The vitality in the Life Spring water was too intense and its spiritual energy immensely rich; after drinking two drops in a row, the luan closed its eyes in a tipsy daze and fell sound asleep. Shi Yu carefully settled it next to the herb garden inside the Fate-Tapping Bell. Seeing it shake its wings in a woozy, utterly comfortable state, she withdrew her divine sense from the bell.
Pouring herself a cup of tea, Shi Yu took two sips before setting the cup down. She stood up and looked out the window, her other hand gently touching the life scale concealed beneath her eye. “Qingzhou, I’ve arrived in Hengze Prefecture. I wonder how you’re doing.”
The life scale gave no response.
After a brief moment of thought, Shi Yu sighed softly and shook her head. Separated as they were, there was nothing more she could do except push down her faint lingering worry. Fortunately, she had given Qingzhou plenty of cultivation resources earlier. With no shortage of pills and spirit talismans on him, he should be reasonably safe.
Since it was still early and she did not feel tired or inclined to rest, she tidied up and prepared to step out into the nearby streets to see if she could buy anything useful.
As the central prefecture capital of Changyuan Prefecture, Hengze Prefecture’s prosperity went without saying. Shi Yu left the inn and walked along the street. Here in the city center, the roads were twice as wide as those in Lingtai Prefecture, flanked by an intricate network of waterways. Pleasure boats glided past from time to time, filled with swaying silhouettes, weaving together the melodies of string instruments and cheerful laughter, wafting sweet fragrances on the breeze.
Withdrawing her gaze, she turned into one of the shops lining the street to look around.
The shop was quite large, and its goods were of solid quality. Aside from common cultivation materials, there were several spirit plants and materials she had never seen before—local specialties.
For instance, in a spirit pond in the center of the shop grew a spirit grass with lotus-like leaves and cyan flowers that exhaled a subtle fragrance. Tucked within its stamen was a crystal-clear drop of jade dew. With her keen insight as an alchemist, Shi Yu immediately recognized that this drop of jade dew held the core medicinal essence of the plant.
Another spirit plant floating rootlessly in the spirit pond possessed petals that shifted in color like flowing light, drifting along with the current in quite a singular fashion.
There was also a spirit pearl shaped like a genuine pearl, pale silver in color, emitting a refreshing chill.
I can buy a few of these unfamiliar spirit plants and materials to store in the Fate-Tapping Bell and see how I might use them later, Shi Yu thought.
Thinking this, she raised her head and called over a clerk to ask for the prices.
The clerk quietly sized her up, his gaze sweeping over her Flowing Radiance spirit robe before he smiled. “You have a great eye, miss! The items you picked are all specialties of Hengze Prefecture’s Biluo Lake. This Azure Lotus Jade Dew is a prime material for refining water-attribute spiritual pills, or it can be consumed directly to clear the mind, cleanse the soul, and boost one’s cultivation.”
“As for the Streamer Flower, it’s perfect whether you’re crafting illusion-type artifacts and spirit talismans or practicing illusion arts.”
“And this Xuanpin Pearl is produced by spiritual clams deep at the bottom of the lake, making it superb for artifact refining—”
Shi Yu interrupted his enthusiastic pitch and asked directly, “How much are they?”
The clerk’s eyes darted slyly as he smiled. “Five hundred low-grade spirit stones for a stalk of Azure Lotus Jade Dew, seven hundred spirit stones for a Streamer Flower, and one thousand spirit stones for a single Xuanpin Pearl.”
Whether those were the actual listed prices or the clerk saw she was an outsider unfamiliar with local goods and tried to fleece her, the quoted prices seemed somewhat off.
Though Shi Yu had plenty of spirit stones, it didn’t mean she was willing to be taken for a fool. Having no desire to haggle or play games, she noted down the name of Biluo Lake mentioned by the clerk, thinking, I’ll ask someone about it. If it isn't too far, I can just head over there myself.
Just as she was about to put the items back down, a woman’s sharp reprimand sounded from the side: “The quality of that Azure Lotus Jade Dew and Streamer Flower isn't even high-grade—they’re worth two to three hundred spirit stones at most! And that Xuanpin Pearl is only around five hundred! How can you give such ridiculous prices, clerk?!”
Shi Yu turned toward the voice and saw a haggard woman looking over with a frown. Though her features were gentle and bore traces of youthful beauty, fine lines were creeping across her face, and her plain attire suggested her life was far from prosperous.
The clerk’s expression darkened as he barked, “You busybody! What nonsense are you spouting?! Get lost!”
With that, he shoved her out of the shop.
Setting down the items, Shi Yu cast a cold glance at the clerk, allowing a sliver of her suppressed spiritual energy to seep out in a subtle aura of pressure.
Sensing that this young girl’s cultivation far surpassed his own, the clerk’s face paled. Suspecting she hailed from a major faction, he stammered a few excuses and didn't dare say another word.
Withdrawing her gaze, Shi Yu walked out of the shop and stopped before the ousted woman, offering her thanks. “Thank you for speaking up back there, ma'am.”
A touch of embarrassment flickered across the woman’s face as she shook her head slightly and murmured, “Stay in the city a few more days, miss, and you’ll naturally learn these tricks. I… hardly deserve your thanks.”
Shi Yu gave a soft chuckle. “How could you not? If that clerk had coaxed me a bit more, I might very well have ended up a fool.”
The woman offered a brief, restrained smile. She paused before asking hesitantly, “Miss, are you an alchemist?”
Since she had come to Hengze Prefecture for the Alchemy Exchange Conference, there was no need to hide her identity as an alchemist. Shi Yu nodded. “I am.”
Delight flushed the woman’s face, and she quickly said, “If you’re looking to make purchases, miss, there’s a specially arranged trading area just outside the alley ahead, open exclusively to alchemists.”
“They don’t use spirit stones there; it’s strictly barter. With the Alchemy Exchange Conference around the corner, alchemists from all over Changyuan Prefecture have gathered inside, so there are plenty of fine goods. Local alchemists are there too, so you’ll definitely be able to find the items you were looking for earlier.”
Seeing that the woman had a request and feeling grateful for her earlier kindness, Shi Yu went along with her words. “Would you mind showing me the way, ma'am?”
The woman hastily agreed and led Shi Yu forward. Along the way, a hesitation lingered on her face, as though she were struggling to find the right words.
“If there’s something on your mind, ma'am, please feel free to speak,” Shi Yu said gently.
Encouraged by her demeanor, the woman eased some of her anxiety and said, “Miss, I have a presumptuous request… There’s an item I need inside that trading area, but since I am not an alchemist, I cannot enter. I was hoping to ask if you could help me barter for it?”
Saying this, she looked nervously at Shi Yu.
This was a simple matter, so Shi Yu asked directly, “What is it you wish to trade for?”
“A… longevity-extending item,” the woman sighed softly.
“A longevity-extending item?”
“Yes.” She nodded repeatedly. “It’s a pill called the Lesser Longevity Pill. I wish to exchange an heirloom passed down by my ancestors for it.”
Shi Yu’s expression turned strange.
A Lesser Longevity Pill?
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