“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Ma Lin cheerfully told Ishin.

  The two were standing on the outer edge of Residence Row a few hours before dusk, out of sight of any other disciples. Two weeks had passed since Ishin had last seen Ma Lin, and during that time he had pursued a large number of missions to earn enough contribution points for his goal. Upon accumulating one hundred contribution points the previous day, he had left an X on the back of House 19 as instructed and then waited for Ma Lin to establish contact. He hadn’t had to wait long—Ma Lin had found him near the beginning of Residence Row upon his return from completing his most recent mission.

  “I knew what I wanted after browsing your catalog the first time. Thanks for finding me.” Though Ishin was curious how Ma Lin had located him.

  “Of course! I’m always happy to come directly to my customer. Now tell me, what would you like to buy?”

  “A spear. If you have your list, I can show you which one.”

  Ma Lin quickly complied, conjuring her booklet from within her storage ring and offering it to Ishin. He took the booklet and flipped through the pages until he reached the section containing the various spear offerings. There it was. Ishin tapped the specific spear he wanted, showing Ma Lin.

  “A fine choice! That will be sixty contribution points.”

  Ishin pulled out the sect medallion resting beneath his robes and pressed it against Ma Lin’s. With a mental command, he transferred the points to her, leaving himself with only forty-four remaining.

  Funny how trading sixty contribution points doesn’t seem so bad now.

  Ma Lin banished her booklet and immediately afterward conjured a spear with a dark iron shaft and a steel tip.

  She had the spear with her this entire time?

  Ishin studied the ten rings adorning Ma Lin’s fingers more closely. Does she carry all of her goods with her at all times? If that were the case, those rings had to be worth thousands of gold taels at least.

  “Here you are!” Ma Lin beamed, presenting Ishin with the spear.

  Gratefully, Ishin took it, feeling the smooth, cold metal shaft beneath his fingers. This was a spear—the closest thing he had seen to the one he’d carried with him to Tyrant’s Rest many months ago. A spear his mother had crafted herself.

  Ishin stepped back and worked through the first two Daihu Tribe spear stances. The weapon’s balance was perfect, and the length ideal for his style of fighting. It even weighed slightly more than his previous spear, which complemented his new Adept Realm strength better.

  After finishing with a final thrust that split the air, Ishin relaxed his stance. “This is great. Thank you.”

  “I’m glad you’re satisfied,” Ma Lin said enthusiastically. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  Ishin rested the new spear across his shoulder. “Not right now, but I’ll let you know if that changes.” For the first time, Ishin wondered what type of dao Ma Lin followed. Perhaps the Dao of Commerce? If such a dao even existed. He also wondered which sect organization she belonged to and whether that explained how she obtained her wares.

  “Feel free to reach out to me anytime! Just leave another mark on House 19!” Ma Lin gave him a deep bow, far beyond what was required for a simple transaction.

  “I will,” Ishin said awkwardly. She’s so enthusiastic.

  Ma Lin straightened. “Excellent! I will wait until then. Have a good evening, Disciple Ro Ishin!”

  “You as well, Senior.”

  Ishin watched as Ma Lin spun and walked off—not back through Residence Row, but toward the northeast, leaving the paved trail behind.

  Interesting woman.

  Ishin then regarded the new spear resting on his shoulder. His soul stirred at the sight. Even two weeks had felt far too long to go without a spear. He was eager to begin practicing again, and now that he was properly armed, his opportunities within the sect had expanded.

  Half an hour later, Ishin returned to his house. He was pleased to find both Rhee and Mei inside, chatting amicably over cups of tea. Over the past two weeks, the two women had grown closer, Mei’s admission that she had only joined the sect to appease her family helping to mend the lingering animosity between them.

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  The last two weeks had seen all four friends become increasingly busy with sect life. Between missions and cultivation, they rarely saw one another during the day. Even Rhee and Ishin had been drawn along different paths—Rhee continuing to accept missions in the Alchemic Hall, while Ishin focused on a variety of missions, prioritizing those that paid the most.

  Despite their schedules, evening tea and snacks in the common room had become a regular occurrence. Not everyone was always present, with Long absent most frequently, but these quiet gatherings proved a welcome reprieve from long days.

  Both women paused their conversation when Ishin entered. Rhee was the first to notice the spear.

  “That’s a nice spear. Did you finally see Ma Lin?”

