Black Plum Village, A Bustling Town
Black Plum Village was always lively.
The marketplace stretched for several blocks, packed with merchants hawking their wares. Food stalls lined the streets, filling the air with enticing aromas. Weapon shops displayed gleaming blades and sturdy spears. Herb vendors competed loudly for customers.
It was located between High Heaven Pavilion and Storm Hall, the two strongest sects in the area.
Geography determined prosperity. Black Plum Village sat perfectly positioned between two powerful sects. Disciples from both came here regularly for supplies, entertainment, and commerce.
The relationship between the two sects was not hostile, but they were still rivals. The smaller sects in the region did not even own land, making them insignificant in comparison.
High Heaven Pavilion and Storm Hall maintained professional courtesy. No open warfare. But the competition was fierce. Disciples from both sects compared cultivation speed, combat prowess, and resource acquisition constantly.
Because of them, weapons, herbs, and rare materials filled the market, creating an environment like an ancient Han Dynasty capital.
Two powerful sects meant two sources of demand. Merchants flocked to Black Plum Village knowing disciples had Contribution Points to spend. The market economy thrived on sect rivalry.
Yang Kai walked through the streets, heading toward a familiar shop.
His destination was clear. The rice shop run by Boss He and his wife. The only place in Black Plum Village where Yang Kai received kindness without suspicion.
A rice shop owned by a man named He, a fair merchant who treated all customers equally.
Boss He's reputation was well earned. He never gouged prices. Never sold inferior goods. Never discriminated based on cultivation level. In a world where strength determined treatment, such fairness was rare.
Just as he was about to enter, he noticed something.
A group of people stood in an alleyway nearby.
Yang Kai's enhanced senses picked up the details immediately. Three men. Two dressed as common laborers. One wearing robes similar to his own.
Something about them felt off.
Their body language was wrong. The two laborers deferred to the robed figure. But they tried to hide it. Pretended to be equals. The act was clumsy to Yang Kai's experienced eyes.
Their gazes locked onto him, filled with malice.
Not just looking. Watching. Tracking his movements. The hostility was poorly concealed. These were not random passersby.
Yang Kai chuckled lightly.
Recognition dawned. This was a setup. Probably aimed at someone else, but Yang Kai had stumbled into surveillance range. Bad luck for them. He had no intention of getting involved.
"If they do not mess with me, I will not mess with them."
Simple philosophy. Yang Kai had enough problems without borrowing trouble from strangers. Let them conduct whatever scheme they were planning. As long as it did not affect him, not his concern.
He ignored them.
Yang Kai continued toward the rice shop, deliberately not looking back at the alleyway. Give them no indication he had noticed. Let them think they were still concealed.
But he noticed something strange.
Among the three men, one wore robes similar to his.
A fellow disciple?
The clothing style was unmistakable. Black robes with High Heaven Pavilion's subtle embroidery. Only sect disciples wore that specific design.
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed.
What was a High Heaven disciple doing with these people?
The question troubled him. Disciples occasionally hired locals for legitimate tasks. Herb gathering. Package delivery. Manual labor. But this did not feel legitimate.
Was this a coincidence?
Possible but unlikely. Coincidences happened. Random chance brought people together. But the malicious intent radiating from that group suggested deliberate planning.
Or was it something more?
A scheme. A trap. Something involving a High Heaven disciple and two suspicious locals. The pieces fit together in Yang Kai's mind. Someone was being set up. Probably Boss He.
Well not my concern.
Yang Kai pushed the thought away. He had his own problems. His own struggles. Getting involved in other people's schemes was asking for trouble. Better to ignore it entirely.
Yang Kai did not think much of it. Black Plum Village was close to High Heaven, so seeing other disciples around was common.
The village hosted disciples from multiple sects regularly. High Heaven Pavilion. Storm Hall. Blood Battle Gang. Seeing sect robes in the marketplace was normal.
A little while ago, Yang Kai arrived at the line for rice. The line was quite long, the length of two stalls. Business was booming, yet only one waiter scurried around to serve the customers. The boss was calculating about money on an abacus at the counter, while the wife greeted the guests.
Boss He's shop was always busy. Quality rice at fair prices guaranteed steady customers. The single waiter rushed between customers, taking orders, hauling sacks, collecting payment.
As more people finished ordering, the line gradually became shorter and Yang Kai joined the line.
He settled in to wait. Patience was something three years as a Trial Disciple had taught old Yang Kai well. A ten minute wait for rice was nothing to our Yang Kai
"Madame," Yang Kai called out.
A woman, appearing to be in her forties, looked up. When she saw it was Yang Kai she suddenly smiled and said, "Ah, young man, you came to buy rice again."
Recognition lit up her face. Genuine warmth replaced her professional merchant smile. This was not a customer. This was someone they cared about.
"Yes." He walked to the front of the counter, and pointed a bag behind the counter and said "Give me one bag please."
The standard order. Yang Kai bought the same amount every month. One bag of rice. Enough to survive if supplemented with hunting and foraging.
While the lady was tying up the bag with a string she said "Young man, you buy just one bag a month, is this enough for you?"
Concern colored her voice. One bag per month was barely subsistence level. Most people bought two or three. Single young men typically bought more since they ate heartily.
Yang Kai replied, "It is enough."
"Liar!" The lady huffed, eyeing Yang Kai. "Look at you, skinny as a twig! If you were eating well, would you look like this?"
She was not fooled. Maternal instinct read the truth in Yang Kai's gaunt frame. His hollow cheeks. His bony wrists. This boy was starving and pretending otherwise.
Yang Kai smiled sheepishly, "I also go to the mountains to hunt, so therefore even with just one bag I will not be hungry."
Partial truth. Old him did hunt occasionally. Small game mostly. Rabbits. Pheasants. Never enough to truly supplement his diet but better than nothing.
While the boss concentrated on calculating the bill, he whispered to her: "Go fetch the old rice from the back and give it to this child."
Boss He's voice was barely audible. A private instruction meant only for his wife. But Yang Kai's enhanced hearing picked it up clearly.
"We will listen to the boss." Madame replied with a smile.
She moved to comply immediately. This was routine for them. A practiced deception they performed regularly for Yang Kai's benefit.
"How is this right? You are also trying to make a living here." Yang Kai said out loudly.
Protest was required. Even fake protest. Accepting charity silently would shame both parties. Yang Kai had to object even though he desperately needed the help.
The Lady immediately frowned her face, "What use is old rice? Leaving it there will only provide a place for insects to grow. Anyways, people will not eat it. But the owner said that this rice still has some nutrients although less. You wait here I will go get some for you take home."
The excuse was transparent. Old rice was valuable. Could be sold at discount. Would not just sit gathering insects. But the fiction allowed Boss He to help without making Yang Kai feel like charity.
As she was saying this she had already started walking towards the back room.
She disappeared quickly before Yang Kai could protest further. The decision was made. He would receive extra rice whether he wanted it or not.