"You must not get out much," Chen Yifeng sighed. "My father says the reason for the huge crowd from Fallen Heaven City is because of an uproar made by one of their wealthiest merchants, Song Zhen. He decided to organize a caravan of a hundred people, including some of his strongest men, in order to travel here as safely as possible and see if the rumors of us having the best of the best in terms of materials and medicine is true. Of course, many people decided to take advantage of the situation and follow." 

"Where are they now?" Yan Wei asked quietly.

"One of the Yao Clan's elders greeted them at the city gates and invited them to their estate. Song Zhen stationed most of his men outside of the city to keep out any wild beasts that tracked them on their way to the city, only bringing ten or so with him to the Yao Clan's estate," Chen Yifeng replied.

The Yao Clan was the sole clan in charge of Silent Rain City. Using 'tyrannical' to describe them would be an understatement; of Silent Rain City's seventy square kilometers, their estate occupied nearly a quarter. Not only were they oppressive, if anyone managed to come across good fortune in the city, they would find some underhanded reason to take control of it.

However, what irritated Yan Wei was the unfair treatment that businesses, such as the pill shop he worked in were subject to. The Yao Clan took sixty percent of the monthly earnings from every business in the city, and any resistance would have that person thrown in prison.

Anyone who returned from their prison sentence would find their establishment trashed, with no choice but to move on or start from scratch.

Yan Wei became sullen at the mere thought of them, and didn't bother hiding the mutual contempt when someone representing the Yao Clan came at every month's end, seizing sixty percent of what they managed to sell.

"Here's the amazing part, though," Chen Yifeng blubbered excitedly. "When they arrived, Song Zhen announced that if they find anyone with the potential to make a name for themselves, he will bring them back to Fallen Heaven City with him!"

"I see, so that's your plan," Yan Wei said, lost in thought. "If you can get into that caravan, you will be the only person from Silent Rain City in the last hundred years to see what Fallen Heaven City is like. If you can't..."

Yan Wei walked towards the staircase silently. Once he put his foot on the first step, he looked over his shoulder and said, "Go home. Consume the pill and take a lot of time to rest. If you need anything, come find me." With that, he continued up the stairs, his silhouette bathed in green light as he disappeared into the upper floor.

"I don't even know your name yet..." Scratching his head, Chen Yifeng hopped down from the counter and raced the sunset home, wondering what Fallen Heaven City was like the entire way.

——————————

Within the green abyss, Yan Wei stood with his hands clasped behind his back, patiently waiting in front of a cross-legged male figure with a small orb of white light dancing in the air around him.

Time crawled by until finally, the figure inhaled deeply, causing the green, gaseous substance to shrink down around him and into his body, and the white orb to grind to a halt before flying back into the man's body.

With the emerald mist gone, the room and everything in it was visible again. The man’s black robes were luxurious, and his face was vigorous and bright, as if he was in the prime of his life, yet streaks of silver ran through his hair.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, slowly opening his eyes. 

"Nothing at all, I just have a few things to report," Yan Wei replied. "Pill Master Qiu, two thirds of our inventory was purchased today."

Pill Master Qiu's mouth twitched. "What? How is that possible?"

Yan Wei sighed as he continued, "That brings me to the second matter. A caravan from Fallen Heaven City, consisting of a merchant and a hundred others managed to safely travel the entire way here, all with the goal of sizing up our city's resources. There were also those who followed the merchant to seize the opportunity and see for themselves. Luckily, our pill shop has the most valuable medicine, so we attracted the most people."

"So that's how it is," the Pill Master chuckled dryly. "Consider this our hard work paying off at long last!"

"Then... there's the third matter," Yan Wei interrupted. "The merchant announced that he would bring anyone with significant talent back with them on their return trip."

Stroking his beard, the Pill Master looked up at Yan Wei in realization. "How did you find out about all of this?"

Yan Wei explained everything in detail about Chen Yifeng and the Low-Grade Revitalization Pill. "I'll pay you back for the pill, but he really is a good kid. He deserved it more than anyone else we could come across in this city, and now he may just have a chance at leaving this terrible place behind before he grows up."

"A benevolent act, indeed, but it won't do him any good," Pill Master Qiu said. "If they truly are just looking for talent, his Sources will determine his fate."

"Sources?" Yan Wei's voice contained a hint of confusion.

"Ai, you may as well learn now," Pill Master Qiu sighed. "Come, sit."

Yan Wei sat down and mimicked his posture, fully attentive.

Pill Master Qiu cleared his throat and began his lecture. "Cultivation is a long and twisted road, and by no means is it fair. Inside nearly every mortal's dantian, there are nodes that absorb spiritual energy called Sources. However many of these Sources they have determines that individual's potential, as well as their stop on that road.

"Any less than nine Sources, and they will never advance past the first level of Source Realm; sixteen or more, and they are considered a genius. Prodigies such as those are considerably rare, especially in Silent Rain City. The largest amount of Sources a person can possess is thirty-six, which would put them at the peak of the cultivation world in terms of talent.

"If that boy has a decent amount of Sources, then he will most likely be fine. However, if he doesn't, considering he has most likely consumed that pill by now–"

"Then the Yao Clan will have him," Yan Wei said. "I sent Chen Yifeng to his death, is that what you're trying to tell me?"

Pill Master Qiu smiled lightly. "Not necessarily. His chances may not be all that great, but in a way, you gave him an amazing gift. Above all else, you gave him hope."

Yan Wei sat there for a long time before he looked up and asked, "Is there a medicine that can form more Sources in a person's dantian?"

"If there is, I've never heard of it," Pill Master Qiu said. "Even a place like Fallen Heaven City most likely wouldn't have it, if it does exist. Don't worry about the boy, he will be fine."

"Okay," Yan Wei said as he drew a long breath.

The Pill Master opened his hand, and viridescent light flashed from inside his sleeve before a piece of semitransparent, black crystal appeared in his palm.

The crystal became bright as eighteen lights appeared inside. "What you should be worrying about right now is getting yourself on that caravan. You're old enough to handle yourself now."

Yan Wei nodded.

"Take it," the Pill Master said as he tossed the crystal over to him.

Wuuu~

As soon as Yan Wei caught it, he felt a strange suction power well up from the crystal in his grasp and drain his stamina.

Dazed, Yan Wei heard the Pill Master's voice echo, "You will recover shortly, and the crystal will contain motes of light. Those lights correspond with your Sources, so prepare yourself for whatever happens."

Yan Wei's exhaustion faded after eight breaths of time subsided. His vision cleared, and the first thing he saw was Pill Master Qiu's shocked face.

"I-Impossible!" Pill Master Qiu cried.

Filled with excitement, he looked down at the crystal in his hand...