"Grandmaster! The Apothecary store will no longer be open at this moment, so why don't we head back to the market to search for the grass? Dong Chen suggested. After seeing what the young man did at the guild, he dared not hold any doubt, if given a chance he would acknowledge the young man before him as his teacher.
"Enough with the Grandmaster! You can call me young master" Lu Zihao bellowed.
"Young master! May I know your name? So that I will know how to address you properly" Dong Chen asked.
"My name is Lu Zihao" Zihao replied nonchalantly. Since the former owner of the body bears the surname Lu, he decided to go along with the surname.
"Oh! Is young master Lu Zihao" Dong Chen faked a smile, not wanting to displease the young man before him.
The young man before him might seem unreliable but capable at the same time. An illness which has left so many top physicians in the kingdom confused on how to solve. " With his superior eye of discernment, maybe his years of suffering will come to an end" Dong Chen thought to himself.
"Alright! Let's head deeper into the market, maybe we might stumble upon a good Sandalwood blade of grass" Lu Zihao casually wave off the already stupefied Dong Chen.
"Yes! Dong Chen followed up immediately as they disappear into the market once more.
As Lu Zihao and Dong Chen ventured deeper into the bustling market, the myriad of stalls offered a kaleidoscope of goods, from exotic spices to rare textiles.
The air was thick with the scents of incense and the clamor of haggling merchants. They weaved through the crowd, their eyes scanning for the elusive Sandalwood blade of grass, a rare commodity known for its healing properties.
Amidst the chaos, Lu Zihao's gaze was drawn to a quaint shop, its shelves lined with an array of peculiar artifacts and ingredients.
With a decisive nod, he gestured to Dong Chen, and they made their way towards what could be the end of their quest, or the beginning of a new chapter in their adventure.
Lu Zihao's gaze swept across the bustling shop, each shelf brimming with an array of exotic goods that whispered tales of distant lands and ancient trades. The air was thick with the aroma of spices and the murmur of haggling voices. His eyes, discerning and intent, finally rested on a store that seemed to call out to him, its entrance like a portal to hidden treasures. With a decisive nod, he gestured to his companions, the excitement palpable in his voice as he declared, "Let's head in!" The command was not just an invitation but a herald to the adventure that awaited within the store's mysterious depths. As they crossed the threshold, the promise of discovery hung heavy in the air, an unspoken pact between the walls of the market and the hearts of those who dared to explore.
"Gongzi! Over there, how may I help you? The shop owner asked. We sell the best items here and they are all confirmed by 1-star Appraiser from a top tier kingdom.
"Please! I need a blade of sandalwood grass with the maturity reaching at least 100 years" Lu Zihao demanded.
"Gongzi your luck sure was not bad.It happens that one of our merchants recent acquired a sandalwood grass with maturity of 250 years" The shop owner said as he picked up the sandalwood grass from the shelf and hand it over to Lu Zihao to examine.
While holding the grass his consciousness jolted, a detailed information about the grass appeared in the memory box inside his mind
200 YEARS SANDALWOOD GRASS...
ACQUIRED FROM: FROM GAO LUO FOREST...
After going through the details listed out by the Heavenly Qingxi memory box, Lu Zihao's face darkened.
"Gao Luo? The name sound familiar" Lu Zihao mumbled beneath his breath.
Immediately an image of two figure lying dead on a grassland flashed through his head.
"Ah! Could it be that the parents of the former owner of his body were murdered. But why?" as Lu Zihao was still trying to figure out why the two people who were supposed to be his parents were killed.
Cough! cough!! The shop owner coughed to draw Lu Zihao's attention back.
Lu Zihao glanced at the shop owner, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Your assurance is noted," he said calmly, his gaze returning to the vibrant green grass in his hand. It was said to possess healing properties, a rarity in these parts. If the grass was indeed genuine, it could be the key to curing Dong Chen.
"Gongzi! You don't have to worry about it being fake" The shop owner chipped in fearing that Lu Zihao may be uninterested in buying the grass.
"This grass was fetched from Gao Luo forest right? Lu Zihao asked. If yes, then how do I locate the forest.
" No! way, don't tell me you want to venture into that forest? Ah! it's too dangerous for someone at your cultivation level. It is a home to high-tiered beasts of all kinds" Dong Chen persuaded.
"Dong Chen's concern was not unfounded; the forest was indeed a place where danger lurked behind every tree. It was known to be a haven for creatures of immense power, and only those with considerable strength and skill dared to enter. For someone at a lower cultivation level, the risks were many, including the possibility of encountering beasts that could easily overpower an unprepared traveler. It was a place where the unwary could quickly become prey" The owner of the shop also persuaded.
"Alright I will drop the matter for now, I will head there once I am strong enough to fend for myself" Lu Zihao decided to go along with their opinion but he still feels the urge to investigate the death of his supposed parents on this world.
With the precious sandalwood grass in hand, Lu Zihao and his companion made their way through the bustling streets toward the Apothecary guild. The air was thick with the scents of herbs and the murmur of haggling merchants.
At the guild, they sought the expertise of a skilled apothecary, one who could harness the grass's rare properties to craft a pill of healing. It was a task that required not only knowledge but the delicate touch of an artisan, for such ingredients were as potent as they were scarce.
"Gongzi! All the Apothecaries have retired for the day, why don't you come back tomorrow morning" The young lady receptionist adviced.
"Please how much does it cost to rent the service of an apothecary? Lu Zihao asked.
Well, it really depends on the type of pill you're looking to make. But if you're thinking of forging an Inner Meridian Cleansing Pill, it will cost you 5 million gold coins to hire a skilled apothecary," the receptionist mentioned.
" 5 million! Why don't you rob a bank! Lu Zihao said as he almost faint from anger.
"Since Master Feng is an Apothecary, why don't we engage his service tomorrow" Dong Chen sent Lu Zihao a telepathic message.
" I don't want to involve Master Feng in affairs that concerns me, don't worry I will find a way to forge your pill" Lu Zihao reassured.
"Alright then" Dong Chen nodded.
"Let's head back for now, tomorrow I'll find another way to make the pill for you. You don't have to worry about it," Lu Zihao reassured him once more.
They both depart to their various home.
As the night deepened, Lu Zihao lay on the bamboo bed, the cool breeze whispering through the slats, carrying with it the weight of his thoughts.
The mystery surrounding the demise of the ones he had supposed to regard as parents in this strange new world gnawed at him, a puzzle demanding to be solved. With a steely resolve, he vowed to unravel the truth, to seek justice for the wrongs done to the previous owner of his current body.
It was a path fraught with unknowns, but Lu Zihao was determined to tread it, for in the quest for truth, he might also find his own redemption and purpose. The journey ahead would be long and perilous, but the first step had been taken, a silent promise made under the cover of night.