None of the four disciples had even noticed Elder Bai Qingshui.
Not a flinch. Not a glance.
It was as if the old man was invisible to them.
Hao stared at Lin Yijun’s group, then back at the elder.
What the hell was the deal with this old man?
Should he… say something to Lin Yijun or Xiao Lianfeng?
Tell them that one of their sect’s elders had just ghosted past them like fog?
Hao scratched his head.
Then shrugged.
Nah.
The lazy part of Hao kicked in with full force.
That sounded suspiciously like effort.
Besides, this wasn’t his sect. Not his people. Not his responsibility.
If they couldn’t even notice their own elder sneaking soda, was that really his problem?
Hao yawned.
Right as he blinked four times, Elder Bai Qingshui was suddenly standing right in front of him.
His left hand held four cans of Lime Fizz.
His right held four cans of Cola.
How greedy!
If this were the Bible, this would be the kind of greed that turned cities to ash and summoned plagues.
Hao half-expected frogs to start falling from the ceiling.
This was the kind of behavior you’d find in ancient texts warning about the evils of desire.
“And behold, he who took more than one can shall know shame, and the price of burping twice.”
Hao pointed at the board on the wall where the store rules were written.
Elder Bai Qingshui’s gaze flicked over to the board.
He stared for two seconds.
No, one and a half.
He had clearly understood.
This strange little store had its own rules.
Bizarre as they were, they were still rules.
And he, a man of discipline, had no quarrel with following them.
Without complaint, he gently placed six crystals on the counter.
One for the Cola.
One for the Lime Fizz.
The remaining six cans in his grasp?
He quietly returned them to their shelf with almost no sound.
In less than 5 seconds!
His movements were so fluid and quiet, Hao nearly missed them.
It was like watching a falling leaf return to the branch it dropped from.
Before Hao knew it, the elder was standing right in front of him once again.
After a pause, the Elder Bai Qingshui finally spoke.
“…This one did not see the rule. I apologize for overstepping.”
No excuse, no fuss, no wasted breath.
Hao gave a small nod in return.
If anyone asked what kind of guy Elder Bai Qingshui was, Hao would now say:
The type to rob your whole shelf…
But only by mistake.
And only if he couldn’t read the sign.
Hao blinked.
’So… it’s my turn now, right?’
He stepped forward with a calm face and serious eyes.
The great return of a long-lost martial technique
The Art of Scanning Products!
Two cans in hand. One Cola. One Lime Fizz.
He swiped them over the scanner like he was drawing a sword.
Ding –
Transaction complete.
A cool nod. No words.
“…”
The elder just stared at him.
Not a stir. Not a breath.
Hao’s brows twitched.
’Is he judging me?’
’Or did he just witness the greatest technique he’d ever lay eyes on in his entire life?’
But no response came.
The old man hadn’t even blinked once since he entered.
Not once.
If someone told Hao the elder had just frozen in time, he’d believe it.
Elder Bai Qingshui looked like he was preparing for a deep nap…
Except his eyes wouldn’t shut.
Creepy.
Hao looked off to the side –
Finally, the four disciples had noticed the elder’s presence.
All four froze.
Hao nearly burst out laughing, but held it in with great effort.
What was so funny?
Lin Yijun and Xiao Lianfeng’s eyes were bulging so wide, they were ready to pop out of their sockets.
Especially Lin Yijun, who always looked chill and collected.
“E-Elder Bai?!”
The two cried out in unison.
Their voices overlapped awkwardly, glancing at each other before quickly shifting their gazes to Elder Bai Qingshui.
They were sure they hadn’t been trailed.
They did everything the elder and sect master instructed.
Looped three times through the city.
Took random paths.
Avoided any known eyes.
They did their part. They made sure no one came after them.
But…
With Elder Bai Qingshui’s level of mastery –
None of it mattered.
Even someone at the caliber of a sect master might not notice if this elder chose to fully hide his presence.
That was how terrifying the Pillar of Stillness was.
And yet…
He was never the type to meddle in others’ business.
So why… had he come here?
Pak!
A loud sound echoed.
Lin Yijun had slapped his own forehead.
The realization hit him like thunder on a clear day.
So that was it!
So that’s why Elder Bai Qingshui had come here!
It all started yesterday… at the lake near the Drifting Sword Sect.
Lin Yijun had gone fishing.
A quiet afternoon. A light breeze. Cola in one hand, Lime Fizz in the other.
He was planning to enjoy his peaceful break and maybe catch a few fat river fish for dinner.
But what he didn’t expect was –
That someone had silently taken the spot beside him.
That someone… was Elder Bai Qingshui.
And Lin Yijun, who had gotten used to the elder’s quiet presence around the sect, hadn’t thought much of it.
He gave a polite nod and went back to casting his line.
Then, the drinks kicked in.
The Cola enhanced his reflexes.
The Lime Fizz sharpened his mind.
His fingers moved as if they had a brain of their own.
Every time the fish so much as sneezed underwater, he felt it in his bones.
Splash!
Another one.
And another.
And another!
Lin Yijun operated like a demon-possessed fishing sage, line flicking with graceful arcs, catching one fat fish after another.
Elder Bai, meanwhile…
Remained utterly expressionless.
He said not a word. Just cast and reeled in silence.
But Lin Yijun, feeling good and bold from his victory streak, couldn’t help but keep count in his head.
Fifteen… sixteen… seventeen…
He was winning!
The elder only caught eleven!
Though… to be fair… each of Elder Bai’s fish looked like they could eat three of Lin Yijun’s in one gulp.
Still, numbers were numbers!
Victory was victory!
And so, Lin Yijun had quietly celebrated all the way home.
But now… now he realized –
That wasn’t a casual fishing trip.
That was a scouting mission.
A silent investigation. A field test for the drinks.
And what did Elder Bai Qingshui do after?
He traced the source.
