Chapter 60, Golden Fox Brush

Translator: StarReader

 

Su Chen held the heavy and cold golden brush in his hand, sensing its spiritual energy; his eyebrows rose in surprise. It was a treasure brush! Hardly any of them were genuine metal-attribute spiritual brushes! True metal spiritual materials were beyond what normal ones could ever compare. The spiritual energy it contained was extremely rich, not easily scattered after a few stirrings. Who knew just how the store owner even got such an exquisite brush?

 

“What is this brush called?” Su Chen asked.

 

The middle-aged shopkeeper, upon hearing Su Chen inquire about the prized treasure of the brush shop, grew animated as he recounted the origins of the brush.

 

“This brush is named the Golden Fox Brush,” he explained, “and it’s made from the fur of a golden fox native to the Golden Sacred Mountain of the Western Regions. Now, these golden foxes are highly elusive creatures—even the most seasoned hunters rarely catch sight of them.

 

“But during each summer season, they shed, and that’s when the fur collectors from the West venture up the mountain to gather it. They sell it to those in the know. There are traveling merchants who bring such fine goods down to various counties down the river, especially to Gusu City, which lies at the heart of the north and south river transport network. Many of these merchants carry similar treasures.

 

“Our shop replenishes our stock once a year, using just a small amount of this golden fox fur to craft a single high-quality Golden Fox Brush. However, few can afford such an extravagant brush. We only make one each year.

 

“This is no ordinary item; it’s a rare gem. Very few Daoists can afford to use such an expensive brush for drawing talismans. Even within the White Lotus Society, only the Elders ranked at seven or above can wield this precious brush to draw the White Lotus Talismans, and they say it works with remarkable efficacy and mystical power.

 

“I’ve heard that our own White Lotus Society Elders use it to great effect when drawing the White Lotus Talismans. If I could master that art myself, I’d put this brush to good use,” he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

 

“How much?” Su Chen asked immediately.

 

“Well, an ordinary brush only goes for a dozen of copper coins. But this one is made from rare materials, brought all the way from the distant west, and crafted with great care, so it’s a bit pricey—twenty taels of silver! But since we don’t sell these often, and I’ll rarely get another chance to sell one, I can cut you a deal. How about eighteen taels?”

 

The middle-aged shop owner twitched his eyebrows as if calculating the price.

 

He was very proud of this Golden Fox Brush. Its price was ten to twenty times that of other high-end brushes and hundreds of times more expensive than ordinary low-grade ones. It was this hundred-year-old store’s prized treasure and also its main source of profit. It accounted for nearly half of his annual income.

 

“I don’t have much money on me. This is too expensive. Can you lower the price a bit more? If you reduce it further, I’ll buy it.”

 

Su Chen was surprised.

 

Even at a discounted rate, the price was still quite substantial. However, since this was one of the key materials needed to make metal attribute talismans, he had no choice but to purchase it regardless of cost.

 

“You’re putting me in a difficult position. The production cost of this is extremely high. We only make one such each year, and they are usually snatched up by senior members of the White Lotus Society. It’s hard to reduce the price. How about this: young man, please wait a moment. In our rear warehouse, there is an unsold defective item, similar to this one but with slightly inferior fox fur quality. I’ll sell it to you for fifteen taels of silver.”

 

The middle-aged shopkeeper displayed a look of reluctant concern as he tapped the table in hesitation before speaking.

 

“Fine! Even if the color isn’t quite right, as long as it’s such a Golden Fox Brush, it will suffice. Please hurry up, sir; I’m eager to take it back to draw talismans.”

 

Su Chen pondered for a moment and nodded approvingly.

 

“Please wait just a moment while I retrieve it from the back storage!”

 

The middle-aged shopkeeper glanced at Su Chen several times more, but since Su Chen was wearing a straw hat that obscured most of his face and kept his head lowered, it was impossible to discern his features.

 

He didn’t linger to look further and quickly left through the back door.

 

…

 

Upon seeing the middle-aged shop owner exit through the back door, Su Chen’s smile faded, and he became composed.

 

During their conversation earlier, something felt off.

 

This middle-aged shop owner seemed normal at first, but when he heard that the young man genuinely wanted to purchase the Golden Fox Brush, his eyebrows twitched a few times, appearing tense.

 

At the end, the man’s hands were slightly trembling, and he had to lean on the table to hide his nervousness.

