NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1316: Baicao Tang
A month and a half later, the caravan had finally arrived at its destination.
Yongdu City was the capital of Yongchan Province and the heart of the Tsuitsui Clan's dominion. Built along the banks of the Azure Serpent River, the grand city rose in layered terraces, each level higher, more fortified, and more prestigious.
The districts in the Outer City were vast and lively. The markets there stretched endlessly, filled with hawkers selling medicinal herbs, alchemical reagents, toxic flowers sealed in jars, and weapons forged from alloys known only to the Tsuitsui.
Colorful banners fluttered in the wind, and the air carried the scent of medicinal fragrances. This was the signature of the city ruled by poison masters.
Countless travelers passed through Yongdu, and yet, no matter how crowded it became, the city was always strikingly in order. The Tsuitsui Clan's shadow ensured that crime rarely dared take root.
Above the bustling market districts, the Middle City was where the Tsuitsui Clan's influence was unmistakable. Rows of elegant manor houses occupied the slopes, each surrounded by bamboo forests and medicinal gardens.
Disciples in dark-green robes patrolled the streets. Here, they trained in martial arts, poisons, antidotes, and hidden weapons. This was the area where most of the members of this famous clan resided.
The traveling caravan finally entered the Inner City. Adam could sense countless people gathered on both sides of the street, waving at them, welcoming them home. Children sang in joy as they chased behind the last of the carriages. It was a warm atmosphere.
It seems that… the Tsuitsui Clan is truly loved by the people here, he thought to himself.
The Tsuitsui Clan's ancestral seat, the Verdant Palace, occupied the Inner City. There were also other administrative buildings and grand pavilions for the clan elders in this section of the city that dealt with any and all matters related to the clan.
It was often called the 'City within a City' because of its vast size.
The moment the traveling caravan stopped inside the Inner City, people surrounded it and welcomed their children with joy.
Adam saw that Reika and Goro were greeting their mothers. Meanwhile, the other disciples and elders traveling with him alighted from their carriages and reunited with their families.
Seeing such a heartwarming scene, he thought of his own friends and people whom he called family back in Ulier. He thought of his little brother, Valerian.
His lips curled into a brilliant smile.
And soon, he slipped into the shadows and disappeared.
A few moments later, Goro's booming voice echoed, "Mother, you must meet my friend, Ao. You can think of him as another son. Oh, he also likes to eat a lot, so I'm sure you'd love cooking for him."
The Venom Dragon turned around and, with a wide grin on his face, called out, "Brother! Where—"
His smile vanished.
One of the disciples came up to him and whispered something with a pale face.
"What?!" Goro was taken aback. "He disappeared again? That idiot! All of you go find him! It won't be difficult to look for him. He's wearing a black scarf around his face. Go! Hurry!"
Reika was exasperated. "What's the matter with him? He disappears every time we visit a different place."
"Who knows what's going on inside his head?" Goro shrugged.
"I'm going to meet Father. Are you coming?"
"Alright, let's go."
And so, Goro and Reika led a group of elders to the Verdant Palace. They still had to discuss with the Patriarch about what went down during the vicennial gathering.
***
Outer City.
Since the other two sections of Yongdu were heavily guarded by the children of Tsuitsui, Adam arrived at the most bustling section that was filled with market districts.
That was not to say that this section wasn't guarded. It was just that the Outer City was filled with a lot more people, so it was easier for him not to be found immediately.
He needed some time to explore and relax. Ever since his soul had been injured, he found himself vulnerable to abrupt, uncontrollable bursts of emotions. For example, just earlier, when he thought of his closed ones back home, he suddenly felt like his world was falling apart.
This state of mind… it's not optimal for a Magus, he thought to himself with dissatisfaction.
He expanded his Sphere of Resonance to the maximum output, hoping to find a sake bar to sit down and relax.
Instead, he found something else… something that greatly surprised him. Adam froze in his footsteps and thought in alarm.
What… what the hell?!
He hesitated for a few moments before ultimately deciding to go to that place where he had sensed the abnormality.
About thirty minutes later, he found himself standing before the gates of an apothecary. The plaque above the entrance read:
Baicao Tang.
Hall of a Hundred Herbs, he murmured.
He lowered his head and gazed at the doors, once again hesitating whether to enter or not.
Oh, well. This is Yongdu, so this person is most likely related to them. He might just be…
Ring! Ring!
Opening the doors, the bells above chimed. However, the proprietor of the shop couldn't care less. He sat behind the counter with his feet propped on the table, nonchalantly smoking from his long wooden pipe. The smoke he exhaled transformed into serpents and circled above his head.
The man looked impossibly old, so old it seemed he was only a breath away from death. He appeared to be a hermit, yet the subtle richness of his robes hinted at considerable wealth.
Adam gulped involuntarily when he sensed the man's aura. He then feigned ignorance and started browsing the local herbs and ingredients displayed on the wooden shelves.
The old proprietor opened his eyes ever so slightly, observing Adam. A moment later, he asked in an aged, gruff voice:
"What was that technique, boy? I felt a wave of spiritual energy wash over me a while ago."
Adam flinched ever so slightly. He turned toward the decrepit old man and said:
"Auhh?"
The old proprietor looked at him with a light frown. "Are you… a mute?"
"Auhh!" Adam nodded.
He then strode over to the counter. He hesitated briefly before retrieving a scroll from his ring, then he wrote down the following question:
Are you the Patriarch of the Tsuitsui Clan?