Chapter 763 - 364: Snow Village Secret Realm

You Su heard this and felt a chill in his heart; he knew that the proposal of the Venerable of Arcane Numbers was far from simple.

Snow Village Inn was a well-known teahouse in Shuocheng. Although the three account managers tried desperately to stop him, saying that the City Lord would be back soon, the Venerable of Arcane Numbers was determined to leave and ignored their pleas.

You Su stood up, following the Venerable of Arcane Numbers out of the City Lord’s mansion and onto the tidy streets of Shuocheng.

In the early summer of Shuocheng, the cold wind still howled, yet the streets were bustling with people. The cries of vendors and the laughter of pedestrians intertwined, creating a lively scene. To You Su’s astonishment, Shuocheng even had dedicated workers sweeping the snow off the roads.

Compared to the desolation outside the city walls, the bustling scene within was a stark contrast, not as prosperous as the Zhongyuan Continent, but equally lively.

You Su followed behind the Venerable of Arcane Numbers, occasionally eavesdropping on conversations, attempting to find some unusual clues.

The Venerable of Arcane Numbers, in his flamboyant Daoist attire, strolled down the street, looking around. Occasionally, he stopped at interesting stalls to chat with the vendors. If not for his handsome and dignified appearance, he would look every bit the part of a loafer. His naturally affable personality and exaggerated image drew many curious glances, but he disdainfully ignored them, as if he couldn’t see those people at all.

You Su secretly admired him; ignoring others is not from indifference but because he already exists on a different level. This alone made the flamboyant Daoist surpass many of high rank, and given his youthful appearance, it’s no wonder he achieved so much.

"Have you ever heard of this Snow Village Tea?" the Venerable of Arcane Numbers abruptly asked.

You Su shook his head, "I’ve only heard of White Magnolia Tea from the Beiao Continent."

This was because it was the tea he looted from Mr. Ling, marking a moment that profoundly changed his life, so he remembered it vividly.

"This tea is popular in the Zhongyuan and Nanyang Continents, but rarely consumed in the Beiao Continent because it’s already so cold there; who would drink such chilling cold tea?" The Venerable of Arcane Numbers chuckled and continued, "Tea-drinking isn’t a common practice in the Beiao Continent due to a lack of suitable soil for cultivating it. However, since they began learning from the development trajectories of other continents, tea started gaining popularity. But tea is ultimately an import, and good tea becomes even more expensive in the Beiao Continent, thus making drinking good tea a status symbol there."

"It’s the same everywhere," You Su replied casually.

"Indeed... people always like to use external things to prove something," the Venerable of Arcane Numbers agreed, speaking meaningfully, "However, excessive profits give people the opportunity to be cunning. Selling only three cups of tea a day, it’s probably not the tea they’re selling."

After speaking, the Venerable of Arcane Numbers stopped beside an old woman pushing a charcoal stove and bought two steaming hot roasted sweet potatoes from her.

"Twelve coins in total, please take it," the Venerable of Arcane Numbers placed the money directly into the hands of the old woman, who thanked him softly.

"Do you want one?" the Venerable of Arcane Numbers extended the orange sweet potato to You Su while already taking a big bite himself.

This Void Realm Venerable’s down-to-earth nature was beyond You Su’s imagination. He wanted to eat but didn’t want to reveal his full face in public, so he just took it without eating.

"Why put it into the Qiankun Bag? Roasted sweet potatoes are best eaten hot," the Venerable of Arcane Numbers advised.

"Not hungry."

"Then why take it if you’re not hungry?"

"Why shouldn’t I take it if you’re giving it to me?"

"Good lad," the Venerable of Arcane Numbers chuckled bitterly, continuing to enjoy the sweet and sticky sweet potato.

"Do you pity that old woman for having to sell sweet potatoes in the cold and snow at her age? Why not give more money? I really didn’t expect a Void Realm Venerable to carry even a penny, let alone so much," You Su voiced his doubt. Not to mention giving a few more coins, even a few hundred taels of silver would mean nothing to a Void Realm Venerable.

The Venerable of Arcane Numbers laughed heartily and explained, "Who said I pitied her? Did you forget I’m a fortune teller? Everyone has their destiny, and I never try to change anyone’s fate. I bought those sweet potatoes simply because I was craving them. And every product has its inherent value; remember, disrupting market order is a violation of the Divine Mountain Law."

Listening to this, You Su looked up, his vision blurred. The flamboyant Daoist, with his colorful attire, stood out starkly in this black, white, and grey world, yet he had to admit that this person was quite interesting.

Snow Village Inn was situated in a corner of the eastern city, a quaint wooden building. There were two red lanterns hanging at the entrance, swaying gently in the cold wind, emitting a soft glow.

You Su and the Venerable of Arcane Numbers entered the teahouse, and a wave of warmth greeted them, accompanied by the faint fragrance of tea, invigorating their spirits.

Inside the teahouse, it was bustling with voices and not a seat was empty, even more lively than most teahouses in the Central Yuan. You Su glanced around, observing tea guests either enjoying tea and conversation or playing chess, exuding a leisurely and comfortable atmosphere. However, beneath this seemingly calm surface, You Su keenly sensed something unusual. The shopkeeper and the staff’s eyes darted around, seemingly alert to their surroundings. This tense atmosphere further confirmed to You Su that something was amiss here.

The moment You Su and the Venerable of Arcane Numbers stepped into Snow Village Inn, it was as if the surrounding clamor had gently been put on pause. Inside, the warmth and tea fragrance stood in stark contrast to the biting cold wind outside.