He looked around and smiled at the sight of the residents walking back and forth in traditional clothing, saying,
"They’ve been all over here for a long time."
Qi Chen looked around warily and whispered,
Feng Yuan glanced at Qi Chen and said with irritation,
"What do you mean what do we do, just enjoy the fun of traveling for now, and we’ll talk in a couple of days~"
Because of Najia, everyone felt somewhat suppressed while sightseeing in Calien Town, until Feng Yuan couldn’t take it anymore and said,
"If this continues I’m really going to get angry. Can’t we just have a good time traveling without always thinking about those things?"
Najia bowed apologetically to Feng Yuan, and Qi Xiaoshuang pouted and said discontentedly,
"So how can you be so relaxed when we are surrounded by formidable enemies?"
"Who told you we are surrounded by formidable enemies... If that were the case, Agunas itself would have come... Besides, with the White Wolf Deity here, what else do you need to worry about?"
"You still have the nerve to say that."
Qi Xiaoshuang shifted the bag on her shoulder and spoke dissatisfiedly. Earlier, when the sightseeing was halfway through and she couldn’t stand Feng Yuan treating the White Wolf Deity like a pack animal anymore, she took the bags from the White Wolf Deity’s back and put them on her own shoulder. Feng Yuan turned his face away scornfully and said,
"Why be embarrassed? The White Wolf Deity is here specifically to protect you guys. It’s no problem helping to carry a few things, and that bag is weightless anyway, no matter how much you put in it."
"Don’t you think it looks too bad! A Divine Beast is treated by you like an ordinary Spirit Beast!"
The shadow of Agunas swished its tail and said,
"Actually, we don’t care much about how others see us; what does it matter if others treat us as ordinary Spirit Beasts?"
Qi Xiaoshuang suddenly didn’t know how to argue. If Feng Yuan had said this, she might have argued back, but Agunas itself was a Divine Beast, and it naturally understood what Divine Beasts think.
Qi Xiaoshuang carefully reached out her hand and stroked the white fur of the White Wolf Deity, and after some thought, she said,
"But I still think it’s not right..."
"Whatever you want, all of my things are being taken care of by Big Cat anyway. If you like to carry that bag, then carry it."
Feng Yuan turned his head away and said indifferently. Qi Chen’s purchases were being carried by Ah Mu, and Yang Hongzhi had a space travel bag, which made it no problem to put souvenirs in. Only Dou Yanlan and Qi Xiaoshuang needed to put their souvenirs in that bag. Qi Xiaoshuang glared at Feng Yuan and stood in front of the White Wolf Deity to prevent Feng Yuan from looking at the White Wolf Deity with that ’sinful’ gaze.
Feng Yuan smiled and led the way, looking at the guide map while they walked around. After wandering for a long time, everyone rested in front of the fountain in Calien Town Square. Cotton and Dreaming Dragon Baby played in the water of the fountain. Xiao Ji looked disdainfully at the fountain and nudged Feng Yuan with its little head, signaling him to stay away from the fountain. Najia and Yang Hongzhi sat side by side on a bench nearby, and Qi Xiaoshuang took out a comb to groom the fur of the White Wolf Deity lying on the ground.
While eating snacks, Najia suddenly stopped, looking surprised at a woman passing by not far away. The woman was dressed in the attire of an ancient noble in red, holding a small red parasol and wearing high heels, appearing to wander aimlessly. Sensing that someone was watching her, the woman looked puzzled and turned her head, seeing Feng Yuan and the others dressed as cultivators with hoods over their heads, she looked doubtful.
After observing for a while, the woman’s gaze fell on Najia. Suppressing the shock in her heart, she slowly approached Yang Hongzhi, bent down to look at Najia hiding inside the Wolf God’s Robe, and said to Yang Hongzhi,
"Are you here for sightseeing?"
After hesitating for a moment, Yang Hongzhi replied,
"Yes, do you need something?"
The woman smiled softly and whispered,
"You shouldn’t have come..."
