Master Qian had never even considered that Jiang Yue was trying to pump him for information. He just assumed a Mushroom Person had come up with some wild idea. No wonder Master Qian had put it so bluntly. In the Underground Race's eyes, the Mushroom People were practically the poster children for being useless in a fight. They were suited to taking orders, running errands, and tending to spirit herbs.
But exploring the Surface World or carrying out combat missions was far beyond them.
Jiang Yue scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry for making you laugh, Master Qian. Maybe I just made things sound too easy."
"Not just too easy—you were dreaming."
Jiang Yue didn't take offense. He just smiled ingratiatingly. "I needed someone like you to set me straight, Master Qian. Otherwise, I really might've gotten carried away. I've thought it through, too. If I can follow a big shot like you, then even a casual bit of guidance from you would be enough to keep us comfortable for the rest of our lives. Why go looking farther afield?"
Master Qian clearly enjoyed the flattery. He nodded in satisfaction. "There aren't many people I take a liking to, but you're one of them. Work hard, and I won't let you down."
By then, they had reached the busiest stretch of the market. As for its prosperity, the Underground World couldn't compare to the Surface World.
Even so, there were still places full of bright lights and worldly pleasures.
Jiang Yue played the wide-eyed innocent, trailing along at Master Qian's side like a devoted lackey. He looked every bit the part of a proper hanger-on.
Master Qian stopped in front of a building. "Let's go with this one."
"A big shot?" The Lizardman frowned. As he remembered it, there