[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming":3,"chapter-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-34":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Unorthodox Sword of Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2337239,4570,"Chapter 34: The Precious Vermilion","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-34",34,"\u003Cp>The vermilion Pan Yun had bought at the general store was long used up, and the quality was so poor that the talismans she drew were subpar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guangxin Prefecture was a large city; from what Tao Ji and the others said, the area around Mount Sanqing was likely remote and poorly connected, with underdeveloped trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she needed to stock up on better supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She and Pan Xiaohei had already made progress and decided to purchase materials to expand the Three Jade Spirit Array, while also cultivating and accumulating merit through good deeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without concrete metrics, doing good would inevitably benefit her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She mentally ranked her priorities: cultivation and inquiring after her family’s whereabouts tied for first, accumulating merit through good deeds second, expanding the array third…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether cultivating, building connections to learn about her family, or accumulating merit, she needed vermilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Tao Ji heard she wanted to buy vermilion, he offered to lead the way: “What good is the vermilion you buy at a general store? Full of impurities, and if you’re unlucky, you’ll get fakes. Come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guangxin Prefecture was his territory; Pan Yun followed obediently, but retorted, “Me buy fakes? Other things maybe, but not vermilion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got quite the confidence—even I and my senior brother occasionally get fooled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun snorted, utterly confident, and offered no explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had the Five Orifices Heart, which could perceive all things and pierce illusions—every deception was visible to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fake vermilion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji shook his head at her arrogance, certain she’d suffer a great loss someday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji took her to a pharmacy to buy vermilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun suddenly understood—of course! She’d forgotten: vermilion was a medicine in ancient times, naturally available at pharmacies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji glanced at her. “You claim to know everything—how didn’t you know vermilion’s sold at pharmacies?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Now I know. Thank you, Tao Daochang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji was startled, then heard her ask: “Do you often come to this pharmacy? Do you get discounts on herbs here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji swallowed his surprise and led her straight to the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper saw him and handed medicine duties to the apprentice, then joined Tao Ji in the back courtyard: “Tao Daochang, it’s been a while. Are you here to buy or sell herbs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On their way back, Tao Ji had often dragged them to herb streets—streets lined with herbalists, vendors, and farmers. He’d already bought plenty and had no intention of buying more, so he asked directly: “Have you received any good vermilion lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper smiled. “You’re just in time—two days ago we acquired a box of exceptional vermilion. Take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to fetch it and returned shortly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The box was no bigger than a palm; when opened, it contained a pile of dark red vermilion pellets, each the size of a fingertip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun glanced at Tao Ji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji looked back—he immediately knew she wanted better, and said: “Shopkeeper, do you think I can’t afford it? This quality won’t do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper was astonished. “This isn’t good enough? Tao Daochang, have you struck it rich?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji cleared his throat. “Never mind that—show me anything better you have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper hesitated, then said: “There is better, but you know—vermilion is worth its weight in gold; top-grade vermilion is even more valuable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji: “Just bring it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper confirmed Tao Ji had come into money, smiled, and fetched another box—taking the first one with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned holding one box in each hand, placing the first aside and opening the new one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Tao Ji couldn’t help but be stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color was vivid crimson—bright yet steady, instantly captivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such vermilion was perfect for both talismans and elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji was tempted. “How much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper smiled. “Fifteen taels per qian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun grabbed Tao Ji’s arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji winced. “That’s far too expensive…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is top-grade vermilion,” the shopkeeper said. “I paid dearly for it from a herbalist in Guangxi. Even the shopkeeper of Huichun Hall tried to buy it and failed. I only brought it out for you, Tao Daochang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bargaining was useless—vermilion wasn’t like ordinary goods you could haggle over and simply switch vendors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because top-grade vermilion was rare—miss this chance, and you might never find it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun watched Tao Ji’s expression and understood instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the 26th century, top-grade vermilion was rare. Honestly, she’d seen such quality only a few times—and never owned any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was too good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun activated her cultivation method and stared again—confirmed, it was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gritted her teeth and whispered: “Buy it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji smiled at the shopkeeper, pulled Pan Yun aside, and whispered: “Are you sure it’s real?