Large bags and boxes of merchandise were piled up. With a wave of his hand, Han Feng stored all the boxes in his storage ring.
The mercenaries watching from outside the shop were stunned. The man actually had a storage ring.
Gulp.
The lead mercenary swallowed hard. The target they had set their sights on this time seemed to be someone they couldn't afford to provoke.
"Boss, what do we do?"
"I, I suddenly have to pee. This time... we'll let this lucky kid off!"
"But he has a storage ring!" a drunken mercenary exclaimed anxiously.
The boss slapped him directly across the face.
"To hell with you, am I blind?!"
Having asserted his authority, the boss, who had been feeling uneasy, finally regained his confidence.
"Let's go!"
With a grand wave of his hand, he led his underlings away with great bravado, as if they had just concluded a very great gamble.
Han Feng walked out of the Xiu Luo Pavilion, his gaze sweeping briefly over the group of mercenary thugs.
He figured they had some sense. He didn't want to resort to violence in front of his newly accepted disciple.
Dressed in her new clothes, Lin Xian'er was still a bit reserved. Sweat seeped from her small palms; she had never worn such beautiful clothes before.
Seemingly worried about getting the dress dirty, Lin Xian'er tiptoed as she walked, her movements a bit stiff.
The two returned to the inn. Han Feng began to refine some low-tier pills with the ingredients he had bought in the morning, while Lin Xian'er continued to memorize the introductory cultivation book.
"We're leaving tomorrow. First, we'll take a carriage to Black Rock City, then ride a flying magical beast to the western province."
Han Feng said, relaying their upcoming itinerary after returning from gathering information.
Lin Xian'er nodded.
She had been reading all day, but after taking the pill Han Feng had refined, her mind was still clear, and the fatigue in her body had vanished.
However, terms like "Black Rock City" and "western province" were still unfamiliar to Lin Xian'er.
She had never been to such places.
Han Feng took Lin Xian'er's book and told her to go to bed early.
Tucking his disciple in, Han Feng gently stroked her head.
"Sleep now. Get plenty of rest for the journey tomorrow."
Lin Xian'er hummed in agreement and obediently closed her eyes.
Han Feng sat cross-legged to one side and began his daily cultivation.
The faint candlelight illuminated half of his profile. Lin Xian'er secretly opened her eyes and watched Han Feng's cultivating figure, feeling an immense sense of security in her heart.
At some point, she closed her eyes heavily and fell into a deep sleep, her breathing even.
The next morning, Han Feng woke Lin Xian'er up.
"Xian'er, it's time to go."
Lin Xian'er rubbed her eyes and sat up at once.
"Okay, Master."
She hurriedly washed up and arranged the clothes she had bought yesterday, putting them on neatly.
"Mm, very pretty," Han Feng encouraged in a gentle voice.
Lin Xian'er walked over shyly.
The two went downstairs for breakfast. The carriage Han Feng had arranged for yesterday was already waiting at the gate of Qing Shan Town.
On the way to the town gate, Han Feng once again passed by the Myriad Medicines Pavilion.
A young man with long, flowing white hair was treating patients at the entrance. The people seeking treatment all called him "Pavilion Master Yao."
Is he the owner of the Myriad Medicines Pavilion?
Han Feng thought to himself. Judging from the medicinal powders sold to the mercenaries yesterday, he should be an excellent physician.
Lin Xian'er looked curiously at the Myriad Medicines Pavilion and that "Pavilion Master Yao." Having been interested in pharmacology since she was a child, her original goal was actually to become a physician, or even an alchemist!
Yesterday, seeing Han Feng refine pills in front of her had made Lin Xian'er's goal even clearer.
I hope to become an alchemist like Master in the future!
The two walked to the town gate, where the people from the carriage service were already waiting.
For the people of Qing Shan Town, taking a carriage was also a luxury service. A trip to Black Rock City cost about two silver coins, which was quite expensive for ordinary people.
The carriage Han Feng rode in was of the highest grade, pulled by Black Mane Horses with the bloodline of a tier-one magical beast, capable of traveling 500 kilometers a day.
