Among them, there were certainly legitimate organizations like the Colin Commercial League, but there were also many shady areas that couldn't bear the light of day where all sorts thrived.

After two days, Fang Hong felt that he had grown a lot; at least he felt that he wouldn't be fooled by Miss Sicape's tricks again. Indeed, offers of free meals and lodging were surely the beginnings of a huge conspiracy.

What really opened Fang Hong's eyes was the big cat by his side—Reed was like an encyclopedia of urban life. He wasn't a local from Elpaxin, but there was no place he couldn't find or a person he couldn't meet here.

Cautious and keen, he planned before acting, and all the street scams seemed like trifles that he could expose in just a few words. The Lion People were sometimes graceful, sometimes petty, changing endlessly. Fang Hong had no idea how he did it.

Whenever he asked about this, the Lion People would take his pipe out of his wide mouth, hold it in his palm. Gazing into the distance as if he possessed profound mysteries, he would tell him in a faint voice, "The wind tells me the answers, little boy."

"The wind?"

"Yes, the winds that are unbounded and wander everywhere, bringing the scent of the harbors, the majesty of mountains and rivers, and the whispering of the forest leaves. Roaming everywhere, just like an elder, they scrutinize the world with an age-old gaze—when you see enough, you understand enough."

The Lion People turned his pipe over, tapped the bottom with his claw, and while knocking out the ashes, he asked, "Understand now?"

"I don't understand," Fang Hong was frank.

"Haha, no matter," Reed laughed heartily, his mane shaking, "One day you will understand. But for now, you still need to learn, little boy."

Fang Hong did understand this; it was exactly what he was doing.

On their third day in Elpaxin, they finally had a moment to spare. The ladies, prompted by Tianlan's suggestion, went shopping, while Gita planned to visit the Great Library at Silver Tower to look up more information about the Dragon Worship Sect and that brooch.

He planned to take this opportunity to complete his official craftsman assessment at the Artisan Association—fortunately, the Elf Girl was a frugal follower of Ameya, sparing the boys from the hassle of carrying lots of shopping bags.

But Parker kept nagging him for a treat, so he had no choice but to take this tag-along with him. Atira let them go together because she didn't trust the two on their own.

Only Luo Yu was busy repairing the platform and looking for a new Beast of Burden, which was why he didn't join them.

The Artisan Association was located on 1017 Street, also known as the Thousand Layers Street of Elpaxin legend—their magic train, pulled by a heavy locomotive, could take them directly there. However, Fang Hong chose to get off at the middle layer because he had heard from an intermediary about a famous Alchemy Shop there.

The middle-layer streets were several kilometers long, crossing several squares, floating in Elpaxin's functional areas, adjacent to the Magic Guided Conductor Association. When they asked the locals in the square, they learned about a historic Alchemy and Magic Shop.

But a historic Magic Shop did not see imply a large scale; Fang Hong had to ask around before he found the place. The Alchemy and Magic Shop was located in a winding alley, appearing almost as a private residence from the outside; however, the first floor had a glass window display—inside which were some of the current fashionable Magic Guided Conductors.

For instance, there were several models of Clockwork Fairies, the latest Central Nerve series of Magic Guided Reactors, including the AE model designed specifically for Combat Artisans that they had seen at Traveler's Rest.

Fang Hong checked the hanging sign 'Mithril Fortress Magic and Alchemy' before he was certain he had found the right place, and then entered.

The Lion People and the curious Parker, looking around at everything, followed him in.

...

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