The Legendary Journey in My Heart

From Old Yu and the Tianyuan Chronicles, I had long known that Baiqi City was located on the Baiqi Continent, with its northernmost point starting from the Woma Mountain Range. The Woma Mountains were covered in snow year-round, and as the snow melted, it formed the Baiqi River, which flowed from north to south, eventually merging into the sea. The Baiqi River divided the continent in two, with Baiqi City built directly atop it. The river entered the city from the northeast corner, splitting into three sections through two artificially dug tributaries. The main river flowed through the city center, while the tributaries ran along the city walls, forming a moat before reuniting at the southwest corner and continuing southward.

My home village was situated on the western bank of the Baiqi River, and on our journey from the village, we had been heading north without crossing the river. Since Grandfather Pan's house was farther from the Woma Mountains, I entered Baiqi City through the western gate.

The moment I stepped through the city gate, the overwhelming crowd made me momentarily uncomfortable. Whether it was the quiet village I had grown up in or Grandfather Pan's isolated home, neither had prepared me for the sheer number of people here.

The wide streets were bustling with pedestrians and carriages. Shops on both sides were packed with customers, and the cries of street vendors echoed constantly.

"Lottery tickets! Get rich overnight! Your dreams can come true!" A vendor loudly advertised his lottery stall.

I shook my head with a wry smile—winning the lottery was never something I counted on. Back in my village, I had never even won a lucky draw at the New Year's gatherings, let alone struck it rich overnight.

Not far from the city gate, to the left, stood a two-story tavern with a sign reading "Tianyuan Inn", and below it, in smaller characters, was "Treasure Pavilion." It appeared to be both a restaurant and an inn, though I wasn't sure why it had the name "Treasure Pavilion." Though it wasn't yet lunchtime, the place was already bustling with patrons. No doubt, business would boom even more at midday.

Next to the tavern was a jewelry shop, its entrance adorned with dazzling ornaments. The store's decor was lavish, exuding an air of wealth. Just one glance told me it wasn't a place I could afford to step into. Further ahead, a wide alley cut through the row of buildings, and across from it stood a butcher shop. Long wooden counters were set up at the entrance, where several butchers were busy cutting meat for customers. Nearby, numerous vendors were selling fresh produce—this seemed to be Baiqi City's main marketplace.

Remembering the deer I had hunted, I walked up to the butcher shop and asked, "Boss, do you buy venison? I have a freshly hunted deer."

The butcher sized me up before stepping out from behind the counter and explaining, "Kid, I mainly sell common meats like chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. Venison is good, but regular folks don't eat it often, so I don't stock it." He paused for a moment, then added kindly, "You're from the countryside, aren't you? I can tell. It's not easy for you. Try asking at Tianyuan Inn or Woma Inn—they're the two largest and most luxurious inns in Baiqi City. Some guests might be willing to order venison."

I appreciated the butcher's kindness. Then, recalling my errand for Xiao Han's aunt, I asked for directions. As it turned out, her First-Class Armours shop was just across the street from the butcher's, though its entrance faced another road, which was why I hadn't noticed it earlier.

Bidding farewell to the butcher, I decided to take care of business first and headed toward First-Class Armours.

A large sign reading "First-Class Armours" hung above the entrance of a two-story building. The ground floor housed a tailoring workshop, selling fabrics and clothing for common folk, while the upper floor displayed meticulously designed garments, including leather outfits and lightweight armor. This was Aunt Yu's shop.

As I stepped inside, an attendant led me upstairs, where I finally met Xiao Han's aunt.

I had assumed she would be in her thirties, but the woman before me looked barely past twenty. She wore a blue headscarf and a long, elegant dress. Petite in stature, she had delicate features and bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Han, especially in the sharpness of her gaze. With her sleeves rolled up, she exuded an air of efficiency.

"Hello, Aunt Xiao Han, my name is Fang Zheng—" I had just started speaking when she cut me off.

"Zheng, right? I know who you are. Xiao Han has mentioned you," she said warmly, though her tone carried a directness that left no room for unnecessary words. "Why are you here?"

I handed her Grandfather Pan's letter and began explaining, but she simply tore open the envelope, reading as I spoke.

"He always has something going on. Always." She suddenly burst into a grumble, her voice filled with frustration. "He can't even take care of a child properly, and now he's off again? Where is he running off to this time?"

I had no idea how to respond, so I simply stood there in silence.

"Alright, I understand now." She took a deep breath, calming herself. "As you can see, my shop is busy, and I can't leave right now. Head out the door, turn left, cross the alley, and you'll find Wang Pharmacy. Give them the materials you collected and have them prepare the antidote. I'll settle the payment with them later."