  “I did,” Ishin replied, sitting beside Rhee on the couch. He extended the spear toward her, allowing her to examine it herself. “Only cost sixty contribution points.”

  “It’s impressive quality,” Rhee said, running her hand along its smooth shaft. “Better than your last one.”

  “Agreed.” Ishin leaned back against the cushion. “Perhaps the Heavens wanted me to lose that spear on Desolate Island.”

  Rhee carefully touched the sharp tip, mindful not to cut herself. “Perhaps.”

  “Ma Lin is the disciple you two encountered on your first day?” Mei asked. Unlike Ishin and Rhee, she had yet to meet the strange, purple-haired disciple.

  “Yes. Her.” Rhee handed the spear back, and Ishin rested it between his legs. “After I gave her the contribution points, she immediately summoned it from one of her rings. I think she carries all of her goods in those rings.”

  Rhee’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

  Ishin shrugged. “She didn’t know what I wanted beforehand, and she had it ready instantly. It’s the only explanation that makes sense.”

  “I suppose so,” Rhee conceded. “Her rings must be a higher grade than mine if she can store that much.”

  Of course there are different grades of storage rings.

  “I don’t understand how the sect allows her to run her own business,” Mei said.

  “Neither do I, but it’s nice to have a cheaper alternative to the Market Hall.” Ishin let the spear rest against his body. “What were you two talking about?”

  The women exchanged glances.

  “Rhee was telling me about how the entrance exam went.”

  That’s right. She attempted that today.

  The Alchemic Hall required all aspiring members to pass an entrance exam before they were allowed to study alchemy. Rhee had explained that the Hall wanted to ensure candidates possessed a foundational understanding of alchemic principles. Mei had informed her that the Outer Sect Library contained several volumes on alchemy, and Rhee had spent contribution points to access them. However, disciples weren’t allowed to remove texts, leaving Rhee to memorize as much as she could during her time inside.

  “Are you an alchemist then?” Ishin asked eagerly.

  Rhee’s expression darkened, and Ishin feared he already knew the answer. “I’m not,” she said quietly. “I didn’t pass the exam.”

  When she didn’t elaborate, Ishin didn’t press. If she wanted to explain further, she would.

  “I’m sorry,” he said simply.

  Rhee stared at an empty spot on the far wall. “It’s fine. It just means my path lies elsewhere.”

  Ishin could tell she was struggling to remain composed and admired her for it. This is probably the first real failure she’s faced in her life—at least one of this magnitude.

  “Are you going to pursue more challenging missions now?” Mei asked Ishin, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

  Good call, Mei.

  “That’s the plan,” Ishin replied, playing along. “I’m tempted to accept the mission to hunt Ghost Spotted Hyenas in the mountains. Twenty contribution points is a solid reward.”

  “How many would you have to kill?” Rhee asked, rejoining the conversation.

  “I think four,” Ishin recalled. “Compared to fighting Vampire Monkeys, they shouldn’t be too bad.”

  “And it’ll be more fun than polishing weapons or carrying supplies to the Storage Hall,” Mei teased.

  Ishin grinned. “Definitely.”

  “Are you going to try joining the Combat Hall too?” Rhee asked.

  “Yes,” Ishin answered without hesitation. “I’m hoping to find someone who can teach me more about the Spear Dao.” With proper guidance, he was confident he could progress further along his Immortal Path.

  “I might join you,” Rhee said, nodding to herself.

  Ishin blinked in surprise. “Really?”

  “Yes. If I were meant to become an alchemist, I would have passed the exam. I think it was a sign from the Heavens.”

  “You could always attempt it again,” Mei offered gently.

  Rhee shook her head. “No. I don’t want to waste more time on a path that isn’t right for me. Between the hours spent studying and the contribution points just to access the library, I don’t want to invest further.” She sighed. “The exam itself cost fifteen contribution points. I don’t want to fail again and lose another fifteen for nothing.”

  A wise assessment.

  Ishin hadn’t considered how many contribution points Rhee must have spent trying to join the Alchemic Hall. He understood why she wouldn’t want to repeat the process.

  “But why the Combat Hall?” Mei asked. “There are other organizations.”

  Rhee glanced at Ishin beside her. “Like Ishin, I come from a martial school. Perhaps I should continue down that path and see where it leads.”

  Ishin didn’t discourage her. In truth, he welcomed the idea of her joining him.

  “Tomorrow morning, then?”

  Rhee nodded. “Yes.”