Succeeding on his very first attempt with the talisman was well within his expectations, yet he still couldn’t suppress his excitement.
Ecstatic inwardly: I really am a genius.
Turning his head to look at Mo Yu behind him, he saw the boy still wearing that delighted expression. Right now, whenever Li Jingsheng looked at that expression, it felt as though the other person was praising him.
Therefore, in exceptionally high spirits, he said, “Let’s go, let’s look around and see what you want to buy.”
The market recommended by Xiao Yu was Linxian Town, a mortal market located closest to the immortal realm. It stretched across ten miles of bustling streets, brimming with prosperity and noise.
Due to its special geographical location right on the edge of the immortal realm, immortal sect disciples frequently haunted the area.
However, with the martial arts tournament currently underway in full swing over the past couple of days, the number of sect disciples here had dropped significantly.
Even so, Li Jingsheng still managed to spot one or two familiar faces amidst the crowd.
The items sold by the vendors along this long street were dazzling in their variety, ranging from everyday living utensils used by common folk to magical artifacts utilized by immortal cultivators in their training.
Naturally, Li Jingsheng didn’t recognize those artifacts on his own; he only knew that the items looked remarkably exquisite, with outer shells shaped like intricate copper boxes that, upon opening, closely resembled a woman’s rouge compact.
Yet according to the vendor, this was actually a treasured box capable of containing and trapping demonic entities.
Li Jingsheng once again felt a touch of realism regarding the fact that he was currently inhabiting a cultivation world.
Having transmigrated so long ago, this was actually his very first time coming out to stroll through a market.
He found every novel and curious thing fascinating, wanting to linger and gaze at each one twice over.
Suddenly, he felt as though his outward behavior made him look even more sheltered and inexperienced than Mo Yu.
Still, he hadn’t completely forgotten the primary purpose of his trip down the mountain: picking out clothes for Mo Yu.
And sure enough, after walking for half an hour, they finally encountered a tailor’s shop.
Before the two of them could even step inside, the proprietress of the shop grabbed Li Jingsheng’s sleeve with practiced familiarity, smiling ingratiatingly: “Such a handsome young master! Would you like to come in and custom-order a few sets of clothes? Let me tell you, our shop just received a fresh batch of aquamarine fabric, and that is truly fine merchandise straight from Jiangnan! I wouldn’t sell it to just anyone for fear their bearing wouldn’t do justice to such fine material, but seeing your bearing today, Young Master, I can tell that fabric will suit you exceptionally well.”
Li Jingsheng naturally recognized this as standard sales patter, but hearing about the aquamarine fabric, he figured it would suit Mo Yu perfectly and allowed the proprietress to pull him inside.
Walking behind them, Mo Yu watched the two hands tugging back and forth, following them in with a slight trace of jealousy.
From the outside, the tailor’s shop didn’t look particularly conspicuous, but its interior opened up into a vast and well-designed space.
The two upper and lower levels were connected into an open layout, with fabrics of various colors neatly arranged in individual compartments, while finished garments meant for display hung along the open walls.
This spatial layout and aesthetic instantly transported Li Jingsheng back to the modern world.
Guiding him to the section where the aquamarine fabrics were displayed, the proprietress proved right: the material was magnificent, featuring an aquamarine base that emitted a soft, shimmering multicolored luster when catching the light, clearly representing top-tier quality.
Glancing at the neglected Mo Yu standing nearby, Li Jingsheng beckoned him over, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Take a look at this fabric. Do you like it?”
Only then did the proprietress realize who the actual primary guest was supposed to be, and she hurriedly crowded around Mo Yu instead to introduce the shop’s inventory.
Frowning at the bustling proprietress flitting back and forth, Mo Yu found the woman exceedingly annoying, as she alternated between latching onto Senior Brother and latching onto him.
To make matters worse, the woman completely lacked any sense of personal space; introductions were one thing, but she kept crowding in far too close.
Watching Mo Yu’s enduring, restrained expression as if he were being harassed, Li Jingsheng chuckled aloud: “Proprietress, stop teasing my junior brother. He has a thin skin and can’t handle teasing.”
