“I’ll pay for the trinket,” Tian Hao said smoothly, his voice carrying over the merchant’s increasingly loud pronouncements.
Inwardly, he cringed at the thought of wasting spirit stones on something Jiuwei had clearly acquired rather than purchased.
The merchant, however, his face now red and mottled, was too far gone to listen. He puffed out his chest, his voice rising in indignation.
“Pay? Do you think spirit stones can compensate for the dishonor you’ve brought upon this marketplace?! Stealing from a reputable vendor, disrupting the sacred flow of commerce—your actions are an insult to the very foundations of Skyveil City!” He gestured wildly, drawing even more attention from nearby cultivators and merchants, many of whom now paused in their own dealings to watch the unfolding drama. “I’ll make an example of you, thief! Let this be a lesson to all who dare disrespect the laws of the market!”
As the merchant’s shouting escalated, a group of Jade Thistle Sect disciples, their green robes embroidered with thorny vine patterns, approached.
One of them, a lanky young man with a carefully cultivated air of arrogance, stepped forward, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.
“What seems to be the problem here?” he asked, his voice carrying a tone of authority that was clearly intended to impress his companions and intimidate those of lower standing or less refined sects. His eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation, his gaze lingering on Tian Hao’s Skyward Lotus Sect robes with a hint of disdain.
The merchant, seeing an opportunity to garner support, quickly launched into an exaggerated account of Jiuwei’s acquisition of the trinket, embellishing the story with tales of blatant thievery and disrespect.
“This… this miscreant,” he sputtered, pointing a trembling finger at Tian Hao, “and his demonic fox familiar have stolen a priceless artifact from my humble stall! They’ve disrupted the sacred flow of commerce, insulted the very foundations of our honorable marketplace, and threatened to destroy the very principles upon which Skyveil City stands!”
The Jade Thistle disciple, his eyes gleaming with righteous indignation and the thrill of an opportunity to assert himself, stepped forward. He puffed out his chest, announcing his name for all to hear. “I am Ruan Qing of the Jade Thistle Sect, and I will not stand idly by while such blatant acts of thievery go unpunished!”
He turned to Tian Hao, his gaze sharp. “You, Skyward Lotus disciple,” he said, his voice dripping with contempt. “You will return the stolen artifact and apologize for your dishonorable conduct. Perhaps after some time in our sect’s dungeon you’ll consider a less frivolous path. What kind of sect sends such a… flippant whelp to represent them?” He sneered, the word ‘whelp’ echoing through the marketplace as he cast a dismissive glance at Tian Hao. A subtle but effective insult that was clearly intended to diminish not just his standing, but the standing of the entire Skyward Lotus Sect.
The crowd grew larger, the murmurs growing louder as the accusations flew.
Tian Hao’s expression hardened as Ruan Qing continued to insult both him and the Skyward Lotus Sect. “Just what do you plan to do, esteemed Senior Disciple Ruan Qing of the Jade Thistle… bramble?” he asked with dark smile, deliberately mispronouncing the sect’s name, a subtle jab that drew snickers from the crowd.
Ruan Qing, his face reddening, stepped closer. “You think this is a joke, silkpants?” he sneered, using the insult as though it were beneath him. “Admit your guilt and return the stolen trinket, or face the consequences.”
Jiuwei, perched on Tian Hao's shoulder, leaned in close and whispered in his ear, her voice barely audible. "The item is damaged—cracked jade, frayed tassel," she murmured, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Let them know it's worthless, Tian Hao. It might just be more fun this way."
Tian Hao smiled thinly, raising an eyebrow. “Guilt? Perhaps you should learn to use your eyes before your mouth, esteemed Ruan Qing. A simple assessment of worth is clearly beyond you.”
He raised his voice, drawing everyone's attention to the trinket Jiuwei had “borrowed.” “This ‘priceless artifact,’ as this… merchant so boldly claims, is clearly damaged. A crack in the jade, a frayed tassel – hardly worth the price he’s demanding. I suppose it's priceless because no one would bother buying it.”
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The merchant sputtered, caught off guard. “Damaged? A mere scratch! It’s still a valuable charm, imbued with protective runes!”
“Runes that barely shimmer,” Tian Hao countered, turning to the crowd. “Can any of you sense the power this merchant claims? Or is he trying to swindle us all with a cheap imitation?” He paused, letting his words sink in.