 

Though his act was skillful, but it didn’t escape Su Chen’s keen eyes.

 

Su Chen listened intently. After the shop owner left, he broke into a sprint, running towards a building half a mile away, panting heavily as he rushed.

 

Su Chen had once passed by that place—a high-end inn in Lou County, not some back storage.

 

“Things are definitely off!” he muttered.

 

Su Chen winced. He bolted out of the old brush store and dashed into a nearby alley. He hid in an inconspicuous small house several hundred feet away but stayed to observe what was happening at the old bookstore.

 

…

 

From a second-floor building, not far from the old brush store, Daoist Qingshi and three second-rate young Daoists were lounging around a room, idly tossing dice and gambling for small coins. There wasn’t much to do in Lou County otherwise—they had to entertain themselves somehow.

 

Over the past half year, Daoist Qingshi had been so frustrated he wanted to scream. And there was no outlet for his frustration because he had brought this upon himself.

 

It all started when they couldn’t find that mysterious thief or the jade slip scripture. During a meeting at Han Mountain Daoist Temple, Daoist Qingshi proposed a foolish idea: to set up a watch on all spiritual material sold across the entire Wu Region.

 

Lou County was clearly not as bustling as Gusus City. The place was desolate, with few entertainment options. Worse still, it was under the control of the White Lotus Society.

 

Though the White Lotus Society’s leader, Mao, hadn’t driven them out of Lou County because of Daoist Han Shan’s martial connections, these Han Mountain Daoists still dared not move freely there, fearing they might be mistaken for trying to establish a foothold for their teachings.

 

In Lou County, Daoist Qingshi had discovered that Li’s Brush Shop used materials from the West to create a special Golden Fox Brush pen capable of drawing talismans.

 

And so he was stuck in Lou County for half a year, confined to his inn, watching over the nearby pawn shop day and night. It felt like sitting in jail, waiting, waiting—until he thought he might suffocate from the boredom.

 

The middle-aged shop owner ran with great urgency. Daoist Qingshi had promised him a substantial reward—five hundred taels of silver—for helping him locate a specific individual. The instructions were clear: if someone inquired about the Golden Fox Brush worth twenty taels of silver, regardless of their identity—even if they were a disciple of the White Lotus Society—it was imperative to inform them immediately. This was to determine whether they were the thief who stole the precious scripture from Han Mountain Daoist Temple.

 

Upon reaching the inn, the middle-aged owner informed Daoist Qingshi that someone wished to purchase the valuable brush. In a flash, Daoist Qingshi, accompanied by three Daoists, rushed toward the shop. Without bothering to open the door, he unleashed his Eagle Claw, releasing a burst of True Qi nearly a foot in length. This formidable energy tore through the wooden door like paper, allowing him to enter the shop swiftly like a whirlwind.

 

“Where is he?” Daoist Qingshi barked as he stepped inside.

 

The old brush shop was empty, with its large counter, old door, and tables and chairs covered in dust, but not a soul in sight.

 

“Damn it! Just a blink of an eye, and they’ve disappeared!” said Daoist Qingshi angrily, slapping the counter with his palm. A massive surge of True Qi enveloped dozens of bamboo brushes, shooting out like spears. Half of them embedded themselves into the stone floor and wooden door behind.

 

If anyone had been hiding behind the counter or the door, they’d have been turned into a pincushion. The other few second-rate Daoists rushed in, saw no one inside the shop, and bolted out the front door to chase after them. But on the quiet street outside, there wasn’t a single soul in sight. They jumped onto the roofs, scanned all around, but spotted no trace of the fleeing figure, leaving them momentarily dumbfounded, clueless on how to proceed.

 

“Daoist Qingshi, he was just here! He said he wanted the Golden Fox Brush… Ah, where did he go?”

 

The middle-aged shop owner rushed into the brush shop, excited about the five hundred taels of silver reward he was about to receive. However, upon entering, he found the small store empty, with the counter shattered and everything in disarray. He was taken aback.

 

“Where is he? You said someone was here!” Daoist Qingshi coldly eyed the middle-aged shop owner and demanded in anger.

 

For over half a year, he hadn’t seen a single soul, spending his days in boredom at the inn. Finally, he had been informed by the middle-aged shop owner about a mysterious buyer of the Golden Fox Brush and, in his excitement, rushed over to apprehend the person. But alas, he was disappointed once more.

