I left Markas after helping Marana. As much as I wanted to spend more time with her, acting like an old, grumpy man was not for me.

Still, the trip was not wasted. I had helped Marana as much as I could afford without risking myself too much in the process, arranged a reliable source of herbs and materials, and made sure Elsana and Lannayin were still alive … and presumably safe. Otherwise, why would the city lord work hard to protect their residence?

I didn't know where they were. I suspected Marana knew, but I couldn't ask her without making her suspicious.

Considering the timing, and the excessive respect from the city lord toward their empty residences, I suspected that it had something to do with the cultivators, so I didn't dare to ask too many questions.

Instead, I returned to the capital and started my apothecary business properly, but not through a store … which I didn't want to mix with the small workshop I had with Pearyin. She might have reached to Connate Realm with my help, but she lacked the business acumen to handle the real movers and shakers. Or, the combat experience to necessarily fight against the other Connate realm artists.

No, I was more than happy to have a small and concealed store on the outskirts of the capital to be used for emergencies. It was why, most of the pills I sold in her shop were the Peak Mortal Grade.

This time, I entered the capital as someone other than Bartna, the old apothecary. While that identity had been established already, I had already used it back in Markas during the siege, meaning it had enemies. Enemies that were likely very prevalent in the capital.

Unlike the last time, when I prepared my makeup in a hurry, I had spent quite a bit of time preparing and applying it, so I was confident that no one would discover my true identity unless they touched my face.

After some playing, I had a nice, dignified look. I deliberately wore an old, coarse robe, but my gray hair and long gray beard were impeccable. More importantly, as I walked, I kept my essence hidden, making people impossible to guess my martial cultivation … but I made sure to collide with someone like it was an accident, only for them to bounce away helplessly while I didn't even flinch, flaring my essence just a moment before containing it once again.

I looked like an expert.

Of course, I wasn't the only one who had the genius idea of disguising myself with makeup. But, most experts recognized people from their techniques and the nature of their essence just as much. For anyone else, transforming their essence required years to properly master a new martial art and comprehend its nature. Hardly worth the effort.

For me, it was trivial.

My destination was the Royal Auction House.

It was one of the most popular attractions of the Capital, with various events. It was a good way to make a name for myself without meeting too many challenges. The apothecary business was cutthroat, but none of them would dare to attack me there.

Of course, they might have tried to assassinate me afterward, but that part wasn't intimidating anymore. I was confident in avoiding anyone but a cultivator, and I doubted that a few essence pills would be enough to tempt a cultivator.

Even if it did, I wasn't helpless against them anymore. Not to the point of seeking confrontation with them, of course, but at least, their presence enough wouldn't send me running in fear.

Acting out openly irked me somewhat, but to find out how to cure Aisnam, I needed to get in contact with other cultivators, preferably some with medical knowledge … but, to do that, my apothecary knowledge was unnecessary. Cultivators didn't care much about the martial artists. Even Aisnam didn't respect martial arts more than curiosity, and she had already lost her cultivation.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

No, to access cultivator resources, I had two options. I could either reveal my cultivation directly, which would have too many implications. Or, I could use talismans to bargain. I had the ability and the designs.

What I lacked was the materials to make talismans. It required a special brush, ink, and paper, each made from Qi-rich plants.

I wasn't sure that the auction house had any … but once I made a reputation for myself, I should be able to get some. With that in mind, I arrived at the auction house and went toward one of the desks. "Ticket or item admission —" he asked and stopped when I put the bottle on the desk. "We don't accept pills unless they are at least Profound High Grade," he started dismissively, only for his eyes to widen when I opened the bottle.

"Profound Peak Grade, Muscle Reinforcement Realm Essence Pill," I said. "Do you accept them?"

"Twenty of them, not bad. We can —" he started, but I interrupted by adding four more bottles. Then, I followed up with a bottle of Skin Refinement Grade ones. "Yes, we can definitely put them on the auction as long as they pass the muster," he said.

"See that it does," I said dismissively as I threw him a bottle of Profound Peak Grade pills for Initiate Realm. A clear bribe, both to make sure things went smoothly, and to imply that it was just a start.

"May I ask if you are the one that refined them?" he said respectfully.

I didn't even acknowledge the question. "Arrange a room for me," I said arrogantly, copying the way the experts acted … which was, ironically, very similar to how the spoiled rich brats acted back in my world.

He escorted me to an inn, but not before giving a signal, and before we could arrive at the destination, a dozen people started to observe my movement, which was another reason I hadn't approached in such a manner in the first place.

I would receive an intense scrutiny. Hopefully, it would be enough. "Do you have any requests, master," he said with a deep bow. "Food, drink … entertainment."

"Arrange for a brush and paper," I said as I settled on the room, aware that, once I left, they would be examining every inch of the room. He left for a moment and returned with an expensive brush set.

I stayed in the room until the evening, and I created several calligraphy pieces using some popular poems. I didn't exactly know the market, but considering they were actually better than the pieces that were being displayed around the palace — at least, in the sections I was able to enter — I had no doubt that a thousand gold coins for each wouldn't be out of the question.

And, that was without me showing my full capabilities. I kept myself limited to the peak of Major Accomplishment just in case.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," I said as I put the brush down.

The same attendant arrived, and the moment he saw the writings on the desk, his eyes widened. "Excellent work, master," he said, his shock genuine, showing that he was aware of just how valuable they were. I had written four pieces, and while they weren't as expensive as the pills, considering they cost nothing, they were certainly far more profitable. "Do you want me to add those to the auction as well?"

I looked at him in anger. "You dare mock me," I growled, flaring in anger as I took a step forward.

His face lost all his color as he kowtowed in panic. "I'm sorry master," he said, not even trying to defend himself. "I don't dare to covet your masterpieces."

I snorted in disappointment. "What masterpieces? Those are garbage," I answered calmly I walked back to the desk, and threw all four calligraphy into the fire as well as the brush … though I made sure one of them only burned halfway, leaving enough physical evidence of its quality. "Still, maybe I shouldn't have been surprised that a backwater kingdom like that treats them as valuable. Lead me to the auction."

"Yes, master," he said, and carefully escorted me, his face still white with fear. Watching me burn those very valuable Calligraphy pieces didn't help him either, as it further confirmed that I was temperamental enough to actually kill him, and probably strong enough to get away with it.

Still, despite his fear, when he led me to a private room to watch the auction, he still dared to ask a question. "Master, are you planning to add anything else to the auction? I think I can arrange it."

"No. It's a bother to carry too much money while traveling," I said dismissively. "I'll be leaving as soon as the auction is over," I said. "Now, leave me alone."

I stayed in the room. The auction itself passed without any kind of event, leaving me five thousand, six hundred gold pieces richer, more than two-thirds coming from the Skin Refinement Pills.

They sold for even more than I expected. During the auction, I planned to bid on nothing, but that changed when I noticed they put four different calligraphy brushes on display, items that weren't a part of the schedule in the morning.

Three of them, I ignored, as while they were exquisite, ultimately, they were either ordinary, or created by martial artists. But, the last brush finally caught my attention. It was a damaged, broken piece, yet, its auction still started from a thousand gold pieces.

A talisman brush. Too bad it was unusable.