Chapter 2: The Immortal Selection

Chen’s Pharmacy was known to everyone in Datian Town. Whether it was injuries or poisoning from hunting, Old Man Chen always had a remedy that could cure it, earning him an esteemed reputation in the town.

The unassuming little shop on North Street had a large sign with the character for “Medicine” hanging high above it. Inside, Old Chen’s apprentices were busy cutting and preparing herbs, and the distinct fragrance of medicinal plants filled the air nearby.

Although business was brisk, Old Chen, having handed over the daily operations to his apprentices, lived a leisurely life. He often sat in a wicker chair in the pharmacy’s inner courtyard, sipping tea and reading, enjoying his freedom. He no longer concerned himself with trivial matters, only stepping in for difficult cases his apprentices couldn’t handle or when a particularly valuable herb was brought in for sale that they didn’t dare to price themselves.

Escorted by a crowd of boys, Qin Haoxuan arrived at the pharmacy, drawing a great deal of attention.

The townspeople all knew what this meant: Qin Haoxuan was here to sell herbs again. And with such a large entourage, it was likely something of considerable value.

Besides a few injured hunters and some scattered herb gatherers, there were only two unfamiliar faces in Chen’s Pharmacy.

Seeing strangers in Datian Town was a rare occurrence. These two men were currently selecting expensive herbs, guided by Old Chen’s usually arrogant apprentices, who were now fawning over them with obsequious smiles. From the looks of it, they had already purchased a great deal. They must be the wealthy outsiders everyone was talking about.

As Qin Haoxuan approached the entrance, the faint, clear fragrance of the Yellow Essence, distinct even amidst the pharmacy’s potent herbal aroma, immediately caught the attention of the two strangers.

“Young man, are you here to sell medicine?” One of them, a man in a green shirt with a small goatee, walked up to Qin Haoxuan. “To think this small village would have such a fine piece of Yellow Essence.”

Before Qin Haoxuan could reply, one of the boys with him spoke up. “I don’t know about any Yellow Essence, but I know that nothing Brother Qin brings out is ever second-rate!”

The goateed man looked directly at Qin Haoxuan. Seeing him neither confirm nor deny the statement, tacitly acknowledging it, the man continued, “Little brother, I am currently compounding a prescription that happens to require Yellow Essence. Name your price for this piece today. I will buy it. What do you say?”

Qin Haoxuan knew this man was no ordinary person. He had identified the Yellow Essence without even seeing it. It was best not to quote a random price to someone so knowledgeable.

While Qin Haoxuan remained silent, the village boys who had followed him began shouting out prices with wild abandon.

“5 taels…”

“How can 5 taels be enough? At least 10!”

“Have some ambition! Is Brother Qin’s treasure only worth 10 taels? I say at least 15!”

The boys, who had no idea what Yellow Essence was, argued heatedly, their bids soaring from 5 to 50 taels.

The two strangers exchanged a smile. The goateed man took out five gleaming silver ingots from his bag. “Here are 100 taels of silver. If you are willing to sell this piece of Yellow Essence to me, this silver is yours.”

The sight of 100 taels of silver stunned the mountain boys into silence. Though they had been shouting prices enthusiastically, none of them, aside from Qin Haoxuan, had ever seen even 10 taels of silver, let alone 100 all at once.

Even the family of Zhang Kuang, whose father was the best hunter in town, only earned about 20 to 30 taels a year from hunting, and they were considered one of the wealthiest families in Datian.

Seeing the boys practically drooling, the two men assumed the deal was done.

Qin Haoxuan too felt his heart pound at the price, but after a moment, he shook his head. “I really can’t sell this to you two…”

Hearing this, the goateed man was taken aback. “Yellow Essence is rare, but if you sell it to the pharmacy, you’ll get 20 or 30 taels at most. I am willing to pay 100…”

The other stranger, who had been silent until now, interrupted him. “If the price is not to your satisfaction, I will add another 20 taels. How about that?”

120 taels. That was a decade’s income for an ordinary family in Datian Town. Even for Qin Haoxuan, it would take three or four years to earn that much. Some of the boys were already flushed red, feeling breathless as they stared at the six silver ingots shimmering in the sunlight.

Qin Haoxuan took a deep breath to steady himself.

“Old Man Chen has been talking about wanting a piece of Yellow Essence for years. If he knew I found one but sold it to you, he would surely offer me lower prices for my herbs in the future. 120 taels is tempting, but I can’t cut off my future prospects for it, can I?”

Everyone, including the two strangers, nodded in approval at Qin Haoxuan’s reasoning. The other adults in the shop looked on with regret, lamenting that they didn’t have a son like him.

“Interesting, very interesting.” The two strangers smiled, and with great courtesy, they departed. Just as they left, Old Man Chen, having heard the news, rushed out from the inner courtyard.

“Yellow Essence! You found Yellow Essence?” Old Chen’s voice arrived before he did. Nearly 80 years old, he was full of vigor, his face ruddy and his steps swift. As soon as he saw Qin Haoxuan, he asked anxiously, “I heard someone was trying to outbid me for it! Where is it? Did you sell it?”

