniang lifted her head. Her alluring, beautiful face was filled with pitiful vulnerability, her eyes reddening as tears streamed down without restraint.

"Please help me."

"Zhang Yao wants to divorce me, and tomorrow my maternal family will erase my name from the family register."

"I am just an ordinary person, and I still have to care for a daughter who does not even possess Dark Force strength. There is no way we can survive Thunder Martial Hall's and the Feng Household's persecution."

"In all of Chi City now, only you can shelter my daughter and me."

She paused, then added,

"Over the years, while managing the Shen Household's shops, I have also built up quite a few connections and channels for obtaining pills. I can definitely be of use to you. And there is this shop, as well as..."

"Myself."

After Shen Yuniang finished speaking, a trace of shyness flashed across her gorgeous face, but it was swiftly replaced by resolve.

Without hesitation, she placed her hand at the collar of her dress.

A soft sound of clothing falling onto the floor echoed through the shop.

"I... I know that, to you, these things may not amount to much."

"But right now, these are all I can offer."

"Oh, right. Zhi has quite good talent for martial arts. Give her a few more years, and she will definitely become a Dark Force martial artist capable of helping you."

"Of course, if you... are willing, then in a few years, I can persuade Zhi to... be like me."

"So please, Senior, help my daughter and me."

After hearing all of this, Lu Fan was thoroughly startled by Shen Yuniang's resolve.

He had not expected this woman, in order to preserve herself and her daughter Zhang Zhi, to be willing to put even her own body forward as a bargaining chip.

However, he truly did need Qi-Replenishing Pills right now to quickly recover from his injuries and then attempt to break through to the Transformation Force Stage.

Besides, he had not intended to stand by and watch this matter unfold.

After all, Zhang Yao had given him thirty peaceful years. He had yet to repay that kindness.

But the one Zhang Yao had shown kindness to was Lu Fan, the old kitchen worker—not the mysterious expert Chen Liu.

And Shen Yuniang's transaction before him gave him a reasonable excuse to intervene.

At that moment, Lu Fan inexplicably recalled how this woman had pointed at his nose just two days ago and cursed that he was worse than a dog. Yet now she was kneeling before him, even using her own body as a bargaining chip.

This was the cruelty of the martial world.

Casting aside those thoughts, Lu Fan uttered one word.

"Good."