Bailu: "More, more, more!"
Right after the earlier conversation, Bailu had caught a whiff of the baozi's aroma and asked Stelle to get some. Drawn in by the smell, Stelle agreed and carried Bailu over.
Then… Pei Guang and March 7th arrived just in time to witness the scene: one big and one small, one outside and one inside, both happily munching on steamed buns.
Seeing this, March 7th's eyes widened, "Not fair! You're snacking without us? Are they good?"
Stelle, chewing enthusiastically, nodded, "So good!"
March 7th: "Then I want two!"
Bailu: "I'll take two more!"
Pei Guang calmly approached the stand, and as he got closer, Stelle grabbed two more buns, "Pei Guang! How many do you want? The meat filling here is amazing."
Standing by the stall, he saw the vendor's pleased expression. He raised a fist before the vendor and declared, "I'll take them all!"
Pei Guang: "Yes, since these buns are so good, I'll buy them all. Pack them up!"
The vendor was delighted, "Of course, I'll have them packed up for you."
Pei Guang: "No need to pack. We'll eat them all right here. Oh, and put it on the Divination Commission's tab. Mmm, this really is delicious. Uncle Yang, try one?"
Welt took a bun, tasted it, and nodded, "Indeed, the flavor is excellent~"
Pei Guang: "If even a random baozi stand is this good, who knows how many more tasty treats we'll find around here. Let's go explore."
March 7th cheered, "Let's go shopping!"
The group of four was getting ready to explore, but as they moved, Pei Guang sensed a strange gaze, prompting him to pause. Following the direction of the look, he saw a Xianzhou native smiling and waving at him.
March 7th: "What's up?"
Pei Guang: "Seems like a quest's coming to me."
March 7th, excited: "Huh? A quest? Where?"
Pei Guang pondered, "He's only waving at me. I get the feeling this might be a solo mission. You guys go ahead and have fun; I'll go see what this is about."
Welt looked at Pei Guang, "Will you be alright going alone?"
Pei Guang: "No problem. I'll go trigger the quest. You guys keep exploring. I have a hunch that we're about to uncover the real truth behind the chaos on the Xianzhou."
Hearing this, March 7th turned serious, "Oh? Then go ahead. We'll scout out the best spots for food and fun, and when you're back, we'll celebrate!"
Pei Guang: "Counting on you! Here, take this trash can with Bailu. I'm off."
Pei Guang left the group and approached the man in the green robe who'd been waving at him. As he watched Pei Guang's back, March 7th picked up the trash can containing Bailu and looked on with concern, "Is he really okay on his own?"
Welt reassured her, "He'll be fine. Honestly, I'm more worried about whether the person who approached him will regret it…"
Pei Guang's ability to draw people in was remarkable. Even Welt himself sometimes couldn't resist getting swept up in Pei Guang's antics—especially when it came to gear with attribute boosts. No matter how strange it looked, it had its charm!
In games, players often cared more about stats than appearance, but Welt knew that in real-life battles, equipment that provided attribute boosts could be even more valuable. In a game, a character could respawn after death; in reality, there were no second chances.
Typically, people designed useful items to look appealing, but gear created under Pei Guang's influence often had a certain unsettling look… Still, as long as it had attribute boosts, Welt knew that no one—himself included—would turn it down.
After all, if it looks unpleasant, you just avoid looking in the mirror during use. Most people valued practicality over aesthetics, though they'd prefer both if possible. But if it's unattractive… well, they'd live with it.
Meanwhile, Pei Guang, now separated from his team, reached the green-robed Xianzhou man.
Upon Pei Guang's arrival, the man spoke, "Greetings, traveler from beyond. Do you desire immortality?"
Pei Guang responded with a slight smile, "Sorry, but what I desire is more loot!"
The Xianzhou man was visibly taken aback but quickly grinned in delight, "I understand! You desire immortality because only with eternal life could you attain endless loot!"
Pei Guang gave him a polite yet slightly awkward smile, patting him on the shoulder, "You catch on quickly. So, can you offer me a shot at immortality?"
The man laughed heartily, "Ah, you're quite the interesting one! I do have a way to grant outsiders the chance at eternal life. Whether you're interested or not, let's keep this conversation low-key."
Pei Guang raised a finger, waving it gently, "No, no! Instead of 'outsider,' I'd rather you call me a 'visitor from afar.'"
The Xianzhou man: "Isn't that the same thing? Fine, I'll call you whatever you like. Visitor from afar, surely you long for eternal life. The Xianzhou doesn't care one bit about the well-being of short-life species! They stubbornly blockade the glorious path to immortality. I go by the name Green Hibiscus. My name is Green Hibiscus. I came to Exalting Sanctum in hopes of a fated encounter with one such as yourself, a kindred spirit who would join me on the path of eternal life."
With that, the man known as Green Hibiscus invited Pei Guang, "So? Care to come with me to a more private place to discuss this?"
Pei Guang smiled, "Sure, let's go. But allow me to ask—do you follow the Aeon of Abundance?"
At this, Green Hibiscus's face flashed with fear, but Pei Guang spoke gently, "There's no need for fear! Praise the Father's blessing. He bestows his equal favor upon all followers. Look—his people are so joyous and content. He wields vast power, spreading blessings across the universe. Feel the Father's love. Don't fear the world around you. The Father is with us! Who would have thought I'd experience his blessing firsthand one day?"
Green Hibiscus's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe he had found a like-minded soul.
"The Merciful Medicus!"
Pei Guang shook his head, "The Father is above!"
"Indeed, the Father is above! And may I ask your name?"
Pei Guang: "I prefer to be called 'The Filth-Taker.'"
"Lord Filth-Taker, such a discussion doesn't belong here. How about we find a more suitable spot to talk about all this?"
Pei Guang nodded, "I understand. Lead the way. It's my first time here, so I don't know the paths well."
Any regular outsider or native Xianzhou person would have struggled to gain Green Hibiscus's trust so quickly, but Pei Guang's words had an undeniable allure. Every mention of "the Father" carried a strange power, as if he genuinely believed in this being.