From the outside, the Jade City was shining, illuminated by the numerous lights and lanterns that pierced through the darkness of the night. It was quiet and unmoving, like a magnificent painting. Upon getting closer and entering the Jade City, Lei realized that he couldn't have been further from the truth.
Music played by various troops sitting or standing around beautiful women who danced with their bodies and souls, Merchants who shouted as they concluded deals or tried to upsell their goods, waving women smiled dangerously as they pointed at the building they stood in front of, children running around, playing, cursing, shouting, stealing skewered meat and fish from the Merchant's cart before lighting firecrackers and throwing them in that Merchant's direction when he started chasing them.
The Merchants seemed to really fight to make deals, even with those uninterested in their goods. A particular one managed to get 5 bronze coins from a passerby who seemed to have no interest in necklaces at all, something that Lei enjoyed watching from the inside of his cabin.
It only took a couple of seconds for most to turn silent. The Silver-Grade Beast that pulled the carriage was a fearsome Monster. If let loose, then who knows what might happen?
The silence lasted less than five seconds. Work! Sell! Money!
A courageous Merchant stepped forward, which made Lei smile.
Most got off the street and walked closer to the buildings, too scared to stand in the Beast's way or to interact with the Beast's owners.
The Merchant showcased his goods while walking side by side with the carriage, and it took a dozen seconds for him to notice the robe that covered Ui Feng's body.
'The Ravenous... One-Eyed...!'
He immediately bowed and apologized for wasting their time. They wouldn't buy the goods that can be found on the edges of the Jade City after all.
But more than that, the Merchant recognized the man sitting at the front of the carriage. And if that man was at the front, then it meant that inside that cabin was...
Gulp-
Just as the cabin was about to pass the Merchant, whose face was covered by sweat and was about to let out a sigh of relief,
"Two of those!" A hand passed through one of the holes in the cabin's window.
"I-Ye-U-It-Uhh-"
"Actually, two of each!" Lei shouted, interrupting the Merchant's stuttering.
"Of course!" The Merchant answered with a bow without walking away.
'Oh... He's getting different ones? Scared to give me the shitty overcooked ones, huh?'
The Merchant walked closer to the cabin's window, holding two skewers in each hand. He stared at the bottom portion of the window, probably fearing the meet the unexpected client's gaze.
The Young Master did not open the door, and instead passed the skewers through the holes of the window.
"Got money?" Zhao Laohu asked.
The Disciples inside the cabin with him stared at one another in confusion for a second, before swiftly reaching into their pockets.
"It would be my pleasure to pay for the Young Master's-"
"It would be my honor to-"
The Merchant waved his hands, and repeated multiple times that for such customers, paying wasn't necessary. That having them as customers in and of itself was an honor.
Zhao Laohu insisted on the Merchant taking the money. The Merchant lied about the price, and he was paid 6 Copper Coins. The normal price is 14 Copper Coins, but what if the meal isn't to the client's liking? What if the fearsome Zhao Laohu doesn't...?
With a click of Lyu's tongue, Borara, the Silver-Grade Beast, started walking forward again.
The Merchant remained standing on the same spot for a while, before letting out a sigh.
"Who was that, old man? Should I have stepped forward too? Maybe I could have made good money tonight..." A woman who seemed younger than she was asked. Her face was covered by powder and makeup.
"That... Didn't you recognize that Beast? Or their colors?"
"The one seated at the front was hiding his... Colors? You mean they're-"
"You idiot." The Merchant whispered as he massaged his tired face. "There are only five Beasts like that. And that one was missing an eye."
"You mean you just sold your skewers to-"
"That's right." The Merchant's face contorted with fear. "If it's not to his liking, I might just not see tomorrow!"
"Oh, lord. Good thing I still know humility. You reached too far, old man."
"I don't need to be lectured by a whore." The Merchant spat on the ground before walking away. "I need to get out of here. The number of times that mad Young Master sent people because of less..." He whispered while biting on his lower lip. "I need to get away...!" He pushed his cart, and disappeared into the crowd.
"You didn't realize it until you saw their robe either. Tsk."
Meanwhile,
"How is it, Young Master?"
"Is it to your taste, Young Master?"
"If it isn't then-"
Gulp-
Lei swallowed his first bite. Of the four skewers, two had meat with vegetables, and two had fish with different vegetables. He had started with the fish.
They nerveously stared at the Young Master's expression.
'If he dared sell spoiled fish to-'
"Oho!"
"Young Master...?"
"It's good!"
The Disciples sighed in relief.
Both fish dishes were devoured in a matter of seconds.
"Um... Young Master?"
"What?" Zhao asked without looking away from his meal.
"Are you sure you should be eating this soon after-"
"It's fine, it's fine." The Young Master said, and the Disciples didn't talk about it again.
Indeed, after not eating or drinking for forty days, the body would have trouble digesting something like meat. But Lei was convinced it wouldn't be a problem.
The Young Master had drunk two cups of the Jingu Tea made exactly to counter that problem after all.
Additionally, Lei had eaten a couple of Fiery Gooseberries after taking over Zhao Laohu's body, as well as other Items provided by the System. He assumed that the Goddess made the necessary arrangements to make eating possible and without issues before bringing him here.
'Tasty!'
Lei did end up getting a stomachache. It wasn't because of the time spent inside the cave, but because the Merchant was a crook. He didn't tell the Disciples about it, as the pain wasn't too bad. Lei found the whole thing rather comical. The fact that the Merchant had to go back to his cart to search for good product, and that it still ended up being bad was very funny to the Young Master. The fact that he could get the Merchant killed over this only made it funnier.
It took seven more hours for the carriage to make it to the Ravenous One-Eyed Sect's territory.
'Finally...'
It was dawn.