How come I'm the one being conquered?

"Have some Immortal's Joy Tea!" Bailu instantly returned to her usual lively self, her original intention unforgotten as she reminded him again.

"Hehe, of course! Whatever Lady Bailu wants to eat today, she can eat!" Bai Jun patted his full pockets with confidence. The sense of fulfillment brought by money made him incredibly self-assured right now.

The distance from the Starcruiser Sea Hub to Jiren Alley was not short. To save time, Bai Jun even specifically hailed a taxi-cruiser. In less than ten minutes, they arrived at Lingxing Gate in Jiren Alley. Before even entering the street, he could hear the clamor of vendors from within.

"Come, come! Delicious pan-fried fish! Freshly delivered from the port, only half a kudi each!"

"Tender and succulent cream oyster soup! A bowl in the afternoon will keep you going all night!"

"Garlic sprout pork belly, crispy cucumber chili chicken cubes, crucian carp shredded pork, Old Chen's tofu, crispy suckling pig – all 30% off today! Order now and get a free refill of the finest Shuyuan Maofeng tea!"

"Fresh vegetables just picked from my own garden! Nine-tenths new, purely for personal use, fresh, cheap, and delicious! You won't find a better deal!"

"The best scallion pancakes and duck blood soup in all of Luofu! One bite of pancake, one sip of soup – even General Jing Yuan said it was delicious!"

Street vendors selling vegetables and fruits shouted loudly, calling out to the hurried passersby. Some people would stop at vendors that caught their interest to compare and purchase carefully, while others, simply looking for a meal, walked directly into restaurants. Even though it wasn't yet the peak of the late night, one could still feel the lively atmosphere, a bustling marketplace unlike any other snack street, and faintly sense the presence of historical depth.

Amidst the calls of buying and selling and the rising aroma of food, Bailu's brow subtly lifted, her eyes faintly gleaming with anticipation. The small hand gripping Bai Jun's sleeve was so tight it turned pale, clearly showing her desire to hop around and buy all sorts of delicious things. However, she was desperately suppressing this joy, trying to disguise herself as a mature adult. Yet, the pale white dragon tail swaying behind her betrayed her excitement.

Bai Jun took in this scene, finding it both amusing and doting. Bailu was always like this in his memories. If you treated her like a child, she would put on airs of an adult, but if you treated her like an adult, she would reveal her childish nature.

"Shall we go, Lady Bailu?"

"Wait a moment." Bailu, who had long been unable to contain her emotions, stopped at this moment. Under Bai Jun's confused and surprised gaze, she coughed softly and explained with a slightly pouting face, "This young lady has been seeing patients all afternoon and is tired."

As she spoke, Bailu extended her small hand towards Bai Jun, beckoning him. Perhaps only Bai Jun could understand the meaning behind her gesture.

Bai Jun seemed to understand her intention, a hint of doting appearing in his eyes. He then squatted down, lifted Bailu, and placed her on his shoulders. He stood up amidst her startled cry.

"You misunderstood, I meant— Whoa, so high!"

Bailu, who had only wanted Bai Jun to carry her for a while, suddenly panicked. Sitting on his shoulders, she awkwardly hugged Bai Jun's head, her pale white dragon tail also tightly wrapping around his neck, for fear of falling from such a height.

"Lady Bailu, if you keep this up, I'm going to pass out from being strangled."

Bai Jun chuckled wryly, patting the dragon tail wrapped around his neck. He gently comforted her. After a while, Bailu, having adapted to the situation, let out a relieved sigh, her face flushed red. But soon, the unprecedentedly expansive view caught her attention:

"So high, I can see so far! I've decided, this young lady will definitely grow as tall as you in the future!"

"Lady Bailu will definitely grow tall," Bai Jun replied, steadying Bailu on his shoulder with his right hand, then stepping forward.

The streets of Jiren Alley were often crisscrossed. The afternoon air was quite cool. On the azure sky, as clear as a lake, only a few sparse clouds could be seen. More prevalent were the blue silk ribbons, woven like light-colored brocade, drifting in the sky. It was said that these were sensors in the grotto-heavens responsible for regulating temperature and changing wind direction. Their design was also intended for aesthetics, and in that regard, it was very successful.

