Yesterday, Part 2

"Daozi, I have also contacted the big merchants who have previously sourced goods from various countries, but none of them have heard of this product."

"I suspect that other countries might have different names for it. Perhaps you could start from that angle," Chen Han whispered a suggestion.

"I've thought about that too, but..." Zhang Rongfang shook his head slightly. Actually, there was something else he didn't say.

That means perhaps the hidden Sensing Gate might have a solution.

After all, the medicinal herbs he needed these days were all provided by the Sensing Gate, which made it easy for him to purchase them.

This time, perhaps it will be something like, "Hahaha! Sorry to keep you waiting, esteemed Guardian Priest. You look even better than last time we last met!"

At that moment, a loud, boisterous laugh interrupted his thoughts.

Zhang Rongfang turned around, a clear smile on his face.

"Mr. Isibass, how have you been? No matter how long it takes, as long as I can get the medicine I need, everything else can be ignored."

"Great Ling, you are indeed magnanimous, much more approachable than the other officials of Daling!"

The newcomer was a Big Beard man wearing a white headscarf, with colorful jewels and crystals hanging all over his head and neck.

The man's beard was meticulously trimmed into a guillotine shape, and was brownish-black in color. He had a pair of large, bright, deep blue eyes.

This man was one of the top three herbal medicine merchants in the entire Ci Tong Port, named Isivas Freire.

This subordinate had more than ten fleets, each mainly engaged in the trade of medicinal materials from dozens of countries.

He commanded a thousand sailors, many of whom were private soldiers and martial arts masters.

He is a very important figure in the entire Ci Tong Port.

"Unfortunately, my lord, you will be disappointed." Isibass sighed, his Great Ling speech was so clear and accurate that it was almost impossible to tell that he had a foreign accent.

"I have not found any information about Mystic Sun Flesh Fungus."

"Still nothing?" Zhang Rongfang, slightly disappointed.

"However, based on your description, perhaps a similar medicinal substitute could be used to reconstruct the prescription. I wonder if this is feasible?"

"I'm afraid that won't work." Zhang Rongfang shook his head slightly, and then inquired about the other medicinal materials for the Golden Toad Skill.

As the Golden Toad Skill progresses to the Sun Chasing stage, the medicinal materials required for its preparation become even more precious.

The potency of the medicinal materials must be extremely high. They simply cannot be replaced by any ordinary, short-lived medicinal materials.

Fortunately, the other side effects were all available.

Only this Mystic Sun Flesh Fungus.

After a long conversation, Isibass invited Zhang Rongfang to visit his Mansion.

He was Lusi People, but he held titles and positions in many overseas countries.

He could be considered a combination of businessman and official.

In Great Ling, he also had a good relationship with the Magistrate and Prefect.

After receiving guidance, he valued Zhang Ying, the young Guardian of the Great Dao Sect, quite highly.

Therefore, this invitation was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather something that had been prepared in advance.

After being warmly invited several times, Zhang Rongfang naturally agreed.

Building a good relationship with this big businessman would also be of great help to him in expanding his overseas sourcing.

Just like many of the medicinal materials needed for the First Layer of the Sun Chasing Stage, even within the Great Dao Sect, they are not easy to find.

But with Isibass, it was just a matter of mentioning it; he simply gave the order, and it was easily obtained.

Both of them wanted to get to know each other, so they joined forces.

Isibass led the way in a sedan chair, while Zhang Rongfang and the others followed behind in sedan chairs.

Isibass's guards numbered even more than Zhang Rongfang's, including Great Ling People, Westerners, Hu Xi People, Man People, and blacks—all sorts of people.

He seems to only value talent and ignore everything else.

We passed through Ci Tong Wharf and entered the Outer Ring District.

A group of ship merchants dressed in black robes and carrying large wooden boxes on their chests gathered together and set up a small market on a wide street in the Outer Ring District.

The market, shaped like a centipede, occupied half of the street area.

A tall signpost stands at the entrance, proclaiming. "All Nations Jewelry Fair! Satisfying your freedom to pursue beauty!"

This sentence was written in more than ten different languages, densely covering the cloth.

"These black-clad merchants love to pull these gimmicks and play word games," Isibass chuckled as he sat in his sedan chair.

Zhang Rongfang smiled and was about to speak when he suddenly paused, his gaze turning to the sidewalk at the entrance of the small market.

The place was bustling with people of all Human Seed, flowing like water, creating a lively atmosphere.

Many ladies, sailors, and crew members who were drawn to the market also came and went from here.

But Zhang Rongfang's gaze wasn't on those exotic women; instead, it fell on a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair, wearing a fitted bright red dress.

The woman had a charming face, and her eyes, though gentle, held a deep weariness, like a magnificent and beautiful rose.

Zhang Rongfang paid attention to this woman not because she was beautiful, but because she seemed to be someone he knew.

Sun Chaoyue stood aside, listening to Tong Xinyao's chattering beside her.

I just felt incredibly tired.

In just one year, after she and her father fled from Tanyang, she went from being a favored child of heaven and Spirit Noble to her current state.

My father, as the Prefect Tanyang Prefecture, colluded with the Secret Teaching and was expelled from the Lineage. On the way, he was also severely injured by a group of people gathered by his former enemies.

Unable to stay in China any longer, the family traveled thousands of miles to Ci Tong Port to seek refuge with a close friend of their father, attempting to travel by ship to various overseas countries.