Realizing the relationship between the two, the proprietress balanced her attention equally and began praising them both in unison: “No wonder both of you are so devilishly handsome, you’re family! Would the young masters like to order matching sets? We have plenty of other gorgeous fabrics in stock.”
After exchanging a bit more friendly banter with the proprietress, Li Jingsheng pulled Mo Yu aside. “Take a look. Do you like it?”
Still harboring some lingering embarrassment and indignation over the proprietress’s earlier behavior, Mo Yu looked at Li Jingsheng and simply answered, “Whatever Senior Brother chooses, I like everything.”
Observing his obedient and bashful demeanor, Li Jingsheng felt a wave of internal ecstasy. Little puppy acting shy is so adorable!
Seeing that Mo Yu placed complete trust in his judgment, he proceeded to select several pleasing fabrics and styles for himself, conveniently picked out a few sets for Chu Wen as well, and left a deposit before departing.
Clothes required quite a few days of rushed tailoring before they would be ready, so lacking the time to wait around, they arranged with the proprietress to return on a designated date to collect them.
With the primary mission of the mountain trip settled, Li Jingsheng indulged his curiosity and began strolling around the market with Mo Yu in tow.
Ten miles of bustling streets, where every transaction is known across the realm.
Enamored by the novel trinkets lining the roadside, Li Jingsheng couldn’t bear to put them down; not content with merely buying items for himself, he insisted on purchasing them for Mo Yu as well.
Before long, both of their hands were filled with trinkets of all sizes.
Taking in the scene before him, Mo Yu experienced an inexplicable sense of familiarity welling up in his heart.
The bustling, cheerful street right before his eyes, the restaurant draped in bright red lanterns not far away, and even the small trinkets held tightly in his palm all felt hauntingly familiar.
Just as a faint thread of connection began to form in his mind, before he had a chance to ponder it deeply, another stick of candied hawthorn was thrust straight into his mouth.
The sweetness of the sugar coating hit his palate, seeping in threads as if flowing directly into his heart.
“This candied hawthorn looks quite good, I’ll treat you to a stick.”
“How is it? Is it delicious?”
For a fleeting moment, overlapping scenes flashed before Mo Yu’s eyes.
It felt as though, at some unspecified time in the past, someone else had spoken nearly identical words.
“This candied hawthorn looks pretty good! Boss, give us two sticks!”
“How is it? Your senior brother’s taste is pretty decent, right? Isn’t it exceptionally tasty?”
The sudden intrusion of these memories left Mo Yu somewhat flustered. With the two sets of imagery intersecting right in front of him, for a moment he couldn’t tell which reality was real.
The moment Li Jingsheng shoved the candied hawthorn into Mo Yu’s mouth, he realized something felt off. The second the boy bit into the candy, his entire body froze stiffly, staring blankly ahead with hollow, vacant eyes.
This reaction was far too abnormal and gave Li Jingsheng a genuine fright. Hastily pulling the candied hawthorn away, he gently patted the boy’s back. “Mo Yu, what’s wrong? Are you allergic to hawthorn?”
“Aiyah, I should have asked you beforehand. Are you alright? Should we head to the apothecary?”
As those words left his mouth, they created a distinct boundary from the memories in his mind. Mo Yu gradually snapped back to reality, his hands tightly gripping Li Jingsheng’s arm as if seeking to confirm the tangible reality of the person before him. After a long moment, he shook his head. “It’s not an allergy, Senior Brother, I’m fine.”
Despite saying that, his state looked anything but fine.
He appeared entirely like someone who had just jolted awake from a harrowing nightmare.
Drenched in cold sweat and with pale lips, his current condition was deeply concerning.
As Li Jingsheng debated whether they should find a place for him to rest first, his gaze swept across the crowd, searching for somewhere suitable.
Suddenly, a flash of blue caught his eye within the throng of people.
What a coincidence!
Li Jingsheng instantly felt as though he had found a savior.
“Xi Feng!”
At that shout, the blue figure amidst the crowd stiffened before turning around, the two of them locking eyes across a dense sea of people.
