The guard blinked at the small dragon, clearly unsure of whether to take her seriously. "Uh…entry requires ten low-level spirit stones per person," he finally said, recovering.
"Ten per person?" Bai Lifen piped up, feigning horror. "For this place? I didn't realize we were visiting such an upscale establishment." Although we all knew he was trying to be funny, spirit stones were never his issue.
Long Zhen clapped a hand to his chest in mock offense. "I may have to sell one of my talismans to afford such luxury! Do you think they take credit?"
The guards just stared at us, clearly confused by the banterz and I handed over the spirit stones before things got too ridiculous. "Here," I said, handing over enough for the whole group. "Let's just get inside."
The guards nodded, relieved, and ushered us through the gates.
As soon as we entered, we were hit with the bustling energy of the small town. Stalls lined the streets, merchants shouting about their wares, and the smell of grilled meats and spices filled the air.
ChiChu's eyes widened like saucers as soon as she caught the scent of the grilled meat. She tugged on my sleeve insistently. "Meat. Now."
"Alright, alright," I sighed, making my way toward a nearby stall where an old woman was grilling skewers of what looked like some kind of beast meat. "Excuse me," I called out, "I'll take…all of it."
The woman looked up, her wrinkled face breaking into a grin. "All of it, young master? Well, that's quite an order!"
"Trust me, it'll be gone in minutes," I said, eyeing ChiChu, who was practically drooling on my shoulder.
The woman quickly wrapped up the skewers, handing them over. "A fine choice! Your little one there knows quality when she sees it."
ChiChu puffed out her tiny chest, proud of herself. "Of course, I do."
I handed over the spirit stones and moved aside as ChiChu began devouring the skewers like a starved beast, bones and all. I could hear Bai Lifen and Long Zhen laughing from behind me.
"Is she even chewing?" Long Zhen asked, amused.
"No time," I said, shrugging. "She's got a bottomless stomach."
As we walked through the streets, the others wandered off to explore the various stalls.
Long Zhen and Bai Lifen, unsurprisingly, slipped into a small shop with a sign that read Love Talismans & More. The moment they stepped inside, I couldn't resist following them, lingering in the shadows as I watched the exchange.
"So, you're telling me," Long Zhen began, leaning casually on the counter, "that this talisman can make any woman fall in love with you?"
The shopkeeper, a hunched-over old man with a long white beard, nodded sagely. "For the right price, young master. It's very powerful."
Bai Lifen looked skeptical. "What about…multiple women?"
The shopkeeper stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Ah, now that's a bit more complex, but for a slightly higher price, I'm sure we can work something out."
Long Zhen elbowed Bai Lifen. "See? Perfect. Now we just need a bulk discount."
I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing as the two of them seriously discussed the logistics of using love talismans.
Honestly, these two never stopped.
Further down the street, Mei Lian and Jiayi were at a stall filled with powders and makeup, each holding up different products and chatting excitedly.
"This eyeshadow will definitely catch Yue Phaelo's attention," Mei Lian whispered, holding up a sparkling compact.
Jiayi nodded eagerly. "And this blush! He won't be able to look away!"
I knew they'd be up to their usual tricks later, trying to "accidentally" show me their new purchases. They always thought that if they just looked a little prettier, I'd finally give them the time of day.
Soon after, they approached me with their purchases, shyly holding out the shimmering makeup compacts. "These are for you!" Mei Lian said, her cheeks flushed.
Before I could say anything, ChiChu darted forward, snatching the compact from Mei Lian's hands with a gleeful grin. "Thanks!" she chirped, stuffing the makeup into her pouch.
Mei Lian and Jiayi stood there, wide-eyed, while I just sighed. "Don't look at me. I didn't even ask for it."
ChiChu was clearly pleased with herself, floating happily beside me as we continued walking through the market.
Meanwhile, Long Zhen and Bai Lifen had finished their business in the love talisman shop and were now sneaking into a small bookstore. As I watched from a distance, they browsed through rows of romance novels, their faces serious as they debated over which ones to buy.
"This one's about a cultivator who sweeps in and rescues the damsel from a demon," Bai Lifen said, holding up a book titled The Hero's Heart.
Long Zhen frowned. "Too cliché. What about this one?" He held up a book titled Forbidden Love of the Spirit Realm.
Bai Lifen's eyes lit up. "Oh, that sounds perfect! I bet the love scenes are spicy."
They both grinned like mischievous children as they made their purchases, completely oblivious to the fact that I was watching the entire time.
I shook my head in disbelief. "You two are hopeless," I muttered under my breath.
The rest of the group was also busy browsing through the stalls. Even Shi Wenyan, who was usually so serious, had stopped at a vendor selling small trinkets. She examined a jade pendant, her cold expression softening just a bit.
As we continued exploring the town, the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the streets.
It was a strange feeling, knowing that tomorrow we'd be heading into dangerous territory, but for tonight, we could at least enjoy the small moments of peace this bustling town offered.
ChiChu, having finished her feast of grilled meat, was now curled up on my shoulder, dozing off as we made our way back to regroup. "I hope you're ready for tomorrow, little one," I murmured, watching as the last light of the sun disappeared behind the horizon.