Qin Yi rested for a night and set out to the market early the next morning.
Eagle Li probably couldn't wait for him to leave. He should be trying hard to find a spell or a solution, but he couldn't just sit back and wait. It made him feel uneasy not doing anything.
The various shops in the market might have some clues. Plus, he could gather some herbs to make pills for Liu Su.
"You human, what kind of joke is this? Your life force is fading, and you still want a solution? Why not just say you’re looking for something to extend your life?"
Facing the mockery, Qin Yi didn’t say much. He just asked, "Do you know where I can find something that extends life?"
The shopkeeper sneered, "Something that extends life? There is one in the Monster City, but it depends on whether you dare to go."
Qin Yi was taken aback. "What?"
"Our king!"
"..."
The shopkeeper waved his hand impatiently. "Go on, go on. If there really was something that could extend life, who wouldn't want it? When would it be your turn, you human, to cause trouble?"
After leaving the shop, Qin Yi shook his head. This was the tenth shop that had kicked him out, and the information he got was disappointing.
Things that could extend life seemed to be treasures, at least not something easily found in the Monster City. Liu Su had also said that back in her time, treasures that extended life were worth a fortune. In fact, some items that had a lesser effect on extending life weren't too rare, but everyone wanted them. Even if they had them, they wouldn't sell, which made what was known to the outside world very limited.
Following this logic, the situation now and in the past should be quite similar...
"Forget it." He walked into a nearby herbal shop, planning to get some pills ready for Liu Su.
This was a large herbal shop, with both finished pills and raw herbs, thousands of them on display. Qin Yi felt a bit hopeful and asked the shopkeeper, "Do you have anything that nourishes the soul?"
The shopkeeper glanced at him. "A human from the third tier of Feng Chu, what do you need to nourish the soul for?"
Qin Yi held his breath. "It's for a monster."
The shopkeeper's expression quickly improved. "Oh, I see. Here, this is Soul-Entwining Grass..."
It was the same kind of herb he got from Dong Huazi, but this one was better preserved, with stronger medicinal properties, and could be used to make pills. Qin Yi was quite pleased. "What's the price?"
"Ten pounds of monster meat for three taels of Soul-Entwining Grass," the shopkeeper said with a smile.
Qin Yi replied irritably, "Change the currency. Do you think I have no money?"
He did have money, having gotten a lot of gold and silver from the wizard. Oddly enough, this gold and silver was mixed in with the wizard's materials. Qin Yi suddenly worried that the Monster City didn't use gold and silver as currency; then he really wouldn't know how to buy anything.
Fortunately, gold and silver could indeed be used as many types of materials, holding their own value, and were still one of the currencies in the Monster City. The shopkeeper then said, "One tael of gold for one tael of Soul-Entwining Grass."
Qin Yi twitched his cheek.
"Do you have any other soul-nourishing items?"
"There's also a Golden Spirit Flower..." The shopkeeper looked him up and down. "But I doubt you can afford it."
Liu Su urged, "Qin Yi, Qin Yi, I want to buy!"
That tone... "How much?"
"If converted to gold..." The shopkeeper calculated for a while and grinned. "One flower costs five hundred pounds of gold."
Is this gold or dirt? Qin Yi pondered for a moment and took out a leftover Pure Blood Pill from Ye Ling: "Can this be used as a trade?"
"Eh?" The shopkeeper sniffed. "The medicinal power of this pill... If I'm not mistaken, it's for merging bloodlines?"
Qin Yi silently praised the shopkeeper's keen sense. "That's right."
The shopkeeper sniffed it for a while longer. When he looked at Qin Yi again, his gaze held some suspicion. "Human, I'm not trying to make things difficult for you, but this pill doesn't seem like something a human should have. You need proof that this isn't stolen goods, or I can't trade with you."
Qin Yi was taken aback. He didn’t feel like he was being put in a tough spot; instead, he thought the management in the Monster City was impressive.
The first impression of the Monster City for anyone should be bloody chaos, especially since monsters showed no disguise in their discrimination against humans. He had prepared himself for the possibility of being robbed when he took out the pill and even planned to use Eagle Li's name to intimidate them. But instead, he was met with this attitude, which was truly surprising.
"How do I prove that I made this pill? Should I make one for you to see?"
"If a local monster can vouch for you, that would work. Aren't you here to buy medicine for a monster?" The shopkeeper's gaze grew more suspicious.
Qin Yi felt a bit troubled. Where could he find someone to vouch for him? Did he really have to go back and ask Eagle Li just to buy something?
"I'll vouch for him." A little girl's voice suddenly came from the entrance. Qin Yi turned to look, and there stood a small fox with a smile: "But you can't overcharge him, okay? It should be the right price."
The shopkeeper looked at the little fox, surprised, but quickly composed himself. "This pill is a seventh-grade Pure Blood Pill, with extraordinary effects. It can be exchanged for two Golden Spirit Flowers and still have some left over. You can choose other auxiliary herbs that don't exceed the value."
The little fox smiled. "That's fair."
The shopkeeper smiled back. "Actually, this Pure Blood Pill is useful for you too. You're not trying to sell a fake pill, are you?"
The little fox pouted and huffed twice, then turned to Qin Yi. "My master said you are her friend and asked if you wanted to meet."
Qin Yi stared at her and nodded.
The little fox became excited and volunteered, "What auxiliary herbs do you need? Write them down for me, and I'll keep an eye on them."
Qin Yi wrote a list for her. As he stepped out, he saw a stunning woman quietly standing by the street, her beautiful eyes fixed on him without blinking.
Cheng Cheng.
When she saw him looking over, Cheng Cheng smiled and pointed to a nearby alley, suggesting they go in and sit for a while. Qin Yi walked over and smiled, "I didn't expect to run into you while strolling through the market. What a coincidence."
A sly glint flashed in Cheng Cheng's eyes, but she didn't show much. She took his hand and led him into the alley.
Qin Yi was taken aback by their clasped hands. Was this girl being a bit too forward?
But then he thought about it; he had pulled her hand to run away before, and they had rolled around together several times. She probably got used to it, right?
Turning into the alley, they reached a back door. Cheng Cheng pulled him inside, revealing a courtyard with pavilions and flowing water, and a rockery in the distance. The environment was quite elegant. A few small foxes stood around, curiously watching Qin Yi.
Cheng Cheng led Qin Yi to sit in a pavilion. On the stone table were various colorful fruits, looking so appealing that they made one’s appetite grow. A small fox brought over a wine jug, and the amber liquid flowed, filling the air with the fragrance of wine, flowers, and the sweet scent of beauty. Qin Yi looked at Cheng Cheng's flower-like smile and felt as if he were dreaming, finding it hard to believe.
She was too beautiful.
Unlike her disheveled appearance before, her face was now clean, lightly made up, like a blooming lotus, vibrant and dripping with beauty. Her big watery eyes held a gentle affection that could captivate any man, making it hard to look away.
Plus, the pleasant environment brought a touch of human charm to the somewhat rough style of the Monster City, making it feel like a fairyland. It felt a bit like being in a legendary story... a dream that would shatter upon waking.
Liu Su cleared her throat.
Qin Yi suddenly came back to his senses, raised his cup, and laughed, "So it turns out Miss Cheng Cheng is quite wealthy."
Cheng Cheng smiled, and the surrounding flowers seemed to pale in comparison.
(End of Chapter)