Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Kingdom of Sand and Gravel

The flying beast let out a sharp cry, slicing through the vast sky with a whoosh. Its wings fluttered rapidly as it circled gracefully in the air before descending slowly to the ground.

Lu Zhe and Old Healer strolled out of the small house, immediately enveloped by a wave of scorching heat. Lu Zhe’s brow furrowed slightly. He had heard of the Gravel Kingdom before—this nation lay at the southern edge of the legendary “Boundless Desert” in the Divine Xia Continent. South of here stretched the endless sands, and the city itself sprawled over an area about one and a half times the size of the Empire of Olga. It was said that daytime temperatures could soar to fifty or sixty degrees, while at night they could plummet to minus thirty or forty. Ordinary people could not hope to survive in such extremes. Being on the frontier, law and order here were far more chaotic than other cities—one could say it was a lawless land. While not as infamous as the so-called “Land of Endless Night” in the Black Triangle, it was not far behind.

Sure enough, as soon as Lu Zhe and Old Healer descended the steps, two burly men watched them intently. The man on the left whispered something to his companion, who hurriedly shook his head and pointed at Old Healer’s chest. The first man glanced over, bit his lip, clearly dissatisfied but helpless.

Lu Zhe donned the alchemist’s cloak and hood, shutting out the oppressive heat. The attire was truly effective—as soon as he pulled the hood over his head, the searing air seemed to lessen, and the tight expression on his face gradually relaxed.

He and Old Healer walked briskly toward the flying station’s exit. Passing through the corridor, they emerged onto the bustling street. The scene resembled that of the Olga Empire: lively and crowded, with vendors hawking local specialties, selling king beast meats, medicines, snacks, and more—an endless array that dazzled the eye.

Despite their quick pace, Lu Zhe felt furtive glances from all directions. Old Healer seemed unbothered, striding ahead while Lu Zhe adjusted his hood and hurried after him.

As they walked, Old Healer came to a sudden stop before a five-story building whose architecture exuded a solemn dignity. Lu Zhe glanced up and saw a plaque above the main entrance, the characters etched in bold calligraphy: Hundred Remedies Pavilion.

Old Healer studied the building, then turned to Lu Zhe and said, “Let’s go.”

Lu Zhe nodded, following him inside.

Within, Lu Zhe looked around and found the Hundred Remedies Pavilion was quite spacious. Glass cabinets lined the walls, each filled with various herbs. Lu Zhe wandered up to one, glancing over the contents—it was all common medicinal plants, suitable for crafting a few basic elixirs, but far from what he needed.

As he rejoined Old Healer, a woman in a bright red cheongsam approached them. Her complexion glowed like a peach blossom, exuding a delicate allure. With a gentle sway in her step, she stopped before them and, dipping into a graceful curtsey, asked in a soft, melodious voice, “What herbs may I help you gentlemen find?”

Old Healer hesitated briefly, his expression turning mysterious. “Do you, as a ‘picker of men,’ have anything that might catch the eye?”

The woman started, her face briefly clouded. But when she saw the five golden cauldrons on Old Healer’s chest, her expression brightened. She smiled. “So you are ‘appraisers’—my apologies for misjudging.”

Old Healer offered a faint smile, but Lu Zhe was left puzzled—what were they talking about?

The woman beckoned a shop boy over, whispered a few words to him, then turned to them with a pleasant smile. “Please, sirs, this way upstairs.”

Old Healer proceeded forward casually, with Lu Zhe quickly following.

On the second floor, Lu Zhe found it nearly as expansive as the first, though there were far fewer glass cabinets. He approached one, noting that the herbs here were rarer, worth at least tens of thousands of gold, and suitable only for refining elixirs of four cauldrons or above. Still, the five-cauldron Waterleaf Ganoderma and Frost Spirit Flower he sought were not among them.

Old Healer glanced around. “Nothing catches the eye.”

The woman smiled. “Sir Appraiser, if these are not to your taste, please follow me upstairs.”

And so she led them to the third floor.

On the third floor, Lu Zhe found the space almost empty, with only a handful of glass cabinets remaining. The herbs here were exceedingly rare on the open market, each worth at least a hundred thousand gold. Yet, the Waterleaf Ganoderma and Frost Spirit Flower were still absent.

