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Status Update and Billing Pause
Hi guys,For the last few weeks I've had fairly constant wrist pain that gets worse when I type and a bout of insomnia (largely related to the wrist pain). It has been getting a little better lately but writing is still a struggle. I'm also hesitant to move anything from the "rough draft&...
Dao of the Deal 71. Yize Interlude (3)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The maid handed over the silver. Yize gave her three boxes of perfume in exchange. Part of him was shocked that it had been so easy to convince the young lady to part with another five taels, but fortunately he was not one to show his emotions easily on his fac...
Dao of the Deal 70. Yize Interlude (2)
AN: I'm very sorry about the delay. I've had a rough week. I will do my best to build the buffer of advanced chapters back up ASAP.< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Unfortunately, hunting down customers for Flower Mountain's perfume was still a task at which Yize was very much a nov...
Dao of the Deal 69. Yize Interlude (1)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Yize sat comfortably on the driver's bench and gave the reins a snap. He did it more to make himself feel like he was doing something than for any real purpose. Huichen ignored him and continued trundling along, the mule pulling the cart through the forest ...
Dao of the Deal 68. Recruiting (5)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >With a working agreement in place, it was time to show Junfeng where he'd be staying. He'd need time to get settled in before Muchen took him on a full tour of the sect. Not to mention he could use the time to give his arm another looking over.Junfeng f...
Dao of the Deal 67. Recruiting (4)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The specter didn't respond right away. Instead, he looked Muchen slowly up and down. Muchen could feel a phantom pressure on his shoulder blades, the natural result of the difference in their cultivation. If Xinyi wasn't present, he knew they would be h...
Dao of the Deal 66. Recruiting (3)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >High level cultivators were notoriously difficult to kill. Destroying their physical bodies was already quite difficult, and was only the first step towards actually killing them. On the other hand, high level cultivators were also notoriously good at killing t...
Dao of the Deal 65. Recruiting (2)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Junfeng took a moment to think over Muchen's comments on the dao. After a moment, he gave a thoughtful nod. Muchen was glad that he was at least willing to consider what he had said."Like I said, I'll accompany you to Li Village," Muchen said. &...
Dao of the Deal 64. Recruiting (1)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The usually cheerful disciple looked rather the worse for wear. His right arm was in a sling, the pain visible on his face as he forced himself to keep walking. As he drew closer Muchen could make out his bloodshot eyes and just the hint of unshaven stubble on ...
Dao of the Deal 63. Spirit Stones (7)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Junfeng fell to his knees, screaming in agony as he cradled his broken arm. His face went pale, the flush of his strengthening technique vanishing in an instant. Though no broken bones broke through his skin, what little Muchen could see of his arm was badly mi...
Dao of the Deal 62. Spirit Stones (6)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Hong frowned, his fine features somehow adding a touch of elegance to the expression, before making his way forward. The crowd parted before him. He didn't even have to vary his stride as he approached the sparring ring. Junfeng might be able to laugh and j...
Dao of the Deal 61. Spirit Stones (5)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The dining room fell into shocked silence. Next to Muchen, Elder Yang sighed. Finally, a chorus of laughter broke out down below.After a moment, another disciple walked over and prodded the sleeping disciple awake. Junfeng blinked lazily as he sat up, lacing hi...
Dao of the Deal 60. Spirit Stones (4)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The Iron Bones sect was of modest size, in the sense that all of its members could fit into one dining hall. That small group of people, though, represented a great deal of combat power.From his spot on the stage, Muchen could see the sect's development pip...
Dao of the Deal 59. Spirit Stones (3)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The layout of the Iron Bones sect was simple and straightforward. A cluster of buildings formed the administrative heart of the sect. To one side were the residences of the sect disciples, while on the other was temporary housing for guests like Muchen. As a re...
Dao of the Deal 58. Spirit Stones (2)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Diplomacy between sects was a tricky business. The comprehensive idea of something like diplomatic immunity was, of course, a distant dream. On the other hand, most sects adhered to some basic civilized norms of behavior and at least didn't outright murder ...