Yang Hongzhi, who was fully attentive to the woman, didn’t notice Najia’s body trembling upon hearing the woman’s words. Feng Yuan glanced at the woman, realizing she was focused on Najia, and after thinking briefly and understanding something, he sighed and stepped forward, asking,
"What is this about...?"
"Nothing much. Your god... Spirit Beasts seem to be having a great time; it looks like they are very happy," the woman said.
Feng Yuan thought for a moment and then asked,
"Would you mind being our guide?"
The woman smiled and replied,
"Of course I don’t mind; it would be my honor~"
Najia pulled at the hood and hid deeper inside the Wolf God’s Robe.
"This is Bolaon’s cottage. Back when he was here, this place was one of the liveliest spots in Calien Town~," the woman said, pointing to a crumbling cottage. Qi Xiaoshuang looked suspiciously at the woman and said,
"Really? Why doesn’t it look like it?"
The dilapidated street where the rundown cottage stood exuded an aura of decay and rot that Qi Xiaoshuang simply couldn’t equate with the beautiful, bustling avenues she had seen before. After all, the place wasn’t just old; its architecture was a chaotic patchwork akin to a repeatedly mended piece of clothing.
The woman chuckled and said,
"After all, this place is in decline, no longer the bustling hub it once was."
Dou Yanlan scrutinized her surroundings, formulating several guesses.
The woman stepped forward, pulled out a key, unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stepped back a few paces, waiting for the dust to slowly settle before saying to everyone,
"Do you want to go in and have a look? Bolaon is the best blacksmith in Calien~"
"Is it really alright to just go in ?"
Qi Chen asked with some concern, as the shabby cottage looked quite rickety—not to mention, this place lacked not only tourists but also local residents. He was worried there might be traps inside.
Peering inside, Feng Yuan commented,
"This is Bolaon’s shop?"
Seeing Feng Yuan step in, the others exchanged glances and followed cautiously. The woman glanced at the town guards of Calien appearing at the street corner, her face showing a flash of disgust before she instantly switched to a smile, walked into the cottage, and closed the door behind her.
Feng Yuan, who was inspecting the tools, looked up at the woman and asked,
Startled by the sound of the door closing, Qi Chen and the others immediately looked at the woman warily. She smiled and said,
"Just a habit. Do you need the door open?"
Feng Yuan said as he picked up a finely made tool and asked,
"Did he leave this behind?"
"You aren’t thinking of taking it, are you?"
Qi Chen immediately understood what Feng Yuan intended and, shaking the tool, Feng Yuan nodded and replied,
"Of course, it’s a good find~"
Yang Hongzhi looked on, puzzled, and remarked,
"Isn’t that just an ordinary tool?"
"No, it’s not that simple—at least not the material it’s made from. If I’m not mistaken, it’s forged from starsteel."
"It’s just starsteel. Can’t you make it yourself?"
Qi Chen looked skeptically at Feng Yuan; he didn’t believe Feng Yuan wouldn’t be able to get his hands on starsteel. Though the material was rare, there seemed to be no material too scarce for Feng Yuan unless it didn’t exist at all.
"I don’t want to make it. Crafting such delicate tools is really troublesome."
As Feng Yuan spoke, he looked toward the woman, who smiled and said,
"If you can take them away, then you can have all those tools. Since you recognize their value, you’ll surely treat them well, right?"
"Treat them well, yes, but I might not use them often..."
After dusting off the table and regarding the well-maintained tools, Feng Yuan hesitated, and the woman chuckled and said,
"It’s better than leaving them here untouched. On behalf of Bolaon, I’ll give these to you."
After some thought, Feng Yuan packed up the tools, smiled, and said while looking at the surrounding blacksmithing implements,
"Self-sufficiency, huh... quite fitting for these times..."
Qi Xiaoshuang ran over to hug the hammer but found she couldn’t lift it, expressing her surprise,
"Isn’t Bolaon just an ordinary person?"
Glancing at Qi Xiaoshuang, Feng Yuan said irritably,
"Who said ordinary people can’t lift that hammer?"
Hefting the hammer with one hand, Feng Yuan swung it and said,
"It’s not especially heavy."