Chapter 17

The girl walked farther and farther until she disappeared from Xia Zhi's 20-meter detection range.

Xia Zhi hesitated for a moment before lifting his feet and following in the direction where the girl had vanished.

After walking quickly for a while, the girl reappeared within his detection range.

He slowed his pace and began to quietly observe her.

Although the girl had her back to him, his god's-eye view still allowed him to clearly "see" her face.

It was a delicate face, somewhat pale, with large red eyes that were beautiful yet carried a hint of clear bewilderment.

If he had to describe her in words, she seemed somewhat innocently airheaded.

From her appearance, she looked like nothing more than an unworldly herb-gathering girl.

However, the golden progress bar floating above her reminded Xia Zhi that this girl was definitely not as simple as she appeared.

After all, even the three-meter-tall terrifying humanoid monster with a shield that Xia Zhi had encountered in the wilderness only had a silver progress bar.

This meant that the girl before him had, in some way, surpassed that terrifying monster and was of the same caliber as the little crane mother.

Xia Zhi followed the girl through street after street, from the Harbor area to Feiyun Slope, and from there to the lotus pond below Yujing Terrace.

Fish chased and played in the pond, while many tourists enjoyed the scenery by the water's edge.

The girl seemed somewhat shy, keeping her head down and quickening her pace. She deliberately chose less crowded paths, crossed the lotus pond, climbed the stairs on the right, and went straight into an apothecary.

Xia Zhi stopped at the stairs and raised his head to "look" at the shop's sign.

"Bubu Pharmacy."

The word "Bu" refers to divination—asking spirits and gods for answers through fortune-telling.

"Bubu" means there's no need to consult the spirits—if you're sick, just come here for medicine.

The fact that this pharmacy dared to use such a name and hadn't had its sign torn down showed how exceptional its owner's medical skills must be.

Xia Zhi admired the lotus pond while observing the people coming to Bubu Pharmacy for prescriptions and medicine.

Although it was morning, there was still a steady stream of patients. These people seemed convinced that Bubu Pharmacy's doctor was the best in Liyue, and only by getting treatment here could they feel at ease.

It reminded him of the overcrowded expert clinics in his original world.

From the patients' conversations, Xia Zhi learned three names.

The owner of the pharmacy—Baizhu, highly respected with excellent medical skills. The pharmacist—Gui, responsible for daily medicine preparation. The apprentice—Qiqi, responsible for gathering and brewing herbs.

"So she's Qiqi?"

Xia Zhi took out the map he had bought last night and found Bubu Pharmacy's name on it.

The map vendor had marked this place with two stars, indicating it was highly recommended.

"This Bubu Pharmacy must be really famous in Liyue."

Xia Zhi put away the map, memorized the location, and prepared to leave.

The lotus pond marked the boundary between Yujing Terrace and Feiyun Slope, serving as a park-like recreational area.

After some thought, Xia Zhi decided to climb the stairs on the other side and explore Yujing Terrace first.

Unlike Chihu Rock where common folk gathered, Yujing Terrace was where Liyue's upper class resided—simply put, it was the district for the wealthy and powerful.

During dinner last night, Brother Liu had mentioned that his life's greatest ambition was to earn enough money to live in Yujing Terrace, showing just how prestigious the area was in the eyes of Liyue's people.

The stairs were long, stretching all the way up the mountain.

This was probably one reason why houses in Yujing Terrace were so expensive: high elevation, good lighting, panoramic views, and unlikely to flood.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Xia Zhi saw Millelith soldiers standing guard at the entrance with their spears.

It was natural for security to be tight here, as the Yuehai Pavilion, where the Liyue Qixing held their meetings, was located in Yujing Terrace.

The Millelith glanced at Xia Zhi, and after seeing he was just an unarmed young man, they looked away.

Xia Zhi walked in naturally, entering a large plaza bordered with beautiful Silk Flowers and Glaze Lilies that couldn't be found elsewhere on the continent.

The fragrance was rich, with flowers pleasing to the eye everywhere.

No wonder the property prices were so high here.

Xia Zhi took a gentle breath of the flower-scented air and strolled alone through the plaza.

To the left was the residential area with bodyguards at the gates, and to the right was Yuehai Pavilion, guarded by the Millelith.

Many people were enjoying the plaza at this time, most wearing expensive silk and brocade clothes, carrying themselves with natural dignity. No one spoke loudly—the atmosphere was quiet and cordial.

It was quite different from the lively bustle of Chihu Rock and the Harbor area.

One could say it was truly high-class here.

And truly boring.

Xia Zhi shook his head, crossed the vast plaza, and arrived at the Geo Lord's temple on the other side.

The reason this plaza in Yujing Terrace was built so large was to accommodate more people during the Rite of Descension.

Xia Zhi recalled the notice he had seen at the city gate yesterday.

The Geo Lord was now gone, and the Rite of Descension would no longer be held.

However, the Geo Lord's temple in Yujing Terrace remained, and many people still came daily to offer incense to his statue, hoping for his protection.

Some refused to believe the Qixing's announcement, believing the Geo Lord was still alive.

Others simply came to the temple seeking peace of mind.

"Geo Archon..."

Xia Zhi stood before the temple, looking at the huge statue sitting within.

It depicted a hooded man with indistinct features, emanating an air of mysterious steadiness.

It seemed to be the result of time's accumulation, or perhaps what remained after a god's descent.

Besides the temple, merchants set up stalls selling various types of incense.

Long and short, thick and thin.

Xia Zhi walked over and asked, "How much is the incense?"

The merchant smiled and replied, "You can buy them individually or in bundles. Which type would you like?"

Xia Zhi pointed to the thickest and longest incense on the stall and asked, "How much is one of these?"

The merchant's smile widened as he said, "100 Mora."

Xia Zhi silently withdrew his finger. One stick of incense for 100 Mora, three would cost 300 Mora—enough to buy six plates of Crab Roe Tofu at Wanmin Restaurant.

"Would you like this type, sir?"

"No."

"Then?"

"Which is your cheapest incense?"

"This grass incense, 1 Mora per stick."

"I'll take three of those."

Xia Zhi paid 3 Mora for three ordinary grass incense sticks. He stood before the Geo Lord's statue, lit the incense, and made three sincere bows before placing them in the burner. He clasped his hands and prayed silently.

"Lord Geo Archon, please forgive the humble quality of this incense. Next time, when I've made better incense myself, I'll come offer it to you."

"I hope you'll bless me with good fortune in all things."