Chang'an Morning Market

The moon shines over the city walls, the night is clear and bright.

The night view of Chang'an is mesmerizing; one has no time to look at the west side of the city from the east.

Even in the dead of night, Chang'an is a city that never sleeps, and before you know it, it's morning.

When the first ray of sunlight shone in front of Li Qi, he had just finished his work. When he looked up, the sun had already risen.

Looking further back, Shen Shuibi was meditating.

Although it's called meditation, it's actually sleeping.

However, there was no difference between the two for her.

"Has it been a day?" Li Qi looked at the dense text he had written on the paper, which was his sorting out and speculation about information from the Tang Kingdom.

"Hmm... let's go for a walk and get something to eat while we're at it." Li Qi got up, not wanting to disturb Shen Shuibi, and left the room, heading outside.

Although I don't have any money, I can still exchange it. I still have quite a few Qi bead, which I should be able to exchange for silver with resources.

But...

In this back and forth, the genuine Qi bead, which could be used in many ways and had real value, was turned into worthless silver.

They were unknowingly exploited by the Tang Kingdom, and it was all voluntary.

There's really no other way. With the Tang Kingdom's enormous economic system and productive base, coupled with its trading rules that span countless worlds, you have no choice but to accept their rules.

Etc...

Accept the rules.

Yes, these things... are probably also part of 'Human Path', right?

The Tao exists outside of oneself; it is the rule governing the operation of all things in the world...

Why do many animals, lacking intelligence, naturally form well-organized groups like wolf packs, lion prides, and even ant colonies? It's because they conform to certain rules, or the 'Tao'.

As mentioned before, even beasts without intelligence can possess cultivation because they are inherently closer to a certain 'Dao'. If they continue to progress, they may even become the embodiment of that Dao.

So... so many races and worlds have begun to actively or passively apply the rules of Human Path...

I dare not think about it; the thought is terrifying.

I'd better just exchange some silver and go to the street to buy something to eat.

Exchanging Qi bead doesn't take much time, and you don't even need to queue. The automated Law Treasure is like an ATM, automatically counting and exchanging them. You can also choose physical silver or virtual silver in the terminal.

This is outrageous... It feels like stepping into the future. Apart from the fact that the decorations are all in an ancient style, it has completely surpassed Earth in terms of convenience and functionality.

There's a really strange sense of disconnect.

The streets are lined with pavilions and towers, and people wear long robes with wide sleeves. Those who need to move around wear tight-fitting short clothes. It looks like ancient times, but it has achieved automation and standardization in a strange way.

He exchanged three thousand Qi bead for one hundred and fifty taels of silver.

This exchange rate is absolutely incredible...

Li Qi chose to take one or two taels of physical silver for observation, and converted the rest into virtual currency so that it wouldn't be lost.

After receiving the silver tael, he examined it carefully.

It's just ordinary silver.

However... there is a special aura, very obvious, but upon closer inspection it is extremely complex and constantly changing, as if it is deliberately created for people to see.

This is... an anti-counterfeiting mark?

That's really meticulous.

Weighing the one or two taels of silver, Li Qi made his way to the market here.

It's called a market, but it's not a sprawling, flat market like those in Clear Mist City.

In reality, these are three enormous high-rise buildings, each two or three miles tall, forming a commercial hub for several nearby streets. They are similar to large-scale integrated shopping malls. The three buildings are connected by corridors that resemble silk threads, and when walking through them, one is even surrounded by clouds and mist.

At first glance, it can only be described in four words.

A pavilion in the clouds.

It's beautiful. Those flying eaves and painted walls are all floating with celestial clouds, overlooking the rows of river pillars and extending the view.

Once inside, you can see a variety of goods, including groceries, clothing, and food. They are arranged in a neat and lively manner.

Clothing, jade pendants, hats, robes, skirts, brand-new terminals, and many other strange objects that Li Qi couldn't understand.

The place, forged by Reason Way, is filled with the exquisite craftsmanship of all kinds of artisans, and a dazzling array of miscellaneous objects and trinkets.

It's impossible to tell what they're for; they're just a bunch of fancy, useless things.

And it's very cheap.

They are really cheap; most of them can be bought with 'Deyuan Tongbao Coin', which is copper coins.

One tael of silver is equivalent to a thousand coins.

Li Qi saw that a brand new terminal only cost less than one hundred copper coins.

A Ninth Rank Magic Treasure costs only two or three taels.

Wow, the price difference between here and Baiyue is so huge!

This purchasing power is not even on par. Li Qi remembers that he used to be able to exchange Tang Kingdom currency in Baiyue, but now he thinks it was probably all fake.

Really...

Li Qi walked through the mall, intending to buy some food and drinks.

Buy drinks first.

