After stepping out of the Teleportation Gate, the two found themselves in the southeastern woods of Eden City.
"Why did you come along?"
Shami glanced at the Tablet Spirit beside him.
"Are you really okay leaving a beautiful elf girl at home?"
"But your appearance draws a lot of attention. It's inconvenient for me to move around."
Lureya slightly shifted her golden hair to hide her pointed ears, then pulled a round hat from her Storage Space to put on, and covered her face with a veil, leaving only her emerald eyes visible.
"Sound effects are so childish."
"Tch, I'm much older than you!"
Shami and Lureya followed the crowd into Eden City, one of the early cities of the Fess Kingdom. The street layout was not very orderly, and the buildings on both sides had a strong sense of age, resembling Western medieval style.
The streets were bustling with people, besides humans, one could see various other races as well.
The two quickly reached the main road of Eden City, nearly a hundred meters wide, lined with towering and majestic buildings. On one side stood the famous Adventurers' Guild, housed in a Gothic-style building, while the other side was Eden City's largest commercial hub.
A human-run auction house, a red-light district boasting succubi, a weapon forging hall run by goblins, and an advanced pharmacy supplied by the Beast Race all converged at this spot.
"Shami, are we just wandering aimlessly ?"
Lureya's eyes kept darting around, looking curious. After all, she rarely visited human cities.
"I don't mind either way."
It was Shami's first time in the city, he was quite amazed.
This scene was even more prosperous than the international metropolises of his previous life.
Rendering such a large scene, game designer, are you sure your computer won't overheat?
"Is this your first time in a place ?" Lureya noticed Shami's odd behavior.
Shami nodded honestly. He had been in this world for two and a half years, staying in the village all along, as there were no monster invasions and no Teleportation Gate. It took nearly a day to get in and out, so he'd never left the village.
"Tch, such an ignorant little fish~"
The flat-screen golden-haired one stood still, mocking, with hands spread out.
"Anything you don't understand, just point it out and let this big sister help you. Hey, don't leave me behind!"
Lureya followed Shami into the commercial center on the right side of the main road, entering an advanced pharmacy.
The pharmacy sold not only potions but also various materials and even elixirs.
Two armored warriors guarded the entrance, while the inside had walls filled with neatly lined boxes, similar to a large-scale traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy.
A human clerk behind the counter warmly greeted the two.
"Hello, may I help you find something to purchase?"
Since the Water of Life has potion-like effects, such a place should have related information.
"I want to ask if you have any Water of Life for sale here?"
The clerk shot the two a strange look.
"I'm sorry, we are a legitimate pharmacy."
"Hey, Shami, his gaze towards us seems a bit off," the Tablet Spirit secretly transmitted.
"No need for you to interpret something so obvious." Shami frowned, "Sorry, can you clarify that a bit?"
The clerk looked at the two and coughed a few times. These days, couples are so blatant, but he was kind-hearted.
"Those are illegal potions. If you're looking to buy, there should be some for sale in the alley nine streets behind us. However, it's a mixed underground market with complicated personnel; it's better to be cautious."
After leaving the pharmacy, the pair headed toward the underground market.
It was a filthy and chaotic alley, with simple sheds made of iron roofs on both sides, guarded by vendors with fierce expressions, countless dialects mingling with the buzzing of flies and mosquitoes in the air—a stark contrast to the clean and tidy main road they were just on.
Although this looked like the classic hero scenario of "being bumped by a villain, initially thinking of swallowing the anger, but the villain keeps pursuing, until surrounded by more people, finally forced to retaliate," what did it have to do with him, a common villager?
"Hey, Shami, it seems dangerous,"
"If you're not going in, I'll go alone."
Shami walked straight in, while Lureya hesitated for a moment but chose to follow him inside.
The two safely reached a rundown Magic Potion Workshop.
A burly man looked at the two.
"Buying. Do you have any Water of Life?"
"Of course. Just got a new batch yesterday. How much do you want?"
The man was not surprised upon hearing this. Many came for this potion; he was used to it.
"The Water of Life we sell has the highest purity in Eden City, and the best effect too. No need to worry about its quality. Many adventurer parties buy some from us for backup before heading out for adventure."
The man opened a drawer, filled with small bottles containing clear liquid.
Just then, a tall, burly man walked in, nearly two meters tall, a sword at his waist, clearly a Swordsman.
"Boss, give me a bottle of Water of Life."
"Five Gold Coins. What, going out of town for an adventure again?" The two men seemed familiar with each other.
"Adventure my ass. The Demon King is gone. Out of town, yes. I arranged a wild encounter with a female Beastman. Beast Race desires are hard to ignite, so I need a bottle of Water of Life to boost it." The two men gave a knowing lewd laugh as the Swordsman paid and left.
Beside him, the elf suddenly widened her eyes.
The shop owner looked at Shami.
"And you? How many do you want?"
"I'll have two bottles."
"For two bottles, that will be ten Gold Coins." The man took out two small bottles and handed them to Shami.
Ten Gold Coins was a steep price for a common villager. It would take two years of farming to make that income.
But for the sake of the quest, Shami gritted his teeth and handed over the two years of savings he had put away for a wife.
"Don't use too much at once, the effect lasts a long time. Using too much at once, the arousal won't stop, and without timely relief, it could even be fatal."
After obtaining the Water of Life, Shami and Lureya walked back to the woods outside Eden City in silence.
Once they were alone, Lureya finally couldn't resist and complained, "Shami! This is clearly an aphrodisiac!"
When Shami obtained it, he already knew what it was.
[Name: Water of Life]
[Type: Single-use Item]
[Effect: Possesses a universal arouse desire effect.]
[Note: The Water of Life is an industry insider's code. Its real name is 'Charm Potion,' which has a powerful effect of inducing desire. When used, both application or consumption can produce effects. This potion is commonly found in various underground venues. It's listed as an illegal potion in most countries. However, it is available for sale in underground markets in most cities.]
Darn it, no wonder they said it aids life cultivation, turns out this was the meaning. Seriously, why would a Hero bring something on an adventure!