"Drink Immortal's Joy Tea!" Bailu instantly returned to her usual liveliness and, staying true to herself, reminded him once again.
"Hehe, of course. Whatever Lord Bailu wants to eat today, she can eat!" Bai Jun confidently patted his bulging pockets. The sense of security brought by money filled him with boundless confidence.
The distance from the Starcruiser Sea Hub to Aurum Alley was not short. To save time, Bai Jun had specifically hailed a shuttle taxi. In less than ten minutes, they arrived before Lingxing Gate in Aurum Alley. Before they even entered the street, they could already hear the cries soaring from within.
"Come, come! Delicious pan-fried fish! Fresh fish delivered from the port, only half a dart per fish!"
"Rich and tender cream oyster soup! Have a bowl in the afternoon and fight through the whole night!"
"Garlic sprout pork belly, crispy cucumber spicy chicken, shredded fish-flavored pork, Granny Chen's tofu, crispy suckling pig—all seventy percent off today! Order now and get free refills of the finest Shouyuan Maofeng!"
"Freshly picked vegetables from our own garden! Ninety percent new, for personal use only! Fresh, cheap, and delicious—miss this village, and there won't be another shop!"
"The best flatbread and duck blood soup in all of the Luofu! One bite of flatbread, one sip of soup—even General Jing Yuan says it's delicious!"
Mobile vendors selling vegetables and fruit shouted loudly, calling out to hurried passersby. Some stopped before stalls that caught their interest, carefully comparing wares before buying. Others, simply looking for a meal, went straight into restaurants. Even though it was not yet the bustling late-night hour, the lively atmosphere of the marketplace was already something no other snack street could match, carrying a faint sense of history and heritage.
Amid the rising calls of commerce and the fragrance of food, Bailu's brows lifted slightly, anticipation faintly glimmering in her eyes. Her little hand gripped Bai Jun's sleeve so tightly that it turned pale. It was clear she wanted to skip around and buy all kinds of delicious food, but she was desperately restraining her joy and trying to look like a mature adult. Yet the pale dragon tail swaying continuously behind her betrayed her excitement without mercy.
Bai Jun took in the whole scene, amused and fond. The Bailu in his memories had always been like this. If you treated her like a child, she would put on the airs of an adult. But if you treated her like an adult, she would reveal her childish side.
"Let's go, Lord Bailu?"
"Wait a moment." Bailu, who had long been unable to suppress her emotions, stopped in place instead. Under Bai Jun's confused and surprised gaze, she gave a small cough and turned her face aside as she explained, "I spent the whole afternoon seeing patients. I'm tired."
As she spoke, Bailu stretched out her little hand and crooked a finger at Bai Jun. Perhaps only he understood what she meant.
Bai Jun seemed to understand. A trace of fondness appeared in his eyes as he crouched down, lifted Bailu up, and placed her on his shoulders. He stood amid her startled cry.
"You misunderstood. What I meant was—whoa, it's so high!"
Bailu, who had only wanted Bai Jun to carry her on his back for a while, instantly panicked. Sitting on his shoulders, she helplessly hugged his head, while her pale dragon tail wrapped tightly around his neck, terrified of falling from such a height.
"Lord Bailu, if you keep this up, I'm going to be strangled unconscious."
Bai Jun gave a wry smile and patted the dragon tail around his neck, gently soothing her. After a while, Bailu gradually adapted to the situation and let out a breath, her little face flushed red. But soon, the broad view she had never experienced before seized her attention.
"It's so high! I can see so far! I've decided—one day, I'm definitely going to grow as tall as you!"
"Lord Bailu will definitely grow taller." Bai Jun steadied Bailu on his shoulders with his right hand, then started walking.
The streets of Aurum Alley were often crisscrossed and winding. The afternoon air was pleasantly cool. Only a few pitiful clouds could be seen in the azure sky, which resembled a lake's surface. More numerous were the blue ribbons floating in the air like pale brocade. It was said they were sensors within the realm that regulated temperature and altered wind direction. They had been designed in that form for greater beauty, and judging from the result, they had succeeded.