Dao of the Deal 57. Spirit Stones (1)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >After the planning meeting, Muchen didn't see Zihan much. Xinyi had been serious about taking a promising student under her wing. She had also been serious about the remedial lessons Zihan would be enduring. Muchen felt a bit of jealousy, but only a bit. If...
Dao of the Deal 56. Sect (6)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Muchen never would have dared to introduce this idea at an established sect. Trying to wrench the management rights away from an entrenched master-disciple relationship would lead to open revolt. Even now, with students a mere hypothetical possibility, Zihan co...
Dao of the Deal 55. Sect (5)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Muchen parted ways with Zihan when it was nearing dark. He felt confident that he had managed to dispel most of his personal doubts. While it was still possible that she could lose faith in their sect and choose to flee to greener pastures, he had managed to im...
Dao of the Deal 54. Sect (4)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >While Muchen kept plugging away at his cultivation, the hired hands from Li Village moved on to further construction projects on top of the mountain. After another few weeks of effort and another dent in Muchen's silver stockpile, their little compound at t...
Dao of the Deal 53. Sect (3)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The flickering sparks cast harsh shadows on Xinyi's face that shifted several times a second. The strobe light effect was strangely harmonious with her manic grin."It's suitable for the Storm Dragon scripture," she said, her voice carrying easil...
Dao of the Deal 52. Sect (2)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Any sect with serious aspirations had to be strong in three areas: its secret techniques, its people, and its physical infrastructure. Of those, a complete set of secret techniques was the hardest to come by. Muchen had acquired the Storm Dragon scripture in a ...
Dao of the Deal 51. Sect (1)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Muchen picked up a few more barrels of wine while he was in Jiuli City, still sticking to the cheapest stuff he could find. After multiple rounds of distillation and filtration most of the original taste would be gone anyway. He still felt pain in his heart as ...
Dao of the Deal 50. Bracelet (11)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >After Xinyi cowed the quarrelsome elders, the rest of the meeting went smoothly. Muchen had to take over and smooth some ruffled feathers, but he didn't mind playing the good cop to Xinyi's murderous cop.The funny thing was that her evident willingness ...
Dao of the Deal 49. Bracelet (10)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >It took a little more persuading, but in the end Zihan agreed to hear him out once she was sober. Getting Shuchang to the meeting was a bit trickier, but in the end he couldn't resist the lure of a solution to his romantic dilemma. He showed up to the bar a...
Dao of the Deal 48. Bracelet (9)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Muchen woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache. When he took into account how much booze he'd put away it was relatively mild, but it still wasn't a pleasant way to start the day. He forced himself to crawl out of his bedroll and step into th...
Dao of the Deal 47. Bracelet (8)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Muchen didn't recognize whatever treasure the beast was carrying, but he could see its effect on the rest of the team. Shuchang, in particular, reacted as though he'd been electrocuted."Hurry!" Shuchang said, breaking into a run. He barely broke...
Dao of the Deal 46. Bracelet (7)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >The lunging beast collided with the flat of the blade. The shock of the impact sent Muchen staggering backwards, thankfully towards the relative safety of his team's position. He managed to extend his arms and force the snarling mutated head away from him. ...
Dao of the Deal 45. Bracelet (6)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Their hunting party set out the next day bright and early. Everybody involved seemed to be in good spirits. Muchen had some butterflies in his stomach, but did his best to put a good face on things. For his part, Shuchang seemed as chipper as ever. The act of l...
Dao of the Deal 44. Bracelet (5)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >Muchen joined his hunting party for dinner. The six of them gathered in front of Shuchang's tent. As the leader of their expedition and the leader of their party, Shuchang naturally commanded the position at the head of the camp, near the north gate. He'...
Dao of the Deal 43. Bracelet (4)
< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >He spent the next few days gathering information and dodging bar fights. There was a limit to what he could pick up without being nosy enough to draw attention, but Muchen was able to confirm the basic outline of the situation.Zihan was from a small family. Her...