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well then—he suspected it was fake too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun nodded. “Real.” Tao Ji reached into his robe’s inner pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver was inconvenient to carry; when he’d exchanged silver for banknotes at the bank with Pan Yun, he’d converted a hundred taels into notes—his reward for extending Zhou Wang’s life, plus his fifty-tael share from Xuanmiao. Most of it had gone to supplies on the cart. If he spent a hundred taels now, he’d have almost nothing left…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji fished out a hundred taels reluctantly. “I’ll split it with you—I’ll take six qian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun lowered her gaze, thought a moment, then said: “I also need to buy some lower-grade vermilion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji immediately replied: “That’s cheap—based on my experience, about three taels per qian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun now had a clear idea and began calculating how much she could afford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper waited patiently nearby, even respectfully avoiding eye contact, pouring tea for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji returned. “How much in this box?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shopkeeper: “Only six liang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji glanced at Pan Yun. “We’ll take one liang six qian, and also some from the other box.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!. Read\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper beamed, happy to offer a slight discount on the second box: “I’ll charge you three taels per qian for this one—and throw in another box free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So generous?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun soon saw the free vermilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Called a “box,” it was no bigger than a fist; when opened, the vermilion inside was nearly identical to what she’d bought at the general store—full of impurities, dull color, clearly worth a few hundred wen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun bought one liang of top-grade vermilion and one liang of high-medium grade, spending 180 taels total. With the bonus, Tao Ji complained the shopkeeper was stingy—until he made him add more herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the shopkeeper packed the herbs, he studied Pan Yun—he’d noticed: most of the money came from this girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they’d divided the vermilion into two portions—one six qian, one one liang—clearly bought separately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper handed the herbs to Tao Ji, then turned to Pan Yun. “Tao Daochang, who is this guest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My disciple’s disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His junior sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged glances, then both looked at the shopkeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper chuckled awkwardly. “Ah, so you’re from Sanqing Temple. My apologies, young Daoist—next time you come to our shop, mention my name and I’ll give you a discount.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her sorrow over the expense vanished instantly; Pan Yun decided she’d return here if she needed more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the pharmacy, Tao Ji shoved all the herbs into Pan Yun’s arms. “You’ll need these on the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun frowned. “I don’t know much about medicine, but these herbs don’t match—how can they be used together?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just gather more herbs on the mountain to complement them,” Tao Ji said, glancing at her. “Your body is suited for elixir cultivation—why are you studying spellcraft like your junior sister?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added: “Trust me. When you reach Sanqing Mountain, first you’ll purify your body, then strengthen it—internal and external cultivation together. If you focus only on spellcraft, your body won’t hold up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time Pan Yun didn’t object—she merely glanced curiously at the herbs in her arms. “These are for body strengthening?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji nodded. “Yes. You’ll need to gather more herbs on the mountain—the temple should have some; I’ll show you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun softened toward him, smiled. “Thank you, Tao Daochang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji sighed inwardly: Truly, she’s sweet to those who feed her—calls him “Tao Daochang” when she needs something, otherwise ignores him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he knew their first meeting had been unpleasant, and trust hadn’t formed yet. Seeing her filial piety and righteousness, he chose not to hold grudges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji led her back to the cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuanmiao was already waiting beside it, calm as ever. Tao Ji immediately explained: “We went to buy vermilion. Look, junior sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No Daoist could resist top-grade vermilion—whether practicing elixir or talisman arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuanmiao rarely saw such quality; she pinched a bit, sniffed it, confirmed its authenticity, then asked: “How much did you pay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji winced. “Fifteen taels per qian. I’ve only thirteen taels left in cash.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Pan Yun stayed silent—she had little left too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuanmiao closed the box and returned it. “Tell your senior brother to reimburse you when we return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji’s eyes darted—he thought that was a good idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go. The daylight’s still good—we’ll leave the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Ji had rearranged the cart that morning, clearing a spot just for Pan Yun and the black cat—she no longer had to squeeze between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she was seated beside Xuanmiao, not in the back, to prevent her from falling off—the road from Yushan County to Sanqing Mountain was notoriously rough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun sat beside Xuanmiao and handed her the cold, half-eaten bun. “Xuanmiao Xianshi, about the matter I asked you to handle…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Already done,” Xuanmiao said. “Someone will soon visit your hometown in Changzhou Prefecture. As soon as there’s news, it’ll be sent to Sanqing Mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun exhaled in relief, gushing praise: “Xuanmiao Xianshi, you’re not only beautiful and kind, but also well-connected…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuanmiao said: “Once you enter Sanqing Mountain, you’ll be my disciple’s disciple. We’re fellow sect members—I’m helping you because it’s right, not because you call me ‘Xianshi.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lucky number for this chapter is any number ending in 1, screenshot as proof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1676,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","57db4a00fbf61fc0461fe6d9c3c2cadd5616f3e98c85c928c0a2a16811791a9a","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-35","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-33",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]