Before Xu Zimo could say anything, Chu Cichao beside him had already shouted.
“Are you crazy? That old box, no one even knows what’s in it, and you want a blood lizard’s heart for it? This place is a total scam!”
The middle-aged man didn’t respond. After saying his piece, he fell silent again.
“What’s a blood lizard’s heart?” Xu Zimo asked with confusion.
Even though he had learned quite a bit about this world, much of it was still surface-level, and there were many things he didn’t understand.
“A blood lizard’s heart is… well, it’s the heart of some kind of creature,” Chu Cichao said, his voice growing weaker the more he spoke.
“...That answer is as good as saying nothing,” Xu Zimo replied flatly.
“Come on, you and I are pretty much on the same level. If you don’t know, how would I know?” Chu Cichao said awkwardly with a laugh.
“So you don’t even know what a blood lizard is, and you’re yelling like that?” Xu Zimo shook his head, speechless.
“I was just trying to liven things up a bit,” Chu Cichao said with a sheepish grin.
Xu Zimo turned to Jiang Changsheng, who also shook his head slightly and said, “I’ve heard the name before, but I don’t know much about it.”
Just then, the woman named Chu Shanhe suddenly spoke.
“In the Misty Forest of the Southern Region, there’s a swamp. That’s where the lizardfolk live. The blood lizard is one type of rare lizard that lives there.”
“A rare lizard?” Xu Zimo asked, puzzled.
“Let me explain how hard it is to even get a blood lizard’s heart,” Chu Shanhe said coolly. “The Misty Forest is a well-known danger zone in the Southern Region, and the swamp is even more treacherous. Nothing but lizards can survive there.”
“There are four main types of lizards: green, blue, red, and yellow.”
“What’s that got to do with the blood lizard?” Chu Cichao asked, also curious.
“The blood lizard isn’t its own species,” Chu Shanhe said. “It’s a fusion of the four types. The technique to create it is extremely rare and precious. Blood lizards are basically extinct now.”
“Creating one takes enormous effort. Their hearts are full of powerful properties.”
“How do you know all this?” Xu Zimo asked. “Do you have a way to get one?”
“I once wanted to get one myself,” Chu Shanhe answered calmly. “But after learning the full story, I gave up. That said, if you really want the fusion method, it’s not entirely impossible.”
“What do you mean?” Xu Zimo asked.
“It’s said that the World Sovereign Empyrean Sect once obtained the fusion method back when the World Sovereign was still young. Whether they still have it now, I don’t know,” Chu Shanhe explained.
“Even if they have it, they won’t give it to you easily.”
“You telling me all this, do you want something in return?” Xu Zimo asked with a half-smile.
“Yes,” Chu Shanhe replied bluntly. “If you get the method, I want one blood lizard in exchange. A fair trade.”
While they were talking, a young man suddenly burst into the shop.
He was dressed in black armor, covered in blood, and his armor was damaged in several places.
“Shopkeeper, I’ve completed the mission! Give me my merit points,” he said loudly, tossing a bag onto the counter.
The bag opened to reveal a fresh red organ covered in purple veins, a blood gall.
The middle-aged man checked it over, nodded, and handed the youth a golden token.
“I have enough merit points now. I want to exchange them for the Northern Ice,” the armored youth said.
The middle-aged man moved quickly. He took the token, waved his hand, and one of the glass pillars in the center shattered with a bang.
A transparent box dropped out. Inside, Xu Zimo saw a block of ice.
The armored youth gratefully took the box and turned to leave the shop.
Just as he reached the door, a group of people blocked his way.
They looked like servants, all except for one young man in luxurious robes who looked slightly overweight and held a fan.
He walked over arrogantly and said to the armored youth, “Xu Yan, hand over the Northern Ice and I’ll let you walk away.”
Xu Yan’s expression darkened as he said coldly, “Zhang Zehao, don’t push it. I worked over a year to earn that ice. It’s for my mother’s treatment.”
Zhang Zehao laughed loudly and said arrogantly, “Go ask around Bright Flame City. You’ll find no one dares defy me.”
“You’re just relying on your father being the city lord,” Xu Yan sneered.
“Enough talk. Beat him,” Zhang Zehao ordered, waving his hand.
His followers immediately swarmed Xu Yan.
…
“Looks like the cities under your Nine Heavens Sect’s rule aren’t so great,” Chu Shanhe said nearby.
“They can’t even manage their own internal fights, let alone govern cities,” Chu Cichao added with a mocking laugh.
“Brother, should I do something?” Jiang Changsheng asked Xu Zimo.
“Up to you. I don’t really care,” Xu Zimo replied calmly.
He continued looking around the shop. Even though he couldn’t get the wooden box yet, many other items were just as rare and caught his eye.
Eventually, he saw a curved bow.
It was over a meter long, jet-black, with a golden string , likely made from the tendon of some beast.
The tag simply read: Heaven Demon Bow.
It was just the bow, no arrows.
Outside the shop, the fight had broken out. Although Xu Yan was experienced in combat, he was quickly overwhelmed and beaten to the ground.
Zhang Zehao took the box with the Northern Ice and sneered, “Xu Yan, I’ll spare your life. If your sister agrees to marry me, I’ll consider dropping the issue. Don’t make me force the matter.”
Seeing this, Jiang Changsheng stepped forward and frowned. “Who are you people, acting so lawlessly in Bright Flame City?”