Heavenly Profound Night Market

Zhao Li summed up what he had learned over the years and sighed inwardly. The road he had to walk was still very long. He could not afford to be proud.

Putting aside everything else, Zhao Li knew that the future Xiao Yan would create several kinds of Grade 8 and Ninth Grade Pills on his own. But as for himself, forget creating his own—he had not even properly refined a Grade 8 Pill before. The gap was far from small.

"Brother Zhao Li, are you there?"

Zhao Li was still thinking about his next plans when a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He came back to himself and heard Li Ming's voice.

Zhao Li opened the door and saw that Li Ming had changed into a different set of clothes. At a glance, his whole person seemed a little younger and much more spirited, completely different from the smooth merchant he had looked like in the caravan.

Zhao Li even wondered for a moment if he had mistaken him for someone else. He blinked, looked him over a few more times, and said in surprise.

"Big Brother Li, you look like a completely different person. Looking like this, who knows how many girls' eyes you'll attract?"

Seeing Zhao Li's disbelieving expression, Li Ming could not help but laugh, and then he heard Zhao Li begin to praise him.

Li Ming laughed, but when he heard what Zhao Li said afterward, his expression instantly stiffened, looking extremely comical.

He subconsciously glanced around, leaned close to Zhao Li, and whispered.

"Brother Zhao Li, if you praise me for being handsome, I'll accept it, but don't slander me. If your sister-in-law hears that, she won't let me off."

Zhao Li understood and laughed, realizing what Li Ming meant. Only, seeing him like this truly made it hard to hold back.

Seeing Li Ming's expression, Zhao Li laughed for a while, then took the initiative to change the subject and asked Li Ming why he had come.

"Right, Big Brother Li, is there something you need from me this late?"

Zhao Li was indeed somewhat puzzled by Li Ming's sudden visit.

"Brother Zhao Li, listen to yourself. Are you saying I can't come find you if nothing's wrong? You're a guest in my house. What would it look like if I just threw you here and ignored you?"

Hearing this, Li Ming put on an injured expression, but he soon became serious and stopped fooling around. He explained why he had come: he was here to invite Zhao Li to stroll through Tianxuan City's night market, which could also be considered one of Tianxuan City's major features.

"Come on. This brother of yours will take you around Tianxuan City. If you see anything you like, just take it. Don't be polite with me."

Before Zhao Li could refuse, Li Ming had already thrown an arm around his shoulders and led him out.

Since he dared say that, he naturally understood that Zhao Li would not trick him for no reason.

After spending these days together, Li Ming had come to understand Zhao Li's character somewhat.

Zhao Li was very helpless and let Li Ming pull him along as they headed toward Tianxuan City.

Under the lamplight, two arm-in-arm shadows were reflected, gradually stretching longer and longer, until they disappeared from the courtyard.

The flickering lights, the busy streets, the endless stream of people, and the carts and horses coming and going were all indispensable parts of Tianxuan City's night scenery. Together with the glittering stars in the night sky and the colorful flow of traffic, they formed a beautiful, prosperous, and lively night scene of a bustling market.

Zhao Li was dragged along by Li Ming. Since he could not resist, he might as well enjoy it. Very soon, he and Li Ming blended into the crowd and became part of the night market scene.

Li Ming took Zhao Li to Tianxuan City's lively streets. Seeing that Zhao Li was unfamiliar with them and had no particular goal, he dragged him all over the place at random.

With Li Ming, a local, leading the way, Zhao Li got to witness Tianxuan City's prosperity.

"Brother Zhao Li, sit here and wait a bit. You have to try our Tianxuan City specialty grilled skewers. This kind of Magical Beast is unique to the area beside Tianxuan City."

As the night deepened, Li Ming spotted a barbecue stall and brought Zhao Li over, squeezing through the crowd. They barely managed to grab a round table. After having Zhao Li sit down, he went to arrange the barbecue himself.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Li fell into a daze. This moment seemed to bring him back to when he had been in school, when he would call up the people from his dorm to have late-night snacks together.

Li Ming came over with the skewers and handed them to Zhao Li. Seeing that he did not take them, he raised his hand and waved it in front of Zhao Li's eyes, calling out a few times.

