The Golden Lotus Pavilion bustled with activity.
Cultivators moved between polished shelves, browsing countless treasures.
Attendants introduced spiritual artifacts with practiced smiles, their voices calm and professional.
The fragrance of spirit herbs lingered throughout the spacious hall, blending with the rich spiritual energy that permeated the pavilion.
Ling Yue followed quietly behind the attendant.
Above her—
the invisible white-scaled lizard rested calmly upon her head.
Then—
his voice drifted softly into her ears.
"Collect everything that contains yin energy."
Ling Yue blinked.
"...Yin energy?"
"Yes."
His reply was simple.
"Herbs."
"Pills."
"Ores."
"Any material rich in the yin attribute."
Ling Yue nodded.
"I understand, Senior."
She looked toward the attendant walking ahead.
"Excuse me."
The young woman immediately stopped and turned with a courteous smile.
"How may I assist you, Young Miss Ling?"
Ling Yue thought for a moment before speaking.
"I'm looking for cultivation resources that contain yin energy."
The attendant's eyes brightened slightly.
"Yin-attributed treasures?"
"Yes."
"We have quite a selection."
She gestured politely.
"Please follow me."
Rather than leading Ling Yue toward the ordinary medicinal shelves, she guided her deeper into the pavilion.
Past the weapon displays.
Past the talisman section.
Past the ordinary pills.
Eventually—
they entered a quieter chamber where the surrounding spiritual energy felt noticeably cooler.
Several glass display cabinets lined the room.
Within them rested herbs coated in frost, dark-colored fruits, crystalline stones, jade bottles, and numerous unfamiliar materials.
The attendant smiled.
"These are our primary yin-attributed resources."
She pointed toward the nearest cabinet.
"This is Frost Moon Grass."
"It absorbs moonlight throughout the year and possesses gentle yin energy."
Beside it rested a pale-blue flower sealed within a jade container.
"Cold Spirit Orchid."
"It nourishes cultivators who practice ice- and yin-attributed cultivation arts."
She continued walking.
"There are also Yin Spirit Pills."
"Moon Essence Dew."
"Nether Ice Crystal."
"Blackwater Lotus Seeds."
"Cold Marrow Jade."
"Ghost Orchid Roots."
Each introduction was accompanied by a brief explanation.
Ling Yue listened attentively.
Outwardly, she appeared to be browsing normally.
Inwardly—
she quietly asked,
"Senior..."
"Are these suitable?"
Silence followed.
Invisible golden eyes slowly swept across every cabinet.
Not merely observing their appearance—
but examining the spiritual fluctuations contained within each item.
Some radiated pure yin qi.
Others merely possessed cold spiritual energy.
Several were tainted with impurities.
Others contained almost no useful essence despite their appearance.
Lizarius analyzed them one by one.
After a long moment—
he finally spoke.
"Purchase all of them."
Ling Yue blinked.
"...All of them?"
"Yes."
She glanced around the room.
There were dozens of treasures.
Some were expensive.
Some were exceedingly rare.
"...Senior..."
"...Everything?"
"Anything that contains yin energy."
His tone remained calm.
"It is acceptable even if the quantity is insignificant."
Ling Yue immediately lowered her head slightly.
"Yes, Senior."
She turned toward the attendant.
"I'll take them all."
The attendant smiled politely.
"Which ones, Young Miss Ling?"
Ling Yue slowly swept her gaze across the room.
Then she took a slow breath.
"Everything in this room that contains yin-attributed spiritual energy."
Silence.
The attendant blinked.
"...Everything?"
"Yes."
A moment later—
the attendant regained her composure.
"Very well."
She immediately began removing jade boxes from the cabinets one after another.
"Frost Moon Grass."
"Five stalks."
She carefully placed them into a storage box.
"Cold Spirit Orchid."
"Three flowers."
"Moon Essence Dew."
"Two bottles."
"Yin Spirit Pills."
"One bottle."
"Nether Ice Crystal."
"One piece."
"Cold Marrow Jade."
"Three fragments."
"Ghost Orchid Roots."
"Six roots."
"Blackwater Lotus Seeds."
"One set."
One treasure after another disappeared from the shelves.
The pile gradually grew larger.
Ling Yue watched silently.
*Senior...*
*What exactly are you planning...?*
She couldn't understand.
The herbs served different purposes.
The ores were used for forging.
