Got it! Here's the revision starting at night, with vendors packing up and a more fitting atmosphere:
Chapter 9: A Day of New Beginnings
The air in Bluewood Town was cool as the evening descended. Vendors hurriedly packed up their stalls, gathering crates and wrapping up the remnants of the day's business. The streetlights flickered on one by one, casting long shadows over the cobblestone streets. Teng Lin and Wei Jian moved quickly, Chen Bo's limp form still between them. His condition was better, but the detoxification process was far from over. Chen Bo's body was recovering from the violent purge of poisons, and the weight of it was still visible on his pale face.
As they reached the door of the inn, Wei Jian spoke up, his voice a mixture of frustration and curiosity.
"Teng Lin, what's really going on here?" he asked, glancing over at his friend. "The valley… that water… and Su Xianyu, he's not a normal old man, is he? I saw the way he handled Chen Bo—he must be some kind of immortal cultivator. Is that what you're hiding from me?"
Teng Lin took a moment, his expression neutral. He didn't respond immediately, knowing Wei Jian was expecting some kind of answer. After a long pause, he replied noncommittally.
"You saw what happened," Teng Lin said, his voice steady. "It's not something I can explain. I don't even know the full story."
Wei Jian's eyes narrowed, sensing the usual evasion in Teng Lin's words. He didn't expect to get a full answer, but that didn't stop him from trying. He quickly changed the subject.
"Do you think Su Xianyu might take us on as disciples?" he asked, his tone hopeful. "Maybe teach us the ways of immortality?" His eyes lit up. "I mean, he's got to know something about cultivation—he's definitely not a normal person. If he's really an immortal cultivator, then maybe we could learn something useful."
Teng Lin shrugged, still nonchalant. "I don't know. But maybe if we ask, he'll teach us the basics. He might have some knowledge about immortal cultivation to share."
Wei Jian's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Imagine learning an immortal technique! If we could just get him to teach us something, we could—"
Before he could continue, Chen Bo let out a small grunt, his body shifting slightly as he groaned in his sleep. Teng Lin shot Wei Jian a look, silently urging him to focus on their friend.
"Let's get him inside first," Teng Lin said. "We can talk about this later."
With a nod, Wei Jian helped carry Chen Bo inside. The innkeeper, a grizzled man with a sour expression, was standing by the counter when they entered. His eyes immediately fell on Chen Bo, and his lips curled in disapproval.
"Your friend looks sick," the innkeeper remarked flatly, eyeing Chen Bo's pale, drawn face. "We don't allow sick people to stay here. It's against the rules."
Wei Jian blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean? We already paid for three days! It's only the third night, and he's just detoxing. He's not contagious or anything."
The innkeeper, unmoved by Wei Jian's words, shook his head firmly. "It's the rules. Sick people stay outside. No exceptions." He crossed his arms and glared at them. "If you don't like it, I'll call the guards."
Wei Jian's frustration boiled over, and his voice raised. "This is ridiculous! We've already paid, and you're just making up rules as you go! You can't do this to us!"
The innkeeper stood his ground, not budging. "I run my business the way I see fit. Either you take your friend to the stables, or you leave."
Wei Jian opened his mouth to argue, but Teng Lin stepped in, giving the innkeeper a calm but steady look.
"We'll accept your offer," Teng Lin said politely, his tone cool but firm. "Thank you."
Wei Jian stared at him, flabbergasted. "What? Why should we just accept this nonsense?"
Teng Lin remained composed. "It's not the worst thing that could happen. You wouldn't want strange people with strange illnesses in your house, would you?"
Wei Jian clenched his fists, still furious, but seeing the logic in Teng Lin's words. With a resigned sigh, he nodded. "Fine. But I'm still not happy about it."
The innkeeper led them to a small, dimly lit stable at the back of the building. The smell of hay and horses filled the air, but it was better than nothing. They laid Chen Bo down in one of the empty stalls, the straw scratching against his skin as they settled him. Wei Jian's face still held a scowl as he paced the stable.
"I can't believe this," he muttered, his voice low. "They're clearly trying to scam us. This whole business is shady."
Teng Lin glanced at him, still calm. "Sometimes, you have to deal with what's in front of you. It's not ideal, but it's not the worst."
Wei Jian huffed but didn't argue further. "I guess… but this still feels wrong."