Occasionally, a gust of wind would sweep a few fallen leaves across the bluestone-paved floor, blowing into the depths of the streets and alleys, brushing past the half-exposed tea leaves in the teacups on the stalls. Yet, it still couldn't blow away the vibrant, bustling atmosphere of the marketplace.

Continuing their journey, when the density of the surrounding crowd lessened, Bai Jun no longer had to pay special attention to his surroundings. He straightened his back and lifted his head, finally having the opportunity to chat with Bailu on his shoulder. "There were so many people this afternoon. It's been a long time since I felt this crowded here."

"It's Sunday, after all... By the way, Bai Jun, I've wanted to ask you something for a long time." Bailu sat on Bai Jun's shoulder, feeling his familiar presence, and couldn't help but quietly voice the doubt that had been lingering in her heart: "Why do you always smell like other Vidyadhara...?"

"Other Vidyadhara?" Bai Jun was taken aback for a moment, then recalled something. He slightly pulled open his collar and took out a necklace he always wore. "Are you talking about this?"

The necklace was a deep crimson color throughout. The chain seemed to be made of ordinary vine wood. At the connection point, a crystal-clear, wine-red gem hung as a pendant. A faint aura of flames emanated from it, dyeing the necklace incredibly alluring and beautiful.

Bailu's small, delicate nose twitched slightly. She could tell that the familiar scent she usually perceived came from this necklace. And that wine-red object wasn't a gem at all, but a Dragon Scale, unique to the Vidyadhara's metamorphosis. Moreover, she could faintly sense that the owner of this Dragon Scale was no ordinary Vidyadhara.

"Bai Jun, how do you have something like this...?"

"This? It's a gift from a friend in Zhuming," Bai Jun replied nonchalantly, blinking his eyes.

"A gift?!" Bailu's eyes widened in surprise, her cute little face now filled with shock.

Dragon Scales were not ordinary items. Typically, a Vidyadhara would only shed two or three scales over several reincarnations. For the Vidyadhara, their preciousness and significance could not be measured by value alone.

Furthermore, it was worth noting that Dragon Scales were extremely important oath-bound items for the Vidyadhara. If Xianzhou people swore by the Emperor's Bow as heaven and their parents as earth, then the Vidyadhara only needed to hold their own scales to show the determination of their oath.

As for giving them away as gifts... it seemed no one had ever heard of such a thing!

"Your friend, Bai Jun... Never mind, never mind, it's nothing." Bailu's lips parted, and after hesitating for a long time, she ultimately couldn't voice her doubts. After all, it was his private matter, and it wouldn't be appropriate to pry.

Bai Jun had no intention of hiding anything from Bailu. Since she wanted to know, he readily revealed everything. "It's okay, it's not a secret I can't talk about. That Vidyadhara is both a friend and a teacher to me. I lived and studied with her in Zhuming for a long time. Although most of the time it was hard to feel respect for her, to be honest, I'm very grateful to her."

Bailu could hear the mix of emotion and nostalgia in his tone. Although she was curious about Bai Jun's past experiences, the considerate Lady Bailu wisely dismissed the thought. She gently stroked Bai Jun's hair, the soft and comfortable texture making her suddenly understand why Bai Jun always liked to pat her head.

Ignoring the small hands fumbling on his head, Bai Jun turned down another street and stopped at a rather lively food stall.

ps: Thank you very much to Jian Lisan for the "Salty Fish Charge" and "Spicy Strips"!

Chapter 19: Soul-Returning Vitality Powder

As the culinary commercial street of Changle Heaven, Jiren Alley might not be considered vast in scale. However, as one strolled down this bustling road, the variety of eateries and snack stalls on every corner would surely dazzle the eyes.

There were many snack stalls on the street, each with its own unique characteristics. But if you were to ask where the most authentic Luofu cuisine could be found, any resident of Changle Heaven would invariably point to one place – Aunt Gao's snack stall.

The owner was a Xianzhou woman with a gentle smile. Her exact name was unknown; people only knew her surname was Gao, and over time, everyone came to call her Aunt Gao.