“Tell me, Ruan Qing," he continued, his gaze sharp as he turned back to the Jade Thistle disciple. “Is your sect’s honor based on blindly following false accusations?” He paused, letting the words hang in the air before adding with a sly grin, “Or perhaps you’re just eager to make a name for yourself by picking on those you think are beneath you?” Another pause. “Such courage. Truly impressive.” He gave Ruan Qing a mock hand-clasped bow, the sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Ruan Qing, his face burning with shame, clenched his fists. “You… you dare question my honor?!” He stepped forward, his Qi flaring slightly, intent on forcing a fight, but Tian Hao moved first.
He snapped his fingers so close to Ruan Qing’s face that the air itself seemed to recoil. The sudden movement created a gust of wind, enough to send a few stray hairs across Ruan Qing’s face and ruffle his carefully arranged robes. The crowd gasped at the sheer brazenness.
Ruan Qing flinched back, caught off guard by Tian Hao’s unexpected speed and the laughter that now erupted from the crowd. His earlier bravado crumbling as the whispers now mocked him, the focus now shifting, turning him into the fool. Tian Hao's earlier clumsiness now forgotten as they all eagerly waited to see how this exchange might proceed.
Lin Mei, seeing that things were about to escalate, darted between Tian Hao and the sputtering Ruan Qing.
Her stance was firm, her eyes sharp, radiating determination to prevent any further conflict. She turned to the merchant, her voice calm and authoritative. “We apologize for any inconvenience,” she said smoothly, placing a small pouch of spirit stones into the merchant’s hand. “This should more than compensate for the damaged trinket.”
The merchant, realizing he’d drawn far too much attention for an obvious swindle, begrudgingly accepted the spirit stones. He grumbled about undisciplined youngsters as he pocketed the payment with a reluctant nod, his face still flushed with anger and the humiliation of being caught. He glared at Tian Hao and then bowed deeply to Lin Mei, muttering something about appreciating her fairness before disappearing back to his stall.
Ruan Qing's face turned crimson with humiliation. He struggled to regain his earlier arrogance, his glare filled with venom as the weight of their laughter bore down on him.
“This isn’t over, silkpants,” he hissed, his words laced with barely contained fury. “You think today’s humiliation is the end? Mark my words—when we meet again, I will make you regret ever crossing me. I will strip away that arrogance of yours, layer by layer, until you kneel before the Jade Thistle Sect, begging for mercy.” He turned sharply, his robes billowing as he stalked off. His fellow disciples scrambling to follow close behind, muttering among themselves about lost opportunities and the foolishness of challenging someone who seemed to attract even greater chaos than they had prepared for.
As the crowd dispersed, Fatty Wu let out a sigh of relief, while Lin Mei turned to Tian Hao, her eyes narrowed, her voice low and sharp.
“You need to stop creating trouble, Tian Hao,” she said, exasperation evident in her tone. “This is the second time you’ve nearly started a fight with another sect, and we’ve only been here for a week! We have to be more careful—especially with the Iron Talon Sect in this very same city.” Her words echoed Tian Shou’s warning and Baihu’s unsettling pronouncement at the sect gates.
Jiuwei, completely unfazed by the chaos she’d caused, proudly presented the trinket she’d “borrowed,” the small, teardrop shaped jade now dangling from her tiny jaws. Tian Hao took it, examining the jade closely. To his surprise, he found that there was no crack at all, and the tassel was perfectly intact.
Tian Hao gave Jiuwei a side-eye, his expression caught somewhere between suspicion and amusement.
Jiuwei, in response, blinked slowly, her big golden eyes looking into his with an almost exaggerated innocence, her tail flicking playfully behind her and her ears perking forward. The silence between them spoke volumes—Jiuwei's look seemed to say, 'Who, me?' without a single word.
Tian Hao shook his head slightly, a bemused smile tugging at his lips as he looked away.
He grinned at Lin Mei and Fatty Wu, shrugging, “What can you do?” he said.
Fatty Wu chuckled, while Lin Mei, shaking her head, turned to lead them away, torn between frustration and amusement. As they made their way through the still-bustling marketplace, Tian Hao, noticing the charm amulet dangling from Lin Mei’s sash, leaned towards her, a playful glint in his eye. “So,” he began, his voice a teasing whisper, “how's that charm amulet I bought you working out? Any miraculous 'good fortune' yet?”
Lin Mei’s lips twitched, her usual composure cracking for a moment as she glanced at Tian Hao. “Oh, it's been miraculous all right,” she replied with mock seriousness. “It’s kept me just fortunate enough to be stuck babysitting you.” She shook her head, her eyes warm despite her words. "Now, let’s just focus on… not causing any more inter-sect incidents.”