The two young men walked side by side through the overgrowth, listening to the chirp of the cicadas and the hooting of nocturnal birds. They found the narrow path a minute later, lit up on either side by mushrooms that glowed with a soft, blue light. A small hummingbird like creature flew swiftly past, the tips of it"s feathers providing a sparkling, white light. Jin Li had not let go of Leon"s wrist, but Leon did not mind this.The pathway lead to an area with stalls centring a lectern and upon that wooden furnishings was an open scroll, glowing a gentle yellow colour and upon that was a feather quill glowing white. This area was a place for Scholars. Leon was curious about what the Scholars did, for he"d never met one, but as the name implied, their works seemed to centre around paper and ink.
"W-What are those?" He pointed curiously towards strips of paper with calligraphy upon them.
Jin Li glanced over. "Talismans for exorcists," came the reply.
"Exorcists?" The word was familiar, but in his old world, he recalled it being linked to undead and horror movies, thus furrowed his brow. "You m-mean p-people who b-banish g-ghosts?"
"Is there another kind?" Jin Li replied, testily. Leon didn"t answer, just attempted to wrap his head around the idea. If the Scholars were creating those, then did that not suggest that exorcism was a valid occupation in this world? And that was so, did that mean that ghosts were real here? He wasn"t sure how he felt about that.
Other things on trade were inscription scrolls, which were not like magic scrolls; they could not cast spells. However an inscription could be attached to a piece of armour or a weapon and enhance the qualities of such. These were temporary, however, much like magic scrolls, though the average inscription would last two or three times rather than once like a magic scroll. There were also scrolls for common cultivation techniques and skills, many of which could be found in the library. Copies of books were also available and Leon spied one upon herbs. Flicking through it, it was clear that it held some information that wasn"t in the almanac he had found in the library. So he traded for it, exchanging three bottles of Clear Spiritual Pills in the end.
The two youths wandered down upon another path and this time did not lose their way for the trees were fewer here and the foliage thinner. Leon glanced upward and could see billions of scattered stars above him, cast across the blue-black sky. It was a bit surreal, as the sky appeared as if it was painted above him on a large circular canvas due to the shadowed walls of the dormant volcano bordering it.
This time, they found themselves in a place dedicated to the mage school. It was extremely colourful compared to the quiet, refined area of the Scholars or the slightly more bustling place of the Alchemists. One stall was selling disks that had been enchanted to shoot fireworks once a key word was said. Another was selling crystal and jade charms. One mage had nothing at his stall but a sign offering to recharge mage crystals.
Leon understood mage-crystals as power sources for certain spell arrays, large ones that needed constant supplies of magic. The temporal formation surrounding the herb fields, making a small s.p.a.ce several times larger, was one such array. Mages not only created them from pure magic, but could also resupply them with their magic. It should be mentioned, that magic was simply spiritual energy in a more condensed form. Thus to be a mage, a Cultivator needed to be blessed with copious amounts of spiritual energy even at low stages of cultivation.
Regardless, Leon"s lone mage-crystal was in his mage globe at home and those lasted a great deal of time, so he lost interest in this stall immediately. He did briefly look at the jade and crystal charms, but Jin Li pulled him away, claiming that the carvings were amateurish and lame. Better to not waste his pills upon them.
As the moon arrived over the lip of the mountain wall, the youths arrived at an area that appeared to have Alchemists in it. Leon a.s.sumed that these were from the upper school, but while a few had pills and potted herbs, there was much more variety of other things. Jin Li was quickly drawn to one stall that had two cauldrons upon portable stoves, but were not producing pills to the gathering crowd, but soups.
"A c-cooking stall?" Leon questioned, causing the buxom woman behind the cauldrons to laugh softly.
"Nope, this is Medicinal Cuisine," she smiled as she stirred the pots. "Choice pieces of meat from spiritual beasts and spirit herbs are cooked in a cauldron. It"s a bit like making a pill or a potion in the fact that each ingredient needs to be cooked just so or treated in a specific way and when it is all brought together, it produces something like this." She ladled some of the soup into a bowl and pushed it over. Leon carefully picked up the bowl and breathed in the heavenly scents.
"It h-has sp-spiritual energy inside it?" Leon exclaimed and the woman nodded.
"Medicinal Cuisine can aid in Cultivation, healing, strengthening bodies and meridians," she listed off of the top of her head. "It"s just not that popular as it"s only good when eaten fresh and not as quick as popping a pill! But there"s far less impurities within a bowl of my stew than in one of those pills! Well certain grains, fruits and herbs can be brewed into medicinal wine, which lasts longer, but also takes a long time to make." Leon sipped and the flavours burst upon his tongue. His stomach warmed, the heat then spread through his meridians and he suddenly felt refreshed. He pa.s.sed the bowl to Jin Li, who savoured the stew with a smile.
The woman couldn"t help but think to herself; If only I was ten years younger...
"It"s d-delicious," Leon told her and quickly withdrew a pot of Gentle Snowflower balm and handed it to her; he"d noticed a couple of burn marks upon her hand, perhaps received during cooking. Her heart melted as she accepted the pot. These two students were so lovely and handsome as well! "If I h-had t-time, I"d like t-to learn it," Leon thought aloud, knowing how much Jin Li liked delicious food.
However the man actually frowned; "The time you have available (for me) is already limited, especially recently. Don"t think foolish thoughts."
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"There is a simpler thing to try," the woman said, "the effects are lesser, but still beneficial in the long run. How would do you feel about the idea of Medicinal Teas?"