She tore off half of the letter and handed it to me.

Her decisive nature surprised me, but since Xiao Han had been poisoned because of us, I felt it was my responsibility to help. I nodded in agreement, ready to leave when she suddenly asked, "Also, didn't you come to deliver a letter to Lord Wang? Have you done that yet?"

That reminder startled me—I had almost forgotten. She then gave me directions to the City Patrol where Lord Wangcould be found.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" She shot me a sharp look, her tone urging me on. "And don't call me Aunt Xiao Han—it sounds weird. Call me Aunt Yu instead. Also, Xiao Han is resting in the back. Don't disturb her. Once you finish these two errands, come back here. If you're willing, you can help out at the shop. I'll provide food and lodging."

"Oh, alright, Aunt Yu. Thank you. I'll be heading out now."I wasn't sure what else to say—Aunt Yu's decisiveness had caught me off guard. In just a few moments, she had arranged everything.

After leaving the shop, I first made my way to Wang Pharmacy. The name reminded me of Da Xiong—his family's pharmacy in our village was also called Wang Pharmacy. Now that he had lost both his parents, I wondered how his injuries were healing.

When I arrived, I briefly explained the situation. The shopkeeper seemed to have a good relationship with Aunt Yu and accepted the medicinal ingredients without hesitation, promising that the antidote would be ready after lunch.

Next, following Aunt Yu's directions, I walked straight down West Gate Street to Central Plaza, then turned onto North Gate Street. After passing a bookstore and Woma Inn, I reached the Imperial Palace entrance. Lord Wang of the City Patrol handled his duties in the outer court of the palace.

If Baiqi City's walls were grand and ancient, then the Imperial Palace walls were dazzlingly magnificent. The palace resembled a city within a city, its towering walls heavily guarded. Unlike the city gate guards, the ones stationed here wore Golden Armor, swords at their waists, exuding an imposing presence. Archers patrolled the city walls in large numbers.

I held the letter in my hand and informed the guards that I had come from the border village, entrusted by the village chief to deliver an important message to Lord Wang. One of the guards took the letter and told me to wait. He then disappeared beyond the gate.

I stood there for quite a while before he returned.

"Lord Wang has read the letter. You may leave now," he said.

"...Huh?" I was momentarily stunned. I had expected Lord Wang to at least ask for details, to confirm whether the Demon Clan had truly appeared. But he didn't even meet me in person.

"What do you mean 'huh'? I told you to leave! Get going!" the guard barked impatiently.

I had no choice but to shake my head in frustration and turn away. As I walked, I soon found myself standing in front of Woma Inn. Remembering the butcher's advice, I decided to step inside.

"Do you buy venison? I hunted a fresh deer," I asked the innkeeper at the counter.

"Oh? Yes, we do." The elderly innkeeper looked up at me, then stepped out from behind the counter, calling a waiter over to watch the front. "Come with me," he said.

He led me to the backyard kitchen, where I took out the venison from my Qiankun Bag.

"A fine deer, indeed!" The innkeeper stroked his beard thoughtfully. "How much are you asking for?"

"I'm not sure, haha," I scratched my head awkwardly. "Whatever price you usually offer should be fine."Growing up in the village, I had little concept of money. Most transactions were based on barter, and food was largely self-sufficient.

"Alright, how about 300 gold coins?" The innkeeper considered for a moment before naming his price.

"300 gold coins?" I instinctively repeated.

"Hey now, don't think it's too low. A while back, I would've offered at least 500 gold coins for this. But things have changed," the innkeeper sighed.

"What's changed?" I asked, more curious than concerned about the money.

"Back then, the nobles and wealthy folks loved venison, believing it was delicious and nutritious. But now, Snake Souphas taken Baiqi City by storm, and hardly anyone eats venison anymore," he grumbled.

"Snake meat?" I was a little surprised.

"Yeah! Tianyuan Inn started this whole craze. They somehow hired a master chef, and his Snake Soup is supposedly out of this world. Their business is booming now. Before, we used to share the market equally, but look at me now—my business has taken a huge hit!"

"Then why not sell Snake Soup as well?" I suggested.

"Easier said than done," the innkeeper grimaced. "I searched far and wide and finally found a chef who can make it. But to prepare a single premium Snake Soup, you need a lot of snakes—only the essence is used. If I want to sell Snake Soup consistently, I'd need at least a hundred snakes every day. Right now, I just don't have the supply."

He suddenly chuckled. "Ah, why am I even telling you all this? So, 300 gold coins—deal?"

"That's fine. Thank you, innkeeper," I agreed. He handed me the gold, and I stored it in my Qiankun Bag.

Just as I was about to leave the inn, the innkeeper suddenly called out to me.