Shen Clan, Gambling Tent.
"Si Xuan!"
Lan Shi was surprised to see his colleague lying on the ground, holding a black stone no bigger than a small watermelon. Dust covered her clothes, and strands of her soft black hair were scattered across her face. She was wearing a simple green cloak emblazoned with the Shen Clan crest on her left shoulder, the cuffs of which were dirty from the fall.
She raised her head at the sound of his voice, a familiar glint of embarrassment mixed with stubbornness in her eyes, and a faint smile that concealed her embarrassment.
"Hahaha... I seem to have tripped again," she said, trying to get to her feet, wobbly.
Anyone who saw her at this moment, with her clumsy attitude, would find it hard to believe that this girl was the best at fighting among all the academy students. In fact, she was even surpassing the genius Lan Shi in that regard.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, the curiosity in his voice clear.
"I wanted to try my luck." She replied, nodding to the gambling stone she was holding.
Lan Xi looked at the stone, then said calmly, "Then you're out of luck. This stone is empty."
"H-Really?!"
She automatically put her hands to her head, flustered, as the stone slipped from her hands and landed on her foot.
"Ay!"
Lan Jin chuckled in the distance, but quickly regained his composure. Lan Shi frowned for a moment before saying,
"Let me help you choose another one."
She looked at him in surprise. "Really?"
He nodded. "Since I don't care much for these ordinary stones, I don't mind helping."
He walked among the stones, while Si Xuan followed cautiously, lifting her cloak slightly to avoid tripping again. He ran his hand lightly over some stones, then stopped at a medium-sized stone, covered in a thin layer of dirt.
"This stone... contains a rank-two Gu. Bear Power Gu."
He said it as if describing a glass of water.
"Bear Power Gu?!"
Si Xuan's eyes lit up with excitement, even though she couldn't use a rank-two Gu yet. She knew she could sell it for a good sum, perhaps investing it in improving another Gu.
"Thank you, Lan Shi... you really are... amazing."
Lan Shi gave a faint smile, then said sarcastically, "It's okay, just don't drop it on your foot this time."
Since Lan Shi had used his only chance at gambling, the three decided to leave the tent and wander around the caravan.
Outside the tent, the scene was lively. Lights danced in the air, their colors reflecting off the faces of the visitors. Vendors were calling out their products, and the sounds of music from a folk band filled the air.
The air smelled of fried foods and the fragrant aroma of sweets made from jade syrup and primitive honey. Children ran between food stalls. Si Xuan passed by, momentarily drawn to one of the crowded stalls. An elderly man was making candy balls. She watched him cook and wrap the sugar before buying a piece for herself.
Lan Jin took advantage of this opportunity, approached Lan Shi, and whispered in a low tone, "Isn't Si Xuan the girl from that incident five years ago?"
Although they were from the same clan, Lan Jin didn't know all the children of different ages well.
"Is it true that they found her near a corpse?"
"Yes, that body belonged to an unknown woman whose identity we didn't know, as her body had been completely torn apart by wolves. But Si Xuan said she had gotten lost in the forest and was found by the woman who was trying to bring her back to the village, but the wolves attacked them halfway through. Si Xuan managed to hide, but the woman had been completely devoured."
Lan Shi glanced sideways at Si Xuan, who was still at the dessert cart, before adding in a low voice, "But don't talk to her about that incident."
"Why?"
Lan Shi shook his head lightly. "I don't know, but Si Xuan has changed since that day. Perhaps she feels some remorse over what happened."
Lan Jin raised his eyebrows in disapproval. "Remorse? That woman was nothing but a human slave. It would be an honor for her to die for her mistress."
Lan Shi didn't respond, instead letting the matter fade into thin air amid the voices of the vendors and the laughter of the people.
At that moment, Si Xuan walked back with light steps, carrying a small box of candy wrapped in pink paper, and presented it to them with a cheerful smile.
"I bought a lot... Here, try these! They're so delicious."
Lan Jin took one, while Lan Shi looked at it for a moment before reaching out and taking a piece.
In every corner of the market, there was something worth stopping by. One corner displayed rare types of Gu worms, where the worms were kept inside crystal cages that shone with color, displayed like priceless treasures. Nearby, there was a small café offering exotic beverages from various regions.
In another corner, a screened Gu caught the attention of onlookers. The screened Gu was a Rank 2 Gu from Information Path, displaying live scenes from the wilds of the Southern Border. This Gu, considered the television of this world, was not available to the general public due to its high cost and the high cost of feeding it.
Ordinary people, not even first- or second-rank Gu Masters, could afford it. Therefore, its use remained limited to the wealthy, third-rank Gu Masters and above, or to large establishments such as movie theaters and luxury restaurants.
Despite the relative technological advancements in the Gu world, the high cost of Gu and its food made communication and information an elitist pursuit, available only to a certain class.
Lan Jin looked at one of the booths where a Gu resembling a seashell was displayed, dark blue with fine silver lines. "I see they're displaying the Ear of the Wind Gu. It's a second-rank Information Path Gu."
Lan Shi nodded as he observed another Gu in a transparent crystal cage.
He said, "And this is the Shadow Leap Gu... It allows you to move through shadows. It's quite rare in this part of the Southern Border."