As the golden sun dipped behind the cloud-hung peaks of the Seven-Serpent Mountains, the vibrant spectacle of the Pill King Market began its slow descent into silence.
The air, once thick with clashing scents of spirit herbs and burning cauldron smoke, now settled into a gentler, melancholic breeze. Stalls folded their banners. Carts rolled away. Alchemists, merchants, sect heirs, and rogue cultivators packed up their wares, their fortunes, and their regrets—making their way toward teleportation arrays that would take them home.
But just as others departed, Kent stirred into motion.
Unlike the tens of thousands retreating from the battlefield of commerce, Kent tightened his robes, flexed his spiritual pouch, and stepped into the thinning market with sharp, predatory eyes.
"Now," he said, a grin playing on his lips, "is when the real hunt begins."
Beside him, Lin Lin and Yun Rou exchanged a glance.