But little did they expect that, being unfamiliar with the market, the large sum of money they handed over was all swindled away by the chairman of the fraudulent ship.

The swindler had already vanished, and with the vast ocean, there was no way to catch him.

Now that their family fortune has been exhausted, they have had to dismiss their servants, leaving only a few people to live in the home of their father's close friend.

However, this is only a temporary measure. Even the best relationships will gradually become strained after such a long period of cohabitation.

Sun Chaoyue recalled her glorious days in Tanyang.

At that time, she was the first person all the Tanyang wanted to curry favor with.

He has already reached the Fourth Grade at a young age. He is expected to reach the Ninth Grade in the future and will be Spirit Noble.

Little did anyone expect that a dramatic upheaval would completely expose her father's collusion with the Tanyang Secret Teaching.

The Lineage underwent a dramatic change overnight, followed by a hasty escape and an ambush.

The hardships seemed endless from that moment on.

"Let me tell you, you must persuade your brother to stop associating with that Big Beard. Last time the White Ten Sect was besieged, those Big Beard also suffered heavy losses."

At this moment, Tong Xinyao, the eldest daughter of the Tong Family, was talking and trying to dissuade a Green Skirt Girl who looked troubled.

"Like Chaoyue, although her family wasn't as well off as ours before, they were still quite well-off."

Later, because her father caused trouble and did things he shouldn't have, he was investigated.

Look at him now, Chaoyue's father is taking medicine and recovering from his injury every day, and we don't know when he will get better. The family has no money, and we rely entirely on my father to find him some coaching positions.

Chaoyue is now my study companion. Last time, her skirt was torn and she couldn't bear to throw it away. I had to lend her one of my nice skirts before she dared to go out with me.

Have you ever imagined living like that? Do you want to end up as destitute as her family?

Tong Xinyao patiently persuaded her friend, completely unaware that Sun Chaoyue's smile was already somewhat forced.

"But I can't argue with him alone. He always has a lot of reasons. For the Lineage, for us, for his own development," the Green Skirt Girl said in a low voice.

"That's not a reason, that's selfishness!" Tong Xinyao shook her head. She coughed a few times and saw a vendor selling chilled watermelon juice in the distance. She then patted Sun Chaoyue, who was standing next to her.

"Chaoyue, go buy me a glass of watermelon juice, and remember to add raisins."

"Okay," Sun Chaoyue suppressed her helplessness and turned to walk towards the vendor.

But after walking only a few steps, she realized that she had no money on her.

Learning martial arts requires too much money. After her family was cheated out of their money, she carefully budgeted every penny in order to maintain her martial arts skills and vitality.

Because of his shady identity, he was unable to go out to work.

These days, she relies on Tong Xinyao's Tong Family for everything, so she doesn't usually have much money on her.

Today also happens to be her 24th birthday. While browsing the market, she bought herself a silver-inlaid jade peony pendant as a way to celebrate.

I've spent all my money except for small change. It's simply not enough to buy more juice.

Having no money on her, she turned back helplessly.

"Xin Yao, I don't have any money on me, I can't buy it."

Tong Xinyao was still talking loudly to her friend and didn't hear her at all.

"Xin Yao?" Sun Chaoyue asked again.

This time she finally heard it. Tong Xinyao turned around impatiently.

"What is it? I was just talking! Hurry up and go buy it!"

"No, it's because I don't have enough money on me," Sun Chaoyue said in a low voice.

"Not enough money? You don't even have money to buy juice? Are you trying to scam me out of money?" Tong Xinyao became even more annoyed.

"Besides, you don't have enough money. Last time I introduced you to Young Master Zhao, and he asked you to accompany him to dinner. You didn't go, did you? He gave you a generous gift of four hundred taels of silver!"

"Chaoyue, I'm not trying to be mean, but you're not the young lady you used to be. You need to be more realistic. Don't blame me for being blunt."

Look at you, now you even ask me for money to buy a glass of juice. Your father's illness needs to be treated, and you only need the best medicine.

In this situation, you still want to learn martial arts on your own? You're not me. It was alright before, but do you have the means now? Your current rank is already very good, more than enough. Find someone to marry sooner rather than later; it would help ease your father's burden."

Tong Xinyao looked disappointed in her, nagging incessantly. Meanwhile, the girls around her, in front of the other girls, pretended to be doing it for her own good, talking on and on.

Sun Chaoyue lowered her head, feeling an overwhelming sense of embarrassment that pressed down on her from head to toe like an incredibly heavy quilt, making it hard for her to breathe and leaving her powerless to struggle.

She didn't even dare to raise her head and let others see her face.

But there's nothing she can do. Right now, her whole family is relying on the Tong Family to cover up their identities and live as temporary guests.

Although the Tong Family was becoming increasingly impatient with them, they had indeed been kind to them.

Moreover, if they want to go to sea in the future, they can only rely on the Tong Family to help them find a boat and wait for an opportunity.

So she couldn't say anything, nor dared to. Hearing the constant scolding coming from her ears, Sun Chaoyue suddenly felt like crying.

Her eyes welled up with tears; the repression and embarrassment she felt were unlike anything she had ever experienced in all her years of life.

Looking back on my time in Tanyang.

She presided over the Yaoyuan Book Club and was seen by everyone as a Spirit Person. Whatever she wanted, she only needed to say a word and someone would deliver it to her.

And now.