A few days later, Meng Xuan was surprised to see two pouch bags delivered to him.
In his letter, he had asked his father for urgent money and mentioned, almost in passing, that he was considering undergoing the heavenly trial. He hadn't expected much—perhaps even a refusal—but to his astonishment, his father had responded immediately, sending more than what he had asked for.
Meng Xuan opened the first pouch, marked with the initial "M." Inside were ten soul coins—equivalent to a hundred spirit shards per soul coin, a considerable sum.
In the second pouch lay his monthly allowance: a total of forty spirit shard.
What is Father really planning? he wondered. But he didn't dwell on it. There was something urgent in the underground night market, and now, he had the funds to get it.
Counting everything, his wealth now totaled eleven soul coins. If he included his recent gains from the Abyssal Demonic Zone—even after splitting it evenly with his partner—he still had plenty left.
That night, Meng Xuan began prepared himself to go to the underground night market that was somewhere in Eden district.
....
Using the night as cover, he navigated his way in the street of eden district
Eden district was one of the most populous district in jade city.
Holding important place like the radiant sky academy which was one of the factor of it increased population since different people from different cities come every year to attend this prestigious academy.
After walking several kilometers, he finally stopped in front of a poorly maintained apothecary shop.
He pushed the door open. Inside, an old man with a slightly wrinkled face sat behind a counter. In front of him were different sets of tubes and jars, each suspected to contain strange medicines.
At the left corner of the shop was a medicine rack lined with small leather bags, no bigger than a baby's palm, and glass jars containing various unknown plants.
The room carried a faint stench of sulfur, mixed with a pungent alcoholic odor.
The old man lifted his head from the book he was reading, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Ah, young lad, have you come to patronize Babies?" he rasped in a rough voice, pointing at the tubes and herbs before him.
"There's a certain medicine I just concocted," he added, pulling out a small yellow bag.
"It's gotten from a plant I found in a demonic zone. It can keep you awake for three days straight."
Such strange medicine… Meng Xuan's eyes narrowed. Apothecaries were not entirely legal; most operated in secrecy. many of them tested their new brews on unwilling humans. A violation of basic human rights, hidden behind the pretense of life-saving medicine.
Still, sometimes an apothecary's concoction could save a life when even the best hospitals failed.
Meng Xuan stared at the yellow medicine bag with a hint of hesitation. He had no intention of buying it, fully aware that staying awake for three days would come with hidden flaws. His real purpose here was not the medicine—it was to gather information about the underground night market.
Xiao long had told him to come here and he would be directed to the underground night market.
The old man noticed the flicker in his expression, his smile deepening.
"It's just a soul coin," he said lightly, tapping the yellow pouch with a gnarled finger.
"You'd better come and steal it from me," Meng Xuan scoffed in his mind.
"Sorry mister, I came here looking for Shagbuyu."
The moment he said that, the man's expression instantly turned serious.
"The place where they sell fish…"he further said. Hearing what he wanted.Without another word he made his way toward the medicine rack at the far-left corner of the shop.
Meng Xuan silently followed behind, anxiety coiling in his chest as he wondered where the man was leading him. Was this truly the entrance to the underground market?
The man glanced back, carefully making sure no one was watching. Meng Xuan, too, subconsciously turned his head. Just then, his gaze caught on an open scroll lying on the counter.
Medicine: Sleepless Heart
Effect: Able to stay awake for three days straight, without the need for rest.
Side Effect: A test subject once claimed his hunger grew twofold during those three days…
He wasn't able to read the content's finish as his attention shifted to the old man who was tilting a random small pot. A reaction occurred, and the sound of metals grinding against themselves could be heard.
The large medicine rack slid to the left, revealing a hidden passage.
"This place leads to the underground night market. You should not bother passing this route when coming back," the man said.
Before he could ask which route he should pass when returning, a calm voice sounded:
"Follow me."
A man wearing a bamboo straw hat that covered his face appeared, clad in a brown casual robe—a typical fisherman. He spoke while walking in front of him.
Mengxuan followed the man, failing to close the gap. Though the man was walking slowly, it felt as if he was taking twice the distance with half the steps.
The man was holding a red orb that illuminated the surroundings. Though Mengxuan could not see very well, the glow was enough to reveal the silhouette of the man.
The man spoke again. "The path to the underground market is always changing. These simple words serve as a warning. Without guidance, no outsider could ever infiltrate the underground night market."
They must have done this to prevent people from learning the exact route to the underground market.
Mengxuan sighed in amazement at their meticulous schemes. If this underground market hadn't been recommended by a trusted friend, he wouldn't have believed it.
After walking a few miles, the man with the bamboo hat turned to him.
"You will need this," the man said, passing a white mask to him.
The mask had holes for his eyes, and the outline of his nose and mouth were faintly visible through it.
At his front, a massive wooden gate loomed, standing gallantly. With the mask now on his face, he walked up to the underground gate. The man accompanying him had long merged into the shadows, his steps soundless.
The gate slowly opened, as though it were sensing him.
Two ladies with short faces, clad in a red fish-net veil, approached. They wore blue dresses embroidered with fish patterns.
"Young master, welcome to Shangbiyu Night Market," they said in unison, bowing their heads slightly.
"Are you a new member, or an old acquaintance?" one of them asked.
Mengxuan slowly nodded his head and brought out a white card with a golden fish pattern engraved at the center. Below it, the number 24 was inscribed next to the fish's mouth.