As if a woman's sixth sense had kicked in, amidst the noisy chatter of the customers, she caught sight of familiar figures from the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she indeed saw Bai Jun and Bailu approaching, and she clapped her hands over her mouth in delighted surprise. "Oh my, isn't this Lady Dragon Girl and Ah Bai? What wind blew you two here!"

"Hello, Aunt Gao!" Bailu, sitting on Bai Jun's shoulder, waved cheerfully. Her adorable appearance instantly melted Aunt Gao's heart.

"Quick, quick, sit down, sit down. It's not good to stand around all the time."

Aunt Gao put down what she was doing and quickly cleared a table, inviting them over. "I'll go get you something to eat. Don't be shy, or Auntie will get angry!"

Chinjao couldn't resist her enthusiasm, so he gently took Bailu down from his shoulders and placed her on the long bench in front of the eight-immortal table. Before long, Aunt Gao came over with a large spread of steaming hot dishes and placed them on the table one by one: crispy cucumber with chili chicken, carp-flavored meat shreds, small seafood stir-fried with green peppers, and a spicy crab burger.

"Why didn't you tell Auntie earlier so I could prepare?" She brought them bowls and chopsticks, then sat down opposite them at the table, complaining softly, "I only have some home-style cooking today, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, Aunt Gao's cooking is the best!" Bailu, unable to contain her excitement, picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a large piece of chili chicken, her small face beaming with a smile that showed she wasn't lying.

"I'm relieved to see Lady Dragon Daughter still has the appetite to eat," Aunt Gao said with a smile, feeling reassured.

As if remembering something, Bailu asked indistinctly, "Right, Aunt Gao, how is your health recovering?"

"Thanks to Lady Dragon Daughter's blessings, after taking the medicine you prescribed, my insomnia and anxiety symptoms disappeared within two days. It's strange, because I'd seen so many doctors and taken so much medicine before without any success."

"That's good..." Bailu nodded, feeling relieved and continuing to eat.

Chinjao, sitting beside her, smiled indulgently and picked up his chopsticks to put some crucian carp flavored shredded meat and seafood green peppers into Bailu's bowl. He wasn't very hungry himself; as long as the little girl ate well, that was all that mattered.

Putting down his chopsticks, Chinjao began to chat with Aunt Gao opposite him. "Is business going well lately?"

"Very well, thanks to you, Brother Bai, for helping me find those scriptbooks for storytelling and crosstalk. Many customers originally didn't plan to eat, but they were drawn in by the crosstalk in the shop and ended up sitting down to buy something. Our Luofu snacks are selling better and better now."

"Hmph, who said I specifically found them for you? I just happened to forget them here. Remember to compensate me for another one later." As he said this, Chinjao's lips curved slightly upwards, and he waved his hand dismissively, his words contradicting his true feelings.

"Brother Bai, when will you change your stubborn habit? You'll definitely be more popular with girls then," Aunt Gao said with a helpless smile, shrugging her shoulders.

Hearing the words "more popular with girls," Miss Bailu, who had been burying her head in her food, suddenly looked up, her mouth full of food as she mumbled, "You're not allowed to fight with me for Brother Bai!"

"No one is fighting you. And don't talk with your mouth full." Chinjao gently tapped her little head with his fingers and then used a tissue to wipe away the food crumbs smeared on her small face.

Watching this scene, Aunt Gao thought they were just like siblings. Their affectionate interaction reminded her of how her own brother used to take care of her, and her tone became a little nostalgic. "Speaking of which, I saw you last night too, Brother Bai."

"Me?" Chinjao's hand, which was wiping Bailu's face, paused slightly. He suddenly couldn't quite recall what happened last night.

"You bad boy, Brother Bai, you clearly went to the neighboring Shangziwei to buy snacks last night. It's one thing not to come chat with me, but now you dare to deny it? I've always been young and have a good memory, there's no way you can fool me!" Aunt Gao shrugged, picked up the hot water, brewed a cup of tea, and handed it to Chinjao.

Hearing this, Chinjao, who had suddenly remembered passing by Jiren Alley and buying dinner last night, awkwardly accepted the tea she offered and chuckled, "I saw you were very busy, so I didn't want to disturb you."

"What are you saying! My shop is always open for you and Lady Dragon Daughter. Don't say 'trouble' or anything like that in front of me again—Hey! Someone's here!"

