Chapter 17: Purchasing a Dress
The Next Day, Herbs Valley.
Eldest Disciple's Residence.
"60, 61, 62, 63..." Qing Chen was in his room, counting how many Spiritual Stones he had earned. He had decided to buy a new dress, but it would leave him broke again.
The birthday was five months away, but Qing Chen had to at least prepare a decent outfit to wear at the event. Before, he might have been a normal servant, but now he was also the next heir of Herbs Valley. It was a good opportunity to see the mysterious inner sect.
Mu Qingfeng was not invited, so unfortunately, Qing Chen had to go alone with Tan Bao.
His status in the eyes of outsiders was still that of a servant, even though he had been chosen as the next heir and might become the Valley Master any day.
"Little Fur, you have gotten fatter." Qing Chen lifted the Moonlight Hare and felt it had gotten slightly heavier.
"Oooh-aaah," Little Fur touched its small red nose to Qing Chen's robe.
Qing Chen was familiar with this behavior. Whenever Little Fur had done something troublesome, it would act all cute and coquettish.
"What did you do now?" Qing Chen asked with his eyes, staring directly into the little furball’s blinking, innocent eyes, as if it didn’t know what Qing Chen was asking.
"Don’t act innocent!" Qing Chen glared at Little Fur with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"..."
"So, that’s how you want to play? No issues." Qing Chen’s expression softened, and Little Fur shivered. Qing Chen lifted it and walked toward a nearby pond.
"Eeek!" Little Fur pleaded with its small eyes, shaking with fear.
Qing Chen knew how much this creature hated water. It didn’t care if it had to cross rivers or fire to hunt for food, but it had a specific issue with being cleaned.
Little Fur and the pond water were now just a hair's breadth apart. It waved its little paws in the air, trying to somehow escape by flying.
"Okay, go away. I have things to do today. I will be going outside the Valley. Just calmly stay with the Valley Master and wait for me. Do not trouble him—he is old now and can’t run around the Valley to catch you. If someone else catches you, then..." Qing Chen intentionally left the last part unfinished.
"I want this one," Qing Chen said, standing in a shop and pointing at a decent outfit for the event five months away.
"Excellent choice, brother! This is the newest outfit, recently famous in the neighboring kingdom," the salesman, a fat middle-aged man, said, his eyes almost invisible under the fat on his face.
Qing Chen recognized the tactic. Even in his previous life, people would inflate the value of jewelry, clothing, or other goods with such claims.
"How much?"
"Three low-grade Spiritual Stones," the salesman said, holding up three fingers while keeping a wide smile on his face.
"Here. And one piece of advice: if you want to continue selling your clothes, please do not smile."
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Qing Chen did not linger. He handed over the stones, turned, and walked out.
The outer robe was a deep azure, reminiscent of a serene twilight sky, adorned with faint patterns of silver clouds and cranes soaring gracefully. The embroidery shimmered faintly under the light, moving as though alive—a subtle enchantment capturing the essence of flight. Beneath the outer robe lay an inner tunic of pale cream, its cuffs and hem lined with delicate gold threading, depicting a blooming lotus—a symbol of purity and resilience.
The sash was a rich, earthy brown, fastened with a carved jade buckle shaped like a qilin. Its understated elegance complemented the outfit’s overall harmony. Completing the ensemble were ankle-length boots made of supple leather, dyed midnight black and embroidered with silver stars that mirrored the heavens.
After buying the robes, Qing Chen went to check if the rates for skills had decreased. There was only one place in the entire sect that sold skills: the Celestial Archive.
This grand structure housed a vast collection of cultivation techniques, martial arts manuals, spiritual arts, and ancient texts, all meticulously categorized. Its towering shelves of glowing jade scrolls, imbued with protective runes, prevented unauthorized access. The pavilion was divided into tiers, each level representing a higher grade of skill or technique. Only disciples with sufficient merit or status were allowed access to the uppermost levels, where the most profound secrets of the sect were kept.
Qing Chen stood at the base of the Celestial Archive, gazing up at its towering spires that seemed to pierce the heavens. The air shimmered faintly with spiritual energy, as though the very knowledge within was alive, pulsing with power and history.
A group of disciples passed by, clad in their resplendent robes. Their laughter and chatter contrasted starkly with Qing Chen’s solitude. He clenched the bundle holding his new outfit tightly, a faint determination flickering in his heart.
He approached the entrance, where two stern-faced guards stood with spears carved from spirit iron. Their gazes swept over him briefly before one of them barked, "Name and token."
Qing Chen presented the jade medallion issued to him as the heir of Herbs Valley. The guard’s expression wavered, showing a mix of skepticism and mild surprise, but he stepped aside. "You may enter. First-floor access only."
The heavy wooden doors, reinforced with spiritual runes, creaked open, revealing the treasure trove of knowledge within. Shelves of glowing jade scrolls stretched endlessly, their faint hum creating an almost hypnotic melody.
Qing Chen walked cautiously, scanning the titles etched in ancient characters. Techniques for alchemy, combat, and spiritual refinement lay before him, but his excitement was tempered by the reality of his meager savings.
At a desk near the back, an elder disciple glanced up from his scroll, gesturing to a board that displayed the rates:
* Low-Grade Skills: 2 Spiritual Stones
* Mid-Grade Skills: 5 Spiritual Stones
* High-Grade Skills: 20 Spiritual Stones
Qing Chen sighed. Even the lowest tier of skills would cost nearly all he had left. He brushed the few remaining stones in his pouch with his fingers and frowned.
"Still so far to go..." he muttered, the weight of his current status pressing down on him.
As he turned to leave, his gaze caught a faintly glowing scroll resting on a lower shelf, separate from the others. Its faint golden light seemed to call to him. There was no price tag, no label, and strangely, no one seemed to notice it.
“Curious, aren’t you?” a voice interrupted his thoughts.
He turned sharply to find an elderly attendant sweeping nearby, his movements deliberate yet unhurried. "That scroll isn’t for sale. It chooses its owner."
Qing Chen frowned. "What does it mean to choose?"
The attendant chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "If it deems you unworthy, you won’t even be able to touch it. But if you are..." He trailed off, smiling faintly. "Let’s just say your life might take an interesting turn."
Without another word, the attendant resumed sweeping, leaving Qing Chen standing alone, torn between caution and curiosity.
In the end, Qing Chen didn’t reach out. He turned and walked away, not sparing the scroll a second glance.
The elder disciple at the desk snapped his head up, shocked. "Impossible... Such control over his nerves. Even when an opportunity to change his fate and soar like a phoenix was placed before him, he didn’t even try to take it."
The elder valued disciples like Qing Chen—rare individuals who could resist greed for the sake of greater aspirations.
"Wait, disciple. What is your name?"
"Qing Chen, the next heir of Herbs Valley," Qing Chen replied.
He knew better than to hide from someone capable of becoming an elder in the Celestial Archive.
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