The instant their eyes met, Xi Feng immediately redoubled his pace to blend back into the crowd, clearly eager to put as much distance between himself and Li Jingsheng as possible.
Yet faced with this sole available free laborer who could assist him, Li Jingsheng wasn’t about to let him escape. Directly deploying his ultimate trump card, he shouted, “Mo Yu is injured! Come help out!”
That cry caused several passersby to pause and look over, with a few even stepping up to ask if assistance was needed. Watching the blue figure in the distance gradually reverse direction and approach, Li Jingsheng politely declined those offers of aid.
By the time Xi Feng arrived, Mo Yu had mostly recovered, his dizziness subsiding significantly, though his complexion still looked rather lackluster.
Fixing his gaze on the approaching Xi Feng, Mo Yu instinctively shifted to block Li Jingsheng behind him out of sheer protective instinct.
Arriving on the scene to find this exact posture, Xi Feng had no idea who was supposed to be the one needing help.
Sporting an unfriendly expression, he glared at the person who had summoned him out in broad daylight. “Isn’t he perfectly fine? Where is he injured?”
Li Jingsheng pulled Mo Yu aside. “Didn’t you see how terrible his complexion is? Injuries don’t always have to be visible, it could be internal damage!”
Seemingly displeased by how close Xi Feng was standing to him, Mo Yu tugged at Li Jingsheng’s sleeve, murmuring, “Senior Brother, I’m fine. We don’t need anyone else’s help, let’s go.”
That remark instantly provoked Xi Feng’s temper. He had originally intended to walk straight past, turning back only because he heard someone was hurt, yet the ungrateful brat was still pushing him away.
“I didn’t want to help anyway! If he hadn’t called out to me, I wouldn’t have come near you!”
Observing Mo Yu’s pale countenance, Li Jingsheng insisted, “You must accompany us to the apothecary.”
Without waiting for a response, he reached out to grab Xi Feng’s sleeve as well. “Young Master Xi is a magnanimous gentleman, don’t lower yourself to a kid’s level. His condition is unstable right now, and if he were to suddenly faint on the road, I wouldn’t be able to handle him all by myself.”
Noticing that Mo Yu’s skin indeed lacked any healthy color, and now swayed by Li Jingsheng’s persuasive pleading, Xi Feng adopted a magnanimous air. “Fine then, once he gets checked out by a doctor, I’m leaving.”
Li Jingsheng immediately flashed a bright, beaming smile at him. “Thank you, Young Master Xi.”
Mo Yu appeared ready to protest further, but before the words could escape his lips, Li Jingsheng firmly clapped a hand over his mouth to silence him.
Thus, under the joint supervision of the two, the reluctant boy was led straight to the apothecary.
Since there was fundamentally nothing wrong with him, combined with the mediocre diagnostic capabilities of a civilian apothecary, the physician ultimately found zero issues.
By this point, Mo Yu’s color had also improved considerably, leaving the trio to exit the apothecary empty-handed.
Having been dragged back and forth through this ordeal, Xi Feng’s patience was completely exhausted.
“Since nothing’s wrong, I’m off.” Turning his glare toward Li Jingsheng, he snapped viciously, “And another thing, next time you see me, you are forbidden from calling my name!”
Finding the boy’s prickly fits of anger immensely amusing, Li Jingsheng placated him perfunctorily. “Alright, alright, absolutely won’t call you next time.”
At that moment, Mo Yu wedged himself between the two, shielding Li Jingsheng behind his back once more. “We thank Senior Brother Xi Feng for your trouble today, and hopefully we won’t have the misfortune of meeting again.”
Xi Feng now felt that the person standing before him was even more annoying than Li Jingsheng. He had tried to show goodwill, yet the ungrateful wretch acted like an ungrateful wolf. The boy never gave him a pleasant look whenever they crossed paths. At least Li Jingsheng merely pissed people off with his words.
Recalling Li Jingsheng’s earlier teasing remarks, Xi Feng’s face darkened instantly.
Forget it, neither of them was any good! They were both cut from the exact same black-hearted cloth!