The very next day!

Shen Yin arrived at the palace early. As the representative of the Demon Dragon Empire in Cangyue, Shen Yin had to deal with countless trivial matters daily. Although she didn't fully grasp many of the issues, this very fact meant she had much to learn. This was the unavoidable reality for all imperial descendants—the necessary tempering to become a politician, whether they wished it or not.

Long Xin and I decided to head to the Bone Demon Cave as soon as possible to begin our training. However, before that, we needed to procure several essential supplies, as our secluded time in the cave might last quite a while.

Luo Hou originally wanted to assign Dragon Guards to escort us, but we politely declined. After all, we were just common folk, inconspicuous. Having a squadron of Dragon Guards trailing us would only attract unwanted attention. Luo Hou saw the logic in our reasoning and reluctantly agreed.

It was only today that the few of us finally had the chance to properly behold the famed Cangyue City of the continent. Years of continuous warfare meant that even though Cangyue had long suffered instability, the reinforcement and defensive construction of Cangyue City never ceased. Although they were now temporarily allied with the Demon Dragon Empire and the conflict had shifted to Ji Zhou Island a thousand miles away, the tense atmosphere and the shadow of war still constantly hung over the Cangyue Continent. Soldiers patrolled the streets, their expressions grave, security remaining extremely tight.

Yet, daily commerce proceeded in an orderly fashion. Merchants, common folk, and wandering warriors—everyone pursued their respective tasks. Perhaps they had long grown accustomed to this life. It was hard to imagine this was a nation ravaged by continuous conflict.

Inside the thick, towering city walls, however, was a spectacle of vibrant greenery and picturesque beauty. The entirety of Cangyue City resembled a colossal garden. This reminded me of modern-day Kunming; the landscaping was truly superb.

Our destination was the Wanderer's World—a commercial trading district naturally established specifically for wanderers.

Turning a corner, we faced a colossal, circular archway. Inscribed across its curve in four sweeping, cursive characters were the words: Wanderer's World.

We had long heard that Cangyue City’s Wanderer's World was one of the most comprehensively stocked places for wanderer equipment on the continent. Here, as long as you had the money, you could buy anything a wanderer required, and the quality was absolutely unquestionable. We were all thrilled, knowing that the records in the Wanderer's Manual described Cangyue’s Wanderer's World as vast, holding many novelties we had never encountered before.

Passing through the immense circular archway, the scene before us was a sea of people—wanderers clad in armor and wielding blades, their armor styles bizarre and varied, impossible to take in all at once. Besides the standard-issue armor and weapons common across the continent, many privately customized sets could also be seen here, each armor seemingly possessing its own specialized function. Weapons were just as diverse, covering every conceivable type. I even spotted two large figures carrying Meteor Hammers; their attire differed greatly from that of ordinary continental wanderers, and I wondered which nation they hailed from.

Unlike the streets outside, the thoroughfares here were not spacious, nor did they feature the golden palace roads reserved for nobility. The flow of people was incredibly dense, making the streets feel somewhat congested. In the gaps between the shops lining the streets, we could see many opportunistic peddlers setting up stalls, displaying all sorts of wanderer gadgets and frequently yelling out their wares at the top of their lungs.

These small stalls became Long Xin’s primary focus, as their prices were slightly lower than those offered by established shopkeepers. As for quality, nothing could escape Long Xin's discerning eye. We spent the entire morning accompanying her as she scouted around. Meanwhile, I purchased some specialized gear for my training regimen.

"Uncle, how much is a bundle of this magic potion?"

"Ten gold coins," the vendor’s voice was hoarse, suggesting that shouting all day took a toll on his vocal cords. However, upon seeing our large party, he immediately perked up.

"Ten gold coins a bundle! That's too expensive!" Long Xin countered. "How about eight gold coins?"

The vendor was clearly displeased: "Eight gold coins? That won't even cover my cost to stock them!"

"Look, there are many of us, and the quantity is large. Can you offer a better price?" Long Xin was a master negotiator, though she knew the price quoted by the vendor was already quite fair. Still, operating on the principle of maximizing profit, Long Xin refused to give up on one last effort.

"It really can’t go any lower. My price is the fairest," the vendor insisted. "Why don't you ask around? If you find anyone else selling for less, I’ll give you this magic potion for free." The vendor’s stance was resolute; there seemed to be no room for further discussion.

"Hehe, we know that," Long Xin replied, her persistence in business unmatched. "We’ve looked around for a while, and yours is indeed the fairest price. But we aren't just buying one or two bundles. Know this: we plan to buy enough to last an entire year. If that weren't the case, I wouldn't bother haggling with you."

