Chapter 12: Huayin City

For some reason, Wang Jingyuan had developed an inexplicable grudge against mules, acting as if they were his sworn enemies. He wouldn't even agree to Yue Lingshan's suggestion that she ride the mule while he took the horse. Eventually, unable to overcome his stubbornness, Yue Lingshan gave in and went to the horse market to trade the mule for a horse.

As soon as she bought the horse, Yue Lingshan wanted to set off immediately, but Wang Jingyuan stopped her. "Have you forgotten something?"

Yue Lingshan thought for a moment and replied, "No, I don't think so?"

Wang Jingyuan slapped his forehead, looking at her with a mix of exasperation and disappointment. "NPCs will always be NPCs. AI companions really do have low intelligence. When entering a new map, the rule is to first visit the blacksmith, tailor, pharmacy, and general store to see if any new items have been unlocked! If you have time to spare, you should also search around for hidden chests or side quests."

"Junior Brother, you’re talking nonsense again. Your sword isn't damaged, so why go to the blacksmith? Besides, your Azure Light Sword is a masterpiece acquired by my father years ago; even if it were damaged, an ordinary blacksmith wouldn't be able to fix it. And don't forget, my mother packed plenty of spare clothes in your bundle..."

"Stop, stop, stop. I don't have the energy to explain; just follow me."

Leading his horse, Wang Jingyuan asked a passerby for the locations of the shops and headed straight for them. Yue Lingshan had no choice but to follow.

Wang Jingyuan was undoubtedly disappointed when he reached the blacksmith shop. There was no other reason than...

"Hardcore, this is just too hardcore. Was I mistaken to look for muskets or crossbows in a hardcore game? I should have realized it when I saw how accurately this Ming Dynasty city was reconstructed."

However, it wasn't a total loss; he did find something useful. "Boss, how much for these hammers?"

"Sir, these are the hammers we use for forging. They aren't for sale."

"One price: twenty coins for a small hammer, forty for a large one." It was the mid-Ming Dynasty; seven hundred coins could buy a stone of rice, and a single coin could buy a steamed bun.

Hammerheads weren't difficult to make, so Wang Jingyuan's offer was already quite generous. The blacksmith, naturally, found it hard to refuse. "How many do you want, sir?"

"I'll take every single one you have. Wait, that sounded a bit weird, didn't it?"

In the end, the blacksmith didn't let greed get the better of him; he kept one large and three small hammers for his own production rather than selling them all to Wang Jingyuan.

Yue Lingshan was still wondering how Wang Jingyuan planned to travel while carrying so many hammers of various sizes when she saw him turn his hand, and the hammers vanished into thin air.

"Where did you hide them?" Yue Lingshan circled him. "I know you can do magic tricks, but those things were huge—how exactly did you hide them?"

Knowing he couldn't explain it, Wang Jingyuan gave a dismissive answer: "Just pretend I have a four-dimensional rectum."

Seeing him talking nonsense again, Yue Lingshan stopped asking.

The same went for the tailor shop. Wang Jingyuan found that the clothes here were purely cosmetic—the kind that provided no attribute bonuses. As for armor, forget it; one set of armor was as heavy as three crossbows, and wearing three sets would basically send you to the grave.

Still, skins weren't entirely useless. Wang Jingyuan got himself a black outfit and bought an extra bolt of black cloth. Although the tailor gave him a strange look, he didn't say anything.

The pharmacy was the place that satisfied Wang Jingyuan the most. There were many finished basic medicines for sale, and even if they didn't have what he needed, he could buy the raw materials and mix them himself.

As for why he knew how to mix medicine...

"You know how to mix medicine?" Yue Lingshan asked, looking at him as he walked out of the pharmacy carrying several large packages.

His question surprised him. "You’re a disciple of Mount Hua, aren't you?"

Yue Lingshan glared at him. "I was born on Mount Hua, and the Sect Leader is my father. What do you think?"

"That’s strange. The complete medical canon and secret prescriptions are sitting neatly on the shelves in the storehouse. Have you never looked at them?"

Yue Lingshan felt a bit embarrassed. "Practicing martial arts every day is exhausting enough; who has time to read those books in the storehouse?"

"You practice martial arts every day?"

"Alright! Let's go!" Then, remembering something, she asked, "Wait, you've only been at Mount Hua for a few days, and you practice martial arts every day, so how could you have finished reading all those medical texts?"

"I don't need to finish them, and I wouldn't understand them anyway. I just took the books to your father and asked him to explain them to me. That’s how I acquired the skill."

"So it was my father who taught you well... Wait! You're bluffing again! I've never known my father to be skilled in medicine."

Wang Jingyuan waved his hand dismissively. "Whether he knows it or not is irrelevant. What matters is that he is an NPC who imparts skills. Just like the Turtle Pope in the Church of Vows—can he actually cast those powerful incantations that only demigods can use? He can't. But that doesn't stop him from teaching them to me once I have the prayer books."

"You're talking nonsense again! And my father is not some old turtle!"

"Tsk, the Turtle Pope is a great turtle. How can you compare him to your father?"

"That is—wait! What do you mean by that! Junior Brother, you stop right there!"

"Catch me if you can! If you catch me, I’ll let you do whatever you want."

The two rode off, one after the other, galloping out of Huayin City. Wang Jingyuan was arrogant at first, but before long, he started screaming for help. He wasn't some wealthy heir; he rarely had the chance to ride a horse, let alone gallop at full speed.

Yue Lingshan finally caught up and helped him stop the horse, scolding him, "You don't even know how to ride a horse? And you dared to gallop?"

"I forgot about that for a moment. By the way, how do you ride a horse?"

Yue Lingshan sighed, but said, "When sitting in the saddle, keep your body upright but relaxed..."

[Yue Lingshan is teaching you "Riding".]

[Do you wish to learn: Yes/No]

[Yes]

"Aha! I've got it now. Giddy-up!" Before Yue Lingshan could finish her explanation, Wang Jingyuan kicked the horse's flanks and took off. Looking at his skillful posture, it was clear he knew how to ride perfectly well.

Feeling toyed with once again, Yue Lingshan's face flushed with anger. She kicked her horse to give chase. "Junior Brother, stop right there! I’m going to beat your bottom until it’s swollen!!!"

"What? You want to treat me to meat dumplings?" Wang Jingyuan pretended not to hear.

"Stop right now!!!"

"No way!"

Eventually, Wang Jingyuan did stop.

It wasn't because he thought Yue Lingshan was actually going to treat him to dumplings, but because the main road ahead was blocked. A massive tree, clearly felled by an axe, lay across the path. It didn't look like an accident at all.

"Tsk, couldn't they be a little more original?" Wang Jingyuan shook his head helplessly, dismounted, and drew his long sword.