Lanshan and his party have returned from Celestial Barrier Mountain.
Han Meng made a special trip to deliver the news, which is how Bai Mo learned that the route on the Mountain Entrance Map was still usable.
Although there were a few unexpected variables along the way, with several Demon Beasts occupying the path, it wasn't a problem.
Celestial Barrier Mountain was tall and densely forested, with Demon Beasts known to roam its paths. Lanshan had come well-prepared.
Han Meng said they made a small profit, but Bai Mo didn't ask for the specifics.
'I need to get ready. It's almost time to set off.'
Hearing that Lanshan had dismissed his companions, letting them divide the Spirit Stones and go their separate ways to meet again someday, Bai Mo knew Lanshan was preparing to depart.
...
Early in the morning, Bai Mo removed a single door panel and tossed a sack of trash onto a handcart.
"Useless stuff, non-toxic."
The masked man placed the sack on the side of the cart closest to him and left, pleased.
The medicinal herb scraps he had sorted out last time were bought by a few struggling pharmaceutical apprentices, netting him a small profit.
An old man carrying a black cloth bag walked over and asked in surprise:
"Brother Bai, you're not opening the shop today?"
It was the elderly stallholder Bai Mo was acquainted with, who had now also taken to peddling his wares through the streets and alleys.
Bai Mo nodded.
"I'm heading out on a long trip. Can't say for sure when I'll be back."
"No wonder," the old man exclaimed. "I heard that your shop hasn't had many Pills for sale lately."
"I thought you couldn't make it and had closed down."
He then added regretfully, "I just got some new stock and was hoping Brother Bai could sell some of it for me."
Hearing this, Bai Mo reached out, opened the black cloth bag, and briefly inspected the medicinal herbs inside.
"Not bad. These are all fresh, good-quality ingredients with ample medicinal potency."
The old man smiled with pride.
"I found an opportunity to go up the mountain. After a few days, this is what I found. See? I haven't lost my touch!"
But Bai Mo could tell from the varying condition of the cuts on the herbs that they had been gathered over a period of nearly half a month.
"Are you still up for it? At your age, still venturing into the mountain forests."
The old man scoffed.
"How unreasonable, Brother Bai. You're usually the one telling me to go to the mountains, saying my goods are low quality, and now you're trying to talk me out of it."
Bai Mo chuckled.
"Well, that's because you didn't buy my Qi Absorption Pills, did you? Your cultivation realm hasn't improved one bit."
After speaking, Bai Mo offered a tip, "This is all genuinely good stuff. You can sell it directly to the pharmaceutical apprentices in the city. There's no reason they wouldn't buy it!"
The old man's spirits lifted, completely convinced by Bai Mo's words.
"Then I'd better raise the price!"
He hurried off excitedly.
As Bai Mo watched him leave, he suddenly saw someone else approaching.
"Shopkeeper, are there any Pills left?"
It was an unfamiliar face.
Bai Mo said flatly, "Not at the moment. The shop's inventory is cleared out. You can come back another day."
"Alright," the man said readily. "I've long heard the Pills here are quite good. I'll definitely have to buy some to try."
"If they're really as good as they say, I'll be a regular customer."
Bai Mo put on a smile and politely saw him off.
Once the man was far enough away, the smile on Bai Mo's face faded, and he subtly glanced at the passersby.
Two of them had been lingering for a moment, almost for the entire duration of his conversation with the customer.
Sighing softly, Bai Mo turned, went back into the shop, and secured the door panel.
Over the past few days, more and more unfamiliar customers had been showing up, and they all had accomplices watching from the outside.
Those accomplices, Bai Mo recalled, had appeared several times.
'So, I've finally been noticed, have I?'
Fortunately, in order to convert his assets into Spirit Stones, he had stopped refining new Pills after selling off the last batch of Evil Exorcism Pills.
Aside from three Qi Blood Pills and three vials of each of his other types of Pills that he kept for personal use, Bai Mo only had one hundred and sixty-one Spirit Stones left on him.
