Subtly entering the VIP Room from a staff entrance, the master of the Merchant’s Guild was able to catch a glimpse of Jun Li before their meeting.

  She didn’t appear particularly out of the ordinary, perhaps remarkably pretty, especially for a commoner, but outside of the robe that denoted her place as a Cultivator, she seemed quite normal, slumped over into her seat, prodding a small snake on the tabletop.

  Adjusting his glasses, the surprisingly young Guildmaster couldn’t help but take an interest in Jun Li despite her simple appearance.

  He wasn’t an ignorant man, and he greatly endeavored to keep track of everything of note that happened in the capital.

  One relevant piece of information he had caught wind of was the news that Zhu Enlai had taken a disciple for the first time since he appeared in the kingdom.

  Moreover, the Guildmaster’s own daughter was a disciple of the Glass Cloud Sect, as he himself had once been, and frequently relayed to him a substantial amount of information regarding the disciples of the Outer Sect.

  Keeping track of the Sect disciples was very valuable in his eyes. As the disciples of the sect were all the children of noble and merchant houses, their behavior and performance within the sect could alter the course of their houses' prosperity for decades to come.

  Hearing of Jun Li, an unaffiliated commoner, rapidly improving her Cultivation in the Outer Sect, even to the degree of defeating a disciple from a well-off family such as Yang Chen in a duel…

  The Guildmaster couldn’t help but scoff at how so many noble families tried to dismiss Jun Li’s presence in the Sect, as though she wouldn’t impact the balance of power in the future. ‘…That’s definitely her… so she’s Senior Zhu's new disciple…’

  Hearing that an Outer Sect disciple entered the VIP Room claiming to be Zhu Enlai’s disciple, the Guildmaster was skeptical, but seeing that the disciple in question was Jun Li, the pieces began to fall into place for him.

  ‘Ahh, if only I had a son, I could have had him try to court her before the noble houses realize what they’re missing out on…’ Shaking off his regrets, the Guildmaster adjusted his glasses and stepped out from behind the service counter.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Quickly seating himself opposite Jun Li, the Guildmaster introduced himself. “My name is Huang Wei, the master of the Merchant’s Guild.”

  Sitting up straight, Jun Li quickly introduced herself in kind. “Ah, I’m Jun Li… My Master said that this was a good place to buy in bulk, and I was hoping to pick up some supplies for my family before I try to make it into the Inner Sect…”

  Rustling her hair in embarrassment, Jun Li suddenly felt like she was oversharing. “That is to say, uh… do you think you could help me find what I need?”

  “Certainly!” Pulling out a small book, the Guildmaster adjusted his glasses. “Just go ahead and list off everything you’ll need at your own pace. We can work out the price and adjust everything to your budget later.”

  Feeling a bit relieved, Jun Li bowed her head slightly. “Thank you! Uh… let’s see…”

  It took Jun Li a while to describe what she was looking for, as there was simply too much that her family lacked, but before too long, Jun Li and the Guildmaster were able to compile a lengthy list of purchases.

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  “Hmm…” Seeing Jun Li present the string of gold plates, the Guildmaster nodded his head. “Don’t worry, this should be more than enough to cover the cost of everything you need.”

  Jun Li let out a deep sigh of relief. “Ahh, thank goodness… I had no idea what I’d cut down on if I didn’t have enough to pay…”

  The Guildmaster looked down at Jun Li’s gold for just a moment, feeling an opportunity come along. “In fact…. say, your family’s house is the shanty town outside the city gates, right?”

  “Yeah, it’s just a bit south, outside the forest.” Jun Li confirmed the Guildmaster’s assumption, a bit confused.

  “Well, you’ve got enough money there that you could actually afford some repairs.” Speaking casually, the Guildmaster continued. “Ah, it’s just that I know how run-down some of the buildings outside the city are, and I happen to have some connections to a good construction business, so…”

  Somewhat unable to imagine the concept, Jun Li took a few moments to formulate a response.

  She couldn’t help but think back to all the nights spent sleeping under a leaky roof in the rain, cold wind seeping in through broken windows and crooked doors.

  “If that’s possible, then… yeah! I’ll pay everything I have!” Jun Li enthusiastically answered, her excitement completely transparent.

  “Ha, there’s no need for that, you should still have some left over after all this. Just a bit, at least.” Scribbling something down in his book, the Guildmaster stood up from his seat.

  “Well, I should be able to get everything organized within the day, but, as the repairs will likely be quite extensive, your family might not be able to stay while construction is ongoing.”

  Writing something down, the Guildmaster continued. “Not to worry, though!” He tore a piece of paper from his book, folded it a few times, and handed it off to Jun Li.

  “You can follow these instructions to find a hotel near the south end of the capital. Just hand over this note when you get there, and your family can freely stay there until all the construction is finished.”

  Standing up and receiving the note, Jun Li deeply bowed to the Guildmaster. “Thank you so much!”

  Almost forgetting for a moment, Jun Li quickly stood up straight. “Oh!” She grabbed the string of gold plates she had left on the table and handed them over to the Guildmaster.

  Taking it into his hands, the Guildmaster quickly sorted through the eight thick plates of gold, before pulling one off the string and handing it back to Jun Li.

  “Like I said, you’ll still have some left over.” Smiling softly towards Jun Li, the Guildmaster looked over his shoulder.

  “Right then, I should get started with the preparations. In the meantime, make sure you let your family know what’s going on and introduce them to their temporary housing before tomorrow morning.”

  Pocketing the single golden plate, Jun Li bowed again as if on repeat. “Thanks again! I’ll head out right away!”

  Seeing how happy Jun Li seemed, the Guildmaster couldn’t help but smile a bit more genuinely. “Come again another time! Whatever you need to buy in the future, we’ll surely have it.”

  Watching Jun Li leave the VIP Room, bowing again at the door, the Guildmaster shook his head. ‘Regardless of what kind of potential she’s got, she’s still quite a child, huh?’

  Shrugging, he turned to return to his office and cancel some appointments. ‘It’s a pain to rush business like this, but I should get those repairs scheduled as soon as possible…’

  … … … … …

  Making her way outside, Jun Li was ecstatic.

  It wasn’t exactly her end goal, but with everything she was able to secure today, she felt like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Every day at the sect, Jun Li feared someone back home might get sick, and she wouldn’t be there for them.

  More medicine, better food, and a warmer, safer home. The promise of these things afforded Jun Li hope that her family might not suffer in the way they had a few years before. ‘If I can make sure nobody ever suffers like Little Biya…’

  Taking in a breath of fresh air, reassured that her efforts were meaningful, Jun Li felt calmer now than she ever had in her months at the Glass Cloud Sect.

  Smiling softly, Jun Li gently stroked the scales of her snake companion, who placidly looked up to her in turn. “I’ve gotta introduce you to our real home, Little Yun… I’m sure everyone will be happy to welcome you.”