The Peak of Alchemy & Martial

C22 – The Tyranny of the Bian Family!

Yun Haoyan observed his sister Yun Tiantian lost in thought and found himself reflecting as well.

“Let’s head over to our family’s Pill Shop,” Yun Haoyan suggested, snapping out of his reverie. As the eldest son of the Yun family, it was his duty to show concern for their business.

“Here we are at one of our family’s Pill Shops,” Yun Haoyan remarked, gesturing toward an empty storefront, and turned to Yun Tiantian, “I can’t fathom what’s gotten into you. You don’t even recall our own family’s shop.”

Embarrassed, Yun Haoyan rubbed the back of his head. It had been over ten thousand years, after all. Remembering the family’s Pill Shop was a tall order, especially since he had only recently learned that they were in the pill trade.

“Go on, check it out. The pill business is a snooze fest. I’ve been buried in ledgers all day,” his sister complained with a look of distaste. Free-spirited by nature, she loathed such tedious tasks. Her vivacious character was also why she had only advanced to level eight in Body Tempering.

“Why don’t you head over there and enjoy yourself for a bit? I’ll come find you later,” Yun Haoyan said, pointing to a nearby acrobatics show.

Yun Tiantian’s interest piqued at the mention of the performance. “Great, make it quick. I’ll be at the acrobatics,” she replied and dashed off toward the show.

Shaking his head, Yun Haoyan strode purposefully toward the Yun family’s Pill Shop.

“The Young Master has arrived?” greeted the shop assistant, recognizing Yun Haoyan immediately.

Yun Haoyan, unfamiliar with the assistant, was nonetheless greeted by all the staff. “I’ve heard the business is struggling, so I wanted to have a look,” he said after exchanging pleasantries.

The mention of their troubles brought worried looks to the assistants’ faces. The shop manager spoke up, “Indeed, we’re completely out of stock. When customers come, we have nothing to offer but to turn them away. What else can we do?”

Yun Haoyan nodded in understanding. The shortage of stock was the root of the issue, and he knew it was not the fault of the shop’s staff.

Yun Haoyan offered words of reassurance:

“Relax, the family is already working on a solution. The issue will be resolved shortly.”

He had little faith in the family’s intervention. Instead, he intended to request the presence of his master, the Pill King, at the Yun residence. That would effectively address the pill dilemma.

“That’s reassuring to hear. We can all breathe easier now.” The shop assistants smiled with visible relief upon hearing Yun Haoyan’s assurance.

Just then, a commotion erupted from the acrobatics performance area. Yun Haoyan’s brow furrowed as he turned his attention toward the disturbance.

A woman clad in a pink dress was speaking haughtily, while a girl in a sky-blue gown stood with her head bowed, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

“Yun Tiantian!” Recognizing trouble, Yun Haoyan sprinted toward the scene, realizing the target of the scorn seemed to be his sister.

Indeed, his sister, Yun Tiantian, was holding her face, weeping as her newly purchased clothes lay strewn about her.

“You wretch, what makes you think you deserve to wear such beautiful clothes? They’re wasted on you. Strip them off now!”

The woman in pink stood with a hand on her hip, pointing at Yun Tiantian and berating her loudly.

She loathed anyone who outshone her in beauty, particularly a woman who dared to flaunt finer attire than hers.

“Didn’t you hear? Our mistress told you to strip. Get those clothes off!”

“You realize who our mistress is, right? She’s the treasured daughter of the Bian family. Refuse to strip, and we’ll strip them off for you.”

The two burly men accompanying her reached out to grab at Yun Tiantian’s clothes.

“Stop right there!” Yun Haoyan finally made it to the scene, his voice cutting through the tension.