Chapter 14: Risk-Free Business
\nZuo Meng’s goal for coming down the mountain was simple: steal dust powder to boost his strength using its energy. After descending, he went straight to Liuhe City. He spent half a day there and, using his status as a clan disciple, uncovered the city’s dust powder source\u2014Heifeng Zhai.
\n\u201cThis place looks like a fancy Changbao Pavilion.\u201d
\nZuo Meng observed the entrance and realized Heifeng Zhai was a massive trading hub selling everything imaginable\u2014even Martial Arts Manuals that clans guarded as core treasures.
\n\u201cTricky.\u201d
\nHe sensed at least three auras as strong as his own inside, plus one that felt dangerous. A city\u2019s largest market needed serious backing to avoid being looted in these lawless times where rules depended on brute force.
\nZuo Meng entered Heifeng Zhai.
\nThe three-story building sprawled endlessly. Soon after entering, an attendant approached.
\n\u201cWhat does the young hero seek?\u201d
\n\u201cJust looking.\u201d
\nHis Liuhe Sect status worked like a charm. The old greeter assigned a helper to guide him instead of tailing him.
\nThe first floor sold cheap herbs. Zuo Meng headed upstairs. On the second floor, a black iron nail caught his eye\u2014ten centimeters long, gleaming coldly.
\n\u201cFine taste, young hero! This Bone-Piercing Nail\u2019s forged from ancient grave iron\u2014deadly poison.\u201d The helper eagerly explained, treating Zuo Meng as a wealthy patron. \u201cPerfect for ambushes. Could save your life in critical moments.\u201d
\nZuo Meng ignored him. The nail held energy resembling dust powder, but closer inspection revealed differences. The steep price killed his interest. The floor mostly displayed weapons and tools, plus farming gear and luxuries.
\n\u201cWhat\u2019s upstairs?\u201d
\n\u201cMaterials for clan High Persons.\u201d
\nThe third floor had fewer visitors but finer weapons and Martial Arts Manuals. The powerful auras Zuo Meng sensed earlier clustered here. The second-floor nail was bait\u2014real treasures lay above.
\nAt a glance, he detected items with energies like the nail, but none useful.
\n\u201cDust powder?\u201d
\nHis eyes landed on a corner stash.
\n\u201cAlchemists use it. Tomb raiders ward off chill with it too. Rare stuff\u2014grab it now. This six-month stock\u2019s all we have left.\u201d
\n\u201cSix months?\u201d
\nZuo Meng frowned. The timeline felt long.
\nThe amount here paled compared to his Gu family haul. Worse, it was diluted\u2014bulky but energy-poor. He\u2019d checked the Gu family earlier but found nothing. They probably couldn\u2019t tell pure dust powder from fake. To others, it was all the same\u2014only Zuo Meng sensed its energy. The Gus had lucked into high-purity stock once; later batches were worthless.
\n\u201cDust powder\u2019s scarce. We restock every six months.\u201d
\n\u201cWhere from?\u201d
\nThe helper clammed up despite Zuo Meng\u2019s sect status.
\nAbsorption required touch. Zuo Meng tried stealthily but failed\u2014counter barriers? Fake powder\u2019s low value made him abandon the effort. He left and booked a nearby room.
\nFake or not, the counter\u2019s dust powder held enough energy for ten years\u2019 internal strength\u2014worth stealing.
\n\u201cTen extra years? Worth the risk.\u201d
\nHe drank deeply, ready for his risk-free heist.
\nNight.
\nBlack-clad and hatted, Zuo Meng slipped through a window to the roof.
\nHeifeng Zhai slept quietly, day guards replaced by night shifts. The strongest aura guarded the innermost vault. Four others patrolled, one near materials.
\nChanneling energy to his feet, Zuo Meng crept to his scouted spot. He lifted a roof tile and lowered a black hook.
\n\u201cToo far to notice.\u201d
\nDust powder wasn\u2019t top-tier\u2014twenty similar materials sat upstairs, plus pricier manuals and weapons. His daytime visit had been reconnaissance.
\nThe hook descended.
\n\u201cGot it.\u201d
\nIt clamped the dust powder jar.
\nHe reeled it up slowly\u2014
\n\u201cWHO\u2019S THERE?!\u201d
\nA shout erupted below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 14: Risk-Free Business Zuo Meng’s goal for coming down the mountain was simple: steal dust powder to boost his strength using its energy. After descending, he went straight to Liuhe City. He spent half a day there and, using his status as a clan disciple, uncovered the city’s dust powder source\u2014Heifeng Zhai. \u201cThis place looks like a fancy Changbao Pavilion.\u201d Zuo Meng observed\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3],"tags":[],"fcn_genre":[],"fcn_fandom":[],"fcn_character":[],"fcn_content_warning":[],"class_list":["post-1392","fcn_chapter","type-fcn_chapter","status-publish","hentry","category-dreaming-to-become-a-creator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fcn_chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1392"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1392\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1392"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_genre?post=1392"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_fandom?post=1392"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_character?post=1392"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_content_warning","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_content_warning?post=1392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}