"Whoaaa…"
Snow Kui's voice dragged out in pure amazement.
Because he disliked dealing with Morax, even when he collected herbs here—or came to find Yingda and the others—Snow Kui never stepped into the mortal settlements of Morax's territory.
Today was his first time.
Bustling streets, lively voices, merchants shouting prices—it was every bit as lively as Guizhong's city. The young yaksha spun in place, eyes darting everywhere.
Merchants and customers haggled fiercely, their eyes sharp and calculating.
Snow Kui stared, mesmerized.
Compared to Guizhong's territory—which thrived on fertile lands and farming—Morax's land was rich in ores and seafood. The people here depended heavily on trade, making them shrewd and sharp-eyed.
Snow Kui suddenly felt that everyone here was smarter than him.
"Finding something interesting?"
Guizhong bent down to ask.
"No."
Snow Kui denied instantly, voice flat—
yet his eyes stayed glued to the food stalls along the road.
Guizhong and Ruòtuó exchanged a helpless smile.
"If you're not interested in choosing your clothes, why don't you explore the marketplace first?"
Snow Kui hesitated.
Agreeing now meant admitting he was interested.
Ruòtuó stepped in.
"Morax will lead Guizhong. Are you truly fine meeting him?"
Snow Kui's eyes widened.
Meet Morax? That stingy rock lizard who was always bullying him?
He shook his head so hard his hair fluttered.
"Then go enjoy yourself. Also—take these."
Ruòtuó placed a small cloth pouch into Snow Kui's hands.
Inside were thin carved jade plaques. Holding one up to the sun, Snow Kui saw the threads of impurities inside—completely ordinary stone.
But on their surfaces was carved a coiling dragon.
Snow Kui recognized the form immediately—
one of Morax's human shapes.
Instant dislike.
If this weren't Ruòtuó's gift, Snow Kui would've already thrown them on the ground and stomped twice.
"These are currency—used here to measure the value of goods and make trade easier. There aren't many in the bag, but they're enough for snacks."
After hearing the word food, Snow Kui snapped the pouch shut and hugged it protectively.
Like Guizhong's markets—filled with music, books, storytellers—Morax's land also had street performances.
In a wooden basin, a red-and-white fish wove graceful arcs through water. Its fins fluttered like silk.
An elderly man in a conical hat whistled, and the fish spiraled, spraying water.
Droplets hit Snow Kui on the nose.
He wiped his face, still staring.
It was strange—
normally, Snow Kui made a straight line toward the food stalls.
But today, curiosity held him hostage.
The old performer smiled knowingly.
"You seem interested in this trick?"
A soft voice whispered from beside him—familiar, like rippling water.
Snow Kui twitched his ear and turned.
A girl with horn-like fins on her head—her hair and clothes tinted with the blue of deep streams. Azure eyes peeked nervously from oversized sleeves.
Not the teasingly gentle Pavana he knew.
Today she curled herself small, trying to take up as little space as possible in the crowd.
Snow Kui nodded.
Pavana glanced toward the old man.
He smiled bitterly and shook his head.
She grinned—a mischievous, beautiful thing—and leaned close.
Snow Kui bent down.
Her sleeve hid her mouth as she whispered.
Snow Kui jerked upright.
Using adeptal arts to show off in the mortal marketplace?!
Shameless!
But it explained why Snow Kui sensed nothing unusual—the man's concealment was flawless.
The old adept looked up and winked, wrinkled face full of mischief, placing a finger to his lips.
Snow Kui lost interest in the performance instantly.
Pavana flicked her sleeve and lightly tapped the fish's head.
In the next moment, amid puzzled murmurs from the crowd, she tugged Snow Kui away.
Only then did Snow Kui notice—
When her sleeve shifted, something under it glinted.
A claw.
"Phew! Finally out. If not for that fish, I'd never squeeze into crowds just to look at humans."
Relieved, Pavana stuck out her tongue.
"That old man is skilled in concealment. The fish is in its pre-transformation stage—learning human culture and earthly life. So they teamed up to perform for mortals."
Snow Kui blinked.
Unlike Guizhong's territory—where only he and Pavana were non-human—in Morax's lands, mortals and adepti walked the same streets.
Here was truly "a place where people and immortals coexist."
"We both came from water, so I suppose that fish counts as my junior." Pavana sniffed. "I only squeezed in to take a look. Otherwise I'd never willingly mix with humans."
Snow Kui studied her up and down, eyes narrow.
"Why hide your claws?"
Pavana froze.
Advance Chapters available on P@treon
patreon.com/soulrequiem