Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation
96. The Genius Bin Yu

Jin Shu was lost in thought as they made their way into Phoenix City.

His arms rested over Biyu and Li Xue’s shoulders as they supported him, making it easier for him to walk.

He had told them—repeatedly—that he could manage on his own. But the moment he tripped and nearly planted his face into the street, they ignored his protests and insisted on holding him up.

Luckily, the alchemist’s shop wasn’t far.

As they moved through the streets, Jin Shu noticed women casting glances his way, whispering among themselves.

News travels fast, huh?

It had only been a few hours since the incident at the city gates, yet it seemed word had already spread.

Ignoring the murmurs, he shifted his focus to the city itself.

The streets were wide and meticulously clean, paved with white bricks, lit every few steps with red lanterns. Every few hundred feet, red bricks formed intricate phoenix patterns—each one different from the last. The buildings were wooden, either one or two stories tall, their architecture both elegant and practical.

At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary, well-planned city. But then Jin Shu noticed something else.

The layout wasn’t just organized—it was designed.

Each building, each street, each detail had a purpose beyond aesthetics or convenience.

His eyes widened.

This entire city is a formation.

He quickly scanned his surroundings, his mind racing to piece together its structure. He couldn’t see the whole pattern from ground level, but the ley lines were unmistakable.

“Wow!” The exclamation escaped him before he could stop it.

Biyu turned her head, concern flashing in her jade-green eyes. “What? Are you hurting?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine. I just didn’t realize it was possible to craft a formation this massive.”

She blinked. “What formation?”

He tilted his head at her. “This one.”

Lifting a finger, he pointed to the ground, tracing where the ley line ran beneath their feet. “This city is a formation. You didn’t know?”

She frowned. “Master never mentioned anything about that… and I’ve never heard anyone else talk about it either.”

Li Xue’s ears twitched. “What’s it do?”

Jin Shu shook his head. “No clue. I can recognize some of the structure, but without a bird’s-eye view, I can’t tell what its purpose is.”

Before they could dwell on it further, Tian Li’s excited voice rang out.

“We’re here!”

She practically skipped ahead, cradling the still-sleeping Yin’er in her arms.

Jin Shu sighed at her enthusiasm, but he couldn’t help smiling. At least someone’s having fun.

The reason for Tian Li’s excitement was obvious—the little tiger girl cradled in her arms.

Yin’er had refused to wake up, and with Jin Shu’s aching limbs, carrying her himself was out of the question.

Tian Li had jumped—literally—at the opportunity.

She had scooped Yin’er up and dashed ahead like a bandit making off with stolen treasure. Every time someone passed her in the street, she would glare and clutch the sleeping cub tightly to her chest, as if daring them to even think about taking her away.

Luckily, thanks to the rumors of her recent instability, most disciples gave her a wide berth. Outside of the occasional greeting, no one dared to bother her.

They entered a large, two-story building.

The moment Jin Shu stepped inside, his senses were assaulted by the overwhelming scent of medicine and herbs. The air was thick with it—strong, but not entirely unpleasant.

“Welcome!”

A bright, youthful voice called out from the other end of the shop.

Behind the front desk stood a small girl, no older than eleven or twelve. She had fiery red twin tails and a smile so cheerful it practically radiated warmth.

“Oh! Senior Sisters Fan Biyu and Tian Li! What brings you here? Is it because of Senior Sister Tian Li’s instability?” She shook her head, making her twin tails sway back and forth. “If so, we can’t treat that here.”

“Hello, Bin Yu.” Biyu greeted her with a nod. “We’re actually here for something else. We need pills for her injuries.” She gestured toward Jin Shu.

Bin Yu tilted her head, her expression puzzled.

“Oh? I don’t recognize her. Is she a friend from outside the sect?” She leaned forward, studying Jin Shu with the curious intensity of a puppy sniffing out a mystery.

“Yes,” Biyu confirmed smoothly. “Now, can you recommend some pills to help her recover?”

Bin Yu brightened. “Of course! I have grade 1 and 2 pills in stock, but if it’s not urgent, I can refine some grade 3 pills by the end of the day.”

“What about grade 4?”

“Uh… that would be tricky. I’m not too confident in my ability to concoct them yet.”

Jin Shu leaned down and whispered to Biyu, keeping his voice deliberately low.

“Each grade of medicinal pill corresponds to a cultivation realm, right? So does that mean this little girl can concoct pills at the Spirit Realm?”

Before Biyu could answer, Bin Yu puffed out her chest and struck an arrogant pose.

“That’s right! Because I am Bin Yu, the Eastern Region’s greatest alchemical genius!” She grinned, eyes sparkling with pride. “I’m the only quasi-fourth-grade alchemist under the age of thirteen in the entire Eastern Region!”

Jin Shu blinked in surprise.

He had purposefully lowered his voice to a level that even a Spirit Realm cultivator would struggle to hear at this distance—yet this girl had caught every word.

She smirked, tapping a finger to her ear.

“My ears are my strong suit,” Bin Yu declared, continuing to tap her ear with pride. “With these babies, I can even hear the ingredients mixing inside the pill furnace!”

