Auntie Liao hustled around, cleaning up after her unpleasant guests. Soon, she was joined by a bunch of family members, all interested in knowing what happened. Fist sect's members were known to cause trouble.
Xin exchanged some nostalgic stories with several people he knew. The childish games they played, the game that his father hunted and brought here to sell, the gossiping and such. Still, it was too obvious that their stench was making people uncomfortable, and Xin grew embarrassed.
Chicklet Yi had taken the liberty of inviting the pair to his family's sauna, a modest building near their longhouse. Grateful for the hospitality, they washed themselves and their clothing, and tended to their wounds once again. Xin also cooked the meat that he had caught, as it would soon spoil. The rabbit, roasted with wild herbs, gave off a mouthwatering aroma that drove the dogs outside into a frenzy. The guest room of the sauna was warmer and cosier than the inn, so that's where they went to sleep.
In the morning, Xin sought out uncle Luli. This man was related to everyone in this homestead, being everyone's great uncle, grandpa, or a cousin, sometimes several of these at the same time. Rural stuff. The man sat in his room, a primitive shack next to the longhouse of his extended family, and was mixing some medical herbs in his mortar.
"Good morning, uncle Luli. It's been ages since I last saw you."
"Oh, son, I know it feels like a lot of time has passed for you, but for me, it was mere moments. Time speeds up as you age. You blink once and you are on your deathbed, just like that. Remember it, and live accordingly. Still, in the memory of your father and out of respect for the misery you lived through, I asked Liao not to charge you, and I'll also help with some supplies if I can."
"Thank you for this perspective, elder. I will accept your gift without hesitation, as my mother always taught me."
"Oh, your mother, a unique woman. It's a shame things ended this way." He sighed.
Xin didn't want to relive this again and wasn't too interested in Luli's version of events.
"At the same time, I won't test your generosity. I come to you with an offer. I have some furs to trade, and some smaller hides, and a bit of fresh meat. But I also have alchemical ingredients that you might like. Rare."
"Oh, I see. Bring the game to Liao, she'll compensate you fairly. Pull the ingredients out, boy." He rubbed his hands. Xin opened the bag of holding, pulling out a jar with salted organs of the beastman. Luli was excited and took a sniff.
"Oh, so pungent. Still fresh, and the qi! Look, the water is in conflict with the qi emanations, as the water is Yin and the organs are Yang! Yet the salt and vinegar create a layer between the two energies that allows them to balance each other out! Your father taught you well, son.
So, these are the organs of that beastman yaoguai you killed? Liao told me about it. Seems that you grew into a fine warrior. And that friend of yours, gods almighty, he has some balls, might have as much Yang as that tiger, hehe." He playfully squeezed one of the tiger balls with his finger, which weirded Xin out.
"Let's stop admiring my friend's balls and get back to business. What can you offer?"
"So, the organs can be useful to physical cultivators, but the penis and the testicles are a true treasure. They can cure impotency, and they could also cure Yin deviation in females. Taking our good relationship into account, yet being mindful of the fact that the materials would deviate by the time you'd be able to sell them to anyone else, let me give you my offer..."
So the supposed tragedy I lived through lasted me a night in the bathhouse, a bowl of rice and a cup of tea, and now you are back to being an old fox, huh? You could go a long way if you joined a sect, old man, but I guess those peasant cousins of yours were too tight to pass by. Xin remained motionless, yet smiled slightly.
"I see your line of reasoning, but I'd also like to raise the fact that most of the yaoguai seemingly joined the beast tide, so now this good is in deficit."
Luli had nothing to counter this with, yet pretended that Xin's counterargument rivaled his urgency argument. It probably didn't, but Xin couldn't raise the tension before he even heard the offer, or he'd look too eager.
"So, my offer is such: the whole package, eight spirit stones. And some medical herbs I have here on top, please see for yourself."
He tried to give Xin some pouch to hold, yet Xin coughed and firmly pushed it aside.
"Uncle, please see the light! My father always considered you a fair man, a scholar and a good comrade! Please understand my situation! Eight spirit stones? Is this enough to pay for the risks of the fight I endured? Is this enough to bring Lei's arm back? Is this enough to kickstart my cultivation journey to avenge my hometown? It's not, clearly!" Xin didn't care about avenging Tealstone, of course, but it was a nice pressure point.
"Look, you are a young man in his prime. How old are you, nineteen? You can't think so radically, take it easy! Slow down your mind, and also consider my side of business! How can you ask me for favours, you are young, virile, talented, you can't use your temporary struggles to push for a lower price, you've got a whole life in front of you!"
Virile, huh? Did you just slip?
"Uncle, you see, Yin deviation is extremely rare, and there are other methods to treat it, so I doubt I'll find an interested buyer. But if I try and make the organs into yang virility pills, I think I'll make some good money. So it's not like I am stuck doing business with you."
"No! No way, it's too complex, you won't be able to refine the ingredients properly, and there is a very strict condensation procedure!"
"Uncle, eight spirit stones sounds like an insult to my name. The beast cultivated for a hundred years, and was a hassle to kill. This good is quite unique, a normal tiger's genitals will only have a fraction of its effect. I don't know who your potential client is, but if they found out that this good was wasted because we couldn't come to an agreement, how would they react? They'd probably wave their flaccid genitals in anger!
