Dao of Money

Shen Bao, the leader of the Black Fang Hunting Party and a peak Qi Refinement realm cultivator, scowled as he leaned forward. His nose scrunched up in frustration as he locked his eyes with the Phoenix Tear Tavern’s owner, Luo Duyi. He scoffed. He was a man that was used to getting what he wanted, and the response that came from the tavern owner was something that definitely displeased him.

”What do you mean you don’t have moonshine?” he demanded, his index finger nail scratching the outer surface of the table with an ‘eek’. ”I was informed a man was here with a container of it just three days back. Did it already get sold out?”

Across from him, Luo Duyi kept his head lowered. He lifted his head just enough to catch the annoyed face of the cultivator.

”I’m sorry, Master Shen, but we didn’t buy it,” he said carefully. He hesitated, then added, ”But may I ask how you came to know of it?”

Shen Bao narrowed his eyes. ”Someone delivered a bottle of it to my estate yesterday,” he said, voice thick with displeasure. ”My subordinates thought it was poison at first, but when one of them dared to try it, they realized it wasn’t just safe—it was damn good. They brought it to me, and I have to say, it’s a fine drink. Not as refined as spirit wine, but it has a kick. A real, satisfying burn. Unlike the watered-down swill you all sell in this town.”

His lips curled slightly, whether in amusement or disdain was unclear. ”So tell me, why don’t you have it?”

Luo Duyi clenched his jaw, lowering his gaze. A frown etched deep into his forehead, his mind racing. He hadn’t expected this—hadn’t thought much at all when he rejected the young man who had come to sell the moonshine. But now, under Shen Bao’s scrutiny, he realized his mistake.

”Some people did try to sell it to me three days ago,” he admitted reluctantly. ”And I won’t lie, I liked it. But we couldn’t agree on a price, so they left. That’s the reason your people saw someone with moonshine entering the tavern. There’s nothing more to it. Please, believe me.”

Shen Bao studied him for a long moment, his sharp, wolf-like eyes measuring the truth in his words. Then he leaned back and let out a low grunt.

”Fine. Then tell me, where are these people? I’ll find them myself and buy the moonshine from them.” His voice turned harsh, a flicker of impatience threading through it. ”You need to understand, I don’t like something every day. But when I do, I make sure I get my hands on it.”Luo Duyi straightened hurriedly, nodding with forced enthusiasm. ”Of course, Master Shen! The whole city knows you don’t give up on things easily. There’s no way I wouldn’t be aware of that.”

Then, a crease formed between his brows. ”But... I actually don’t know where they are. They just left after saying they wouldn’t sell for the price I was offering. They didn’t give an address.” He hesitated, rubbing his chin. ”But if they sent you a bottle as a gift, they should still be in the city.”

Shen Bao’s fingers stilled against the table. A slow grin spread across his face, though there was nothing pleasant about it.

”Then we’ll just have to find them, won’t we?”

Luo Duyi wiped his hands on his apron, forcing a smile as he gestured toward the door. “Why don’t you try some other pub, Master Shen? Maybe someone else has what you’re looking for.”

Across the table, Shen Bao’s expression didn’t change. His wrinkled hands rested on the worn wood scraping the wood until little parts were stuck in his nails. Then, he shook his head. “I already did.”

Luo Duyi stiffened. “You… already did?”

Shen Bao nodded. “Yes. The ones who came to sell you moonshine tried every pub in the city. Not a single one of you offered them a good enough price.” He leaned forward, his lips curling into a slow smile. “If I hadn’t gone around myself and heard the same story from every other tavern, I wouldn’t have believed you so easily.” The corners of his lips curled up. “I would’ve taken my time getting the truth out of you.”

A cold sweat broke across Luo Duyi’s brow. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. “I… I’m glad then,” he stammered, forcing out an uneasy laugh. But as the silence stretched, an idea struck him. He straightened, his expression turning earnest. “Don’t worry, Master Shen. I’ll make sure I get the moonshine in stock next time you visit.”

Shen Bao’s smirk deepened. “I hope you do,” he said, his voice smooth. “Because from what I hear, a lot of people have suddenly started looking for this alcohol.”

Luo Duyi’s brows furrowed. “Where did you hear that from?”

Shen Bao chuckled, shaking his head. “I wasn’t the only one who received it out of nowhere. A lot of places where cultivators gather—inns, gambling dens, even brothels—have mysteriously acquired bottles of moonshine. And quite a few people found a gift waiting at their doorstep.” His eyes gleamed. “You’re not an idiot, Luo Duyi. You must have some idea of what’s going on.”

