# Chapter 5:
After three days in Long Qing City, Chen Lin was beginning to feel bored and restless. Old Yang Wei spent most of his time with his friend Chang Lao, whispering about things Lin wasn't allowed to hear. And when Yang Wei did train Lin, he focused only on breathing and meditation—things Lin found tedious and pointless.
"When will I learn real combat skills?" Lin asked impatiently as they sat in their room, meditating in the lotus position.
The old man slowly opened his eyes and gave Lin a scrutinizing look. "When you master the basics. You cannot build a palace on foundations of sand."
"But I have mastered breathing and meditation!" Lin protested. "I can feel the qi flowing through my body now. I want to learn how to use it."
The old man sighed. "Very well, perhaps it's time to move to the next stage. But not here. We need a more spacious location."
"We could go outside the city," Lin suggested eagerly.
Yang Wei shook his head. "Too dangerous. Prince Zhao's patrols roam the area. But..." he paused, as if considering something. "There is another place we could go."
"Where?"
"The Shadow Market."
Lin's eyebrows rose in surprise. "The Shadow Market? What's that?"
"A secret market beneath the city, in a network of ancient tunnels and caves. They sell everything forbidden or rare: weapons, drugs, banned books, and even... information."
Lin's eyes widened with curiosity. "How do we get there?"
"Chang Lao will guide us. He has connections there."
That night, after Chang Lao closed the inn, he led them through a maze of narrow alleys and back streets. The darkness was thick, the moon hidden behind dense clouds. Lin wore a black cloak that concealed his white hair, while the old man wore simple clothes that wouldn't attract attention.
"Remember," Chang Lao whispered as they walked. "In the Shadow Market, don't look directly into anyone's eyes, and don't ask too many questions. And most importantly: don't reveal your true identities."
He stopped before a rusty iron door at the end of a dark alley. He knocked three times, then twice, then once. After a moment, a small peephole in the middle of the iron door opened, and a pair of suspicious eyes appeared.
"The night is long," Chang Lao said in a low voice.
"And the shadows longer," came the reply from inside.
The iron door opened, revealing a large man wearing black leather armor. He nodded for them to enter without speaking a word.
They entered a small, dark room with a stone staircase leading downward. They descended the stairs, which seemed endless, until they reached a long tunnel lit by spaced torches.
"Follow me and don't stray," Chang Lao said. "You can easily get lost here."
They walked through the tunnel for several minutes, turning right, then left, then right again. Lin tried to memorize the path, but soon lost his bearings in the maze of tunnels.
Finally, they reached a large stone gate guarded by two armed men. Chang Lao nodded to them and pushed a gold coin to each. They opened the gate without a word.
What Lin saw beyond the gate made him stop in amazement. There was an enormous cave, larger than he had imagined, illuminated by thousands of candles and torches. Throughout the cave were stalls, tents, and platforms, behind which stood vendors of all shapes and sizes, displaying strange and rare goods.
"Welcome to the Shadow Market," Chang Lao said with a smile, enjoying Lin's astonishment.
The place was bustling with activity and life. People of all races and genders wandered between the stalls, negotiating and exchanging goods. There were warriors in black armor, sorcerers in colorful robes, merchants in luxurious clothes, and even some creatures Lin had never seen before.
"What is this place?" Lin asked in a hushed voice, unable to hide his admiration.
"It's a parallel world," the old man answered. "A world that lives beneath the surface of the city, away from the laws of princes and kings. Here, power and money are the only law."
Chang Lao led them through the market, avoiding some areas and pointing to others. "There they sell rare weapons," he said, pointing to a group of stalls on the right. "And there, forbidden books and ancient manuscripts," he added, pointing to the left.
Lin suddenly stopped, his attention caught by a small stall displaying gleaming swords. The swords were different from any he had seen before, with thin blades and handles decorated with precious stones.
"Qi swords," said the old man, noticing Lin's interest. "Special swords through which qi can be channeled, making them more deadly than ordinary swords."
"I want one," Lin said immediately.
The old man laughed. "These swords are extremely expensive, my young friend. And even if you could buy one, you're not ready to use it yet."
Lin felt frustrated, but he didn't argue. He knew the old man was right. He wasn't ready yet.
They continued walking until they reached a large tent at the far end of the market. The tent was made of dark red fabric, and two massive guards stood at its entrance.
"We've arrived," Chang Lao said. "This is Lady Lin's tent, the information trader."
"Lady Lin?" asked Chen Lin, surprised by the name similarity.