I bought some Stone Flower Spring Water, which I put in a kettle. It is said to come from the mountain spring at the Stone Flower Spring Eye. There are spiritual herbs growing inside the Stone Flower Spring Eye, which produce three drops of spiritual liquid every day. When these drops fall into the water, they turn into water fish.

The turtle is born, dies within a day, and its body decomposes into liquid, which dissolves in the mountain spring water.

However, the spiritual herbs are protected by spirit beasts and are difficult to pick. Therefore, some people collect the spring water flowing downstream. It is said that this spring is warm and cool like sweet wine, fragrant and smooth, and tastes better than wine. It can detoxify and relieve hangovers. If one's ears are hot and one is drunk, just rinse with the spring water and the fragrance will immediately permeate the lungs and the hangover will be cured instantly.

I bought a pot for only sixteen coins, but it seemed quite expensive.

I bought a drink, and there was a butcher shop next door with a very interesting sign that said "Wind Meat".

Li Qi walked up to the shop and asked, "Shopkeeper, what's the meaning of 'Wind Meat' on your signboard?"

The waiter approached Li Qi with a smile and asked, "Sir, did you recently move to this area?"

"How do you know?" Li Qi asked back.

The waiter proudly raised his head. "Our Wind Meat is famous around here. Anyone who has lived in this area for a while knows it! If you don't know our name, you must either be passing by or you've only recently come here!"

Upon hearing this, Li Qi became interested and said, "Is that so? May I try some and tell you about it?"

The waiter said, "Because of its special preparation method, this meat cannot be tasted on its own; otherwise, it will be salty and bitter, and tasteless."

Then he continued, "To make this Wind Meat, you need to slaughter a pig, cut it into eight pieces, fry four qian of salt in each piece, and rub it carefully until every part is touched. Then hang it in a windy but sunless place, and place Annan Spirit Seed in the meat. Let them sprout and erode. This tree is special, with a unique fragrance. It only takes root in the meat. Once the root system is formed, the meat will change. Then coat it with sesame oil and marinate it for a year. It can be used the following summer."

"When the meat is ready, its aroma travels on the wind for miles. People know the meat is ready just by smelling the wind, hence the name 'Wind Meat'."

"If you want to eat it, you must first soak it in water overnight, then boil it. The water should not be too little. Simmer it over Great Fire, remove the salt water twice, then add rock sugar and simmer until tender. At that time, the aroma will be irresistible. After slicing, it is delicious whether you stir-fry, boil, stew, or fry it!"

Upon hearing how troublesome it was, Li Qi immediately shook his head. "So many steps, then forget it. I can't cook anyway, I'll just buy some ready-made food."

Li Qi didn't buy this. Even if he did, he wouldn't know how to make it. Oh well, he was just out buying breakfast.

After walking for a while, I saw a stall selling cooked food. I bought some stir-fried fish slices, which smelled delicious.

So he went up to him and asked, "Boss, what are you selling here?"

As Li Qi approached, the shopkeeper hurriedly called out, "Sir, this is fresh Child Fish, its taste surpasses all other fish, it can be called the best."

"Oh? What is the origin of this?" Li Qi asked curiously.

"This Child Fish is shaped like a catfish, with four legs and a long tail. It can climb trees. When there is a drought, it will carry water up the mountain, cover itself with grass leaves, open its mouth, and birds will come to drink water. It will suck the water in, and its voice is like that of a child, hence the name. Its taste is extremely delicious, but it is full of poison and cannot be eaten by ordinary people. It must be processed by someone who has learned the method before it can be eaten. Therefore, we only sell cooked food."

Li Qi nodded and said, "I see. Then give me a pound. But I have a question, shopkeeper. Since the whole body is highly poisonous... how did you discover that it was edible? And how do you cure this poison?"

"How did you discover it was edible? I don't know, but there are countless gourmets in the world, and many people will go to great lengths for a delicious meal. There's always a way. Here, sir, this is your fish!" The shopkeeper packed a pound of fish fillets and handed them to Li Qi.

Then he explained, "As for detoxification, the fish must first be tied to a special tree and whipped with a secret herbal whip until it sweats white like sap. Only then can it be eaten; otherwise, it is poisonous."

"How strange!" Li Qi exclaimed in amazement. He then took the bag from the other party, weighed it in his hand, and found that it really was a pound of fish slices.

Excluding the complimentary seasonings and fish soup, the fish fillets weigh a full pound, along with the broth, seasonings, and side dishes. It must weigh three or four pounds, truly high-quality ingredients.

The bill was paid in mere fifteen copper coins.

But thinking about it carefully, three thousand Qi bead were exchanged for one hundred and fifty taels of silver, or one hundred and fifty thousand copper coins, which is equivalent to one Qi bead costing fifty coins.

