This was a shop that sold spirit pills.
Yet the moment one stepped inside, an ancient, rugged aura came washing over them.
The shop's outer walls had been piled from huge stones that had never been finely polished. The gaps between them varied in width, making the whole thing look rather haphazard, without the slightest hint of architectural beauty.
Traces left by chiseling still remained on the stone surfaces, their coarse textures appearing all the more weighty beneath the light of the immortal firmament.
The front door was a solid slab of wood, covered in irregular scars and grain like a face weathered by hardships, silently bearing witness to everything that had passed.
Its hinges were two wooden staffs as thick as a grown man's arms. Every time the door opened or closed, it let out a dull "creak." Sometimes, it creaked in the wind as well, like the low hum of an ancient beast, drawing sidelong glances and secret frowns from many passing Innate Lifeforms.
The sound of that wooden door was simply too unpleasant. It was impossible not to notice it.
Inside, the floor was likewise laid with stone slabs of varying sizes. The slabs were uneven, so one had to watch one's step while walking through.
A massive stone table stood in the very center. Its surface was pitted and uneven, yet possessed a distinctive texture. Several round stone stools were scattered around it, serving as places for customers to rest their feet and conduct business.
On the ground beside it lay a red Lion Dog. Its eyes were half narrowed, its expression exceedingly lecherous, as though if anyone dared sit down to rest, it would dare open its lion's mouth wide!
Simple stone niches had been carved into the wall behind the stone table. Inside sat