"For example, that little bead."
Sylvester pointed at Bailu's left hand and said with a smile, "It's called a [Constant-Temperature Pearl]. It's a magical artifact made with a peculiar technique. As long as you keep it in your mouth, it will stabilize your body temperature at the most comfortable level. Even if you're wrapped in solid ice on the level of Six-Phase Ice, you won't have to worry about catching a chill or a cold."
After saying that, he spread his hands and added, "Of course, trying to use it to break through Six-Phase Ice's seal is also impossible."
After hearing this, a hint of joy surfaced on Bailu's face. "That's still a really good thing!"
Her lively little mind immediately began drawing inferences, ideas popping up one after another and quickly filling her head.
Aside from keeping warm, Bailu immediately thought of all the cold-natured prescriptions she had studied before. They had many benefits, but also many restrictions. If a patient's constitution was weak, they could backfire, causing harm—or even costing a life.
But if she had this, could those limitations be broken, allowing her to use more methods to treat and save people? Bailu felt there was real hope.
As for holding it in her mouth to go winter swimming, or taking part in ice-bucket challenges to win prize money, those ideas had already flashed through her mind more times than she could count.
Looking happily at the [Constant-Temperature Pearl], Bailu felt that her luck had truly started to turn around.
This thing wasn't especially powerful, but it was extremely fun. If developed properly, it would be enough to keep her busy for quite a while.
Thinking of this, her curiosity toward the other Curio grew even stronger.
According to what Sylvester had said earlier, this thing that looked like a shop promotion coupon had counterparts that everyone could use. If it involved so many people, it had to be even more interesting!
Bailu shook the black slip of paper in her hand and asked cheerfully, "Shopkeeper Sylvester, what exactly is this?"
Facing her gaze, Sylvester cleared his throat and said with a rather serious expression, "Ahem. This thing really has quite a background. Even if you don't use it, its commemorative value is extremely high. To certain fanatical groups, they would even be willing to die willingly for its issuer!"
"Oh!" Bailu exclaimed excitedly, her eyes practically sparkling with little stars.
What kind of person would need such overwhelming personal charisma?
At that level, on the Xianzhou, wouldn't only the generals be able to pull that off?
"And the only service she provides is…"
Sylvester tightened his expression and solemnly uttered two words, "A funeral!"
"Mm… hm?"
Following his tone, Bailu reflexively made a nasal sound of a "sudden realization". But once the full meaning registered, she immediately questioned it. "Funeral?"
Those watery eyes of hers practically spelled out "Did you misspeak?".
And Sylvester, as if he hadn't noticed at all, continued explaining, "Oh, a funeral is a white affair. You hire a band to play, everyone eats together, then cries and wails until midnight."
"That's a funeral? Why does that sound like KTV clubbing?" After hearing his explanation, Bailu was left speechless, her eyelids twitching.
Although the overall process was indeed similar, once it came out of his mouth, why did it sound so awkward?
Just as she was about to speak and correct his misunderstanding, Bailu suddenly realized something.
Wait, why are we talking about funerals? Weren't we talking about Curios?
She hurriedly pulled the topic back. "Of course, I know what a funeral is! Right across from the Alchemy Commission's entrance is the largest funeral home on the Luofu—business is booming every day."
She patted the black paper strip in her hand and emphasized, "What I'm asking is, what does this thing have to do with a funeral? Don't tell me this is a funeral home's hospitality—"
Before she could finish, a sudden understanding dawned on Bailu.
So, this was the kind of 'everyone will need it someday'? And that whole 'many people are willing to die for its issuer' thing—well, that wasn't really a lie either.
Of course they'd be willing. Even if they weren't, they'd still have to be. Once your eyes are closed, there's no way to resist anyway, right?
Seeing Bailu's eye twitching, Sylvester waved his hand and said solemnly, "Don't underestimate the issuer of this ticket. It comes from an organization called Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. On the surface, it looks like a funeral home, but in reality…"
Bailu cut in, "A big funeral home?"
"Mm…" Sylvester's voice stalled, his eyes narrowing slightly.
This kid really was a good seed—she had the potential to become a true master of verbal sparring.
Ignoring her interruption, Sylvester continued calmly, "In reality, they shoulder the heavy responsibility of maintaining the balance between the yin and yang realms."
"The yin and yang realms?" Hearing this, Bailu froze, an inexplicable sense of respect rising in her heart.
In a way, as a doctor, what she and her colleagues did was try their best to keep people in the living world.
It was just that until recently, she had always believed that the so-called yin and yang realms were nothing more than legends. The Vidyadhara's rebirth was achieved through the power of Permanence, and had nothing to do with reincarnation or transmigration.
On top of that, the Luofu's technological level was so advanced that it could explain any natural phenomenon. Belief in ghosts and spirits had long since faded.
And yet, according to Sylvester, not only did the underworld truly exist, there was even a group of people working in the shadows to maintain order between the two realms?
This conclusion deeply shocked Bailu.
She hurriedly asked, "Is everything you said really true?"
"Of course! My shop never sells counterfeit goods, and I'd never use made-up stories to promote sales!"
After saying that, Sylvester smacked his lips and added inwardly, 'Mm… excluding certain necessary fictional narratives.'
He raised his hand and gestured toward the street outside the shop. "The living in this world… for example, on the Luofu, public order is maintained by the Realm-Keeping Commission or the Cloud Knights. And as for souls that linger in the living world for various reasons, they're entirely managed by them."
"They not only exterminate malicious spirits, but also allow souls bound by obsession to find rest. Their name is—Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"Wuwa~~ just hearing the name, you can tell they're amazing!" Bailu was completely drawn into the story.
People who dealt with souls were just way too cool!
Holding the Curio horizontally against her chest, Bailu asked eagerly, "Then what about this? Can it help me communicate with the underworld?"
Of course she didn't want to die, but being able to glimpse another world was still incredibly fascinating.
Sylvester pointed at the Curio and said solemnly to Bailu, "Without a doubt, this is a ticket personally crafted by the seventy-seventh Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. And everything you just mentioned has nothing to do with it—not a single Credit. This is a genuine funeral home discount coupon."
"Huh?"
Hearing information whose gap was almost as wide as the yin and yang realms themselves, Bailu nearly turned to stone.
She asked, "Didn't you say they're powerful figures who communicate between life and death? Why is it still about handling white affairs?"
Sylvester spread his hands and said casually, "Hey, even communicating between yin and yang requires eating, you know. Catching ghosts doesn't come with a salary. You can't exactly kidnap ghosts and force them to work on an assembly line to support yourself, right?"
Ghosts aren't the Lightning-Lord, Sylvester thought to himself.
Hearing his words, Bailu found herself unable to refute them.
It made too much sense.
Indeed, who could survive without eating while working for free—unless ghosts were delicious.
But still…
"This… does make some sense, but isn't the difference in vibe just way too big?"
Seeing that Bailu was having a hard time accepting it, Sylvester comforted her. "It's fine. The discount this ticket offers is actually very generous. See the chibi character printed on the ticket? That's the current Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Using this ticket lets you enjoy her personal, hands-on cremation service. That's something many people can't get no matter how much they beg!"
"I—!"
Hearing this kind of 'discount,' Bailu didn't smile in relief. Instead, she was successfully laughed into anger.
Would you want this kind of discount?!
Who cares who does the cremation?! Isn't it all just turning into ashes in the end? Could a different person really make the ashes finer or something?!
===BREAK===
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