Treat the less-fortunate with respect for one day their destiny may change

Bai Hao spend 3 days in the clearing concocting more healing salves, after his first success he had a better understanding off medicine concocting and the intricacies that went into it which led to his success rate increasing to 50%. Other than eating and sleeping he spend every minute awake on making more healing salve and with each success the grin on his face got bigger and bigger. While his success rate had increased to 50%, it also meant that Bai Hao still failed half the time as well and each failure was as spectacular as the one before. Not a single animal could be found within 500 meters of the clearing as they instinctively avoided the area, those animals that were more courageous were soon seen leaving the area at top speed, either gagging from the horrible stench or scared out of their wits. The repeated failures had an effect on Bai Hao himself as well, if someone were to see him in the clearing they would think him to be child eating devil, getting ready to devour a soul. Bai Hao's eyebrows and hair were half burned with smoke occasionally wafting from his hair, his eyes were bloodshot from the irritation of smoke and his face was black from the soot of the fire, however the thing that people would say was the most sinister was the big grin that hung on his face while he was working. Despite his haggard look he had a good reason to be happy, his efforts were rewarded with multiple successful concoctions. After finishing his last batch successfully, he sat down his furnace extinguished on the side with a copper lying on the grass next to it, in front of him were 6 small glass jars, each the size of a baby's fist filled with a light pink clay. The clay gave off a sweet but pleasant smell and just by taking a deep breath Bai Hao could feel his blood surging. Carefully closing the glass jars and placing them in his bag, he got ready to return to the city, he had only 1 day left before the deadline but now he had the means to pay his rent and make a living. Generally, the simplest healing salves could be sold for 10 copper, however from the smell of these salves it was clear that the quality and strength of these healing salves was much higher than that, Bai Hao was confident he could get a good price for them. Taking a quick bath in the river stream, he packed up his stuff and set off on a return journey to the city.

After walking several hours back the way he had come, he could see the gate to Black Turtle city in the distance. The walls rising up high looked quite intimidating from here, and he could not imagine them ever being breached. As it was in the middle of the day, there were quite a few people trying to enter the city and a line was waiting in front of the gate. There were a multitude of different people waiting in line, merchants with their caravans of goods, farmers with their carts of vegetables and travelers on foot or horseback. Guards stood on either side of the gate, overseeing the procession, ready to interfere at the slightest commotion. The rays of the sun were beating down on the people waiting line, bringing with it a stifling heat that would make you feel uncomfortable and tired. "I hope the line moves quickly, it's too hot to be outside, I should be sitting inside with a fresh glass of melon juice or a tankard of ale" Bai Hao thought to himself. After 2 incense sticks of time it was his turn to enter the city, and just as he was about to pass under the gate, one of the guards blocked the way with his spear and pushed him back, "We don't need no beggars here in the city, get lost". After concocting for so many days in the mountains Bai Hao's clothes were dirty and full of burn marks from the fire, combined with his burned hair and his bloodshot eyes it was not too far-fetched to mistake him for a beggar. Bai Hao realized the misunderstanding and hurried to explain himself, however before he could even open his mouth he got ruthlessly kicked in the stomach "Are you deaf! I said, get lost." The other guards looked on with a grin on their face, guarding the gate was boring and any break from the monotony would be a welcome distraction. Bai Hao was gasping for breath while laying on the ground, attempting to get up he attempted to explain himself between his breaths "I'm not a beggar, I'm" before he could finish the sentence the guard started hitting Bai Hao without care "I don't care who you are, we don't want you in the city, now get lost or I will arrest you and you will rot in prison".

The beating was interrupted by the sound of a horse fast approaching the gate, the horse was a beautiful black mare, the glossy skin and well-defined muscles were signs of a top-quality steed that could only be kept by the most affluent noble houses in the city. On the horse sat a young woman, not older than 18 with a face that would only be seen in paintings, she had skin as white as snow and eyes that could mesmerize the soul of any man. She wore an expensive white gown made of the highest quality silk that shimmered in the sun. The women had an aura of authority that could only come from ordering others around, and she radiated a power that was a sure sign of an immortal cultivator. Bypassing the line of people waiting to enter the city, she directly rode to the front of the gate and was about to enter the city, upon seeing the scene of Bai Hao laying on the ground she stopped and with a frown on her face asked, "What's going on here". Upon seeing the women, the guard quickly straightened his back and made a deep bow to the young women, this was not someone he could offend "Lady Yue, I'm just teaching this beggar that he is not allowed in the city, we don't want the city to be overrun with these kind of people". Hearing his response, the frown on her face deepened, Lady Yue looked at Bai Hao and then moved her piercing gaze back to the guard, with a tone of authority that would not allow disobedience she said "Since when do you decide who is allowed in the city and not, you are only here to keep order, everyone has the right to enter the city as long as long as they are not a criminal. I order you to stop bothering him and to let him pass into the city". The guard kept his head down as he felt cold sweat on his back, this woman was not someone he could afford to ignore, with just a few words she could strip him of his career, with a deep bow he said "Yes Lady Yue, I will follow your command". Bai Hao quickly got up from the ground, grunting as his body protested the movement after such a beating and bowed to the lady "Thank you Lady Yue, I'm in your debt". She looked at Bai Hao with a radiant smile, "You don't have to feel thankful, it was your right to enter the city. We should treat those less fortunate than us with respect, for their destiny may one day change". Feeling satisfied that the matter was resolved, Lady Yue urged her horse forward and disappeared into the city, Bai Hao kept at the city long after Lady Yue disappeared and murmured to himself "What a good phrase, one day my destiny will change as well, and I will return the favor". The guard, feeling relieved turned to Bai Hao and said, "You better hurry up you rascal, you are lucky Lady Yue is kind-hearted next time, move along quickly, you are delaying those behind you". Feeling the dark gaze from the guard, Bai Hao quickly moved past and entered the city.