Chapter 34: Precious Cinnabar

The small amount of cinnabar Pan Yun had bought at the general store earlier was already used up, and its quality was so poor that the talismans she drew were less than ideal. Guangxin Prefecture was a large city, and judging by what Tao Ji and the others had said, the area around Mount Sanqing was likely remote, mountainous, and underdeveloped in terms of commerce.

She needed to stock up on high-quality supplies. She and Pan Xiaohei had already formulated a plan: they would purchase materials to expand the Sanyu Lingjing formation. While working on the formation, she would also focus on cultivation and perform good deeds to accumulate merit. Even without a tangible counter, she believed that these actions would ultimately benefit her.

She prioritized her tasks: cultivation and gathering news about her family were tied for first, followed by good deeds for merit, and then the expansion of the formation. Regardless of whether she was cultivating, building connections to find her family, or accumulating merit, she needed cinnabar.

When Tao Ji heard she wanted to buy cinnabar, he took the lead. "The cinnabar you find in general stores is nothing but impurities; you might even get swindled into buying fakes. Come with me."

Guangxin Prefecture was his territory. Pan Yun followed obediently but refused to back down in their banter. "Do you think I'd get swindled? Anything else might be possible, but never cinnabar."

"You've got quite the mouth on you. Even my Senior Brother and I have been fooled before."

Pan Yun hummed, brimming with confidence, and offered no explanation. She possessed the Five-Orifice Heart, which could perceive all things and see through falsehoods; no deception could hide from her eyes. Fake cinnabar? Hmph! Seeing how arrogant she was, Tao Ji shook his head, convinced she would eventually suffer for her pride.

Tao Ji led her to a pharmacy. Pan Yun had a sudden realization—of course, she had forgotten that in this era, cinnabar was considered medicinal and could be purchased at a pharmacy.

Tao Ji shot her a look. "Didn't you claim to know everything? How could you not know cinnabar is sold at a pharmacy?"

"I know now. Thank you, Daoist Tao," Pan Yun replied.

Tao Ji was surprised, but then heard her ask, "Do you often come to this pharmacy, Daoist Tao? Does that make the herbs cheaper for you?"

Ignoring his surprise, he led her straight to the counter. The shopkeeper, seeing him, signaled to his assistant to handle the medicine and led Tao Ji to the back courtyard. "It has been a long time, Daoist Tao. Are you here to buy or sell herbs today?"

Throughout their journey, Tao Ji had frequently taken them to the "herb streets" where merchants and farmers traded, and having already bought plenty, he didn't intend to buy more. He asked directly, "Do you have any good cinnabar recently?"

The shopkeeper smiled. "You've come at the right time. I just selected a box of superb cinnabar two days ago. Take a look."

He turned to retrieve it, returning shortly with a palm-sized box. Upon opening it, a pile of dark red, finger-sized cinnabar nuggets was revealed. Pan Yun glanced at Tao Ji. He looked back at her, and the moment their eyes met, he understood she wanted something better. "Shopkeeper," he said, "do you think I lack the funds? This quality isn't good enough."

The shopkeeper was astonished. "This isn't good enough? Daoist Tao, have you struck it rich?"

Tao Ji coughed lightly. "Never mind that. Just bring out whatever is better."

The shopkeeper hesitated, then said, "I do have better, but as you know, cinnabar is worth its weight in gold, and the top-tier stuff is even more precious."

"Just bring it," Tao Ji insisted.

Convinced that Tao Ji had indeed come into money, the shopkeeper smiled and went to get the other box, taking the first one away with him. When he returned, he carried a box in each hand. He set the previous one aside and opened the new one.

Even Tao Ji felt his heart skip a beat. The color was a vibrant, deep, and steady red—truly mesmerizing. Such quality was the absolute best for both drawing talismans and refining elixirs.

"How much?" Tao Ji asked.

"Fifteen taels of silver per qian," the shopkeeper replied.

Pan Yun grabbed Tao Ji’s arm. Tao Ji, feeling the pinch, quickly said, "That’s far too expensive..."

"This is top-tier cinnabar, bought at a high price from a merchant in Guangxi. Even the owner of the Huichuntang Pharmacy tried to snatch it up," the shopkeeper explained. "I paid a premium for it, and if it weren't for you, Daoist Tao, I wouldn't have brought it out at all."

It was difficult to haggle, especially for something like cinnabar, where one couldn't simply walk away to find another shop. High-quality cinnabar was rare; if they missed this chance, who knew when they would find it again?

Pan Yun had been watching Tao Ji’s expression and understood immediately. Even in the 26th century, top-tier cinnabar was hard to come by. She hadn't seen such quality many times, and never had it been in her own hands. It was truly exceptional.

Pan Yun focused her energy and took another look. It was authentic. She gritted her teeth and whispered, "Buy it."

Tao Ji smiled at the shopkeeper and pulled Pan Yun aside. "Are you sure it's real?"

So he had been doubting it too. Pan Yun nodded. "It's real."

