"I've heard that term twice today." Zhang Ruofeng asked in confusion, "I also heard it from the receptionist at the Guild earlier. What does it mean?"
"First, let me ask you something: are you from another world?" Perman suddenly asked Zhang Ruofeng. "There's no point trying to hide it. The shape of your mouth as you speak is completely different from mine. The only reason that could happen is if a god used their divine authority to harmonize your language. Everyone on this continent speaks the same language. There are differences in accents and habits, but the known countries and major cities all use the common divine language. Your pronunciation is far too different from ours, and the way your magic flows is strange as well. So you can only be from another world."
"I didn't expect you to be so perceptive at your age." Zhang Ruofeng replied calmly, acknowledging what Perman had just said. Perman promptly whacked him on the head with her pipe.
"You little brat, and you think you can call someone else old?" Perman said irritably.
"I'm already 20. Am I still a brat?" Zhang Ruofeng protested quietly.
"Twenty? I'm already forty..." Perman stopped herself halfway through, then hit Zhang Ruofeng on the head again. "Asking a lady her real age is rude."
Zhang Ruofeng clutched his head, thinking that the wound he'd just gotten from cracking his head open had only just scabbed over, and now he'd been beaten senseless. But it seemed pointless to complain. He'd barely seen her attack—only a blur—and if he fought back, he'd probably get beaten even worse. Then he felt liquid being poured over his head, and a cool sensation spread through his body.
"What are you trying to prove?" The Potion Master pursed her lips. "Your external injuries are about halfway healed, but didn't you notice the internal bleeding from the impact to your organs?" Zhang Ruofeng looked at the Potion Master, who had already realized he'd suffered internal injuries, and gave a faint, rueful smile.
"That's why I came to the potion shop to buy medicine," Zhang Ruofeng said, shrugging helplessly.
"This potion is worth 1,000 Faris, but give me three of those cigarettes you smoke and we'll call it even." Perman gave a sly smile and held out her hand.
"So this is forced buying and selling." Zhang Ruofeng reluctantly took three cigarettes from his pack and handed them to Perman. She stared at the cigarette pack, as if pondering something.
"Your cigarette pack seems to be connected to another spacetime." Perman looked at Zhang Ruofeng's pack. "I can sense some strange magic in it the moment you pull out a cigarette."
"Then I really have to thank whoever brought me to this world. Without cigarettes, I might have gone crazy." Zhang Ruofeng could only set aside what he couldn't understand and pretend to be casual. "And what exactly does that thing you mentioned—'Flower Blooming on a Midsummer Night'—mean?"
"Since you've joined the Flower Goddess Familia, you should know about them, right?" Perman asked.
"I know the basics," Zhang Ruofeng replied. "Over the past seven years, all six Familia members died after failing to level up to Level 2, right?"
"But do you know this? The shortest time any of those six members had been in the Familia before they started preparing for their feat was only nine months. The longest was a year and a half. Do you know what that means? Plenty of people spend years, even decades, stuck at Level 1 without taking another step forward. It isn't just because they want to hone themselves further. Their abilities are so lacking that they don't have the strength to accomplish a feat. A feat is different for everyone, but it's never an easy thing. Yet your Familia's predecessors all began preparing after about a year, ready to move on to a higher level. That proves they'd reached the crucial point for leveling up and already had the strength to rise higher. Every god grants the same Falna. How much you grow mostly depends on your talent and hard work. Your Familia's members were all extraordinarily talented, yet they failed to level up one after another. It's like the most beautiful roses blooming on a summer night, catching everyone's eye for an instant, only to wither away in the shortest time. You could call it your Familia's curse."
"I never thought I was certain to die," Zhang Ruofeng said with a shrug. He had never taken the matter to heart.
"Ruofeng." Just then, Xin Mu walked in through the front door. Seeing Perman, who looked like a doll, she rushed over and pinched her cheek. "This BJD doll looks so lifelike." Zhang Ruofeng instantly broke into a cold sweat. Perman was a high-level adventurer at Level 5, with unfathomable strength. Xin Mu was being far too bold.
"Heehee~" But Zhang Ruofeng hadn't expected what happened next. Although the Familia captain was Level 5, the Medicine God's Familia had only five members in total, and the other four were also women. The reason was that Perman, the Familia's first member and its captain, was very fond of women. She was a well-known oddball.
Perman was thoroughly enjoying Xin Mu's touch. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed Xin Mu's chest. Xin Mu didn't react at first; only after Perman had squeezed twice did she hurriedly jump away. Only then did Zhang Ruofeng realize that even cool-headed Xin Mu could blush bright red.
"Hehehe, so they're real?" Perman wiggled her fingers and giggled. "Kid, your girlfriend has a big chest, even if you can't tell by looking."
"I never thought you were a groper too." The dark lines on Zhang Ruofeng's face practically reached the floor. A Familia captain, powerful beyond compare—and she was a woman who liked women. Zhang Ruofeng felt like he must have gotten something wrong.
"We're not in that kind of relationship," Zhang Ruofeng said blankly. Still reeling from the shock, he couldn't bring himself to make any more comments.
"Hmph." Perman gave them both a knowing look, but didn't continue the subject. "Anyway, our two gods are good friends. Your Main God grows plenty of flowers and herbs that can be used as potion ingredients. Once you've grown stronger, I can get even more cheap ingredients from you. However you look at it, I'm coming out ahead." As she spoke, she tossed over two bottles. Zhang Ruofeng caught them. A bright red liquid swirled inside, and it was obvious that the quality was far better than the bottle she'd just given him as compensation.
"Don't bother looking. There's no way you two can afford these." Perman said calmly. "Even the bottles are specially made. They won't crack even if you drop them on the ground. Each one costs tens of thousands of Faris." She then lit another cigarette.
"These are for you. Think of them as an investment. If I ever give you a commission, or you come across any good potion ingredients, you have to come to me first. Got it?"
"Got it." Zhang Ruofeng couldn't help but think much more highly of Perman. She had a good grasp of how to handle people. She might be an oddball, but she was absolutely trustworthy. No wonder she'd become a Familia captain despite being a woman who liked women.
"Alright, alright. If you're done here, hurry up and go. You're dressed like a beggar in those rags. Go buy some clothes." Perman waved Zhang Ruofeng away impatiently, but turned to Xin Mu with fresh enthusiasm. "Pretty girls are always welcome here!" Xin Mu took another step back.
The two of them left the shop and wandered around for a while. Zhang Ruofeng bought the cheapest linen shirt he could find, along with some basic ingredients like rice and pork. Xin Mu bought a change of clothes, as well as towels and toothbrushes for the two of them. Then they slowly made their way back to the flower shop.
As soon as they walked in, they saw a mature, bespectacled woman chatting happily with their Main God. The two of them were also enjoying tea made from roses.
This world really has everything, Zhang Ruofeng thought to himself. He hadn't expected people here to eat rice, either. He'd also seen some people with black hair on the street. As far as he knew, there were countries in the east, probably with a civilization similar to ancient China. But with gods descending into the world, it probably wasn't ruled by feudal emperors.
"Look," Flora said, rising happily to her feet. "They're back."
The woman also stood up. Zhang Ruofeng guessed she must be the Medicine God.
"Hello, members of Flora's Familia." The woman nodded slightly. "I'm Evan, the Medicine God."
Before you continue