"A year's supply." The vendor’s expression shifted slightly, instantly adopting a more accommodating look. "Heh, if you are truly sincere, I won't waste time. One hundred bundles for ninety gold coins. I only offer discounts like this for major customers."

"See, besides the magic potions, we also need wound medicine, protective talismans, Red Poison and Green Poison repair oil..." Long Xin said, pulling out a list as she spoke. "It’s all written here, check it yourself. If the prices are right, we’ll buy everything from you—a year’s supply for all seven of us."

"..." The vendor took the list and began calculating adeptly. After a while, he announced, "Alright, since you’re buying all these items from me, I’ll give you the best possible rate."

"Seven hundred bundles of wound medicine, two thousand bundles of magic potion, protection talismans... the total comes to thirteen thousand five hundred seventy-six gold coins. How about this: we’ll skip the small change at the end. You just give me thirteen thousand five hundred gold coins."

After a round of intense bargaining, Long Xin managed to secure all the supplies we needed at a satisfactory price.

"Uncle, one more question," Long Xin asked. "What is the most profitable venture for wanderer quests right now?"

"Ha! You asked the right person this time." Perhaps buoyed by the large sale, the vendor was in high spirits and started chatting freely with me. "That depends entirely on where you plan to train."

"We are planning to go to the Bone Demon Cave. Do you know of any good ways to make money there?" Long Xin inquired.

"The Bone Demon Cave, eh." The vendor pondered briefly before speaking: "The most valuable item produced in the Bone Demon Cave is the weapon of the Skeleton Hammer Soldiers: the Wolf Tooth Hammer. Blacksmiths absolutely love them. Their material is incredibly hard, perfect for refining into hard black iron, acting as a substitute for Black Iron Ore. If you can collect a large number of Wolf Tooth Hammers, selling them will certainly not be a problem."

"How much can one hammer fetch?" Long Zhan asked.

"At least ten silver," the vendor continued. "That’s the purchase price from the Wanderer Guild. If you can negotiate a direct sale with a buyer, you can get even more."

"Thanks, Uncle." Long Xin was delighted; they had found a way to earn money.

"You're very welcome," the vendor chuckled. "Seeing young adventurers like yourselves struggling on the road isn't easy. How about this: once you fell the Hammer Soldiers, go to the Shu Family Blacksmith shop at the end of West Street. I know he's always buying Wolf Tooth Hammers. Just tell him Old Jiu referred you, and he won't shortchange you."

"We really appreciate this!" We were all overjoyed.

"It's nothing. Convenience for others is convenience for oneself," the vendor said. "As long as you keep coming to me for supplies in the future." The vendor seemed to remember something and added, "But Old Shu also has a fixed collection stall for Wolf Tooth Hammers on the second level of the Bone Demon Cave, although the price there won't be quite as high."

"Bone Demon Cave! Fixed collection point?" We were somewhat confused.

"Exactly," the vendor explained. "Think about it: it’s common knowledge that the Bone Demon Cave produces Wolf Tooth Hammers. It’s much more cost-effective for blacksmiths to acquire the materials they need right there on-site rather than purchasing them elsewhere. Moreover, wanderers appreciate the convenience of selling their Wolf Tooth Hammers nearby to the collecting blacksmiths, saving travel fees and time. This way, blacksmiths acquire what they need at a lower price, and the wanderers save on transit costs and time."

"So that's how it works," we finally understood.

"That’s not all," the vendor added. "The blacksmiths who buy the goods transport them back here periodically, and at the same time, they deliver necessary items to the wanderers. This setup makes things much more convenient for both parties."

"This is mutual benefit, isn't it?" I mused.

"That’s the principle," the vendor confirmed. "The one collecting hammers on the second floor of the Bone Demon Cave is Old Shu's apprentice, named A’Zhi. Tell him Old Jiu sent you, and they will take care of you."

"Thank you very much!" Long Xin expressed her gratitude.

"Heh, no need for thanks. Work hard," the vendor replied.

.............................

After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic vendor, I purchased several Moon-in-the-Well swords of varying weights for my special training, along with correspondingly weighted sets of War God Armor, Black Iron Helmets, and other heavy gear specialized for warriors. Compared to when we first started out, we now had some savings. Long Xin felt the pinch, but when it came to matters of cultivation, she never hesitated to spend what was necessary—though a complaint or two was always unavoidable.

Once our equipment resupply was complete, we located the central avenue of the Wanderer's World, which housed the Cangyue City Wanderer Notice Board. While the main headquarters of the Marfa Continent Wanderer Guild was in Bile City, Cangyue City’s Notice Board was grander and more magnificent. The massive badge icon of crossed swords alone was ten square meters in size, crafted from special magical materials. At night, it emitted a dazzling glow, much like a modern neon light. During the day, it shone a brilliant, eye-catching golden yellow. Even from a distance, it radiated an aura of solemn grandeur.