The occasional long breeze swept fallen leaves across the bluestone pavement, through the depths of streets and alleys, and over the half-floating tea stems in teacups at teahouse stalls, yet it could not disperse the lively warmth of the bustling marketplace.
As they walked, the crowd around them gradually became less dense. Bai Jun finally no longer needed to keep watch on his surroundings. He straightened his back, lifted his head, and finally had the chance to chat with Bailu on his shoulders. "There are so many people this afternoon. It's been a long time since this place felt this crowded."
"After all, it's the weekend... Oh, right, Bai Jun. There's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time." Sitting on Bai Jun's shoulders and sensing the familiar aura that had always lingered around him, Bailu could not help softly voicing the question hidden in her heart. "Why do you always smell like other Vidyadharas...?"
"Other Vidyadhara?" Bai Jun froze for a moment, then seemed to think of something. He tugged open his collar slightly and pulled out the necklace he always wore. "Do you mean this?"
The necklace was crimson-red all over. Its chain seemed to be made from ordinary vinewood, while a translucent wine-red gem hung at the connecting point. A faint aura of flame seeped from it, staining the necklace with an enchanting brilliance. It was quite beautiful.
Bailu's delicate nose twitched slightly. She could smell that the aura she had sensed in the past came from this necklace. And that wine-red object was not some gemstone—it was a dragon scale unique to the Vidyadhara's rebirth. Furthermore, she could faintly sense that the owner of that dragon scale was no ordinary Vidyadhara.
"Bai Jun, why do you have something like this...?"
"This? I suppose it was a gift from a friend in Zhuming?" Bai Jun blinked and answered without much concern.
"A gift?!" Bailu's eyes widened in shock, her adorable little face filled with disbelief.
Dragon scales were no ordinary objects. Under normal circumstances, a Vidyadhara could only shed two or three scales over several reincarnations. To the Vidyadhara, their preciousness and significance could not be measured by value at all.
Moreover, dragon scales were extremely, extremely important objects of oath among the Vidyadhara. If Xianzhou people swore by the Reignbow Arbiter as heaven and their parents as earth, then a Vidyadhara only needed to hold their own scale to demonstrate the resolve behind their vow.
As for giving one away as a gift... it seemed she had never heard of such a thing!
"Your friend, Bai Jun... Forget it, forget it. It's nothing." Bailu parted her lips and hesitated for a long while, but in the end, she still could not voice the doubts in her heart. After all, it was someone else's private matter. It would not be appropriate for her to pry.
Bai Jun held nothing back from Bailu. Since she wanted to know, he told her everything without concern. "It's fine. It isn't some secret that can't be spoken of. That Vidyadhara was both a friend and a teacher to me. I studied and lived with her in Zhuming for a long time. Though most of the time, it was hard to feel much respect for her, to be honest, I'm actually very grateful to her."
Bailu could hear both reflection and a trace of nostalgia in his voice. Though she was curious about Bai Jun's past, the considerate Lord Bailu promptly dismissed the thought. She gently rubbed Bai Jun's hair, and the soft, comfortable feeling suddenly made her understand why Bai Jun always liked patting her head.
Ignoring the little hand causing trouble atop his head, Bai Jun turned into another street and stopped before a rather lively snack stall.
P.S. Many thanks to Jianli for the Salted Fish Thrust and spicy strips~
Soul-Returning Vitality Powder
As the food and commercial street of Exalting Sanctum, Aurum Alley might not be particularly large. But as long as one strolled along this bustling road, the diverse restaurants, snacks, and specialty drinks lining the street would always leave one dazzled.
There were many snack stalls on the street, each with its own specialties. But if you asked where to find the most authentic Luofu cuisine, every resident of Exalting Sanctum would point to the same place without prior discussion—Aunt Gao's snack stall.
The owner was a Xianzhou woman with a gentle smile. No one knew her exact name; they had only heard that her surname was Gao. Over time, everyone came to call her Aunt Gao.
Perhaps it was a woman's unique sixth sense at work. Amid the noisy chatter of diners, Aunt Gao, busy at work, caught sight of a familiar figure from the corner of her eye. When she turned her head, she indeed saw Bai Jun and Bailu approaching. She immediately covered her mouth in delighted surprise. "Oh my, isn't that the Dragon Lady and A-Bai? What wind blew you two here!"