Aunt Gao was very firm in her stance on this matter. Before she could scold Chinjao further, her attention was drawn by the louder clamor of customers. She hurriedly said a few more words and went back to her work, "You and Lady Dragon Daughter enjoy your meal. If you need more, just tell me. I'll get back to work, and we can chat later!"

Bailu looked up, swallowed the rice in her mouth, and asked Chinjao, who was still not eating, "Brother Bai, why aren't you eating?"

"I'm not hungry. As long as you eat until you're full."

"Do you think this young lady is a glutton? I definitely can't finish all this delicious food, hurry up and open your mouth!" As she spoke, Bailu picked up a piece of green pepper and offered it to Chinjao's mouth.

"Lady Bailu..."

Chinjao was touched as he ate the green pepper Bailu had specifically picked for him, feeling a surge of emotion at her thoughtfulness. She was still just a child, yet she knew to pick green peppers for him... Wait, green peppers?

Chinjao blinked in surprise, his gaze quickly shifting to Bailu's bowl. There were indeed many lonely green peppers and mushrooms left there. His face darkened, and he asked in a deep voice, "Why are you being picky again?"

"N-no! Why are you like this, Brother Bai? I'm giving you food, and you're still suspecting me!"

"Then please eat the green peppers left in your bowl."

Chinjao calmly picked up a piece of green pepper and, before he could even bring it to Bailu's mouth, heard her hastily turn her face away, stammering to change the subject, "I, I'm full. Brother Bai, hurry up and play with me!"

"How many times have I told you not to be picky? Today, you must eat all the green peppers and mushrooms you picked out from the plate. Open your mouth obediently!"

"Mushrooms are fine, but green peppers are not, wuwu—!"

As they fed each other like this in a playful manner, time slipped away unnoticed. When they came to their senses, all four dishes on the eight-immortal table were gone. Although most of the green peppers ended up in Chinjao's mouth, he had also forced Bailu to eat quite a bit, making her frown. Overall, they had eaten happily.

"Phew, I'm full, I'm full. I haven't eaten such delicious food in a long time," Bailu said, patting her little belly contentedly. Since the long bench had no backrest, she leaned comfortably against Chinjao's shoulder.

Chinjao took out a tissue and gently wiped the corners of Bailu's mouth, asking, "Didn't you want to drink Immortal's Joy Tea? Let's go, I'll take you to buy some."

"Okay! It's a good time for me to walk around and digest," Bailu hopped off the bench and pointed at Aunt Gao, "Should I go tell Aunt Gao?"

"Let's forget it, let her be busy. We shouldn't disturb her," Chinjao glanced at the busy Aunt Gao, shook his head with a smile, and then placed several credit chips on the eight-immortal table, weighing them down with a small ceramic bowl. This way, even if new customers arrived, they would only discover the credit chips when clearing the table, so there was no need to worry about other customers taking them.

Chinjao knew Aunt Gao's character well; she was too enthusiastic. Not only would she refuse the payment for the meal, but she might even force-feed him and Bailu all sorts of pastries. To avoid disturbing her work, the two of them quietly left the food stall and headed towards Tongfu Pavilion, the best place for desserts in Jiren Alley, striving to get Bailu the Immortal's Joy Tea she had been looking forward to for so long.

Tongfu Pavilion was located in the square directly opposite the intersection of the main road of Jiren Alley and Water Lily Street. It was currently filled with tourists eager to taste the delicacies. The surging crowd gave a strange sense of suffocation from afar. Seeing this, Bailu tightly clutched Chinjao's clothes with her small hands, afraid of being separated by the jostling crowd.

Chinjao also looked at the density of the crowd with some concern. There was about an hour and a half left until sunset, and it would likely take quite a while just to queue. So, he bent down, smiled, and comforted her, "Lady Bailu, I also know of another snack stall that sells delicious desserts. How about we try tasting them there?"

"Okay, I'll listen to you!"

Bailu nodded without hesitation. For her, as long as she could be with Chinjao, it didn't matter whether she drank Immortal's Joy Tea or not.