The price was also several times more expensive than an ordinary carriage, costing ten silver coins for a trip.
The two got into the carriage. It was quite spacious inside and even had calming incense burning.
The carriage started moving. Because it was equipped with a shock absorption mechanism, the ride was very smooth.
Inside the carriage, Han Feng taught Lin Xian'er cultivation lessons. When he felt the content was deep enough, he would stop and let Lin Xian'er digest it on her own.
Lin Xian'er was very smart. She could fully comprehend and recite the content Han Feng taught after a short time.
Han Feng did not spare his praise, saying that Lin Xian'er was the smartest disciple. This once reminded him of how his master, Yao Chen, had also praised him in the same way.
The carriage traveled for a total of five days. On the third day, Lin Xian'er successfully sensed Dou Qi, entered the first stage of Dou Disciple, and became a cultivator.
Han Feng couldn't help but marvel at Lin Xian'er's great aptitude. He could probably start buying the ingredients for her foundation building.
Having an outstanding disciple was both an enjoyable and a troublesome thing.
Han Feng enjoyed the joy of nurturing Lin Xian'er, but the trouble was that he had not yet finished researching the Poison Pill method.
The three realms involved—Qi Refining, Foundation Building, and Pill Formation—he had to understand them himself first before he could teach them to Lin Xian'er.
This cultivation method, which was different from the traditional methods of the Dou Qi Continent, had to be studied carefully by Han Feng. Otherwise, if he took a wrong step, it might ruin Lin Xian'er's cultivation path.
This dilemma was no less than the hesitation Yao Chen felt in his previous life about passing the Flame Mantra to Han Feng.
The Flame Mantra was an equally shocking and unconventional cultivation technique. Without thorough research, Yao Chen would never have dared to let Han Feng cultivate it.
It was not until before his death that Han Feng truly understood the meaning of the Flame Mantra.
Looking at Lin Xian'er, who was earnestly sensing the Dou Qi of heaven and earth, Han Feng revealed a bitter smile.
The little girl was progressing so fast; he would be the one staying up late from now on.
"Sir, Black Rock City is just ahead."
The coachman driving the carriage knocked gently on the door to remind them.
"I know."
Han Feng reminded Lin Xian'er to exit her cultivation state and prepare to get off.
The carriage stopped in front of the huge, obsidian gate of Black Rock City. All pedestrians entering the city had to be inspected by the city defense soldiers.
Of course, this inspection was somewhat of a formality. As long as one didn't look too harmful on the outside, they could enter the city smoothly.
The city defense soldiers were more concerned with the dirty vagrants and beggars, preventing them from entering the city and polluting its appearance. This was a basic understanding of every city defense soldier.
Sometimes, when there were too many vagrants, the city defense soldiers would even dispatch troops specifically to suppress them.
Therefore, people like Lin Xian'er, who had never entered a city before, were not a minority.
Han Feng and Lin Xian'er passed through smoothly after paying the entrance fee.
A vendor near the city gate recommended a simple map of Black Rock City to Han Feng, which roughly marked the names of some inns, restaurants, and post stations.
The vendor also enthusiastically introduced the history of Black Rock City, welcoming a distinguished person like Han Feng to visit.
"Sir, your timing is perfect! This very afternoon, the Miteer Auction House is holding a Xuan-rank auction. The things inside are not something you can see just any day!"
Han Feng looked at the simple map, his peripheral vision catching the invitation card the vendor was quietly handing over.
"How about it? This invitation of mine is worth this much!"
The vendor held up one finger.
Han Feng was not originally interested, but after seeing the flower-shaped pattern on the cover of the invitation, he took it.
"Heaven Origin Flower."
A smile appeared on Han Feng's lips.
He didn't expect to encounter this rare flower in this city.
The Heaven Origin Flower was a fifth-tier item, an extremely rare medicinal ingredient. Consuming it could increase one's physical vitality.
However, apart from this conventional use, the signature Dou Skill of Han Feng from his previous life, the "Heaven Origin Finger," required this very rare flower to be cultivated.