Robin didn’t ask where they were going in the city, and Zhong Shenxiu didn't go into much detail with her either. After breakfast, Zhong Shenxiu, just as he had when they arrived, carried Robin on his back and hurried toward the city, as it was faster that way.

Instead of going elsewhere, Zhong Shenxiu carried Robin directly to that herb shop. Upon reaching the entrance, he set her down and walked inside, retrieving a bamboo tube from his waist.

Looking inside, the person standing at the counter wasn't the stout shopkeeper from before, but a middle-aged man who looked very much like the fat owner—likely his son. After all, having worked a full night shift, it was time for a change; even the hardiest person would collapse otherwise.

"What can I help you with, young sir?" The middle-aged man didn't show any disdain despite Zhong Shenxiu and Robin being children; instead, he was quite polite, clearly having absorbed his father's good instruction.

"I've come to sell a snake," Zhong Shenxiu said, handing over the bamboo tube, making sure to add a reminder, "It's a Five-Pace Snake King inside. It hasn't eaten in a long time, so be careful not to get bitten."

The middle-aged man’s expression clearly startled when he heard the words "Five-Pace Snake King," but he still gave Zhong Shenxiu a grateful look, thanking him for the kind warning.

In truth, Zhong Shenxiu’s concern was a bit excessive; people in their trade were usually quite adept with snakes.

The middle-aged man took a very small, empty iron cage, placed the bamboo tube and his hand inside it together, and then very cautiously opened the tube. The moment the snake's body was slightly exposed, he pulled his hand and the tube out of the cage with lightning speed, skillfully securing the lid.

The Five-Pace Snake King, confined in the bamboo tube away from daylight for several days, began to hiss excitedly upon suddenly emerging.

Seeing the Five-Pace Snake King in the cage, the middle-aged man seemed even more excited. He quickly retrieved a bag of coins from under the counter, counted them, and presented them to Zhong Shenxiu, looking as if he feared Zhong Shenxiu might take the snake back if he delayed even a moment longer.

Zhong Shenxiu counted the money—exactly seventy silver coins. Knowing the man hadn't cheated him, he took back the bamboo tube and led Robin out of the shop. (This bamboo tube was something Zhong Shenxiu had painstakingly made, so he wasn't as generous as he was with the herbs, where he would have just handed it over to the shopkeeper.)

Holding the money, Zhong Shenxiu took Robin straight to the marketplace.

The marketplace was now bustling with people, the various shouts and calls blending into an exceptionally noisy scene.

Zhong Shenxiu had only come for one thing: shopping, and this time it was even more frantic than the last.

He first purchased a horse-drawn cart and a sturdy horse, spending about ten silver coins. Then he bought a large vat, followed by various pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. Next came several sets of bedding, and a few sets of clean clothes for Robin. After that, he bought a host of other miscellaneous items. In short, after a whole session of procurement, the entire cart was packed to the brim.

Yet, after buying so much, he had only spent a little over thirty silver coins. This wasn't because the currency here was particularly valuable, but because the goods, especially daily necessities, were incredibly cheap. However, if one were to purchase weapons and armor, that was a different story—they were ruinously expensive. With the bag of money Zhong Shenxiu had, he might not even afford a sword hilt; you can imagine the cost! As for magical equipment, it was terrifyingly expensive!

Driving the cart, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin, seated on it, began the journey back.

The speed of the cart was incomparable to Zhong Shenxiu’s Qinggong. After only a short while, they had barely managed to clear the city gates.

Robin curiously surveyed the cart full of goods. She felt that her young master exuded an endless mystery, yet possessed infinite capability.

"Robin," Zhong Shenxiu called out softly.

"Yes, Master?" Robin leaned closer to him.

"You are supposed to be training as an Undead Necromancer, right? You are forbidden to practice any further without my permission starting today. I studied the structural system of your Necromancer discipline today and discovered many flaws and hidden dangers within it. You may resume cultivation once I have compiled a complete revised plan. In the meantime, I will teach you some other skills; you must be prepared for hardship, understood?" Zhong Shenxiu spoke without once looking at Robin.

"Robin is not afraid of hardship!" Robin quickly replied.

"Good then."

Without further ado, Zhong Shenxiu and they hurried back to the stone cave. After stabling the horse, they began unloading the cart.

Robin’s delicate frame could only manage lighter items like bedding and cookware, while the “Sumo-grade” heavy objects were left to Zhong Shenxiu.

Watching Zhong Shenxiu easily lift the large water vat, Robin was utterly astonished. She couldn't understand how her master, who looked smaller than her, possessed such immense strength. What on earth was going on? Could it be that her master belonged to the Orc race? She had heard that Orcs were born with divine strength.

Zhong Shenxiu, of course, had no idea what Robin was thinking while lost in her wild conjectures; he assumed she was just resting because she was tired. If he knew Robin suspected him of being an Orc, he couldn't imagine what his reaction would be.

After a flurry of activity, everything was finally arranged in its proper place.

"Wait here and don't wander off," Zhong Shenxiu told Robin, holding two water buckets. But after taking two steps, he turned back, "Forget it, you should come with me instead!"

Frankly, Zhong Shenxiu felt uneasy leaving Robin alone here for too long (because the water source was a bit far away).

Hearing she could accompany him, Robin was overjoyed, skipping with delight.

Zhong Shenxiu led Robin toward the water source. Although this approach was much slower than if he had come alone, it was the safest method, and it also allowed him to teach Robin some knowledge about medicinal herbs.

"Robin, see this small grass here? It's called Seven-Step Heartbreak Grass. We can use it to create a poison that kills a person exactly seven steps after ingestion," Zhong Shenxiu pointed to the grass and explained to Robin.

Robin nodded silently, memorizing its shape and color.

"Robin, see this? This is Ginseng. It can be used to refine extremely potent elixirs. I'm not talking about the leaves, but its root. Yes, that part. I will gradually teach you how to refine elixirs later. Your current task is to clearly memorize every herb I teach you. If you don't understand something, you can ask, but you must remember it clearly, because mistakes could cost lives, understood?" Zhong Shenxiu impressed upon her the seriousness of the matter.

Robin memorized the names of the herbs Zhong Shenxiu pointed out and their simple functions with even greater focus.

They walked a while longer, when Zhong Shenxiu suddenly pointed to a large patch of vibrant green leaves on the ground and said, "Robin, since you like eating sweet potatoes, see those green leaves? That’s sweet potato vine. Yes, you are right, they also grow underground, just like ginseng. To really fix it in your memory, you can dig one out."

Almost as soon as Zhong Shenxiu finished speaking, Robin bounced up and hopped toward the sweet potato patch like a little rabbit.

"Master, it really is sweet potato!" Robin excitedly showed off a tuber only slightly larger than a potato to Zhong Shenxiu.

Zhong Shenxiu was left momentarily speechless!