The way I see it, the pill is not just a temporary potency booster, a course of these pills can restart the system that is long past its due. It's invaluable. Raise your offer or I'll leave and attempt to make the pills myself. I will not be insulted by such lowball offers again!"
"Don't be so rude, junior! I've been kind to you, and asked for nothing in return, and now I just haggled a bit, as is customary! Let me raise my offer."
"I am listening." Xin wasn't bad at haggling, he just preferred not to bother too much so he could get back to work faster. Or at least that's what he told himself. This time, though, he was determined to strike a good deal. He also felt like a bit of Lei's sassy attitude rubbed off on him, which was quite helpful.
"Eight spirit stones, but I'll throw something extra. Cultivation materials, any of the five basic elements, enough to raise you to the Foundation stage. But I take the whole organ package."
No way. It's a great offer, I'll just need to find a breakthrough environment and I could move to Foundation stage! But there is a complication. The conflicting elements. I have to either purge one of the dominant elements of my body, crippling my cultivation depth, or buy expensive conflict resolving materials. But such a breakthrough is also much harder…
"I disagree. I don't like this offer, sorry."
"Huh? What's wrong with you?" Luli was nervous, and he was growing frustrated with this once polite and quiet youngster.
"Remove the spirit stones. I don't need them. I need wood and metal path materials for a dual element breakthrough. I'll get the conflict removal materials myself, doubt you have them.
Now, let me share my other demand. Since you aren't fighting anytime soon, you can share your combat medicine with me. You'll sell it to me for discount prices, included in the reward for all the organs. You will advise me a bit about a breakthrough as well. What do you say? You do this and your troubles go away, forever."
Yes, I know about your problem. And now you know that I know. I want to become a new me, and you want to bring back your old self. An equal exchange, isn't this what alchemy is all about?
"By the ancestors! You are shameless, young man! You are clearly asking too much. Let me look through my ledger and see what I can do!"
The man disappeared for several minutes, then came out with some sort of notebook, flipping through the pages with a troubled expression.
"I see. This works. This is not good. Oh, and this doesn't fit. Yes, it's all clear now." He suddenly closed his book, snapping the pages together.
What a joke, I bet it was all a show to test my nerves. Another counteroffer? I hate this.
"Alright, how about this. I give you four-thirds of the materials needed for a Foundation stage breakthrough, thus just enough for a dual-element breakthrough, and a pouch of healing medicine for you to inspect. You pick six spirit stones worth of medicine from there, with a 50% discount. Then you get lost. You've insulted me greatly today. And my cultivation advice? Don't dual breakthrough, it will bottleneck you."
Xin frowned and stared at his feet, then looked the old man in the eyes.
"Fine, that's a deal. Hand over the materials. And let me see the pouch."
The pouch had a variety of pills and other medicine, all marked with hieroglyphic scratches. Elemental resistance, stamina, Qi intensification, reflex boosting, qi active pastes to coat weapons in, and plenty of other stuff. What a collection, this guy isn't as poor as he pretends to be! I was right to haggle!
Xin's choice? Two pills of blood restoration, two pills of wound mending, and two little packages of boar hide ointments.
"Thanks, uncle. I hope we trade again, and I hope the medicine works."
"Oh, spare me the niceness. Scram, kid. I liked your father more." They exchanged the other goods, mostly in silence.
Xin also went and traded with Auntie Liao, selling her his game for a decent coin. It should last me for some time, but I need to be careful. The city is known for burning through cash if you aren't.
Xin went back to his room in the sauna building. Lei was already there, accompanied by two comely peasant girls.
"Oh, there he comes, that hunter guy I told you about! As I said earlier, there was something I lost that day, but there was also something I gained. A treasure."
"Oh, young master, you mean that friend of yours? You two complement each other so well!"
"What? I meant my newfound determination, and the power within to adapt and overcome obstacles, that sort of stuff! Very profound." Lei nodded as if he said something very insightful.
"Yes, but you two look like such a righteous duo, ready to soar to the skies! We hope you will stay for a bit. We wanted to maybe go and take a walk near the river this evening. Our father doesn't mind. Would you care to join?" One of the girls asked, as Lei's eyes lightened up. It's happening!
"He won't be joining you," Xin interrupted.
"Hey, pal, the fuck?"
"We need to move. These nice women are good humans, and I wish them well, but they are distractions in our pursuit. We need to leave. Gather your things."
The girls felt confused and humiliated. What's with that rude guy?
"Man, the last time I listened to you I lost my arm, what else do you have in store?"
"If I have to hear you bitching about your arm one more time, I'd rather you stay here. And by the evening, you'll get 'fisted' by you know who. Look, I promised to bring your arm back, but you need to cooperate. Pack your things. I am serious."
Lei looked at the girls and smiled, trying to hide his embarrassment for being scolded like that. He shrugged and smiled innocently.
"Sorry, girls, next time, I guess. 'Good humans,' hehehe, you've got a way with words."
They gathered their belongings and stepped outside.
"Where next?" Xin asked.
"I thought you'd tell me, what's wrong with you?"