Landing not far outside Desert City, Xiao Yan deftly changed into her Alchemist robes and followed the stream of people into the city on foot.
After buying everything else she needed, Xiao Yan stopped a random passerby and asked where she could find a shop selling desert maps.
Upon seeing the Alchemist Badge on her chest, the passerby very politely pointed out the shop's location and even enthusiastically gave her a rundown of the maps' approximate prices.
"Sure enough, having some status really makes life easier when you're away from home..."
After walking at an unhurried pace for a while, a map shop named "Ancient Map" came into Xiao Yan's view.
Her gaze swept over the shop's exterior, and she was a little surprised.
Unlike the lavish, ostentatious storefronts of other shops, this one carried a faint air of antiquity, as though it had stood here for quite a few years.
Walking slowly inside, Xiao Yan found that the shop was not particularly spacious. The faint glow of just two moonlight stones was enough to illuminate it quite brightly.
There were not many customers buying maps, either. Its deserted appearance made Xiao Yan question how much weight its reputation as the "best map shop" really carried.
A white-haired old man sat behind the counter, his head lowered as he painstakingly drew a map. He was probably the owner.
Without disturbing him, Xiao Yan scanned the large assortment of maps on the counter, picked one at random, and unfolded it for a look.
The clearly marked routes made her nod in satisfaction.
Although maps in this world lacked things like scales and contour lines, the one in her hands had clearly been drawn with care.
It was vastly better than a simple sketch of lines and circles drawn by hand on