"Hello, Aunt Gao!" Bailu, sitting on Bai Jun's shoulders, waved energetically. Her adorable appearance instantly melted Aunt Gao's heart.
"Quick, quick, sit down first! It wouldn't do to keep standing."
Aunt Gao set aside the work in her hands and quickly cleared a table, inviting the two over. "I'll go make you something to eat. Don't be polite, or Auntie will get angry!"
Unable to resist her enthusiasm, Bai Jun lifted Bailu down from his shoulders and placed her on the long bench before the Eight Immortals table. Before long, Aunt Gao came over carrying a huge spread of steaming dishes. One by one, she placed crispy cucumber spicy chicken, shredded fish-flavored pork, small seafood stir-fried with green peppers, and spicy crab burgers on the table.
"Why didn't you tell Auntie earlier so I could prepare in advance?" She brought them bowls and chopsticks, then sat across from them at the Eight Immortals table. "There are only some simple home-cooked dishes right now. I hope you won't mind."
"Not at all! Aunt Gao's cooking is the best!" Bailu could no longer suppress her excitement. She picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a large piece of spicy chicken, and began eating. The smile blooming across her little face showed she was not lying.
"Seeing that the Dragon Lady still has the appetite to eat puts me at ease." Aunt Gao smiled in relief.
As though recalling something, Bailu asked indistinctly through a mouthful of food, "By the way, Aunt Gao, how has your health been recovering?"
"Thanks to the Dragon Lady's blessing. After taking the medicine you prepared for me, my insomnia and anxiety disappeared in less than two days. I saw so many healers and took so much medicine before, but none of it worked."
"That's good..." Bailu nodded, then continued eating with peace of mind.
Bai Jun, seated beside her, smiled fondly. He picked up his chopsticks and placed some shredded fish-flavored pork and seafood with green peppers into Bailu's bowl. He was not very hungry right now. As long as the little girl ate her fill, that was enough.
Setting down his chopsticks, Bai Jun began chatting with Aunt Gao across from him. "Has business been going well lately?"
"Very well. Thanks to you, A-Bai, for finding those storytelling and crosstalk scripts for me back then. Many customers hadn't planned on eating at all, but they got hooked on the crosstalk in the shop and had no choice but to sit down and order something. Our Luofu snacks are selling better and better now."
"Hmph, who said I found them specifically for you? I merely happened to leave them here. Remember to compensate me with another copy later." As he said this, Bai Jun's lips curled slightly, and he waved a hand in a manner completely at odds with his words.
"If you ever get rid of that habit of acting tough, A-Bai, girls will definitely like you even more." Aunt Gao spread her hands and smiled helplessly.
Upon hearing the words "girls will like you even more," Miss Bailu, who had been eating with her head down, suddenly raised her head. Without even swallowing her food properly, she mumbled, "No one's allowed to steal A-Bai from me!"
"No one's stealing me. Also, don't talk while eating." Bai Jun lightly gave her little head a chop, then used a tissue to wipe food residue from her face.
Watching the scene, Aunt Gao thought they really looked like siblings. Their closeness reminded her of how her older brother had cared for her in the past, and a hint of nostalgia entered her voice. "Speaking of which, I saw you last night too, A-Bai."
"Me?" Bai Jun's hand, which had been wiping Bailu's cheek, paused slightly. He suddenly could not quite remember what had happened last night.
"You bad boy, A-Bai. You clearly went to the shop next door, Shangziwei, to buy snacks last night. It would be one thing if you didn't come chat with me, but now you're actually denying it? I'm still young, and my memory is excellent. You can forget about trying to fool me!" Aunt Gao shrugged, poured herself a cup of tea with boiled water, and handed it to Bai Jun.
Hearing this, Bai Jun finally remembered that he had happened to pass through Aurum Alley the previous night and bought some dinner. He accepted the tea awkwardly and gave a sheepish laugh. "Wasn't your place busy? I didn't want to come over and disturb you."
"What kind of nonsense is that! My shop will always be open to you and the Dragon Lady. Don't you dare say things like you're causing trouble in front of me again—oh! Coming!"