When you add it all up, the price is really not cheap.

However, it shouldn't be that outrageous. Li Qi only buys the most expensive items. These are usually only used for big meals and banquets. He does have ordinary chicken, duck, fish and meat though.

However, Li Qi just wanted to eat something good.

After browsing for another ten minutes or so, I bought some Eight Treasure Meatballs.

According to the shop owner, you need to take the best pork, half lean and half fat, and chop it into a fine paste. Then chop pine nuts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, ginger and other ingredients into a fine paste, add cornstarch and knead into a dough, put it in a dish, add sweet wine and soy sauce, and steam it.

Li Qi tried one; it was crisp, sweet, and quite good.

I bought two sea cucumbers, and boiled them three times in meat broth. Then I braised them until they were very tender in chicken and meat broth. I served them with wood ear mushrooms, fish maw, and pig's trotters. The whole thing was sticky and gelatinous.

I also bought a plate of Shrimp Oil Tofu, which is made by slicing soft tofu, adding chopped mushrooms, pine nuts, melon seeds, chicken, and ham, and then simmering it in golden shrimp oil over Great Fire. The tofu becomes tender and soft when simmered for a long time, until the inside of the tofu has a honeycomb structure and the ingredients soak into the honeycomb.

All of these together amount to no more than twenty-five coins.

A breakfast that would be considered extremely luxurious by ordinary people was prepared. Li Qi bid farewell to the bustling market and prepared to head to another place.

At this moment, only half an hour has passed since he left home.

He was thinking, "I'll just buy one more and then leave."

He was going to buy a hairpin.

The jade hairpin she wore was bought back in Clear Mist City; it was time to replace it with a new one.

The jewelry shops are upstairs; these cooked food vendors are incomparable.

This building is two or three miles high; it's impossible to climb it on foot. Cultivators can manage, but ordinary people would probably be exhausted.

In addition, most areas of Chang'an are closed to air traffic, and only air routes that allow flight can be used by flying magical Law Artifact for normal transportation.

Even if you can fly, flying in places where it's not allowed could have serious consequences.

Therefore, an elevator was installed here.

No, it doesn't use electricity. It should be called a "technical ladder," driven by a technique.

Li Qi didn't know its exact name, so he continued to search for related information on the terminal as he walked.

Incidentally, this thing can actually take a picture and search for images.

Although it looks like just a wooden token inlaid with iron, it is actually an advanced AR device that uses illusion to create an interactive interface in front of you, which is very convenient.

It's still the same description as before.

Beneath the ancient style and charm lies an extremely advanced and automated civilization.

It's a science fiction society, but its essence is something else entirely.

But it doesn't really matter.

According to the terminal, this kind of ladder is called a 'self-propelled ladder,' which is a rather strange name. Li Qi is more used to calling it an elevator.

Taking the elevator, we quickly arrived at the 600th floor. According to the signs inside the Law Treasure, this was the area where jade was sold.

He plans to buy a jade hairpin.

Jade was an extremely important and highly prestigious ornament in the Tang Kingdom.

Because a Confucian Sage of Human Path once said, "Jade is warm and lustrous, representing benevolence. It is dense and firm, representing wisdom. It is honest and unsharpening, representing righteousness. When it hangs down, it represents propriety. When struck, its sound is clear, resonant, and long, ending with a soft melody, representing music. Its flaws do not obscure its beauty, nor does its beauty obscure its flaws, representing loyalty. Its sincerity and far-reaching influence represent trustworthiness. Its unique and outstanding qualities represent virtue. Therefore, it is valued by everyone in the world; hence, jade is used as a metaphor for a virtuous person, as the saying goes, 'Thinking of a virtuous person, their gentleness is like jade.'"

In addition, jade itself is the essence of stone and has many wonderful uses, so in the Tang Kingdom, almost everyone wore jade.

The highest grade of jade that Li Qi saw in the book and knew of was called Xuanji or Yuheng.

That's right, they are three of the stars in the Big Dipper.

Xuan means beautiful jade.

The sphere and the balance are instruments used by the emperor to govern the heavens and discern the will of heaven.

In other words... three of the Big Dipper stars in the sky... are actually the Emperor's Law Treasure, all of which are jade artifacts.

With so many buffs, it's clear how important Jade is.

Therefore, Li Qi is prepared to bleed a lot of money. However, there is no need for the already processed Law Treasure or hairpin, as the premium price will probably be very high.

He plans to buy a high-quality raw stone and then carve it himself.

He just wanted to carve it; he didn't expect to create any particularly powerful magical Law Treasure, just something decorative would suffice.

We made our way upstairs.

However... to Li Qi's surprise, the price of jade was unexpectedly low.