Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

The hare bus stopped at the stop at the top of the tree stump, and the passengers got off.

Most of them come here to work, because Midtown has a wide variety of businesses, including restaurants, dance halls, and even cinemas.

Times are changing fast, and most of the new generation of young people don't like to take insects to the fields to play in the mud.

Liu Xingmo and Su Mali got out of the car and walked towards the pharmacy.

From afar, you can see the massive fortress made of cement and stone. The place is very conspicuous and heavily guarded.

Liu Xingmo reached out and took his wife's arm, then used facial recognition to pass through the security guard's booth and enter the lobby.

The place was still bustling with activity, with a giant owl in the center, its keen eyes constantly watching for any movement.

This time, instead of going to window number 13, the two of them queued at window number 9, where there were fewer people.

Many people turned their attention to Liu Xingmo and Su Mali, secretly assessing the situation, but said nothing.

Liu Xingmo was also observing the people around him.

They were dressed in fine clothes and exuded a calm aura; most of them were at least at the second rank, and quite a few were at the third rank.

It can be said that only elites and the wealthy can come to this place.

This is a place where elixirs are sold.

The line gradually shortened.

The sales assistant behind the counter, with a professional smile on her face, asked, "What do you need?"

Liu Xingmo said, "My wife is an alchemist, which is a kind of foreign alchemist. She is about to advance to the second level."

"An alchemist?" A hint of surprise flashed across the waiter's face, but he quickly regained his smile. "We only have two kinds of spiritual herbs at the moment, which might be of some help."

Let me introduce you.

"Okay, top-grade Schisandra chinensis, 870 yuan per fruit, and medium-grade Cinnabar, 54 yuan per jin."

Liu Xingmo secretly gasped.

Elixirs are divided into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. Each grade is further divided into three levels: superior, middle, and inferior.

The bone-strengthening root I ate before was a low-grade yellow-level herb, the lowest grade of spiritual medicine, produced by a second-tier acquired extraordinary seedling.

As for the top-grade Schisandra chinensis, it is estimated to be produced by a third-tier innate rare seedling, and its price is truly outrageous.

Liu Xingmo gritted his teeth and threw the money pouch onto the table: "10 Schisandra chinensis seeds, 10 catties of cinnabar."

"Okay, that's 9240 pieces in total."

The waiter finished speaking with a smile, then got up and went to the warehouse to get the goods.

Liu Xingmo also started counting the money.

Eighty-one silver coins, each engraved with a vine on one side and a bird on the other, were selected. Then, more copper coins were needed, totaling 114 coins.

Su Mali reached out and tugged at her husband's sleeve: "Xingmo, I don't need so much. One serving of each is enough!"

"It's okay! I've thought of a reliable way to make money. I'll start implementing it at work this week, and I'll earn it back quickly."

"Honestly," Sumali grumbled under her breath, "He was a boy not long ago, and now he likes to act like a man."

"Hehe." Liu Xingmo focused on counting the money.

The people queuing behind them secretly sized up the couple in front of them, assessing their value and preparing to make their acquaintance.

Although they didn't know what an alchemist was, they understood immediately when they heard "alchemist." This was an extremely rare talent in Black Dragon Stronghold, and everyone was vying for them.

The waitress returned quickly, handing over two large packages and holding up an identification tag: "Mrs. Sumari, our pharmacy welcomes you. We'll give you a 9% discount on this batch of goods."

Sumali reached out and took the nameplate, puzzled, then turned her head.

The enormous owl's sharp eyes were fixed on this side.

Liu Xingmo returned 8 silver coins and 12 copper coins.

As the two of them walked back with their things, someone indeed came up to them and struck up a conversation.

After a few polite exchanges, I'll remember your contact address.

The two did not linger and boarded a car to begin their journey home.

Although this shipment consisted of precious medicinal herbs, it filled two large bags.

Liu Xingmo carried the items in his hands and on his shoulders, looking like a country man returning home after shopping in the city.

Sumali, on the other hand, was wearing a long black dress and carrying a beautiful handbag, looking like a lady on vacation.

This is what you call a perfect match, this is what you call love.

The two sat in the back seat of the bus, and Su Mali flipped through the silver identity badge.

Liu Xingmo put down the package, shook his head and smiled wryly: "What kind of treatment is this... It's much better than what I, a member of the Liu family, am receiving!"

Sumali carefully put away the nameplate: "Actually, I had received invitations before, but not as directly as this time."

"Finding a job is truly an art. Sigh! Why am I destined to only cultivate the common, mass-produced path of bloodshed?"

"Things are valued for their rarity. The people of Heilongzhai, whether farmers or herdsmen, are considered exceptional talents even if they join other organizations."

"That's true. These days, stealing secret techniques and bloodlines is taboo, and even legitimate alchemists can't come here."

"That's right. I'm taking a risk by staying here for you. Xingmo, you'd better keep up with me."

"Mary, you are the one. Don't let me leave you behind. Things are different now. I'm a valuable member of the tribe."

"Because you got a giant black magic turtle?"

"What? You disagree? I think I'm stronger than Setia, and that vampire will definitely be inferior to me in the future."

"Hmm... Your strange jealousy is acting up again."

……

Go home and get a good night's rest.

The promotion officially began the next day.

Liu Xingmo emptied the living room and locked the bedroom doors. He also put up a "Do Not Disturb" sign downstairs.

Sumari laid out a large rug in the living room, on which strange magic circles were drawn.

She placed the pre-prepared materials at various nodes of the magic circle: gold, silver, copper, iron...

The crimson cinnabar we bought this time was mixed with a special liquid and used as ink to repaint and cover the magic circle. Much of it remains, which will be used to reinforce the nodes of the magic circle.

Liu Xingmo couldn't understand it, so he could only watch from a distance and not cause any trouble.

Sumali spent the whole morning setting everything up.

Then, she took out Schisandra chinensis, bright red fruits the size of a fist. She ate five in one go, letting the strange energy fill her whole body.

Sumari sat in the center of the magic circle and entered into deep meditation.

A layer of light and flame ignited on her body, spreading along the magic circle and melting and dissolving all the materials.

Time passed by, second by second.

Liu Xingmo could only keep looking left and right, wary of all kinds of dangers and distractions, in order to distract himself from his anxiety.

The sun moved slowly across the sky, gradually climbing above the western mountains.

As night fell, the entire living room shifted through various colors, sometimes red, sometimes blue, sometimes gold, sometimes purple.

Suddenly, the light and flames on Sumali's body were absorbed by her body as if flowing water.

Her breath grew deeper and heavier, and her skin became smoother and shinier, as if she had transformed from ore into metal.

As an invisible spiritual energy rippled out, all the strange phenomena disappeared.

Sumali opened her eyes and said calmly, "I succeeded."

"Really? That's great!" Liu Xingmo paced back and forth outside the magic circle, hesitant to go in.

"Don't be surprised if things happen naturally."

"I'll go prepare the banquet! Who should we invite?"

"I would like to see Miss Setia. She is my distant cousin and my only relative here."

"I've been thinking about it, and holding a banquet seems a bit extravagant and wasteful, so I suddenly don't want to do it anymore..."

"Knock knock knock!" Just then, there was a knock on the door.