Against The Eternity Chapter 15: [14] Chapter - 6: A Father’s Fury (Part - 1/2)

Read chapter 15 of Against The Eternity by Phoenixfly_steller on NovelPedia.

[14] Chapter - 6: A Father’s Fury (Part - 1/2) Anshvi moved around the shop with practiced ease, gathering the herbs that were available for Eklavya’s order. She opened jars one by one, each sealed carefully to preserve fragrance and potency, measuring portions with precise movements that revealed long familiarity with her craft. Some herbs were dried and stored neatly in labelled containers, while others grew fresh in small clay pots arranged along shelves and tucked into corners where sunlight reached just enough to keep them alive. Vines trailed gently along the edges of wooden racks, leaves brushing against hanging bundles of roots and flowers. Eklavya stood quietly nearby, watching and mentally counting each ingredient, ensuring nothing was missing. The rhythmic sounds of glass lids opening and closing filled the shop, accompanied by the faint rustle of leaves. After selecting the final herb from a jar, Anshvi packed everything tightly into layered wrapping, sealing the bundle with practiced efficiency. She placed it on the counter and smiled lightly. “Well, my dear, everything is ready.” Eklavya nodded in acknowledgement. “Ah, thanks. How much does it cost?” “A total of four thousand low-grade spirit stones,” she replied casually. Eklavya retrieved the pouch given to him by Elder Jawla — a storage pouch capable of holding far more than its size suggested, containing six thousand low-grade spirit stones. Such pouches were common among cultivators, miniature spatial containers with internal storage reaching nearly a hundred square meters. He handed it over without hesitation. Anshvi accepted it, counted swiftly through spiritual sense rather than physically, then returned the remaining stones in the same pouch. “So,” she asked, tilting her head slightly, “are we going back to your clan first to deliver these… or heading straight to the mountains?” “Clan first,” he answered. He stored the herb packages carefully inside the pouch before both stepped outside. Eklavya waited near the entrance while Anshvi locked the shop door, flipping the wooden sign firmly into place. The faint bell above the door chimed once more before silence settled behind them. Without further discussion, they began walking toward the Rudra Clan together. The marketplace remained as lively as before. Outsiders mingled freely with clan members, bargaining loudly over prices while merchants called out offers with dramatic enthusiasm. Laughter, arguments, and the clatter of carts blended into a familiar rhythm that gave the district its living pulse. Nothing about the scene hinted at divine inheritances or hidden powers awakening within a young cultivator — the world simply continued as it always had. After several minutes of walking, the towering gates of the Rudra Clan appeared ahead. Guards stationed at the entrance immediately straightened upon seeing Eklavya and greeted him respectfully. Eklavya approached one of them and handed over the pouch containing the herbs. “Give this to Elder Jawla,” he instructed calmly. “If he asks where I am, tell him I’ll arrive late.” The guard nodded without question and hurried inside. … Eklavya and Anshvi continued forward, leaving the pathways of the Rudra Clan behind as they crossed toward the outer market district. The clan market, built just beyond the main gates, no longer carried the same expansive presence it once had. Since the Rudra Clan had lost half of its trading territory, the marketplace felt noticeably smaller — stalls packed closer together, fewer merchant banners fluttering overhead, and gaps where thriving shops once stood now filled by temporary vendors. Even so, life persisted stubbornly. Merchants still called out prices, buyers still argued passionately, and the scent of trade lingered thick in the air. Without pausing, the two stepped through the thinning rows of stalls and exited the market entirely. Beyond it, the city unfolded in full motion. Streets stretched wide and crowded, alive with ene