Aunt Gao was extremely firm on this point. Before she could scold Bai Jun further, louder cries from diners drew her attention away. She could only say a few hurried words before returning to work. "As long as you and the Dragon Lady enjoy your meal, that's enough. Tell me if it isn't enough. I'll get back to work first, and we can chat later!"
Bailu raised her head, swallowed the rice in her mouth, and looked at Bai Jun, who still was not eating. "A-Bai, why aren't you eating?"
"I'm not hungry. As long as you're full, that's enough."
"Do you think I'm some bottomless pit? There's no way I can finish all this delicious food. Open your mouth!" As she spoke, Bailu picked up a piece of green pepper and held it to Bai Jun's mouth.
"Lord Bailu..."
Bai Jun was touched as he ate the green pepper Bailu had specially picked for him, deeply moved by how considerate she was. She was still a child, yet she already knew to pick green peppers for him... Wait, green peppers?
He froze instinctively, then swiftly shifted his gaze to Bailu's bowl. Sure enough, there were still many lonely green peppers and mushrooms left inside. His face darkened as he asked in a low voice, "Why are you being picky again?"
"N-No? Why are you like this, A-Bai? I gave you food, and you're still suspecting me!"
"Then please eat the remaining green peppers in your bowl."
Bai Jun calmly picked up a piece of green pepper. Before he could bring it to Bailu's mouth, she hurriedly turned her face away and stammered as she changed the subject. "I-I'm full! A-Bai, hurry up and take me out to play!"
"How many times have I told you not to be picky? Today, you have to eat every bit of green pepper and mushroom you picked out. Open your mouth obediently!"
"Mushrooms are fine, but not green peppers! Ugh—!"
As the two playfully fed each other, time slipped away unnoticed. When they came back to themselves, all four dishes on the Eight Immortals table had been finished. Though most of the green peppers ultimately ended up in Bai Jun's mouth, he had still forced Bailu to eat quite a few while she scrunched up her little face. Overall, they had both eaten happily.
"Phew, I'm full, I'm full! It's been so long since I've had such delicious food." Bailu rubbed her little belly in satisfaction. Since the long bench had no backrest, she leaned comfortably against Bai Jun's shoulder.
Bai Jun pulled out a tissue and gently wiped the corner of Bailu's mouth as he asked, "Didn't you still want Immortal's Joy Tea? Let's go. I'll take you to buy some."
"Okay! I can walk around a bit and work off the food." Bailu jumped down from the bench and pointed toward Aunt Gao. "Should I go say goodbye to Aunt Gao?"
"Forget it. Let her work. We shouldn't disturb her." Bai Jun glanced at Aunt Gao, who was overwhelmed with work, and smiled as he shook his head. Then he placed several Credits on the Eight Immortals table and pressed them down with a small ceramic bowl. That way, even if new customers came, they would only discover the Credits when clearing the table, so there was no need to worry about another customer taking them.
Bai Jun knew Aunt Gao well. She was simply too hospitable. Not only would she refuse to take payment for the meal, she might even force all kinds of pastries on him and Bailu. To avoid disrupting her work, the two quietly left the snack stall and headed for Tongfu Pavilion, the best dessert shop in Aurum Alley, in pursuit of the Immortal's Joy Tea Bailu had long been looking forward to.
Tongfu Pavilion was located in the square directly across from the intersection of Aurum Alley's main road and Narcissus Street. At this moment, it was packed with tourists who had come to taste the food. The surging crowd looked suffocating even from afar. Seeing this, Bailu tightly gripped Bai Jun's sleeve, afraid the crowd would sweep them apart.
Bai Jun also felt troubled by the density of the crowd. There was about an hour and a half until sunset. Just lining up would likely take forever. He bent down and smiled as he comforted her. "Lord Bailu, I know another snack stall with excellent desserts. How about we go try that one instead?"
"Mhm, I'll listen to you!"
Bailu nodded without hesitation. To her, as long as she could stay with Bai Jun, that was enough. It did not matter even if she did not drink Immortal's Joy Tea.
