Life Saving Items

She walked along the streets lit by lanterns and the moonlight.

Her steps were unhurried but purposeful.

A few lecherous gaze followed her but withdrew the moment she entered the Treasure Pavilion.

As soon as she stepped inside, the patrons turned their attention to her. Their transaction was momentarily put on hold.

"Who's that?"

"I don't know. Have you seen that person before?"

"No I haven't. That's why I'm asking."

"Is that a man or a woman?"

"Not sure. Based on height. That could be a man."

"But look! Looks like her figure belongs to a woman!"

"Eh??? Now that you mention it, when you look at the person, the figure and features look feminine."

The steward was taken aback by the appearance of the woman. If not because of her feminine figure, he wouldn't have realized that this person in black robes with golden spider lilies embroidered is not a man.

She looked mysterious especially with her mask painted with red spider lilies and her very own red tinted lips.

"Can I help you, mistress?" The steward bowed respectfully.

"Here to sell some items."

"Ah! I see.. Of course. Please follow me this way."

Song Jia was led to the middle of the room. There was a long table.

"You can set it down here, mistress and our appraisers will examine it."

She nodded. "Do you have any more tables? I brought a lot."

"Ah! Okay!.." The steward then called other stewards and asked to bring one more table.

"Bring two more."

The steward jolted in shock.

"If you could wait for me for a moment, mistress."

Song Jia nodded and waited patiently while the steward left.

A moment later, the steward came back.

"We're ready, mistress." the stewards spoke. "If you could follow me.."

Instead of having her set it on the table in front of the patrons, he brought her in a private room. It was spacious enough, with long tables.

The door opened and two appraisers came inside.

"Greetings, Mistress."

She nodded.

In a flash, all of the crates of elixirs, pills and ointments appeared on the table, filling it up, shocking the stewards and the appraisers who saw.

"I still have more inside the space ring."

Their knees almost wobbled when she said this.

The ones inside the space ring were the ones with the soul fluid mixed in.

"We'll start then.."

"Leave it to us, mistress."

The door opened once again, this time, the manager came.

A look of shock appeared on his face the moment he entered.

He was told by the steward that a mysterious woman came to sell items and it looked like there would be plenty. So he came to check out of curiosity.

Song Jia handed the ring to the steward. "Here are the rest. I've counted it all before."

"Yes, mistress."

"Ah.. Mistress, if you could follow me. Let's go to the lounge and wait. This may take a while."

"Very well." She fanned herself.

The manager introduced himself as Liao Shi, an elder of the Treasure Pavilion and that of the Black Market. He offered her tea and placed it on the table by her side.

"May I ask your name, Mistress?"

"Luna." Her cold voice made him shiver.

"Luna. What an unusual name--"

"Mm."

"Then, Mistress Luna, were you the one who refined all of those pills?" His curiosity about her was piqued.

"Does it matter?" She disliked being questioned.

The manager burst into nervous laughter. "Ah! No, it's not that. I was just curious as to who was the amazing person who could make all of those."

"Hmm.. Indeed."

Knock! Knock!

The manager was relieved for the interruption.

"Come in." He called out.

The steward entered and whispered to him.

Suddenly, the manager's eyes were wide and his mouth agape. He turned to look at Song Jia with eyes full of shock.

Song Jia found them acting strange. Her brows knitted together.

"Ahemm.. Mistress, the steward has just told me that the ones in the space ring were although of the same use as the ones you took out earlier, the ones left were much higher in rank and more effective also. Those are life-saving items."

"Yes. Then have they finished?"

"Almost done, mistress. Two more appraisers have helped."

Song Jia nodded and let them do their job.

Crash!

Bang!

Clang!

"Aaaaaaaahhhh!"

"Help! Somebody!"

A scream pierced through the night.

The manager jumped in shock.

"Go check what happened!" He bellowed at the steward who helplessly followed.

Moments later, the stewards came back.

"Elder Liao, it's because of a patron who collapsed. He looked beet red, as if his robe was about to burst!"

"Did they call a doctor?"

"Yes, they did!"

The manager opened the door and went to check on it herself.

A crowd gathered around the man who collapsed.

Moments later, the crowd distanced a little and the doctor was able to enter.

He checked his pulse and determined that he was beyond help.

The companion of the collapsed man gasped. "Nooo.. Please! Save him!"

Song Jia brushed her chin with her finger. 'Hmm..'

"Give him the pill from the jade bottle."

The manager gestured for the steward to do so.

"What's that?!" The doctor exclaimed.

"A pill for the master to recover."

"I can't just allow just anybody to give him pills! It might make it worse!"

"If you choose to wait, then he will die for sure." Song Jia's cold voice warned him.

The doctor jolted in shock.

Left with the last chance, the doctor received the pill and fed it to the collapsed man.

A few moments later, the man's eyes fluttered open.

Exclamations of surprise, and amazement resounded the building.

"Many thanks, Mistress!" The manager bowed to her, also the family where the collapsed man approached her in thanks.

"You saved our business, mistress. It would have been bad if somebody died in our building. Many thanks for saving him."

"No problem."

"No, Mistress, I will give you something. Please wait a moment."

The manager left and came back soon after.

"Mistress, please accept this. It will give you fifty per cent each time you come to purchase anything. Also, this token will enable you to approach the higher ups. And to be able to attend the auction."

"Auction?"

"Yes, mistress. We'll be having the auction four days from now. If you would like to come, just show the token. Here is a list of items they will sell. And if you also would like to sell something, then come at least 5 days before so the information will be spread and more buyers will come."

"I see. Then I'll accept it."

The steward then came back and told them the total. It was enough to pay back Sun Xun and there was even a lot of extra money left.

Satisfied, Song Jia put it way into her space.

She exited the Treasure Pavilion and walked all the way back to the inn.

Planning to go the same way again, she looked left and right before she entered the alley.

However, just when she would leap towards the window of her room. She heard a noise that made her ears stand on end.