A flicker of realization dawned on the tavern owner’s face. His fingers tightened around the edge of the table as he connected the pieces.

Shen Bao continued, his voice almost casual. “Soon, demand will soar as these people search for more. If any pub manages to secure a steady supply, their business will boom overnight.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “Right now, the Zhu Clan controls the biggest share of the market—not just in the city, but in nearby towns and villages. But this is an opportunity.” His gaze sharpened. “A chance for another pub to close the gap.”

Luo Duyi exhaled slowly, then nodded. “I understand.” His face grew serious, determination setting into his features. He straightened his back. “Don’t worry, Master Shen. I, Luo Duyi of the Phoenix Tear Tavern, will make sure we have a batch of moonshine ready when you return.”

***

Even though Chen Ren had expected his plan to work, he had never imagined it would unfold this smoothly—or to this degree.

Not only had he managed to slip his moonshine into the hands of some of the most influential people in the city, but he had also spread it into public venues where cultivators gathered in large numbers—courtesan houses, training halls, gambling dens, and even some prominent inns. It wasn’t difficult. A few well-placed bribes ensured that the right hands carried the bottles to the right places.

From the start, he had known his alcohol would be a hit. Cultivators had stronger bodies, faster metabolisms—regular liquor barely scratched the surface of their tolerance. They needed something potent, something that could burn its way through their enhanced systems. And moonshine? It did the job better than anything else.

What he hadn’t expected, however, was just how much cultivators in this city loved their alcohol.

The reports from Zi Han and Hong Yi painted a clear picture—demand was rising faster than expected.

The first bottles had barely made their rounds, yet already, cultivators were searching for more. Their first stop? The bars and taverns scattered across the city. But none of them had any moonshine to sell.

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Chen Ren smirked. He could already imagine the panic spreading among the pub owners. Right now, they had to be scrambling, kicking themselves for turning away his sellers. Some were probably already making desperate attempts to source a new supply.

The Zhu Clan, in particular, had moved fast. One of their men had come to the inn, requesting a meeting on behalf of their master. Chen Ren had ignored it.

The timing wasn’t right yet.

If he caved too early, he’d lose leverage. No—he had to let them stew a little longer, let the demand climb higher. The game was still at halftime, and he had no intention of ending it prematurely.

A knock sounded at his door.

Chen Ren leaned back, exhaling slowly before speaking. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Hong Yi stepped inside. The moment the door shut behind him, he reached up, pulling away the mask that concealed his true face. His features shifted, revealing the familiar face that immediately locked onto Chen Ren.

“I just returned from the Black Lotus Tavern and the Dragon’s Fang Bar,” Hong Yi reported. “As you suspected, the rumors are starting to spread. Even regular folks are talking about our moonshine now.”

Chen Ren’s smile widened. ”Is that so?”

Hong Yi nodded. ”Yeah. Just like you said, rumors spread without us having to do anything. Now, even the mortals know that the city’s cultivators are interested in moonshine, and they want to try it themselves. There’s always someone in the bars asking for it, and the owners are going crazy.”

He paused for a moment before continuing. ”Zi Han also told me that we’ve received a lot of invitations—from both bars and individual cultivators—ever since they found out we were staying here.”

Chen Ren chuckled. ”Yes, but I’m stalling for now. Fortunately, Ashen City has strict laws, so I don’t have to worry about cultivators barging in uninvited. Just their servants, and they’ve been pretty amiable after learning that I’m a qi refinement cultivator.”

In Ashen City, Qi Refinement cultivators were considered heavyweights. The highest-ranking figures—the heads of stronger families and powerful hunting groups—were usually in the early stars of the foundation establishment realm, but they wouldn’t show their faces out a lot, and would be busy trying to advance their cultivation for more lifespan, being old men with a time limit.

Anyone with better talent in the young generation would have left for a sect long ago. That meant that as far as the city’s residents were concerned, a qi refinement cultivator like Chen Ren was someone to be treated with respect, if not outright caution.

That gave him all the time he needed to let the rumors about moonshine spread.

Another reason he had been left alone was the fact he had fed the bar owners—that he was part of a sect. Even if the city’s cultivators wanted to get their hands on his product, none of them were reckless enough to offend a sect, even one they hadn’t heard of before. Not over a mere drink, at least.

”So what are we going to do next?” Hong Yi asked. ”How long are we stalling for?”

Chen Ren’s gaze sharpened. ”Not much longer. Just one more day. After that, we’ll start hearing out the bar owners and see who’s willing to give us the best price.”