Teng Lin shrugged. "We're lucky they're only making Chen Bo stay in the stable. It could be worse."
They decided to take turns watching over Chen Bo. One would sleep in the room while the other stayed in the stable, keeping an eye on their friend.
As the night deepened, Teng Lin sat beside Chen Bo, his mind wandering to the strange events of the past few days. The changes in the valley, the mysterious powers that had transformed the land, and Su Xianyu's odd behavior. There was something more to this journey, something beyond just learning cultivation.
Teng Lin leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. What would come next? What was the true purpose of all this?
As dawn approached, a familiar ping echoed in his mind. The system was active again, its message clear.
Ding! New mission: Plant 10 different types of plant seeds within the next 6 hours.
Teng Lin sighed, rubbing his temple. "Another mission? Seriously?" He glanced at Chen Bo, who was sleeping peacefully. "I guess I'll have to get to work."
Teng Lin sat quietly in the stable, his eyes occasionally flickering over to Chen Bo, who had been sleeping soundly for a while now. The young man's pain had subsided, and though he still had a tense expression, the worst of the discomfort seemed to have passed. A faint sense of relief washed over Teng Lin as he glanced at the calm expression on Chen Bo's face.
Wei Jian had left earlier to stretch his legs and get some fresh air, leaving Teng Lin to watch over their friend. The night had been uneventful so far, and the soft hum of the world outside seemed to carry the promise of a peaceful dawn.
The silence was soon broken, though, by a sudden chime in the air.
Ding! New Mission: Plant 10 different types of plant seeds within 6 hours.
Teng Lin blinked at the message, furrowing his brow. Plant seeds? He looked over at Chen Bo, still sleeping, and sighed. His thoughts immediately turned to the logistics of the task at hand. Where could he even plant 10 different types of seeds, given the situation?
"Tch…" Teng Lin muttered under his breath as he thought about it. He was still trying to make sense of the strange mission when another question rose in his mind. "System, what types of spirit plants should I use?"
The system responded flatly, This is a novice-level mission. There are no specified types or level requirements.
Teng Lin paused, raising an eyebrow. "Level?" he repeated to the empty stable, but the system offered no further response.
Shaking his head in resignation, Teng Lin sighed. Whatever. It's just 10 types of seeds. Shouldn't be that hard. He stood up, stretching his legs as he made a mental note to figure out where to plant them once he had them.
He left the stable and made his way into town. The streets were still quiet, and most of the vendors were packing up their stalls, preparing to head home. A few, however, still had goods on display, and Teng Lin began scanning for any seeds.
After a few minutes of walking, he spotted a familiar face. It was the elderly woman from the other day—the one who had mentioned Su Xianyu. She was still packing away her things, but there were a few baskets of seeds left on the counter.
"Well, if it isn't the young man from yesterday," she greeted, her voice light.
Teng Lin approached with a smile, grateful to see her again. "Thank you for your help the other day. I wanted to ask if you had any seeds for sale."
The old woman nodded slowly, lifting a basket filled with seeds from beneath the counter. "I do," she said. "But I don't have many types. Mostly the basics, you know?"
Teng Lin glanced into the basket. It was true—there were only four types of seeds. Not enough to fulfill his mission, but still, they might be useful for something else. He picked up the seeds and looked at her. "How much for these?"
She named a price, and Teng Lin handed over the money. After a moment of thought, he asked, "By the way, I never caught your name."
The elderly woman looked at him, seeming to consider his question. Then, with a shrug, she said, "Eh, everyone around here just calls me Old Maid Bai. You can call me that if you want."
Teng Lin wasn't sure if he should address her that way, so he politely opted for, "I'll call you Granny Bai, then."
She chuckled. "Suit yourself, young man. Most just call me Old Maid Bai, but Granny Bai works too."
"Thank you, Granny Bai," Teng Lin said, a smile on his face. "I appreciate the seeds."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Teng Lin left her stall and continued his search. He visited three more shops and managed to gather the rest of the seeds he needed. As he walked away from the last stall, however, a new worry cropped up.
Where am I supposed to plant them?
His mind flicked back to Su Xianyu's words. The old farmer had told him not to return to the valley today, that he should remain in town. But now that he had the seeds, where could he carry out his mission?
He hesitated for a moment but then made up his mind. There was no way he could fail a mission simply because of the location. He had to push forward.
With that thought in mind, he turned around, heading back toward the inn.