“Here, I saved it for you, old sir.” Qin Haoxuan opened his tightly clenched fist, revealing a small, yellow, stone-like object the size of a fingernail. A light yet rich fragrance immediately filled the air, overpowering the scent of the other herbs in the pharmacy.

“Yellow Essence, it really is Yellow Essence…” At his advanced age, Old Chen couldn’t contain his emotions upon seeing it. He rushed forward in a few quick steps, took the Yellow Essence from Qin Haoxuan, and held it in his hands to examine it closely, tears of joy welling up in his eyes.

“Young Qin, how much are you asking for this piece?” After a while, Old Chen composed himself and asked seriously, “I heard someone just offered 120 taels?”

Qin Haoxuan nodded. “What do you think you can offer?”

“Medicinal herbs don’t have a fixed price. If someone needed it to save a life, this piece could be worth 1,000 taels. But right now, I can only offer 30.” Old Chen gently rolled the Yellow Essence between his fingers, praising, “A fine treasure, a fine treasure indeed!”

The price was a far cry from the previous offer of 120 taels. Before Qin Haoxuan could respond, the boys behind him started to protest.

“Someone else offered a high price, but you’re offering so little! And after Brother Qin saved it especially for you!”

“Yeah, that’s outrageous, the difference is huge…”

…

“I won’t force you. If you don’t want to sell it, you can take it back!” Old Chen said, rolling it faster, his reluctance to part with it obvious. Although Yellow Essence was extremely rare and had no market price, the 30 taels he offered was actually quite fair.

Qin Haoxuan smiled and stopped Old Chen from handing it back. “30 taels it is. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I just gathered it from the mountains anyway, so a little more or less doesn’t matter. Let’s just say it’s to fulfill an old wish of yours!”

Overjoyed and moved, Old Chen gripped the Yellow Essence tightly in his hand, as if afraid someone would snatch it away if he hesitated for a second.

After receiving the 30 taels of silver from Old Chen, Qin Haoxuan gathered his friends and led the group of boys to the town’s tavern for a round of drinks. They all celebrated until they were content before parting ways.

While drinking at the tavern, the boys heard some very exciting news: “There’s a rumor that tomorrow is the grand day when the immortals from the mountain open their gates to select new seedlings!”

Returning home, Qin Haoxuan slept soundly. In the evening, the town head sent someone to gather all the 16-year-old boys of the right age in the town square to announce the exhilarating news.

“Tomorrow, on Pozi Ridge, the immortals from the mountain will select the most outstanding seedlings among you to become their disciples. This is a rare opportunity, so you must all be at your best and take it seriously. Once chosen, you will also receive a **family stipend** of 200 taels of silver per year from the immortals!”

200 taels of silver! And every year!

200 taels was a huge sum even for Qin Haoxuan, let alone for these boys who had seen little money in their lives. They were completely floored by this astronomical figure.

“Anyone who wishes to sign up, come to me. We will set out for Pozi Ridge at dawn tomorrow.”

Even without the temptation of 200 taels of silver per year, the chance to be chosen as a disciple by the mountain immortals was enough to make these boys flock to sign up. Qin Haoxuan also longed to become an immortal, but he worried about his aging parents having no one to provide for them. How could he run off to become an immortal and leave his parents to fend for themselves?

But now, with the annual family stipend of 200 taels, it was a different story. If he was chosen, this money would ensure his parents could live without worry and enjoy their later years in comfort. He could then follow the immortals to learn the art of eternal life with a clear conscience. His parents would surely support him!

Along with the other excited boys, Qin Haoxuan registered his name with the town head. Zhang Kuang, who was also signing up, was surrounded by a few of his followers, looking utterly confident. The thought of soon being chosen by the immortals and leaving his mortal life behind made him so arrogant that he no longer seemed to fear Qin Haoxuan.

“Qin Haoxuan, I will definitely be chosen by the immortals tomorrow. When that happens, we have some scores to settle.”

After writing his name on the registration list, Qin Haoxuan heard Zhang Kuang’s almost defiant voice behind him. He turned around, his sharp eyes fixing on the confident Zhang Kuang. A glint of steel flashed in his eyes, but he remained silent.

Zhang Kuang felt as though Qin Haoxuan’s gaze had pierced straight to his heart, seeing into his very soul. He couldn’t help but shiver as goosebumps rose on his skin.

After being stared down by Qin Haoxuan, Zhang Kuang quickly sobered up. A cold, sinister light flickered in his eyes. He silently cursed himself for getting carried away and being too impulsive. With a venomous glare at Qin Haoxuan, he turned and walked away in front of the watching crowd, earning a few snickers. He had truly shot himself in the foot.

Watching Zhang Kuang’s departing figure, even Qin Haoxuan couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart. Zhang Kuang was a cunning villain who knew when to advance and when to retreat. If they were both chosen, he would have to be extra careful.