Chapter 7: The Reader Goes Shopping

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: The Reader Goes Shopping

"Young Master, everything is ready. The Eldest Young Master is already waiting outside," a maid informed Sui Sui.

The morning after the banquet, Bai Suichen proposed taking Sui Sui out for a change of scenery. Having returned home so late the previous night that he had nearly missed the family banquet, he felt somewhat guilty for worrying everyone—especially his precious younger brother. Since he finally had some free time today, he decided to make it up to Sui Sui by accompanying him on a trip outside the estate.

The moment Sui Sui heard the news, his eyes sparkled.

He had been in this world for several days already, yet aside from strolling around the Bai Estate, he had never truly ventured outside. His parents had always been overly protective of his fragile health and rarely allowed him to leave the manor. This time, however, with Bai Suichen personally accompanying him, the couple finally relented after much hesitation.

After changing into a fresh set of robes, Sui Sui hurried toward the entrance of the estate, his steps noticeably lighter than usual. Before he could leave, however, Madam Bai called him back.

"My little treasure, wait."

Her gentle voice carried a trace of helpless indulgence as she beckoned him over.

Taking out a small porcelain bottle, she carefully spread a cool medicinal lotion over the parts of his skin that would be exposed to the sun. Only after making sure every bit was evenly applied did she retrieve a finely woven veiled bamboo hat and place it atop his head, adjusting the thin gauze until it comfortably framed his face.

Only then did she nod in satisfaction.

Although the congenital heart disease that plagued this body was much milder than in his previous life, his albinism still made him unusually sensitive to sunlight. Since the original owner had yet to cultivate and remained an ordinary mortal, he couldn’t rely on spiritual energy to protect himself from the harsh rays.

By the time Sui Sui stepped outside, Bai Suichen and Yizhou were already waiting in the front courtyard.

His attention was immediately drawn to the enormous bird-like beast standing several paces away. Nearly hundred of thousand times the height of an ordinary bird, the creature possessed sleek azure feathers that shimmered beneath the morning sun. Its sharp golden eyes calmly surveyed its surroundings, while a pair of broad wings rested neatly against its body. Secured to its back was a spacious wooden carriage fitted with comfortable seats, clearly prepared for long-distance travel.

This was their transportation for today’s trip.

Despite its imposing appearance, the beast was merely a low-grade flying spirit beast commonly found throughout Tiānqióng. Unlike the powerful beasts of the Beast Realm or the legendary Mythical Beasts capable of taking human form, creatures like this had relatively low intelligence and were domesticated by cultivators for transportation.

Sui Sui stared unabashedly, unable to hide the curiosity in his eyes.

"So this is what people ride in the cultivation world..." Although he had read about flying beasts countless times in novels, seeing one with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.

Bai Suichen couldn’t help but smile at his younger brother’s fascinated expression. "Are you ready?" he asked, extending a hand toward him.

Without hesitation, Sui Sui placed his hand on his brother’s.

"Yep! More than ready!" he replied with a bright grin, his excitement practically spilling onto his face. Truthfully, he was both excited and nervous. This was the first time in either of his life that he would be traveling through the sky. In his previous world, he had never even boarded an airplane, let alone ridden atop a giant flying beast.

Bai Suichen let out a soft chuckle before helping him into his seat. "Good." After making sure Sui Sui was seated securely, he added, "Hold on tight. We won’t be flying slowly."

The moment everyone had settled in, the massive bird let out a clear cry that echoed through the estate. With a powerful flap of its wings, it lifted gracefully into the sky, carrying the carriage toward the distant horizon.

Their destination was Qingqiong City, a neighboring city renowned as one of Tiānqióng’s commercial heart.

Merchants from all corners of the continent gathered there to trade spirit herbs, rare ores, magical artifacts, and countless other cultivation resources. In the original novel, Besides its bustling day market, Qingqiong City was also infamous for its hidden black market.

Of course, that underground market wasn’t open to just anyone. This place served as one of the protagonist’s most frequented locations, where he quietly carried out many of his more discreet dealings and acquired treasures that rarely saw the light of day.

As for today’s trip, however, they had no intention of venturing anywhere near it.

The journey passed quickly.

Seated high above the clouds, Sui Sui couldn’t stop peeking over the edge of the carriage. Mountains, forests, and winding rivers shrank beneath them, while the cool breeze carried the faint scent of earth and greenery. The sensation of soaring through the sky was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

In his previous life, he had never even boarded an airplane, now, he was crossing mountains atop a giant flying beast. It was... unbelievably cool.

Before long, the towering city walls of Qingqiong City appeared on the horizon. As the flying beast gradually descended toward the city gates, the lively bustle below grew clearer by the moment.