Just as Chinjao was leading Bailu to turn into an alley to take a shortcut, a small, thin figure suddenly darted out from the corner, staggering. As if he hadn't expected anyone at the alley entrance, his pupils trembled, and he couldn't control his speed as he rushed towards them.

Chinjao stepped forward, quickly pulling Bailu behind him, and collided head-on with the rushing, thin figure.

Bang—!

The small boy was thrown backward by the impact, falling onto the cold bluestone ground with his package, making a thud sound. He let out a pained cry, and without a second thought, clutched the package to his chest. He struggled to get up and then hurriedly fled.

Chinjao's gaze narrowed, and he frowned thoughtfully as he watched the boy's shaky, hurried retreating back.

That panicked expression... it wasn't normal.

He wanted to call out to stop the boy, but he suddenly noticed that his clothes were covered in some white powder, seemingly from the collision. He instinctively lowered his head to sniff it—the fragrance of medicinal herbs, with a faint hint of Xuling Anxi Xiang.

"Brother Bai! Are you okay?" At this moment, Bailu leaned forward worriedly, her small hands fumbling over him.

"I'm fine," Bai Jun shook his head, offering her a smile.

"That's good, you really scared me just now... Wait a minute!" Before she could finish, Bailu's expression changed slightly as she realized something. She quickly tiptoed, grabbed Bai Jun's collar with both hands, and buried her small face near his collar to sniff.

Bai Jun was slightly taken aback, but quickly understood Bailu's actions. He stopped talking and waited quietly.

After a moment, Bailu slowly released her small hands, lifted her face, and said sternly:

"This is... the scent of Soul-Returning Vitality Powder."

Chapter 20: Brother Huo San's Mysterious Shop

"Soul-Returning Vitality Powder?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Jun's expression changed slightly. He lowered his head and sniffed his collar again. The previously faint scent gradually became clearer, and his expression slowly turned solemn.

Soul-Returning Vitality Powder—this name might be unfamiliar to the vast majority of Xianzhou citizens. Even if they knew it, they would certainly avoid discussing it, as its name signified the nightmare that equally plagued the hearts of every Xianzhou long-liver: the Mara-struck Body.

Bestowed with the power of the Plague of Longevity, Xianzhou people gained the endless lifespan that all beings craved. However, the gift was also a curse. Once afflicted with the Mara-struck Body, no medicine could cure it. When falling into the Mara-struck state, flesh would mutate to the point where it could no longer maintain a stable human form. Emotions would fluctuate between joy, sorrow, resentment, and anger, and wealth, status, family affection, faith, and honor would all turn to dust.

Perhaps at this level, the so-called Xianzhou long-livers were no different from the pitiable short-lived mortals. No, the Mara-struck Body was far more terrifying than death. If death meant an end, then the Mara-struck Body brought eternal, endless pain and torment.

Furthermore, this process was the inevitable fate of every Xianzhou long-liver. The reason why most Xianzhou citizens were unfamiliar with the name Soul-Returning Vitality Powder was due to the strict regulation of the medication.

Currently, the two main drugs for treating the Mara-struck Body in the Xianzhou Alliance were the Calamity-Barrier Salvation Powder and Soul-Returning Vitality Powder. The former was mainly used during the early stages of the Mara-struck Body to temporarily slow its progression, while the latter had a stronger medicinal effect and was mostly used in the late stages when the Mara-struck Body was about to manifest, to temporarily preserve consciousness and allow for a final meeting with family.

Xianzhou laws strictly prohibited the private concoction of these two prescriptions. At the same time, the Ten Lords Bureau listed the act of privately concocting these prescriptions as one of the "Ten Unpardonable Sins."

When needed, one must apply for and use the medication from a locally certified physician, and it must be taken according to instructions under the physician's supervision and control. Afterward, dedicated enforcers would be responsible for cleaning up the residue and medicinal papers.

Therefore, most Xianzhou people only knew that it could be used to treat the Mara-struck Body but had no idea what these two medications were actually called.

And now, for someone in the civilian population to dare to flaunt forbidden medicine in public, the severity of their transgression was evident. Moreover, for some reason, Bai Jun had a nagging feeling that something was not quite right.

"A'Bai, wh-what do we do?" Bailu's expression was a little nervous, and her small hand unconsciously held Bai Jun's finger.