"Qiu qiu..."
Just as Lin Feng was lost in gloomy thought, a soft chirping sounded in his ear, followed by the gentle scrape of tiny claws on his cheek. Turning his head, he saw Xiaoqiu, who had somehow climbed from his lap onto his right shoulder, blinking its little eyes at him. Strangely, there seemed to be a hint of comfort in its gaze.
This little creature was becoming more and more perceptive. A warm feeling spread through Lin Feng's heart. He reached up and gently patted Xiaoqiu's head, smiling, "Heh, don't worry. I won't be defeated by this setback so easily."
"Qiu qiu!!" Xiaoqiu chirped twice contentedly, its eyes narrowing as if to say, 'That's more like it!' Then, it extended its tiny paw and waved it in front of Lin Feng's face, clearly signaling, 'I'm hungry, feed me!'
"You little glutton..." Lin Feng couldn't help but chuckle wryly. He shook his head slightly before producing a mid-grade spirit stone from his storage. Xiaoqiu immediately snatched it happily, clutching it to its chest, then hopped aside to start munching on it with satisfying 'crunch crunch' sounds.
—Ever since discovering Lin Feng possessed mid-grade spirit stones, the little critter had become picky. It now disdained the low-grade stones it used to eat, stubbornly demanding only mid-grade ones. Lin Feng found this rather exasperating, though it was somewhat mitigated by the fact that one mid-grade stone seemed to sustain Xiaoqiu for a much longer time. Sometimes it would even sleep for two or three days straight after consuming one. Calculated over time, the overall consumption wasn't significantly more than its previous diet of low-grade stones.
Strangely enough, Xiaoqiu's simple gesture of comfort genuinely lifted Lin Feng's spirits, easing the sense of loss. He silently encouraged himself not to give up; surely a solution could be found eventually.
Despite knowing it was futile, Lin Feng continued his cultivation for a while longer. Only when the sky began to lighten did he finally cease his practice, open his eyes, tidy up, and prepare to explore the city.
He had only inquired at one pill shop yesterday. Today, he planned to visit others. While the hope was slim, he felt he had to try. Even if he couldn't purchase a Snow Sprout Pill, perhaps he could glean some relevant information.
Being new to Star City, he anticipated needing some time to get his bearings before attempting to seek out and visit a few alchemists. Even if he couldn't obtain the Snow Sprout Pill, he could perhaps consult them about his personal problem. Maybe they could diagnose the root cause of his stalled cultivation.
"Hey! Fellow Daoist Lin! What a coincidence!! You're heading out too?"
Just as Lin Feng, with Xiaoqiu nestled in his robe, stepped out of his room, a familiar voice hailed him from nearby down the corridor. The corner of his eye twitched almost imperceptibly, a flicker of resignation passing through his gaze before he turned with a practiced smile. "Heh, Fellow Daoist Jianke, you're out early as well."
Sword Guest grinned broadly. "Yeah! I was stuck deep in the mountains and old forests for months. Just got to Star City a couple of days ago. Gotta make the most of it, right? This city is great! Been exploring for days and still haven't seen it all. What do you say? Join me for some fun today?"
Lin Feng waved a dismissive hand. "No, thank you. I have some personal matters to attend to. Please enjoy yourself, Fellow Daoist Jianke."
"Oh, really? That's a shame..." Sword Guest sighed dramatically. "Playing alone just isn't as fun as sharing the adventure with a friend! Well, you go take care of your business, Fellow Daoist Lin. Once you're free, we'll go out and really paint the town red!"
"If I find some free time later, I'll certainly join you," Lin Feng replied vaguely. "I won't keep you then. Goodbye, Fellow Daoist Jianke."
"Hey, wait up! We can at least walk out together!"
Lin Feng and Sword Guest descended the stairs one after the other. As they approached the inn's main entrance, Lin Feng suddenly felt a cold, hostile gaze pierce his back. Instinctively, he glanced over his shoulder and saw the Absolute Sword Sect's Young Master, Loong Tian'ao, also emerging from his room, glaring at him with undisguised malice.
Over such a trivial matter? It seems this Loong Tian'ao genuinely holds a grudge. Lin Feng felt a wave of incredulity but chose to ignore him, turning back and walking out.
"..." Seeing Lin Feng 'ignore' him yet again, Loong Tian'ao seethed inwardly. Hmph! Sooner or later, I'll make you understand the consequences of offending this Young Master!!
Last night, due to Lin Feng's 'ingratitude', he, the esteemed Young Master of the Absolute Sword Sect, had been 'reduced' to spending the night in a 'commoner's room'. Loong Tian'ao had never suffered such 'humiliation' before! In his mind, Lin Feng was already marked for retribution. The psychology of such a spoiled, arrogant young master was truly beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
Parting ways with Sword Guest at a street corner, Lin Feng set off according to his own plan, navigating the bustling streets of Star City.