The main entrance was another huge circular archway, above which were several powerful, vigorous characters written in Cursive Script: Wanderer Guild Cangyue Branch.

In the open square before the main gate stood three colossal statues, each five meters tall—the statues of the legendary Three Heroes of the Wanderer World. They were the first generation’s Holy War Venerable, Magic God, and Heavenly Lord. Legend held that they founded the Wanderer Guild themselves. Every wanderer visiting for the first time couldn't help but pay their respects. After all, the Three Heroes were the most revered figures among all wanderers, much like how all football fans revere Pelé and Maradona. In the Wanderer World, the Three Heroes were near-deity figures. Although they died over three thousand years ago, their stories are still circulated today, inspiring generation after generation of wanderers.

Passing through the colossal circular archway, the walls on both sides were adorned with exquisitely carved reliefs, seemingly depicting tales of heroic and moving wanderer legends. We all stared, utterly captivated.

"Look, this is the legendary scene of the Holy War Venerable and the Magic God challenging the Crimson Moon Demon!" Long Zhan pointed excitedly at the largest relief. "I heard the story of the Three Heroes fighting the Crimson Moon Demon long ago. To actually see this relief now is incredible!"

"Indeed," Long Qi sighed sentimentally. "Legend says the Three Heroes and the Crimson Moon Demon fought to a standstill. In the end, the Holy War Venerable and the Magic God both died fighting, and only the Heavenly Lord managed to escape, wounded, back to the Day Gate."

"Yes," Long Xin added, her expression one of solemn reverence. "Although they failed to defeat the Crimson Moon Demon, they successfully imprisoned it forever within the Demon Altar. Otherwise, who knows what state the Marfa Continent would be in today."

"............" I felt a pang of distraction. Recalling the immense power of the legendary Three Heroes, and even they were no match for the Crimson Moon Demon, I wondered how easy it would be for me to defeat it.

Passing through the opulent corridor lined with carved reliefs, we reached a flight of marble steps, ten meters high, made of pale blue-white stone. At the top were the main doors to the Grand Hall. Only upon reaching this point did we truly enter the reception hall of the Wanderer Guild Branch.

The hall was crowded, yet it lacked the typical clamor associated with large gatherings. The reception area was divided into several major sections: Leisure Area, Quest Area, Testing Area, and Arena, among others. The Quest Area itself was split into Individual Quests and Guild Quests, and both categories were further segmented into Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Crimson Moon quest zones.

Above these, there were eight super quest leaderboards: Bear, Eagle, Call, Dragon, Earth, Man, Divine, and God. Whether picking up or turning in quests, one could complete the process swiftly by selecting the corresponding area. Compared to the notice boards in other cities, the division of labor here was much clearer, and efficiency was higher. It truly bore the mark of modern automated office procedures. With our Dragon Soar Guild currently at level five, we were barely past the novice stage in the Wanderer World, having just entered the ranks of intermediate wanderer guilds. Therefore, our natural target was the Intermediate Guild Quest Area.

Even the Intermediate Guild Quest Area was divided into six separate reception stations because the number of people was simply enormous. As the largest and most populous city in the Water World's Cangyue region, it also housed the greatest number of wanderers. This was primarily because outside Cangyue City lay the Bone Demon Cave and the Corpse Demon Cave—two excellent training grounds for wanderers—naturally attracting wanderers from all corners of the world to train here. After all, we ourselves had traveled quite a distance from Bile City.

Receiving and turning in quests required almost no interaction with staff. One simply consulted the task directory in the quest area, selected a suitable quest, obtained the quest token, and then registered the quest reception at the station. It was genuinely convenient, quick, and efficient.

In less than half an hour, we selected several suitable guild upgrading quests.

Quest Number 03256336 Quest Type: Collection Quest Summary: Collect five hundred thousand Skeleton Essences Quest Deadline: One Year Quest Reward: 500,000 Gold Coins, Guild Level +1 Star Quest Deposit: None Guild Requirement: Level 5 Wanderer Guild

Quest Number 03256337 Quest Type: Collection Quest Summary: Collect five hundred thousand Skeleton Eyes Quest Deadline: One Year Quest Reward: 500,000 Gold Coins, Guild Level +1 Star Quest Deposit: None Guild Requirement: Level 5 Wanderer Guild

Quest Number 03256338 Quest Type: Collection Quest Summary: Collect five thousand Wolf Tooth Hammers Quest Deadline: One Year Quest Reward: 500 Gold Coins, Guild Level +1 Star Quest Deposit: None Guild Requirement: Level 5 Wanderer Guild

These quests could all be claimed repeatedly. Once we accumulated ten stars, our guild level would advance to level six. Thus, Long Xin claimed exactly the collection quests needed to reach the ten-star threshold.