Unfortunately, shortly after entering the city, Yizhou stepped forward. "I have a few matters to attend to," he said calmly. "I’ll meet up with you all later."

Bai Suichen gave a slight nod, showing no intention of asking further.

Watching Yizhou disappear into the crowd, Sui Sui couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. He had wanted to take advantage of today’s outing to get closer to the protagonist, but it seemed that plan would have to wait.

’The protagonist really is hardworking’... Sui Sui thought inwardly. Even while accompanying them on an outing, he still found time to handle his own affairs. No wonder he would eventually become one of the strongest cultivators in the world.

The surrounding streets were filled with countless independent shops, each specializing in different goods. Merchants loudly advertised their wares while cultivators, mortals, and wandering adventurers weaved through the crowded streets. Stalls lined both sides of the road, displaying everything from freshly harvested spirit herbs and medicinal pills to enchanted weapons, defensive talismans, robes, and all sorts of strange cultivation materials.

With a group as eye-catching as theirs, they quickly attracted the attention of enthusiastic shopkeepers.

"Young Masters! Come have a look!"

"I’ve just received a fresh batch of spirit herbs!"

"Top-quality talismans! Guaranteed genuine!"

One merchant after another eagerly called out, hoping to lure them inside.

Sui Sui glanced around with mild curiosity, but nothing particularly caught his eyes yet.

Then again... even if something did, what was the point?

If he remembered correctly, this body was nothing more than a cultivation wasteland.

The original Bai Sui Sui possessed neither a spiritual bone nor soul force, making cultivation impossible. No matter how precious the treasures around him were, they were ultimately useless to someone who couldn’t even absorb or use spiritual qi.

Thinking of this, Sui Sui’s shoulders drooped.

Why did I have to transmigrate into such a spicy chicken body...?

Aside from his Extreme Yin Constitution, this body possessed almost no redeeming qualities.

"..."

Wait.

His footsteps suddenly slowed.

The only advantage...

...was his Extreme Yin Constitution?

Yes that’s right, This was precisely why, in the original novel, Bai Sui Sui eventually became the protagonist’s cultivation furnace.

But...A strange inconsistency suddenly surfaced in his mind.

When the protagonist reunited with the original Bai Sui Sui in the novel, several hundred years had already passed.

Yet strangely Bai Sui Sui still looked exactly the same, a normal mortal simply couldn’t live for several centuries. Even the lifespan-extending pills available to mortals, It had their limits. At most, they could prolong one’s life by a few decades, however they certainly couldn’t preserve someone’s youthful appearance for hundreds of years.

Unless the protagonist was willing to sleep with an old man with grey hair and wrinkly face, this was simply unscientific

Then...How had Bai Sui Sui survived?

Sui Sui frowned beneath the veil, his thoughts racing.

Could it be...that this body wasn’t as useless as everyone believed?

Or perhaps the original Bai Sui Sui had discovered some other method of cultivation that was never mentioned in the novel?

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. After all, the original novel had focused almost entirely on the protagonist. Side characters—especially someone as insignificant as Bai Sui Sui—rarely had their stories explored in detail.

It seemed he would have to start investigating this mystery himself.

—

Sui Sui continued strolling through the bustling market alongside Bai Suichen, occasionally stopping whenever something piqued his interest.

Although most cultivation resources were of little use to him, that didn’t stop him from browsing.

Along the way, he picked up a handful of amusing trinkets, the one he liked most being a low-grade invisibility cloak. The cloak could render someone invisible, concealing the wearer’s aura from cultivators at or below the Golden Core Formation. Unfortunately, its effects lasted for only ten minutes before it became unusable for a period of time.

To most cultivators, it was little more than a novelty. However, unlike many spiritual artifacts, this cloak didn’t require spiritual energy to activate. Even an ordinary mortal could use it, which immediately caught Sui Sui’s interest.

It’s perfect for sneaking around. Without much hesitation, SuiSui bought it.

As they gradually reached the quieter end of the market street, the lively cries of merchants slowly faded behind them.

The number of pedestrians also dwindled.

Just as Sui Sui was wondering whether they had wandered into the wrong part of the market, something caught the corner of his eye. "Hm?" He turned his head. Nestled between two bustling storefronts stood a rather inconspicuous shop. It was strangely deserted.

Unlike the neighboring stores, whose attendants eagerly beckoned passersby inside, this shop had neither customers nor employees standing at its entrance. Even its wooden signboard looked weathered, as though it had been hanging there for countless years.

Curiosity stirred within SuiSui as he stepped closer and glanced through the open doorway. Inside, mirrors of every imaginable size and shape filled the shop.

A mirror shop?

Sui Sui blinked in confusion.

Of all the businesses one could open in the busiest market of Qingqiong City....who would sell nothing but mirrors?