Chapter 25: First Arrival in Yan City, Encounter at the Wonder Treasure Pavilion!
Early the next morning, at the gates of Tiemu Manor, several horse-drawn carriages were lined up neatly.
Each one was loaded with bundles of black ironwood logs, the manor's original specialty.
But this time, the ironwood was only a cover—the real purpose of the trip was to sell Yang Essence Stones.
For this first sale, Lin Zhentian took the matter very seriously.
Not only was he going in person, but he also brought Lin Ken, Lin Mang, and nearly a hundred guards with him.
Lin Xiao, meanwhile, remained at Tiemu Manor as the Lin family's hidden trump card.
Once Lin Zhentian confirmed that everyone was present, he raised his whip and led the group galloping in the direction of Yan City.
Lin Fan, Lin Dong, and Qingtan also rode on horseback this time.
After all, Xiao Yan and Huo'er were far too eye-catching. To avoid trouble, they had been left behind at the manor.
By noon, after traveling at full speed, the Lin family's caravan finally reached the outskirts of Yan City.
The road into the city was bustling with travelers and traders—it was a hive of activity.
Lin Dong and Qingtan were visibly excited upon seeing the grand cityscape.
During the journey, Lin Zhentian personally explained the power structure within Yan City to the three youths, repeatedly warning them not to provoke enemies lightly.
Naturally, all three agreed without hesitation.
After entering the city, the caravan stopped at a quiet inn.
Once everyone had rested a bit, the Lin family's team split into two groups.
Lin Zhentian and Lin Ken took two crates of Yang Essence Stones. Lin Mang led a group to sell the ironwood.
Lin Fan, Lin Dong, Qingtan, and a portion of the guards remained at the inn.
Less than half an hour after the elders departed, Qingtan and Lin Dong found Lin Fan.
"Lin Fan-ge, let's go out and look around. It's our first time in Yan City—it'd be a shame to just sit in the inn all day," Lin Dong suggested eagerly.
"Yeah! Lin Fan-ge, this place is huge! It has to be way more exciting than Qingyang Town's trading fair," Qingtan added, her face full of anticipation.
Lin Fan smiled. "Alright, let's go explore a bit."
"Yay!"
Qingtan cheered, linking arms with Lin Fan as she pulled him outside.
Lin Dong followed with equal enthusiasm.
The three wandered through the city, admiring the sights. Along the way, they saw people fighting openly in the streets.
To the locals, these skirmishes were nothing unusual. Some even gathered around, cheering as if watching street performances.
Lin Fan and the others watched for a moment before moving on.
After strolling through several streets, they finally stopped in front of a particularly grand building.
Above its wide entrance hung a plaque with three golden characters: Wonder Treasure Pavilion.
"Wonder Treasure Pavilion?" Lin Dong's eyes lit up. "I've heard this place sells all kinds of rare treasures! Lin Fan-ge, let's go check it out."
"Sure." Lin Fan had no objections and led the way inside with Lin Dong and Qingtan in tow.
The moment they stepped through the door, they found themselves in an enormous hall.
All around were counters filled with all manner of exquisite items.
The three browsed casually, not in a hurry to buy anything.
Suddenly, Lin Dong's gaze was drawn to a small green pouch, no bigger than a palm.
Lin Fan and Qingtan followed his gaze and quickly saw the item description:
"Low-grade Qiankun Bag – 48 Yang Essence Stones."
A green-clad shop assistant saw their interest and smiled as he approached to explain:
"This Qiankun Bag is made from Qiankun Wood, engraved with special runes by a Second-Grade Rune Master."
"Don't be fooled by its small size—it can hold enough to fill an entire counter. It's incredibly convenient for carrying items."
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow and said flatly, "I'll take three—for 14 Yang Essence Pills."
He already had the system space, so he only wanted the bags as a cover.
The assistant hesitated. "Fourteen pills... That's still four stones short."
On the market, one Yang Essence Pill was worth roughly ten Yang Essence Stones.
But since Lin Dong could refine pills using the talisman, it only cost them 42 stones to make 14 pills—less than the price of one Qiankun Bag.
So buying three for that price was a steal.
Lin Fan smiled. "If that works, great. If not, I'll pass."
"Alright, alright... Thanks for your business," the assistant said with a wry smile, finally giving in.
Lin Fan reached into his robe—though he actually pulled from his system space—and handed over the 14 pills.
"Here are your Qiankun Bags," the assistant said, handing over three.
"One for each of us," Lin Fan said, keeping one and passing the others to Qingtan and Lin Dong.
"Thanks, Lin Fan-ge!"
Both of them thanked him and eagerly took their new items, examining them with excitement.
Lin Dong stared at his bag for a moment, then became fixated on the rune engraved on its side.
His gaze locked onto the intricate symbol, and his mind began to blur as he unconsciously slipped into a trance.
No one noticed that in Lin Dong's mind, a wave of strange energy suddenly surged.
An invisible mental force leaked from his mind, slowly sketching out a hazy rune—one that looked almost identical to the one on the bag.
At the far end of the Wonder Treasure Pavilion, a gray-robed old man sat lazily in a messy corner, seemingly dozing off.
His disheveled state clashed with the opulence around him, yet no one disturbed him.
Just as he dozed, his eyes suddenly snapped open—and locked directly on Lin Dong.
He stared as though he'd discovered a priceless treasure and murmured to himself:
"Such powerful spiritual talent!"
As Lin Fan, Lin Dong, and Qingtan finished their lap around the pavilion and prepared to leave, the old man's figure suddenly flashed and appeared right in front of them.
"May I ask why the elder has stopped us?" Lin Fan asked politely, a certain name flashing through his mind as he studied the man's appearance.
But the old man didn't answer him.
He stared at Lin Dong with burning intensity, making the boy uncomfortable.
Moments later, the old man extended a finger toward Lin Dong's forehead.
Startled, Lin Dong tried to dodge—only to find, to his horror, that his body wouldn't move.
Even though Lin Fan had a guess about the old man's identity, he couldn't just stand by.
He quickly formed a green hand seal and launched an attack toward the man's outstretched arm.
"Hmm? Not bad talent," the old man said in surprise.
With a flick of his fingers, he dispersed Lin Fan's attack with a soft wave of energy.
"I mean no harm," he added calmly.
Then he looked back at Lin Dong, a rare glimmer of joy on his usually stern face.
"Boy, would you be interested in becoming a Rune Master?"
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