Chapter 1755 — Night Market Encounters, Part One
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
The town had few proper shops, only one large market where all sorts of goods could be bought. This was what people called going to market. Gu Mengyao and the others, raised in big cities, had never seen anything like it, though in truth it was not so different from a night market.
Of course, the stalls mostly sold local specialties and household goods, unlike city night markets with their snacks and trinkets.
As for local specialties, no one had any desire to buy more. The trunk was already crammed full. They had meant to pick up a little something from each place, but one purchase had led to another until the pile had grown, and there was no room left.
So here they merely looked.
"I hear Wang Laoba went hunting today and killed a legendary black phoenix?"
"Black phoenix? More like a wild chicken, I'd say."
"Who knows? But at that price, only a fool would buy it."
"True enough. Even if it were a phoenix, eating it won't make you fly!"
"Eating is all you ever think about!"
"It's dead already. What else is there to do but eat it?"
"Fair point!"
Wei Zhao and the others were wandering through the market, looking over the local goods, when they overheard two stallholders talking nearby. Curious, Wei Zhao asked casually, "What is a black phoenix?"
"Who knows? They say it's a black phoenix, a kind of spirit beast from Dark Night Mountain back there. Of course, it's all legend. To me it's just a black silkie chicken!" the stallholder answered offhandedly.
"Oh?" Wei Zhao had asked only in passing, but the mention of a spirit beast stirred something in him. He pressed on: "A spirit beast? What is that? Is it like those animals in novels that can cultivate?"
"Spirit beast? I've no idea what sort of thing that is. The old folks say there are spirit beasts on the mountain, but they're exceedingly rare. They say drinking a spirit beast's blood can prolong your life," the stallholder said. "As for this 'cultivation' you mention, never heard of it."
"All right. Thank you!" Wei Zhao nodded.
"Brother Arrow, are you going to check out that black phoenix spirit beast?" Shen Yushu had guessed his intention the moment Wei Zhao stood up.
"Yeah. Thought I'd go see what all the fuss is about," Wei Zhao said, without confirming anything outright.
"It's over that way. You can go take a look, but that thing—heh—only a fool would buy it!" The stallholder pointed toward one side of the market.
Wei Zhao said nothing more. He simply led Tang Zhi and the others in the direction the stallholder had indicated...