 

“Did you get a good look at him? What did he look like? Was he wearing a group’s or disciple’s attire?” Daoist Qingshi pressed.

 

“He wore a straw hat and a long hemp robe, spoke in a deep voice, and looked like an ordinary twenty-something civilian, not exactly a martial figure. Moreover, he mentioned he planned to take the brush back to draw talismans—perhaps learning from some senior within the White Lotus Society. Master Qingshi, upon hearing that he wanted to buy the Golden Fox Brush, I immediately came to inform you without delay. But that person was cunning enough to escape before I could catch him… What if you inquire with the White Lotus Society? Find out which new disciple is planning to learn how to draw talismans.”

 

The middle-aged shop owner was frantic, his brow drenched in sweat as he quickly explained. “This guy’s so cunning and paranoid—no doubt the scripture thief! But could we really believe his lies? He might be trying to lead us into a trap, stirring up trouble between Han Mountain Daoist Temple and the White Lotus Society.”

 

Fury burned inside Daoist Qingshi as he thought about it. He leaned in closer, his voice hard. “Describe the man’s appearance.”

 

The shop owner shook his head. “I couldn’t see his face because he was wearing a hat.”

 

Daoist Qingshi let out a frustrated sigh. If only they had more people and a sketch. He’d set up a net across the Wu Region. Maybe then they’d have a chance to catch him.

 

As it stood, there were just three or four Daoists stationed in Lou County, leaving them with no extra hands to spare.

 

Loud County, though a small county, was home to tens of thousands of people. On the White Lotus Society’s territory, conducting a sweeping search would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

 

Without finding anyone, he could only leave dejectedly with his men.

 

……

 

Su Chen cautiously hid himself in a distant civilian residence, watching the movements at the old brush shop with cold eyes.

 

Sure enough, just after several breaths, an old Daoist and three young Daoists rushed in.

 

Upon seeing that old Daoist, Su Chen was shocked to the bone. That old Daoist was none other than the fifth disciple among the five direct disciples of Daoist Han Shan!

 

Those were top-tier senior experts at Han Mountain Daoist Temple, ranking alongside Grandmaster-level cultivators and counted on one’s hands in the martial world.

 

“Han Mountain Daoist Temple set a trap after all!”

 

His lips were tightly pressed together, and his eyes burned with anger.

 

Su Che suspected that the Han Mountain Daoist Temple’s people might send someone to monitor these spiritual materials.

 

But since he hadn’t encountered anyone before, he couldn’t be certain.

 

Half a year had passed, and the martial world had long since calmed down. Surely Han Mountain Daoists couldn’t be watching all the time, right?

 

Never did he expect that, in this small county town of Lou County, which was over thirty miles away from Gusu City, Han Mountain Daoist Temple had dispatched a first-rate expert to keep watch.

 

He came dangerously close to being caught in that tiny old stationery shop.

 

With his current strength merely at the late stage of second-rate and his foundation in True Qi still shallow, he was no match for Daoist Qingshi.

 

Once trapped by Daoist Qingshi at the shop, escape was impossible. It seemed that Han Mountain Daoist Temple and their Daoists were still after the scripture, though no longer chasing people—they were keeping a tight watch over materials for making talismans.

 

“I merely wished to buy a brush, yet this shop dared to endanger my life. Since I can’t buy it, I’ll take it by force.” Su Chen’s expression turned cold as he turned and left.

 

…

 

Months later.

 

On a moonless night with high winds and dry air, Lou County’s brush shop caught fire overnight, losing numerous brushes. Among the missing items was a Golden Fox Brush, leaving the middle-aged shop owner heartbroken and wailing in grief.

 

The nearby residents who came to help extinguish the fire were unaware of the true situation and merely thought it was an ordinary fire incident. However, the middle-aged shop owner was well aware that this was retaliation from the river thief. Upon realizing he was exposed, Daoist Qingshi had already evacuated Lou County and fled.

 

He, as a commoner, could only do so much in terms of defense—how could he possibly guard against a river thief every single day? The man bitterly wept with regret.

 

All martial artists were cruel, taking pride in killing and pillaging. First, Daoist Qingshi had ruined his shop once, and now the river thief had burned everything he owned. This commoner shouldn’t have been greedy for silver and gotten entangled in this martial affair in the first place.