Old Healer’s face remained calm. “Still nothing to my taste. For such a grand establishment, you lack the medicines I seek. What sort of business are you running?”

The woman hesitated momentarily. “Sir Appraiser, you should ‘flash your collection.’ Beyond this, there’s no need for me to say more.”

At this, Old Healer smiled faintly, drew a slip of paper from his sleeve, studied it, and handed it to her. “Do you, as a ‘picker of men,’ have any of these ‘man pots’?”

She took the note, brows furrowing in thought. “Please wait a moment, sir. I shall return shortly.”

With that, she ascended to the next floor.

As she left, Lu Zhe sidled up to Old Healer, curiosity brimming. “Master, what were you two talking about just now?”

Old Healer smiled. “It’s coded language. If you speak plainly here, they won’t show you anything valuable. Remember, this is a lawless place—many things can’t be traded openly. Careless words could cost you your life. Do you understand? Learn a bit, it will serve you well.”

Lu Zhe nodded with a smile.

Soon, the woman returned, this time accompanied by a man and another woman. The latter carried a tray covered with a red cloth, concealing its contents.

The three stopped before Lu Zhe and Old Healer. The woman handed Old Healer’s note back to him, then gestured to the tray. “Our stock is incomplete. We have only one of the herbs you seek. Does it catch your eye, Sir Appraiser?”

Old Healer smiled coolly. “Do your ‘wares’ always come with ‘hanging tags’?”

She returned the smile. “One must be cautious away from home. Since Sir Appraiser is a ‘collector of flashes,’ I hope you won’t mind.”

Old Healer said nothing more, stepped to the tray, lifted a corner of the red cloth, peered inside, and took a sniff. He nodded approvingly. “Not bad. It’s genuine.”

She smiled. “As you say, with your reputation as an appraiser and a master of the art, our business must uphold its credibility.”

Old Healer’s smile hinted at disdain, clearly unmoved by her words. He withdrew his hand into his sleeve, then raised his arm. “No more coded talk.”

The woman smiled, extended her slender, jade-like fingers, and reached into his sleeve.

Lu Zhe watched as their sleeves shifted and twitched, expressions changing minutely. At length, Old Healer flicked his sleeve sharply. “Does this price suit you?”

She hesitated. “You’re driving a hard bargain. Isn’t this too much?”

Old Healer’s response was calm. “Your shop’s reputation can surely withstand this.”

She paused again, then nodded. “Very well, it’s a deal.”

Old Healer smiled, withdrew his hand, produced a card from his robe, and handed it to the woman. He then accepted the tray from her companion and, with Lu Zhe, swiftly descended the stairs and left.

After they departed, the man behind the woman stepped forward. “Boss, why did you sell the Waterleaf Ganoderma at such a low price?”

She turned, holding up the card Old Healer had given her between two fingers. “Do you know what this is?”

“A money card,” the man replied, puzzled.

“How many rings does it have?” she asked.

He peered at the card, counting under his breath. After a moment, his eyes widened. “A five-ring gold card?”

She nodded. “That’s right. A five-ring gold card.”

He steadied himself but still looked amazed. “Then… that man is a Spirit Emperor-level expert?!”

She lowered her eyes, brows knit in concern, then looked up. “I doubt it. That man is unfathomable, his strength surely exceeds even a Spirit Emperor—perhaps much higher. And he’s a five-cauldron gold-ranked alchemist. We cannot afford to offend such people. It’s best to send them on their way quickly, lest their wrath ruin my business.”

With a heavy sigh, she cast another wary glance at the stairs before turning and heading back up.

Meanwhile, Old Healer and Lu Zhe walked briskly down the road. Unable to restrain his curiosity, Lu Zhe asked, “Master, what did you just buy?”

Old Healer glanced at him. “Waterleaf Ganoderma.”

“What about the Frost Spirit Flower?” Lu Zhe asked, pulling his hood lower.

Old Healer’s expression turned thoughtful. “The Frost Spirit Flower is especially rare—ordinary shops won’t have it. Our next stop should be the auction house. A place like this is sure to have one.”

Lu Zhe paused in surprise. “Auction house? Do you know where that is?”

Old Healer shot him a scornful look. “What’s under your nose?”

Lu Zhe blanked for a moment, then sheepishly scratched his head and hurried after Old Healer as they walked on ahead.