The following morning, Dalian, Ferjuz, and Tybalt were set up at the same stall. They were lying on sunloungers, every so often taking a sip of a drink.

News of their stunt had spread, and most of the outer sect had gathered on the outskirts to watch. This day, Dalian had allowed his generation to come and watch as well.

Like clockwork, the senior generation appeared around the corner. They were much more muted as they waddled over to the stall.

Homer looked indignant, but also very sickly. “We’ll pay the five contribution points so just heal us now.”

Dalian yawned and pointed at the sign.

‘The great healer Dalian has come to offer his services! 5 20 contribution points per person!’

Homer’s mouth widened in disbelief. “20! How can you possibly increase the price that much?”

Ferjuz sighed. “These peons.”

He took a sip of his drink, and began speaking sagely. “We live in a changing world. The economy of today is vastly different from what it was yesterday. Our competition is immense, and costs have risen exponentially. This is the least we can charge and still make a living.”

Homer’s eyebrow looked like it was twitching, but it was impossible to tell. It seemed like he didn’t want to move, lest something be… freed.

“Twenty points is unreasonable.”

Tybalt replied, “You are welcome to go to the healing hall. If you aren’t interested, then you should leave. We have other customers to serve.” He motioned to the people gathered around the edges, watching from afar.

“This is too much.” Homer said, shaking his head. The others seemed to agree, and turned around to leave.

The three let them shuffle away. However, when they had almost left, a bell began ringing. They slowly turned their heads.

“Poison identification! For only one contribution point per person, I will tell you what poison you are suffering from! It’s the deal of a century! You don’t want to miss out!”

The disciple shouting walked back and forth in front of his own stall.

Grudgingly, the senior generation went over to him. Homer coughed up a point, which Johan happily transferred to his own card.

Out of his robe, he pulled out a white ball. “This is an extremely rare, one of a kind, poison identification orb. I need you to drop it on the floor, and whatever dust comes out will tell me which poison you are afflicted with.”

Homer took the orb and let it fall onto the ground. Black soot erupted out in a cloud. Johan stepped back and gasped.

“No… It can’t be…” he muttered.

“What is it?” Homer asked impatiently.

“This is…” Johan trailed off.

“Out with it!” Homer shouted, then immediately seemed to regret it.

In a somber tone, Johan spoke. “You are afflicted with the samsara detoxification powder. Legend says that it is a laxative which increases in intensity every day by a factor of 10. On the third day, it is said that every impurity will be expelled from a person’s body and they will be born anew.”

In a lower tone, he continued. “Only, nobody has ever seen anybody come back from the third day. Without fail, they always die. I’m sorry.”

If it was possible for their faces to be drained of anymore colour, then they would’ve.

“Homer. I think we should go back to that life root brat.” Someone said,

“Shut up.” he replied, but still began ambling his way over to Dalian’s stall.

“We’ll pay. So just heal us now.” Homer said.

Dalian had a large smile. “Thank you for your patronage.”

He got up and tapped their cards together. When they separated, he looked at his own card, confused. Bringing it closer, he examined it carefully, his expression only growing more forlorn.

“Dear customer. Are you attempting to rip me off?”

Homer replied, “What do you mean?”

Dalian held his card out to him. “That was only twenty points.”

Homer was perplexed. “Yes. That’s how much you’re charging?”

“No. That’s how much I was charging.” He pointed at the sign.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

‘The great healer Dalian has come to offer his services! 5 20 50 contribution points per person!’

“Fifty! That's more than double what it was five minutes ago!”

Ferjuz spoke up from his lounger. “I warned you that costs were rising exponentially. But you didn’t want to listen. I’ll tell you this now though, we’re giving you a bargain here. In this current climate, I can’t say for certain what our prices will be like in the future. It might even increase to one hundred points by tomorrow.”

“You!-” Homer was interrupted by someone shouting.

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold out, Homer. I need to go back to the toilet!”

Finally, after much contemplation, Homer shook his head. “Whatever, we’ll pay for the healing.”

“Thank you very much, we value your business immensely.” Dalian said, with a smile.