Star City was vast. Exploring it entirely would take at least three to five days. However, Lin Feng's objective was clear: find pill shops. This made his task considerably simpler. Asking directions as he went, he entered and exited one alchemical establishment after another. By the end of the day, he had visited nearly all dozen or so pill shops in the city, large and small.
His disappointment, however, was profound. Not a single shop had a Snow Sprout Pill for sale. At the largest shop in the city center, a manager had even kindly informed him that pills of the Snow Sprout Pill's caliber simply never appeared in commercial shops. Moreover, the manager had never even heard of such a pill surfacing within Star City itself. Even the Grade Three Alchemist employed by their shop couldn't refine it.
This news left Lin Feng feeling thoroughly disheartened as he made his way back to the inn, his mood gloomy.
As he reached the upper floor, he saw Sword Guest leaning against the corridor railing, looking profoundly bored – much like the day before. Spotting Lin Feng, his face instantly brightened with enthusiasm.
"Fellow Daoist Lin! You're back! Any luck today?"
"Sigh... Nothing," Lin Feng answered distractedly, already moving towards his room door.
To his surprise, Sword Guest sidled closer with a conspiratorial air, lowering his voice. "Fellow Daoist Lin, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"What?" Lin Feng paused, slightly taken aback. He instinctively took half a step back; the sly grin on Sword Guest's face gave him an inexplicable sense of unease.
"See here... How about we swap information?" Sword Guest whispered mysteriously. "One person investigating alone isn't as thorough as two. Sharing intel could save us both a lot of time, right? Let me tell you, I picked up a very useful piece of news today..."
"What are you talking about?" Lin Feng was genuinely confused. "Swap what information?"
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Lin, no need to play dumb," Sword Guest gave him a look that said 'we both know what's up'. "Everyone coming to Star City at this time knows it's for 'that thing'. No point hiding it."
Lin Feng sighed in exasperation. "What 'that thing'? I honestly have no idea what you're referring to."
"Really?" Sword Guest was genuinely startled this time. Seeing Lin Feng's expression held no deceit, he asked incredulously, "You're not here for 'that thing'? Then why are you in Star City?"
"I'm just passing through," Lin Feng stated plainly.
"Passing through..." Sword Guest's lip twitched. "You're serious?"
Lin Feng spread his hands. "Dead serious."
"..." Now it was Sword Guest's turn to be speechless.
However, Lin Feng's curiosity was now thoroughly piqued. He asked, puzzled, "Fellow Daoist Jianke, what exactly were you trying to say? What is this 'thing'? From what you imply, the reason Star City is so crowded right now is because people are gathering for this 'thing'?"
"You don't even know this?" Sword Guest gave Lin Feng an odd look, then shrugged. "Alright, well, it's hardly a secret anyway. Anyone you ask on the street could tell you. I'll fill you in. Right now, there are rumors swirling that a Strange Treasure has manifested on Great Python Mountain outside Star City. And not just any treasure – one significant enough to trigger celestial phenomena! That's what's drawn so many cultivators here."
"A Strange Treasure capable of causing celestial phenomena?!" Lin Feng was genuinely shocked. He instinctively pressed, "What is it?"
"What is it?" Sword Guest shrugged again. "Nobody knows. At least, the rumors don't specify. They just say that a little over a month ago, a radiant light shot into the sky from Great Python Mountain, converging into auspicious clouds overhead. The phenomenon lasted only a brief moment before vanishing. By the time people rushed to investigate, they couldn't pinpoint the exact location. However, the density of spiritual energy around Great Python Mountain increased several-fold over the following days before gradually dissipating. That's why the rumors of a major treasure began spreading. Cultivators from the surrounding regions flocked here hoping to stumble upon this treasure and claim the opportunity."
"So that's it..." Lin Feng finally understood why Star City was so packed and the inns were full. He asked curiously, "It happened over a month ago, and it's still going on? The treasure hasn't been found?"
"Exactly! If it had been found, would there still be so many people?" Sword Guest confirmed. "That celestial phenomenon only occurred that one time, then disappeared completely. For over a month now, they've practically turned Great Python Mountain inside out, but still, no one has found the treasure. Most aren't willing to give up, though. They're waiting for the phenomenon to reappear so they can resume the search. That's why the crowd keeps growing."
He leaned in again, a hopeful glint in his eye. "So, Fellow Daoist Lin, what do you say? Fancy trying your luck? We could team up. Who knows, maybe fate will smile on us, and we'll actually find the treasure? Whatever we discover, we split it fifty-fifty. Deal?"
The way he said it felt exactly like someone wanting to pull off a heist but lacking the nerve to go alone, desperately seeking an accomplice...