With that, all preparatory work before our departure was officially complete.

We returned to the State Council building around six in the evening.

Seeing us return, Princess Shen Yi and Shen Yin hurried out to meet us.

"All done?" Shen Yin asked.

"Yes," I nodded slightly. "We leave for the Bone Demon Cave tomorrow."

"........." With departure imminent, Shen Yin and Shen Yi seemed quite downcast, and of course, Long Xin and the others felt the same. Although the time spent together was short, Shen Yin and Shen Yi had unconsciously become important companions. Shen Yin, in particular, felt like a sister to me. Thinking back now, it was truly incredible.

"Can we not go? Can we stay here?" Shen Yin asked.

"There are things I must accomplish," I could only comfort her. "Don't worry, I will return in a year. Then we can all be together again, can’t we?"

"I know. There's no use saying more," Shen Yin sighed helplessly. "You still have to leave."

"............." I didn't know what else to say, so I remained silently disheartened.

Meanwhile, Long Zhan and Shen Yi had drawn close to each other. "Big guy, work hard!"

"En!" Long Zhan nodded firmly. "I must train to become stronger, stronger!"

"I believe in you," Shen Yi said. "Promise me you will train until you reach at least the level of a Crimson Moon Warrior."

"Crimson Moon Warrior," Long Zhan muttered. "Although it will be incredibly difficult, I will fight desperately to train."

"Don't push yourself too hard. Cultivation is important, but your body is just as vital," Shen Yi worried. "Be sure to protect yourself."

"Yes!" I never expected that in such a short time, the relationship between Long Zhan and Shen Yi had progressed to this point. It seemed with just a little more effort, the big fellow Long Zhan stood a good chance of winning the beauty's heart.

Compared to Long Zhan’s budding romance, Long Qi seemed much more dispirited. In truth, we all understood that Long Qi had developed genuine feelings for Shen Yin, but reality was cruel. The disparity in their social statuses made a union impossible, especially since Shen Yin didn't seem to take Long Qi seriously. Though they laughed and joked, it felt like the normal interaction between friends and comrades. Long Qi was destined to experience some heartache, and it was unclear when he would recover his usual self.

As for Long Xin and Dong Guan Jinhong, they remained largely unaffected, though there was naturally a degree of reluctance about the separation.

.......................................

The Bone Demon Cave is located about a hundred miles directly north of Cangyue City. Legend holds that in the ancient era, it was a massive dungeon used by the Yellow Springs Cult to imprison convicts. According to the Marfa Historical Records—The Book of Sand, the Yellow Springs Cult of that era was the most powerful religious order on the continent, even older than the Zhumu Cult, Woma Cult, or Iris Cult. Yet, for unknown reasons, they vanished abruptly, leaving behind this grim and terrifying world of the undead, occupied by skeleton spirits. Fortunately, the undead within the cave were bound by necromantic magic and could not leave its confines; otherwise, the entire Cangyue Continent might have become a realm of the dead. Within the Bone Demon Cave resided powerful undead Skeleton Legions. Although they were all skeleton undead, compared to the Skeleton Warriors found in the Skeleton Cave, the undead in the Bone Demon Cave were vastly stronger. Here, even the weakest undead, the Skeleton Spearman, was the equivalent of a warrior at the peak of the early Crimson Moon stage.

The later arrivals—Skeleton Hammer Soldiers, Skeleton Axemen, and Skeleton Archers—were each more terrifying than the last. Furthermore, the deeper levels of the Bone Demon Cave housed the even more terrifying Lord of Yellow Springs. Legend claimed this being was an extremely fearsome entity, far stronger than the Lord of Zhumu. In the entire Wanderer World, no one dared to challenge the authority of the Lord of Yellow Springs—not even daring to contemplate it—because no one who had ever seen the Lord of Yellow Springs had ever returned alive. All who saw him had passed into the next world.

This was the only information the Lord of Yellow Springs had left for the world.

As the legends of the Rogue World regarding the Lord of the Yellow Springs echoed in my mind, I pondered what the modern incarnation of this figure might truly look like in the sagas. I recalled that among all the monster designs in the legends, the Lord of the Yellow Springs was undeniably the coolest: a towering, powerfully built figure, wielding a massive great-hammer, draped in a cloak the color of deep russet behind him, his shoulders augmented by jagged, tusk-like pauldrons, his visage a mask of terrifying ferocity. I wondered if the real-world depiction matched that terrifying image.

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