Jin Shu raised a brow, genuinely impressed. “Wow! That’s amazing.”

“Of course I’m amazing!” She grinned, chest puffed out. Somehow, she managed to sound completely narcissistic rather than humble.

Jin Shu chuckled and pulled out his coin pouch. “How much are your pills? I’ll buy as many grade 3 pills as you can make and however many grade 2 pills you have in stock.”

Biyu and Tian Li turned to him with strange looks.

Then Bin Yu burst into laughter.

“Ahahaha! Sister, you’re hilarious!”

Jin Shu blinked. “...Huh?”

Biyu sighed. “Jin Shu, you can’t buy pills here. Not with gold. Not even with spirit stones.”

His brows furrowed. “Oh? Then how do you pay for them?”

“With Sect Contribution Points,” Bin Yu answered, still giggling. “Buuuut if you have spirit stones, I definitely won’t say no to those either.”

She visibly perked up at the mention of spirit stones, eyes practically sparkling with greed.

Jin Shu hesitated. “Uh… no. Just gold.”

The light in her eyes died instantly.

“Oh… okay,” she muttered, slumping over the counter like a deflated balloon.

“We’ll take twenty grade 2 pills each and come back by the end of the day for however many grade 3s you can prepare,” Biyu said, releasing Jin Shu’s side and stepping toward the counter.

Bin Yu immediately perked back up, holding out her hand expectantly.

Biyu reached into her sleeve and retrieved a small jade slip, placing it in the girl’s outstretched palm.

Bin Yu pulled out her own jade slip and tapped them together. A brief flash of light flickered between them before she handed Biyu’s slip back.

“Thank you for your business!” she chirped.

Then, with practiced efficiency, she took out four small pouches and handed them over.

“Come back by sunrise, and I’ll have your pills ready.”

“Thank you, Bin Yu,” Biyu said.

“No problem! Bye-bye!”

With that, the little alchemist turned and darted up the staircase behind the counter.

A second later, her head popped back down.

“Oh! Turn the sign to closed, please!”

And then she was gone.

Biyu shook her head, exasperated but amused, before turning back to Jin Shu. She handed him and the others a pouch each before returning to his side to support him again.

“Is this okay?” Jin Shu asked, lifting the small pouch. “You don’t need to save those points?”

“It’s fine. I have more than enough.”

“Junior Sister Biyu has the second highest contribution score,” Tian Li added. “Even I’m ranked below her.”

“That’s only because you don’t take as many missions,” Biyu said nonchalantly.

Jin Shu nodded. “Thanks.” He reached into the pouch, pulled out a small, round white pill, and popped it into his mouth.

“Whoa! The second highest?” Li Xue asked, peeking around Jin Shu. “Then who’s number one?”

“Senior Sister Liu Hua,” Tian Li replied.

Jin Shu swallowed the pill, feeling it dissolve as it traveled down his throat. Warmth spread through his body, and the pain dulled almost instantly.

“You have a Senior Sister?” Li Xue asked, tilting her head. “I thought you were the most senior of your generation?”

“Senior Sister Liu Hua is the Grand Elder’s disciple,” Tian Li explained. “Technically, she’s from the same generation as our masters.” She gestured toward Biyu. “But she joined just as that generation ended and the next one began, so she’s considered the most senior of this generation.”

“Oh.” Li Xue nodded in understanding.

Jin Shu rolled his shoulders, testing the lingering soreness. “I’m much better now. I can move on my own.”

He stepped away from Biyu and Li Xue, standing on his own for the first time since they arrived. The pain was still there, a dull ache beneath his skin, but the pill had done its job. At least for now.

“Let’s go out, see the sights, and have some fun,” Jin Shu said with a smile, making his way to the door.

Gurgle.

“Hungry…”

A sleepy voice mumbled as a stomach rumbled.

Everyone turned to Tian Li—more specifically, to the little girl in her arms. Yin’er rubbed her tired eyes with one hand and patted her stomach with the other.

Jin Shu chuckled. “Well, I guess we know our next destination.”

The women laughed along with him as they stepped outside. Before leaving, Biyu flipped the sign in the window.

They made their way through the streets of Phoenix City, with Tian Li and Biyu occasionally pointing things out to Jin Shu and Li Xue. Eventually, they arrived at a large building—one that stood out from the others.

Unlike the standard one- and two-story structures, this was a towering three-tiered pagoda. Groups of women came and went in pairs or more, their laughter and conversation spilling into the streets. A warm, fragrant aroma drifted from the open doorway, instantly making Jin Shu’s stomach tighten in anticipation.

Yet it wasn’t the scent of food or the beautiful women that caught his attention.

His gaze sharpened as he studied the pagoda. It was the focal point of the massive city-scale formation. If the formation had a master, they were likely here. Unless, of course, it was left unattended—which he highly doubted.

Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, a loud voice rang out behind them.

“Tian Li!”

Biyu, Li Xue, and Tian Li turned at the call.

Jin Shu spared one last glance at the pagoda before following their gaze.

When he turned fully, he froze, stunned by what he saw.