Sixty-five of those were for his landlord, Elder Tao, designated as next month's rent and security deposit.
After all, he didn't know how long it would be before he returned.
He had already settled all his previous dues.
'Thank goodness for the Evil Exorcism Pills. They helped me recover some capital, or I'd be even more broke.'
After checking that everything was in order at home, Bai Mo shut the windows, locked the door, slung a bundle over his back, and headed out.
...
He found Elder Tao enjoying an opera and took a bag of Spirit Stones from his bundle, handing it over.
"Good lad! Have a safe trip!"
Elder Tao knew the purpose of Bai Mo's trip, and a rare look of encouragement appeared on his face.
Bai Mo smiled, acknowledged his well wishes, and left.
After about half an hour, Bai Mo reached the gates of Immortal Arrival City, where he saw Lanshan and Lan Ru.
Lan Ru waved at him.
"Shopkeeper Bai, over here."
Where they were standing, there was a horse-drawn carriage.
Nearby on both sides, there were several more of the same style.
Bai Mo's gaze swept over them, and he counted a total of nine.
As he approached, Lanshan lifted the carriage curtain.
"Go on, get in."
Bai Mo was taken aback. "What about you?"
The carriage was quite large; seating four or five people would be no problem.
Lanshan shook his head. "I'll be on guard outside."
Just then, a few people in brown clothes gathered around.
Their leader was an old man with half-gray hair, while the others were able-bodied men with a faint but fierce aura about them.
"Lanshan, is everyone here?" The old man's smile was quite friendly.
Lanshan nodded.
"I thank you all for this trip. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask!"
The old man laughed heartily.
"Don't worry. Even if you hadn't said anything, we'd still come looking for you."
Despite his words, Lan Ru, who was inside the carriage with Bai Mo, covered her mouth and whispered:
"The caravan's cargo is confidential. Unless it's a matter of life and death, they won't ask my brother for help."
Bai Mo nodded. He felt the carriage jolt, and then came the CLIP-CLOP of horse hooves.
The caravan was moving.
"Miss Ru, was I late?"
Lan Ru shook her head. "Not at all. The scheduled departure time hasn't even arrived yet. We're just leaving early since everyone is here."
The nine carriages, which had been parked haphazardly by the roadside, formed a single line as they began to move.
Bai Mo pushed aside the side curtain and saw Lanshan riding a tall horse, guarding the side of their carriage.
His large frame was very imposing.
The other eight carriages were the same, except they each had two guards, one on either side.
Bai Mo's carriage was in the middle of the procession, the fifth in line.
The caravan drew closer to the city gate, parting the crowd as it passed through.
The gate was crowded, and some of the more ill-tempered people who were pushed aside began to curse.
Among them were customers Bai Mo recognized, though they clearly didn't notice him.
Once outside the city gate, the world opened up before Bai Mo's eyes.
Bai Mo gazed into the distance. A wide, packed-earth road stretched far ahead.
Apart from scattered, distant settlements, all that remained was a semi-wild landscape.
At the very edge of his vision, however, were towering Immortal Mountains that pierced the clouds. They were wreathed in mist, from which a rosy glow occasionally pulsed.
The glowing light snaked downward, like a flood dragon swimming through the sky.
There were several such Immortal Mountains, each with its own unique aura—one seemed to be completely shrouded in a watery mist, another was capped by dark clouds...
"What are those places?" Bai Mo asked.
Lan Ru shook her head.
"I don't know. They seem to be the locations of famous sects, completely enveloped in Arrays."
"We're not heading there, are we?" Bai Mo asked again.
"Of course not. They're so far away, who knows how long it would take to get there."
Lan Ru gazed into the distance, a look of longing in her eyes as well.
Since settling down in Immortal Arrival City, Bai Mo had never once ventured out.
Being outside now felt novel, and a myriad of thoughts swirled in his mind.
'One day, I must be able to come and go as I please. Only then will this journey have been worthwhile.'