The First Legendary Demonic Scholar

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Gathering Information

"These are the medical herbs you requested. It will be 3 Gird."

Taking the package wrapped in paper and tied with a small rope, Shen Yuan walked out of the pharmacy shop.

Shen Yuan, the one who died before the new one came along, had extensive knowledge when it came to medicine of this world. His father was a well-known physician who had passed his knowledge to him at a young age.

As he walked through the streets of the marketplace, Shen Yuan crushed some herbs and applied the paste to his wounds.

The effects were instant; the blood had already stopped spilling, and his wounds were showing signs of clotting up.

The next thing he did was to search for a place to eat.

The market place of the Blood Demon Sect was no different from a small city. There were all sorts of people running businesses within this district.

There were food shops, Medical shops, blacksmiths. There were also shops for entertainment—brothels, Gambling dens and killing arenas.

Everything was packed in that one area. Unlike what Shen Yuan had expected from the sect, the place was not gloomy like the servant area.

In fact, it was quite bustling and lively. People ran their shops without problems. It was all business after all.

Soon, Shen Yuan found a noodle shop with some crowd.

"A plate of your best noodles." Giving the order to a boy younger than him who was acting as the server, Shen Yuan found himself a free table and took a seat.

"Yes! I will bring it right up." Saying this, the cheery boy ran to the back of the shop, giving the order to the cook before returning.

It took less than 15 minutes before he was served.

’That was fast.’ Shen Yuan admired the looks of the dish, which appeared better than he had expected.

Slurp!

Skillfully using the chopsticks, Shen Yuan slurped the smiley noodles down along with a spoonful of broth.

The flavor exploded across his tongue.

The broth was rich and golden, simmered long enough for the chicken bones to melt their essence into every drop.

A deep savory warmth spread through his chest instantly, carrying hints of ginger, garlic, and fragrant scallions. There was also the subtle sweetness of slow-cooked onions lingering beneath the saltiness, balancing the taste perfectly.

The noodles themselves were smooth and elastic, coated in the shimmering broth. Each bite released the aroma of sesame oil and spices that clung to the strands.

Then came the chicken.

Tender slices of braised meat rested on top of the noodles, glistening with a thin layer of oil. The skin was soft and packed with flavor while the meat nearly melted apart with every chew. It had clearly been cooked for hours, absorbing herbs and seasoning until the taste reached the bone itself.

Shen Yuan closed his eyes to savor the flavor, but before he could even dwell in it, he realized that he had already eaten it.

He tried another spoon, but it went faster than the first one.

For a brief moment, the noise of the bustling market faded away.

Steam rose from the bowl in curling wisps while the warmth spread through his tired body, soothing even the pain from his wounds. After waking up in this cruel world, this was perhaps the first genuine comfort he had experienced.

He took another mouthful, this time with a bit of chopped chili floating in the broth.

"Hiss... Worth it." Before he knew it, the bowl was empty and so was his stomach.

Grr...

"Hey kid, another one." Shen Yuan waved at the younger server before pausing. "No, make it three."

"Yes." As if he were expecting such a response, the kid rushed back and brought three bowls along with him.

Placing the bowls down, he saw the confused look on Shen Yuan’s face and replied. "You looked like you would need more food."

"Thanks, kid." Shen Yuan chuckled dryly. ƒreewebɳovel.com

"Don’t mention it. Just don’t forget to pay before leaving." The kid smiled a little deeper as he said that. Somehow that smile sent a chill down Shen Yuan’s spine. But he was too hungry to care about it.

Turning his attention back to the food, he went for the second serving. In just five minutes, he devoured everything and had two more bowls before he felt like he had enough for the day.

"How much was everything?" Calling the same kid from before he asked. He had also asked for a sweet dish that the shop had. He did not know what it was, but it tasted quite good.

"That will be 5 Girds." The boy replied cheerfully.

Shen Yuan passed for a second before glancing at the pile of bowls lying on the table. ’I ate more than I usually eat. Way more. What’s happening?’

The answer came to him instantly. It was because of his body. Not only did his injured body need nutrients to heal, but just to keep it running, it needed more fuel now.

"Are you paying, mister?" The smile on the boy’s face slowly faded when he saw the man not responding.

"Heh." Shen Yuan forced a smile at the sudden change of behavior and pulled out five coins from his pockets and placed them on the table.

"Thanks for your patronage, sir." Seeing the money changed the kid’s demeanor. He returned to his previous cheerful self. Collecting the coins, he skipped to another table.

...

After leaving the food stall, Shen Yuan walked around the market. He was not just wandering aimlessly. This time he was looking for a technique for him to learn.

"Where is the shop for techniques?" Even though he tried to look for it, Shen Yuan was having a hard time finding one. Even the memories of previous Shen Yuan did not have anything for him.

So he did what any normal person from his world would do. He stopped at a random person and asked them.

"Would you like to come in and have a good rest, sir?" She was a very pretty woman with an oval face and curvy figure. When she saw Shen Yuan’s dirty servant clothes, it made her step back in aversion. She wanted to ignore him, but since she had already spoken, she decided to hear him out.

"Sorry for disturbing you miss, but can you point me in the direction of the nearest shop where I can buy some techniques?"

The woman froze hearing him speak so eloquently to her. She thought he was some uneducated bum, but who would have thought he had such good manners? This made her look at him once more.

The young man before her was not ordinary. At least not by his looks. If she looked past all the dirt and injuries, she could see his sharp and focused features.

The sparkle in his sharp eyes almost made her heart skip a beat.

"Ahem, you might not know this since you are a servant, but there is only one store in the whole district that sells cultivation techniques and battle arts." In the end, the woman spared Shen Yuan a second to answer his question. "But it would be best if you did not go there looking like this. Not to mention the most insignificant mortal rank books there cost at least hundreds of Grids, but they won’t ever let someone looking like you in."

"I see." Shen Yuan let out a long sigh. He knew such techniques would be expensive, but to think the price was so high. "Can you point the building out for me? just in case I need to visit it in the future."

And she did not refuse his request. She raised her hand and pointed at the tallest building in the area causally.

"Candy, what are you doing? Stop wasting time and bring in some real customers." An old woman shouted from inside, making the beautiful maiden named candy shiver where she stood.

Shen Yuan noticed this and stepped forward with a raised hand. "Thanks for your help, miss. I will never forget the help."

Candy saw the two crimson coins laying on his palm and smiled faintly. She took them with a swift motion and winked back at him while saying it. "I will take this for now, but if you ever get your hands on some loose coins, you are always welcome to spend your time with me. I will make it worth your while.

Leaving stunned Shen Yuan, she turned to another man who was walking by and stepped towards him.

It was then that Shen Yuan realized what the woman named ’Candy’ did and what the establishment before him was.

He was standing in front of a brothel!