The pills aided cultivation.
There wasn't any obvious connection between them.
Yet the only requirement had been—
*Contains yin energy.*
Nothing more.
Above her—
Lizarius remained expressionless.
His thoughts moved rapidly.
*The purity is poor.*
*The quantity is low.*
*Most contain numerous impurities.*
*Still...*
*It is sufficient.*
He wasn't searching for medicine.
Nor weapons.
Nor cultivation resources.
He was searching for something far more fundamental.
Yin itself.
Different materials accumulated yin energy through different methods.
By observing enough examples—
he could compare them.
Analyze them.
Determine what they all shared.
Only then could he understand what yin truly was.
Knowledge first.
Application later.
The attendant finally finished gathering the last treasure.
She smiled politely.
"Young Miss Ling."
"I have prepared everything containing yin-attributed spiritual energy that is currently available in this section."
Ling Yue looked at the neatly stacked collection before speaking.
"That won't be enough."
"Bring every material and cultivation resource within the Golden Lotus Pavilion that contains yin energy."
The attendant bowed respectfully.
"Please wait a moment, Young Miss."
"If you wish to purchase every yin-attributed item within the pavilion, I'll need to retrieve those stored in our private vaults."
Ling Yue nodded.
"I'll wait."
The attendant departed swiftly.
Several minutes later—
Ling Wei arrived from another section of the pavilion.
He glanced at the empty display cabinets before looking toward his sister.
"...Finished already?"
Ling Yue shook her head.
"Not yet."
Ling Wei looked around in confusion.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
"I'm waiting for them to bring everything."
"...Everything?"
"The Senior wants every item that contains yin energy."
Ling Wei blinked.
"...Every yin-attributed treasure?"
Ling Yue nodded.
"Every single one."
Ling Wei instinctively glanced upward—
toward the invisible figure resting atop his sister's head.
*Again...*
*The Senior is collecting things I can't begin to understand.*
He didn't ask any further.
By now, he had learned that trying to understand Lizarius's reasoning beforehand was usually pointless.
Several more moments passed.
Footsteps echoed through the corridor.
The attendant returned.
Behind her walked an elegant young woman dressed in flowing pale-green robes embroidered with golden lotus patterns.
Her movements were graceful.
Her bearing refined.
Unlike the ordinary attendants, she carried herself with a quiet confidence that naturally commanded attention.
The attendant stopped before the siblings and bowed.
"Young Miss Ling."
"Everything within the Golden Lotus Pavilion that possesses yin-attributed spiritual energy has been gathered."
She respectfully presented a dark-blue storage pouch.
"All of the items are contained within."
Ling Yue accepted it.
"Thank you."
The attendant smiled.
"As usual, the cost will be deducted from your account."
Ling Yue nodded.
"That's fine."
Only then did Ling Wei shift his attention toward the unfamiliar young woman.
He offered a polite salute.
"And this Young Miss is...?"
Before the attendant could answer—
the woman stepped forward herself.
She returned the salute with practiced elegance.
"This one is Susu."
Her voice was soft.
Refined.
Yet it carried a confidence that suggested she was accustomed to receiving distinguished guests.
Ling Wei noticed immediately.
*Only Susu?*
*No family name...*
Either it had been intentionally omitted...
Or it was unnecessary.
The attendant smiled politely.
"Young Master Ling."
"This is the Young Miss of our Golden Lotus Pavilion."
A hint of surprise flashed across Ling Wei's eyes.
"So that's the case."
He cupped his fists once more.
"My apologies for my ignorance."
Susu smiled faintly.
"There is nothing to apologize for."
Her gaze moved between the siblings.
Then she spoke with quiet amusement.
"I simply wished to meet the wealthy guests to whom our pavilion seems perpetually indebted."
Ling Yue scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"...Sorry about that."
Susu chuckled softly.
"No."
"From a merchant's perspective, customers who always repay their debts are far more welcome than those who pay immediately and never return."
Her eyes briefly swept across the now-empty display shelves.
"Though..."
"This is the first time someone has purchased every yin-attributed treasure in our inventory."
A trace of curiosity flickered within her eyes.
"If I may ask..."
"What exactly are you planning to do with all of them?"
Silence settled over the room.
Ling Yue instinctively glanced toward the seemingly empty space above her head.
She already knew—
That question...
wasn't hers to answer.