"No relation to you," the old man reassured him. "Lin is a common name."
Chang Lao approached the guards and whispered something in one's ear. The guard nodded and allowed them to enter.
Inside the tent, the air was warm and perfumed with incense. Silk cushions were scattered on the floor, with a low table in the center bearing a teapot and small cups.
Behind the table sat a middle-aged woman of captivating beauty despite the fine wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Her long black hair was pinned up with silver hairpins, and she wore a red dress embroidered with gold threads.
"Chang Lao," she said in a voice smooth as silk. "Once again you bring me interesting guests."
"Lady Lin," Chang Lao bowed respectfully. "I present my old friend, Li Chong, and his grandson Li Hao."
The woman smiled a mysterious smile. "Li Chong... or should I say, Yang Wei, the reclusive sage from the Qing Long Mountains?"
The old man froze for a moment, then relaxed and smiled. "Your reputation never disappoints, Lady Lin."
"And this young man..." she looked at Chen Lin with penetrating eyes. "White hair hidden under a black cloak. Is he the one the prophecy speaks of?"
"How did you know?" Lin asked, amazed at her knowledge.
She laughed a delicate laugh. "My dear, information is my trade. I know everything that happens in this kingdom, and beyond."
She gestured for them to sit on the cushions. "Please. The tea is fresh, and I'm curious to know what brings Yang Wei to my city after all these years."
They sat, and she poured them tea in small cups. The tea was green and had a strong aromatic scent.
"We're looking for information," the old man said directly. "Information about an ancient temple in the Qing Long Mountains."
Lady Lin raised an eyebrow. "The Temple of the Five Spirits, isn't it?"
The old man nodded. "So you know."
"Of course I know. Prince Zhao is looking for it too. He has sent teams of soldiers and explorers into the mountains, but they've found nothing."
"Because the temple is protected by ancient spells," the old man said. "It can only be seen with special eyes."
"Or with the help of a special map," Lady Lin said with a sly smile.
The old man immediately perked up. "Do you have a map to the temple?"
"Perhaps," she said, enjoying her game. "But information has a price, as you know."
"And what is the price of this information?" the old man asked cautiously.
Lady Lin thought for a moment, then looked at Chen Lin. "I want something from this young man."
Lin felt tense. "What do you want from me?"
"A small service. There's someone in the city I want you to... deal with."
"You mean kill him?" Lin asked directly.
Lady Lin laughed. "No, no. I'm not an assassin, my dear. I just want you to steal something from him."
"And what is this thing?"
"A ring. A red ruby ring he always wears on his right finger. He's a wealthy merchant named Wang Shi. He lives in a palace in the northern district of the city."
Lin looked at the old man, wondering what to do. The old man seemed hesitant.
"Why don't you send one of your men to steal the ring?" the old man asked.
"Because Wang Shi's palace is well protected. Trained guards, traps, and even some qi users. But this young man..." she looked at Lin with admiration. "I can see he's talented. And his white hair might be an advantage. People fear the strange and different."
Lin thought about it. He knew stealing the ring would be dangerous, but he needed that map if he wanted to get revenge on Prince Zhao. And honestly, he was craving excitement after days of boredom.
"I'll do it," he finally said, ignoring the concerned look from the old man. "I'll steal the ring."
Lady Lin smiled a satisfied smile. "Excellent. When you return with the ring, you'll get the map."
"How do I know you'll keep your word?" Lin asked suspiciously.
"In the Shadow Market, one's word is the most valuable currency, my dear. If I break my promise, I'll lose my reputation, and thus my business."
That seemed logical to Lin. "Alright, we have a deal."
"Excellent!" Lady Lin clapped her hands happily. "I'll give you a map to Wang Shi's palace, and information about his daily routine. He usually only removes the ring when he bathes, which he does every night before sleeping."
"And how do I enter the palace?" Lin asked.
"That's up to you," Lady Lin said. "Part of the test is figuring out how to overcome obstacles yourself."
After further discussion about the details, they left Lady Lin's tent with a map to Wang Shi's palace and information about his routine.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" the old man asked as they were returning through the Shadow Market. "We can find another way to locate the temple."
"No, I want to do this," Lin insisted. "I'm good at stealing, remember? And I need to practice my skills."
The old man sighed. "Very well, but you'll need additional training before you go. I'll teach you some qi techniques that might help."
Lin smiled happily. Finally, he would learn something useful! And he would return to what he was good at: stealing and deception. But he didn't know that this simple mission would dramatically change the course of his life.