Hong Yi tilted his head. ”Do you want me to go with Zi Han to the bars and see how much they’re willing to pay now?”

Chen Ren shook his head. ”No. We’re far beyond the point of going to them. We have a product that’s becoming a hit among the city’s cultivators, and they want it. Let them come to us. Not separately, but all at the same time.”

Hong Yi raised an eyebrow. ”I see that you already have a plan, Sect Leader Chen?”

Chen Ren smirked. ”I do. And it’s something businesses often do when they’re trying to secure a partnership.”

Hong Yi’s eyes narrowed. ”And what’s that?”

”It’s simple,” Chen Ren said. ”It’s called a tender document.” He paused. ”Let me explain it to you.”

***

Zhu Yuan scratched the beard that had slowly grown along his jaw, his frown deepening as he leaned against his desk. He reached for the half-full mug of beer beside him and downed it in one gulp, but the bitterness only added to the headache brewing behind his eyes.

He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. ”It’s only been a year since I took over the tavern… but why am I already so close to losing it?”

Slumping back in his chair, he cursed his rotten luck. He knew that in business, there were opportunities that could make or break you—golden chances that, if seized, could secure wealth for years to come. But if ignored, someone else would take them and leave you in the dust. And recently… he had let one such opportunity slip through his fingers.

Just a few days ago, that man—Chen Ren—had come to him, offering to sell his alcohol. At the time, Zhu Yuan had turned him down. Not because the product was bad. No, far from it. He had been drinking since he was thirteen, sneaking sips from his father’s stash, and by eighteen, he was a regular at every bar in the city. He knew good alcohol when he tasted it, and that moonshine had been something else. Strong, smooth, and with a kick that would even affect a cultivator.

But still, he had refused to pay the price Chen Ren was asking. It was a product the city had never seen before, brought in by an outsider, no matter what sect he claimed to be from. Zhu Yuan had been sure that his decision was the right one—that Chen Ren would come crawling back, desperate to make a sale. Then, he could have forced him to sell for a fraction of the price.

Yet, instead of things going his way, demand for moonshine had exploded almost overnight. Now, even his uncles—the ones who usually left the bar matters to him—were asking about it.

The old men of the Zhu family held considerable power, each carrying decades of favors and influence. If they found out that he had turned down the contract for moonshine, Zhu Yuan was certain he wouldn’t just be scolded—he’d be taken down a notch, maybe even have some of his authority stripped. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

If another bar managed to secure the contract instead, then his Alehouse was doomed. That thought alone made his stomach churn, an unbearable emptiness gnawing at him no matter how much he drank or ate.

”All because of that damn man, Chen Ren,” he muttered under his breath, rubbing his face in frustration.

It wasn’t even like the fame of moonshine had started out of nowhere. Zhu Yuan knew Chen Ren was behind it and was pulling strings from the background.

He and his people had believed in their product enough to push it directly into the hands of the city’s big shots. Zhu Yuan didn’t know how they had managed to do it, but somehow, they had made all the influential figures in Ashen City taste moonshine.

And once those bottles ran dry, those same big shots had started looking for more. With each inquiry, rumors spread like wildfire. Every drunkard and alcoholic in the city had heard about moonshine by now.

Yet, despite the growing demand, Chen Ren refused to meet with him. In fact, he wasn’t meeting with any of the bar owners. He was keeping them all in the dark.

Zhu Yuan could only hope that this was just a negotiation tactic and not something worse. Because the only thing he truly feared now… was Chen Ren opening his own bar.

More competition was the last thing he needed—especially when the product in question catered directly to cultivators, a market that was already rare and highly profitable.

He exhaled sharply, tapping his fingers against the wooden desk as his mind spun in circles, weighing his options.

Then, a knock on the door.

”Come in,” he barked.

The door opened, and one of the receptionists entered, bowing slightly. In his hands was a parchment, the edges sealed with an unfamiliar mark.

Zhu Yuan frowned. ”What now?”

The receptionist straightened, clearing his throat. ”Young Master Yuan, one of Chen Ren’s men, just came by. He wanted to discuss the sales of moonshine.”

Zhu Yuan jumped to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. ”Is he still outside? Let me go meet him!”

The receptionist paled and shook his head hurriedly. ”No, he already left… but he left this.” He stepped forward, placing the parchment on the desk.

Zhu Yuan narrowed his eyes and snatched it up, tearing open the seal. His gaze ran from the top of the document to the bottom, his expression shifting from confusion to shock.

Then, he let out a harsh breath and muttered under his breath—

”What the hell is this… tender?”

***

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