Tao Ji felt the inner pocket of his robe. Money was cumbersome, so when they had gone to the money exchange earlier, he had traded his hundred taels for a banknote—the payment he’d received for prolonging the life of the Prince of Zhou. Most of the fifty taels he’d split with Xuanmiao had already been spent on supplies for the cart. If he spent a hundred taels now, he wouldn't have much left.

He reluctantly pulled out the hundred taels. "I'll split it with you. I... I'll take six qian."

Pan Yun thought for a moment. "I also need to buy some cinnabar of a different grade."

Tao Ji immediately replied, "That won't be expensive. Based on my experience, it should be about three taels per qian."

Pan Yun calculated how much she could afford. The shopkeeper waited patiently, kindly refraining from watching them, instead pouring tea and waiting in silence.

Tao Ji returned to the counter. "How much is in this box?"

"Only six liang," the shopkeeper said.

Tao Ji looked at Pan Yun. "We'll take one liang and six qian, and we'll also buy some of the other grade."

The shopkeeper was delighted and offered a slight discount on the other batch. "I'll sell you that box for three taels per qian, and I'll throw in another box of cinnabar for free."

So generous? Pan Yun soon saw the "gift." It was a fist-sized box containing cinnabar similar to what she had bought at the general store—full of impurities and poor color, clearly worth only a few hundred wen.

Pan Yun bought one liang of top-tier cinnabar and one liang of medium-grade cinnabar, spending a total of 180 taels. Tao Ji complained that the shopkeeper was stingy and insisted he throw in some medicinal herbs as well. As the shopkeeper gathered the herbs, he studied Pan Yun, having noticed she had provided most of the money. He also saw them split the cinnabar into two portions—one of six qian and one of one liang—clearly purchasing them separately.

He handed the herbs to Tao Ji and looked at Pan Yun. "Daoist Tao, who is this noble guest?"

"My niece," said Tao Ji.

"His junior sister," said Pan Yun.

They looked at each other, then at the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper smiled awkwardly. "My apologies, the young Daoists of Sanqing Temple. Please, mention my name next time you come to our pharmacy, and I will give you a discount."

Pan Yun’s heart, saddened by the massive expenditure, was instantly soothed. She decided she might indeed come back to him if she had needs in the future.

Outside the pharmacy, Tao Ji shoved the herbs into Pan Yun's arms. "You'll find these useful on the mountain."

Pan Yun frowned. "Though I’m not well-versed in medicine, I know these herbs don't really go together. How can they be useful?"

"Just forage for some others on the mountain to complement them," Tao Ji said, shaking his head. "With your physique, you should be practicing alchemy. Why did you go learn sorcery like your junior sister?"

He continued, "Listen to me—once you’re at Mount Sanqing, your first priority must be to regulate your body, then train it. Internal and external cultivation must go hand-in-hand; otherwise, if you only focus on sorcery, your body will eventually give out."

This time, Pan Yun didn't object. She looked curiously at the herbs in her arms. "Are these for physical training?"

Tao Ji nodded. "Yes, you'll need to find more in the mountains to complete the prescription. The temple should have some; I'll show you later."

Pan Yun grew kinder toward him and smiled. "Thank you, Daoist Tao."

Tao Ji sighed to himself, thinking she was truly someone who only cared for those who could offer her something—calling him 'Daoist Tao' when she needed him and something else when she didn't. However, he knew their rocky start and lack of initial trust were to blame. Seeing her filial piety and sense of justice, he decided not to hold a grudge.

Tao Ji led her back to the cart. Xuanmiao was already waiting, her expression indifferent. Tao Ji immediately explained, "We went to buy cinnabar, look, Junior Sister."

No Daoist could remain immune to high-quality cinnabar, whether they practiced alchemy or talismans. Even Xuanmiao was impressed. She touched and smelled it, confirming its authenticity before asking, "How much did you pay?"

"Fifteen taels per qian," Tao Ji said, heart-stricken. "I only have thirteen taels left to my name."

Pan Yun remained silent; she didn't have much left either. Xuanmiao closed the box and handed it back. "Have the Senior Brother reimburse you when we return."

Tao Ji’s eyes brightened; that sounded like a good plan. "Let's go. While the sky is still bright, let's leave the city."

Tao Ji had reorganized the cart that morning, leaving a spot for Pan Yun and her black cat so she wouldn't have to squeeze in with the others. She was seated next to Xuanmiao, away from the back of the cart, to prevent her from falling off—it was said the road from Yushan County to Mount Sanqing was quite treacherous.

Pan Yun sat beside Xuanmiao and offered her a cold, leftover steamed bun. "Master Xuanmiao, the task I entrusted to you..."

"It is done," Xuanmiao replied. "Someone will soon go to your hometown in Changzhou Prefecture to investigate. As soon as there is news, it will be sent to Mount Sanqing."

Pan Yun breathed a sigh of relief and showered Xuanmiao with praise. "Master Xuanmiao, you are truly as kind as you are beautiful, and so well-connected..."

"Once you enter Mount Sanqing, you will be my niece," Xuanmiao interrupted. "Helping you is part of our bond as fellow disciples. You don't need to call me 'Master'."