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In contrast, Yan Xiaobao got off the carriage imdiately after crossing the city wall and swiftly slipped into the bustling crowd flowing through the busy streets. At the mont, he wore his hotown’s tattered clothes, with his hair bound beneath a bamboo conical hat.
The hat was created by Yan Xiaobao during his ti at the academy. It was inspired by the conical hats used across South Asia. Its current purpose was not to shield from the sun, but rather to conceal Yan Xiaobao’s unusual features.
Yan Xiaobao walked through street after street, slowly making his way toward the city center, where most of the marketplace squares were located. Although, had he stayed in the carriage, Yan Xiaobao could easily have arrived here, he also knew that he would attract incredible attention because everyone within the city could recognize that the carriage belonged to the City Lord Mansion.
As Yan Xiaobao stepped onto the streets, he took the ti to observe and analyze the various shops. The suburban areas of the city were mostly residential neighborhoods, with large buildings resembling the City Lord Mansion, although they belonged to various noble families.
Between these family estates were ornate roads leading to the city center, with stunning mansions on either side belonging to wealthier rchants or traders. So of these belonged to guards or rcenaries who succeeded in cultivation. These houses were considered middle class, with their own courtyards and auxiliary buildings.
The southern part of the city lacked large noble estates and middle-class mansions, instead being cramd with narrow streets made of stamped earth, with small huts pressed tightly against one another. So were single-story hos, while others had additional houses stacked atop their roofs.
This area was the poorest district among the city’s citizens, where residents took on any work they could find. So worked as cleaners across the city, while others went to the rice fields as seasonal workers.
Gao Yan hailed from these regions, as did his friends. Lord Rong Liang had opened a Martial Arts School and allowed the children here to train, enabling them to earn stable incos for themselves and their families, giving hope to these households in their daily lives.
Yan Xiaobao quickly passed through these areas. As he approached the center, he also observed the city’s various markets. These markets were enclosed with several entrances, guarded by individuals wearing seals of different noble families.
It was evident that the markets were owned by noble families, and the shops within had to pay taxes for the right to operate. Yan Xiaobao cast a quick glance at these markets but soon decided not to enter.
Firstly, he was currently dressed in poor clothing, making him look like an impoverished commoner, and his likelihood of being allowed inside was minimal. Secondly, shops in the market tended to pay less for goods during purchases, as they had to pay taxes to the nobles.
Yan Xiaobao kept walking, searching for a shop that sold dicine. Nearly reaching the West Gate, he saw a small figure walking briskly—a student hurrying out of a shop, holding his chest tightly, constantly looking anxiously to his sides and over his shoulder.
Yan Xiaobao looked at the boy and sighed. It was clear he was carrying valuable goods, and his conspicuous deanor made Yan Xiaobao quite certain this boy wouldn’t make it ho without being robbed.
Unfortunately, as the boy noticed Yan Xiaobao, his eyes widened, and on seeing the other side of Xiaobao, he jumped nervously, his legs moving so fast they seed barely able to support him. Observing the retreating boy, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but find the scene amusing, his lips curling into a slight smile. However, he had no ti to continue observing the boy, as he now stood before the shop and removed his hat.
It was a small shack that seed to have withstood the assault of hurricanes. The ceiling was riddled with holes, and the plaque on the door hung precariously from one corner, swaying in the narrow street’s slight breeze.
The large characters for "Rong Kaijian’s Great dicine Bottle" were painted on it, though the paint had peeled off to such an extent that several letters were nearly illegible.
At first glance, Yan Xiaobao thought the shop was far too destitute to afford his pills. Yet, recalling the sight of another student clutching his chest tightly earlier, Yan Xiaobao decided to enter and give it a try.
Yan Xiaobao swiftly removed his hat, letting his hair fall freely. His eyes took on a faint white haze, transforming into features befitting a ten-year-old.
He hesitated montarily before pushing open the door. Slowly, Yan Xiaobao stepped inside the shop. At first, everything was dark. There was no lighting within, and the only source of illumination seeped in from the street outside through the door fra.
The dim light revealed counters and cabinets made of glass, which once contained dicinal herbs. So of the cabinets were empty, while the few visible plants were either long dead or had wilted due to improper handling.
Everything in the room was coated in layers of dust and gri, a clear indication that nothing had been touched for a long ti. The only surface free of dust was the glass countertop.
The room was small, barely large enough to accommodate a few children, and no one was present at the mont. Behind the counter was an open doorway leading to another darkened room, from which a strong fragrance emanated. This scent was neither as clean or wholeso as the pills Yan Xiaobao’s father usually brought ho, nor as sweet or alluring as the pills he’d obtained the night before. It was pungent and slightly dizzying, though his Qi surged noticeably faster than usual.
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