Just as Bai Jun led Bailu toward an alley to take a shortcut, a thin figure staggered out from around the corner. Apparently not expecting anyone at the alley entrance, the boy's pupils trembled. Unable to control his speed, he rushed straight at them.
Bai Jun stepped forward, swiftly pulled Bailu behind him, and collided head-on with the thin figure charging toward them.
Bang—!
The thin boy was sent flying instead. He and the bundle in his arms crashed onto the cold bluestone ground with a thud. He let out a miserable cry, but before anything else, he shoved the bundle into his arms. After struggling to his feet, he hurriedly fled.
Bai Jun's gaze narrowed slightly. Watching the boy's unsteady, panicked retreating figure, he frowned thoughtfully.
That panicked behavior... was not normal.
He wanted to call out and stop the boy, but he suddenly noticed that the front of his robe was covered in some kind of white powder, apparently transferred during their collision. He instinctively lowered his head and sniffed it—the scent of medicinal herbs, with a faint trace of Voidling benzoin.
"A-Bai! Are you okay?" Bailu hurried over in concern, her little hands anxiously feeling around his body.
"I'm fine." Bai Jun shook his head and smiled reassuringly at her.
"That's good. That was really sca—wait!" Before she could finish, Bailu seemed to realize something. Her expression changed slightly as she hurriedly rose onto her toes, grabbed Bai Jun's collar with both hands, and buried her little face near it to sniff lightly.
Bai Jun froze slightly, but he quickly understood what Bailu was doing. He said nothing and quietly waited.
After a moment, Bailu slowly released her hands, raised her little face, and said solemnly:
"This is... the scent of Soul-Returning Vitality Powder."
Third Brother Huo's Mysterious Shop
"Soul-Returning Vitality Powder?"
Bai Jun's expression changed slightly. He lowered his head and sniffed his collar again. The previously indistinct scent gradually became clearer, and his expression slowly grew grave.
Soul-Returning Vitality Powder was perhaps unfamiliar to most Xianzhou citizens. Even those who knew of it would avoid discussing it in detail, because behind its name lay the nightmare that equally loomed over every long-lived Xianzhou native—the Mara-struck Body.
Blessed with the power of the Plagues Author of Lifespan, the people of the Xianzhou had gained the endless lifespan every living creature desired. Yet a blessing was also a curse. Once one entered mara, no medicine could cure it. After falling into mara, flesh and blood would mutate until the stability needed to maintain human form could no longer be sustained. Emotions would rise and fall amid grief, joy, resentment, and anger. Wealth and profit, family bonds, faith and honor—everything would turn to ashes.
Perhaps in this regard, the long-lived Xianzhou natives were no different from pitiful short-lived species. No, a Mara-struck Body was far more terrifying than death. If the death of life meant an ending, then the Mara-struck Body brought eternal, endless pain and torment.
Furthermore, this process was the inevitable destination of every long-lived Xianzhou native. The reason most Xianzhou citizens were unfamiliar with the name Soul-Returning Vitality Powder had to do with the strict control placed on such medicine.
At present, the Xianzhou Alliance had only two mainstream medicines for treating the Mara-struck Body: Calamity-Barrier Salvation Powder and Soul-Returning Vitality Powder. The former was mainly used during the early stages of mara symptoms to delay its progression, while the latter had stronger medicinal effects and was mostly used when late-stage mara was about to erupt, temporarily preserving one's consciousness long enough to see one's family for the last time.
Xianzhou law strictly prohibited civilians from privately preparing either of these prescriptions. The Ten Lords Bureau had also listed privately preparing these medicines among the "Ten Unforgivable Evils."
When needed, they had to be obtained from officially certified local healers and taken under a healer's supervision and according to instructions. Afterwards, dedicated inspectors would clear away the residue and medicine wrappers.
Thus, most Xianzhou people only knew that these medicines could treat the Mara-struck Body. They had no idea what the two remedies were actually called.
And now, someone was actually brazenly carrying a prohibited medicine through the streets. The severity of the matter was obvious. Moreover, for some reason, Bai Jun's instincts kept telling him that something was not right.
"A-Bai, wh-what should we do?" Bailu looked nervous, her little hand helplessly gripping Bai Jun's finger.
Before you continue