In only ten minutes, he was able to go through all of the senior generation, sending life qi into their bodies and helping them recover.

After the final person was healed. Some who had been waiting for everyone to be cured before they attacked, held their stomachs. They had felt fine for a bit, but the effects had quickly returned.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Homer asked viciously.

Ferjuz sighed. “This is why treating the peasantry is a waste of time. Listen closely, the effects of the healing will take up to six hours to be seen. Just because the powder has been neutralised doesn’t mean the damage it’s already done will just disappear. Its final power still needs to be expelled by your bodies.”

Homer huffed, “Just wait. Once we’re better, you’re going to get what’s coming.”

Ferjuz laughed. “We look forward to seeing that.”

The senior generation finally left, and the brothers came together, celebrating their victory.

“Dalian, how much did we make?” Johan asked anxiously.

Grimacing, Dalian replied, “I’m sorry brothers. I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t charge them enough.”

The others looked forlorn.

He continued. “We only made… 2000 points.” When he reached the end of his sentence, his grim expression was replaced with a wide smile.

The others were shocked for a moment, before they realised what he said. Their faces lit up.

“2000?”

“Truly?”

“2000 points brothers! We’re rich!” Dalian shouted.

The four celebrated, letting out whoops and cheers. It took them a couple of minutes to finally calm down.

Still overcome by jubilation, Johan grabbed onto Dalian’s shoulders. “Brother we have enough points for a lifetime now. But what are we meant to do now. In six hours they’re going to be after us.”

Dalian smirked. “Don’t worry about that. Gather our generation at the mission hall. I have a trip to make.

“We can’t win in a fight against them yet, so there’s only one thing to do.

“Run.”

—

Inside the small mission hall, nearly fifty people were densely packed within. The sweaty odour was heavy, and the women pinched their noses shut.

At the front of them, bending over a desk because there wasn’t enough space, was Dalian. Sitting opposite was an attendant who had a panicked face.

“S-Sir, I don’t know if I’m allowed to let you do that.” He stuttered.

Dalian laughed. “Ah. I’m sure it’s alright.”

“Still. I-I think I need to get my supervisor.”

“That’s alright, we’ve got time.” He said. “Well, not that much time.”

The man stood up from his chair. “Could you give me a hand?” He asked, motioning towards the crowd which blocked the way.

Dalian nodded and shouted, “Everybody, make some space!”

Very slowly, a route was revealed, which the attendant barely squeezed through to get into the back of the hall.

He was gone for a few minutes, before he eventually returned into the room with a middle aged man, though they could only stay at the doorstep.

“Dalian?” He shouted over the noise.

“I’m here!” Dalian yelled back.

“Please can you come into the back!”

“Coming!” he responded.

The sea of people parted as Dalian made his way over to the corner. Finally, he reached the two workers and was brought into the back.

It was a small area, with a tea table, and an office. He was guided to a seat opposite the elderly man.

“Sorry about this.” Dalian said.

“Well, you could’ve let them all stay out.”

Dalian smiled without any embarrassment. “I wasn’t too sure if I would be allowed to do what I wanted under the rules in that case.”

The elderly man sighed. “Ah, yes. I must say this is the first time I’ve experienced this..”

“The first? I’m surprised.”

The man replied, deadpan. “Don’t jest.”

Dalian cleared his throat. “So can we?”

With a rubbing of his eyebrows, he replied. “I suppose so. I hope I don’t get into trouble for this. I’m sure they’ll be implementing a rule against this now.”

Dalian laughed. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve been given… political immunity by an elder. I’m sure it extends to you in this situation.”

“I hope so.”

“Well, that’s great. We’ll be on our way then, and you can have your peace back.”

The man muttered under his breath, “to become someone else’s problem.”

Bidding him farewell, Dalian and his allies all quickly filled the mission hall. When they were finally gone, the two workers came out into the open room. The young man went over to the mission board, and ripped a piece of paper off it.

‘Relay a message to Liana Ale, an elder of the Wood Spirit Union Sect.’

“The young get livelier every year.” said the elder man.

The other man nodded, even though he could still be considered young himself.