"Elder Ding, would you mind taking a look at this? I believe it might be a thousand-year spirit herb, but I'm not entirely confident — I was hoping you could help verify its age." Shopkeeper Tian spoke in a deferential tone, then handed over the brocade box.
"A thousand-year spirit herb?" Elder Ding raised his eyebrows, somewhat incredulous, but accepted the box nonetheless.
"Please, take a good look! Is it really a thousand-year Yellow Essence Fungus?" Shopkeeper Tian could barely contain his excitement, his words tumbling out in a rush.
The old man didn't respond. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and carefully studied the item in the box — its shape, its color, even the texture of its surface — occasionally bringing the box to his nose for a cautious sniff.
This herb had been personally cultivated by Han Li, so he already knew full well whether it was a thousand-year spirit herb or not. He sat calmly to the side, completely indifferent to the old man's inspection. The only thing on his mind was how to haggle with the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
Shopkeeper Tian, on the other hand, watched the old man's every move without blinking. Every trace of the composure he'd shown when first meeting Han Li had completely vanished. His face was now a mess of anticipation, anxiety, and all the fidgety emotions of a man who didn't know whether his hopes would be rewarded.
Finally, Elder Ding set the box gently on the table, stroked his beard, and closed his eyes in thought for a moment. Then he opened them and spoke in a calm, utterly certain voice: "Congratulations, Shopkeeper — this is indeed a Yellow Essence Fungus over a thousand years old. Moreover, it was unearthed not long ago and its medicinal properties are completely intact. A premium-grade thousand-year herb, without a doubt. I can guarantee it!"
Shopkeeper Tian's face lit up with delight. He politely escorted the old man downstairs, then picked up the box containing the spirit herb and examined it several more times over, unable to contain his joy.
"Shopkeeper Tian, shouldn't we discuss the trade now?" Han Li noticed that the man seemed to have completely forgotten the herb's owner was still sitting right there, and couldn't help but speak up.
"Oh… ah! …I've been terribly rude — please forgive me, Brother Li!" Shopkeeper Tian started, then belatedly remembered that the herb didn't actually belong to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion yet. A faint blush crept across his face.
"Heh, it's no big deal. But how do you plan to trade? Judging by how much you seem to want this, I trust you won't disappoint me!" Han Li said with a light chuckle, gently pressing his advantage.
By now, Shopkeeper Tian had recovered his composure. He set the box back on the table and said: "Since Brother Li can produce a thousand-year spirit herb, you're clearly no ordinary cultivator. So I'll skip the usual merchant's games and give you a fair price."
He paused for a moment to think, then continued in a sincere tone: "This herb can be exchanged for any two of the treasures I showed you in the brocade boxes, or alternatively, for the single item in the last box alone. If none of those appeal to you, then the Pavilion is prepared to offer you spirit stones at a price you'll find absolutely satisfactory. What do you say, Brother Li?"
Han Li could hear the sincerity in his words. He turned it over in his mind several times and decided the price was reasonable — well within his bottom line. He was already seventy or eighty percent ready to agree. But before making his final decision, he still wanted to see what was actually in that last box.
Before Han Li could even open his mouth, Shopkeeper Tian, ever perceptive, had already opened the lid of the final brocade box and pushed it in front of Han Li with a smile.
"What's inside this box happens to be our Pavilion's signature treasure. But whether you recognize its value — that's entirely up to you!"
Han Li's curiosity surged. He glanced into the box and his jaw dropped. Inside lay a single, solitary talisman, and drawn upon it was the image of a golden brick — shimmering with golden light, vivid and lifelike.
Once he'd gotten a clear look at it, Han Li's mind raced. He immediately thought of his own talisman — the one with the gray little sword drawn on it. Could it be the same kind of thing?
"A talisman treasure?" Han Li exhaled slowly and asked, though he wasn't entirely sure.
A flash of surprise crossed Shopkeeper Tian's face, followed by genuine astonishment: "I never expected Brother Li to actually recognize this! In theory, very few cultivators know about this kind of treasure. You really are well-informed — I'm truly impressed!"