BAM!
The heavy red sandalwood doors of Myriad-Pill Hall flew open with a loud crash.
Out marched Elder Dan, his fat belly jiggling under his silver-threaded four-cauldron Grandmaster robe, followed closely by ten white-robed Rank 4 Senior Alchemists carrying bronze incense burners, silver poison-testing needles, and glowing jade magnifying glasses.
“Out of the way! Everyone step back from that demonic shop!”
Elder Dan released his Rank 5 Early Foundation Establishment pressure as he stomped across the forty-foot street, pushing his way right up to the front counter of Dry-Well Two-Copper Pharmacy — Branch #1.
The three thousand customers waiting in line paused, frowning as the fat Vice-Pavilion Master blocked the doorway.
Inside the bright, clean pharmacy lobby, Pei Xuan was sitting in a cushioned armchair in the corner tea-nook, sipping a cup of cold Sweet-Spring lemon tea while Old Wei, Boom-Pot Sun, Hong Ling, and Abacus Su stood beside him counting the morning’s coin chests.
“Well, well,” Pei Xuan set down his teacup and smiled warmly at the sweating fat man in the doorway. “Vice-Pavilion Master Dan, right? If you are here to buy a twenty-copper family bag and get a free camel towel, the back of the line is three miles east outside the town gate.”