"Brother Zhao Li, what's wrong?"

Zhao Li came back to himself, stretched his lips into a smile, and gave an embarrassed laugh before saying softly.

"I'm fine. I just miss home a little."

Then he took the meat skewer Li Ming handed over and put it into his mouth. As he chewed, Zhao Li only felt his throat tighten.

Alone in a foreign land, a stranger to all, on every festive day, one missed one's family all the more.

So that was how it was.

Zhao Li understood.

Only, in the end, he could never go back. Those scenes could only remain in his memories.

Everyone had a hometown, and every hometown had a bright moon. Everyone loved the moon of their own hometown, and in Zhao Li's memories, that bright moon seemed even brighter.

Seeing Zhao Li like this, Li Ming fell silent and did not disturb him.

After a long while, Zhao Li sorted out his feelings, scratched his head, and smiled at Li Ming, looking slightly embarrassed. Pointing at the meat skewer, as if nothing had happened, he said to Li Ming.

"I've made a fool of myself in front of Big Brother Li. These grilled skewers really are good. Thank you for the treat, Big Brother Li."

Li Ming did not know what Zhao Li had thought about in just that short while, but he felt as though Zhao Li's entire person had changed.

Hearing Zhao Li's words, he shook his head and smiled.

"Brother Zhao Li, what are you saying? It's only human nature. How could I laugh at you for that? These grilled skewers are one of Tianxuan City's finest, so of course they're good. If you like them, eat more. There's plenty."

Li Ming pushed the skewers in front of Zhao Li. Then he took out some wine and asked.

"Want some?"

Then the two looked at each other and smiled, continuing to feast with gusto.

Night gradually deepened, and there were far fewer pedestrians on the streets. The autumn wind blew past, bringing a slight chill that sharpened the senses.

The two supported each other as they walked down the street.

After tonight's outing, in such a short time, the relationship between the two of them had grown much closer.

Li Ming was perhaps drunk, or perhaps only pretending to be drunk, taking the chance to say things that were normally hard to voice.

"Brother Zhao Li, you're an alchemist, right? I really envy that profession. Unfortunately, I have no fate with it."

Zhao Li did not answer. Li Ming went on talking to himself, as though something had stirred in his heart.

"Brother Zhao Li, you're still so young, yet you're already a Fourth-Grade Alchemist. Your future is truly boundless. I wonder what kind of great expert could teach such an outstanding disciple as you. I'd really like to see what bearing such a senior has."

Zhao Li did not know that the Li Clan was seeking an alchemist to save their ancestor's life. He only took it as Li Ming envying the status of an alchemist and speaking from emotion after drinking.

Only, when Zhao Li heard Li Ming's words, he thought of that old man who had been like a grandfather to him, and he could not help but laugh.

It had also been a long time since he had seen that somewhat adorable old man.

Tonight, Zhao Li once again figured out many things, and his state of mind rose to another level.

"Master, are you well? I wonder if you achieved your wish and stepped into the Eighth Grade?"

Zhao Li lifted his head to look at the moon, thinking of Lin Lan. He did not know whether Lin Lan had succeeded over these years.

Shaking his head, he put away his longing, and Zhao Li said proudly, "Master, he's just an adorable old man who likes to study the Alchemy Technique. But he is also the best master in this world."

After that, there were no more words. The two of them staggered and bumped their way back to the Li Clan.

Early the next morning, Zhao Li finished his cultivation, rose early, and tidied himself up.

He pushed open the window, and the morning breeze brushed his face. Zhao Li's thoughts became even clearer.

"I should pick up the pace too."

What happened yesterday had indeed made Zhao Li feel somewhat inclined to return. He planned to head to Holy Pill City as soon as possible to study for a while, then go to White Cloud City to look in on the Yun Family his master had entrusted to him. After that, he would hurry back to Great Gan and see them.

In any case, there was nothing for him to do in Tianxuan City, and Zhao Li did not intend to stay here any longer. From here to Holy Pill City, who knew how long it would take to arrive?

Zhao Li did not want to waste time here for no reason either. Since there was no time like the present, he might as well leave today.

Having made his decision, Zhao Li packed his things and prepared to say goodbye to Li Ming.