At 9:00 AM, the morning winter sun cast pale golden light over Yanjing’s bustling Fourth Ring commercial district.
Snow had fallen during the night, dusting the rooftops and sidewalks in clean white powder. Along the grand boulevard, modern glass skyscrapers stood side-by-side with antique courtyards.
Directly at the prime intersection stood a magnificent seven-story structure built of carved white marble and glazed gold tiles: the Baicao Immortal Pavilion.
It was the luxury flagship retail store of the Hidden Spirit-Merchant Guild in northern Huaxia.
Outside its towering arched doorway, a thick spiritual wool carpet in royal crimson rolled down the heated marble steps. Twin golden braziers burned rare agarwood incense, perfuming the winter air with rich, spicy smoke that promised eternal youth to anyone wealthy enough to enter.
Only wealthy chaebol heirs in mink coats and high-ranking sect elders in embroidered brocade robes walked through the polished brass revolving doors.
A Taichu electric shuttle pulled up smoothly to the curb.
Lin Mo stepped out into the crisp morning air, dressed in his dark cashmere coat.
