In that instant, the bustling noise of the crowd washed over Suzy like a tidal wave.
She took a moment to look around. Beneath her feet were smooth, flagstone paths that had been polished to a dull shine from years of foot traffic. Flanking the street were old wooden storefronts, some flying embroidered cloth banners while others hung carved wooden signs. A tavern banner fluttered gently in the breeze, the words "Drunk Fairy Inn" inked across it in elegant calligraphy.
Along the roadside were numerous stalls selling what looked like exotic fruits. The produce was a vibrant, fiery red and larger than a fist, piled high into neat little mounds. The vendor was a white-haired elderly man lazily swaying a cattail leaf fan painted with indecipherable runes.
He was nodding off with half-closed eyes, occasionally blinking open to call out, "Freshly picked fire dates! Three low-grade spirit stones a pound!"
Fire dates? Spirit stones?
Suzy caught every word. Weren’t spirit stones something that only existed in fantasy novels? Was this actually some sort of eastern fantasy cultivation town?
Was it caused... by the mix of different jewels and antiques that the space absorbed? She thought, frowning. I guess it makes sense... some of them were from China and Japan...
Suppressing the confusion in her chest, Suzy continued to scan her surroundings. Right next to the old man was a stall selling spiritual beast cubs, marked by a simple wooden sign that read Spiritual Beasts.
Inside the cages were several furry little creatures—some resembled rabbits but grew sharp horns, while others looked like squirrels with brilliant blue tails. A few children dressed in simple cloth tunics crouched before the cages, poking the little beasts’ noses until the vendor shooed them away, only for them to scurry right back.
Further down the street, someone was putting on a public demonstration of magic. With a casual flick of his palm, a ball of fire erupted into the air, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the surrounding onlookers. High above, a cultivator mounted on a flying sword swept past at a low altitude, their robes billowing in the wind and kicking up a gust that set the street lanterns swaying in unison.
Suzy was now absolutely certain: this was a cultivation town. There was simply no other explanation for any of this.
Because she had been standing still for so long, the people on the street began to notice her. More than anything, her attire was completely out of place and stuck out like a sore thumb.
First, the old man selling spiritual fruit opened his eyes, his fan pausing mid-air as he squinted at her for a couple of seconds before closing them again.
Then, the children crouching by the roadside turned around, their eyes darting over her as if examining a bizarre novelty. A young woman carrying a bamboo back-basket slowed her pace as she walked past, her gaze lingering for a split second on Suzy’s cotton house slippers before she quietly looked away.
Suzy could feel everyone sizing her up. The looks weren’t malicious; they were driven entirely by pure curiosity. It felt exactly like a stranger showing up in a secluded village dressed in completely alien clothing—everyone was too polite to stare openly, but their peripheral vision was locked onto her.
Surrounded by these curious glances, she suddenly felt a wave of self-consciousness.
"Master..." Dummy’s voice drifted up from her arm, barely a whisper. "Everyone is staring at you."
"I know," Suzy breathed, taking a deep breath as she forced herself to keep moving.
The flagstones beneath her feet felt incredibly solid and stable, lacking the loose, creaking give she usually associated with ancient stone paths. As she walked past the roadside vendors, some would steal a second look, while others offered a friendly nod as if welcoming a guest.
She came to a stop in front of the spiritual fruit stall, unable to help herself from staring at the mound of vibrant fire dates. The fruit was an exceptionally beautiful shade of red, their skins looking as though they were coated in a thin layer of wax that caught the sunlight in a warm, gentle glow.
"Looking to buy, young lady?" The old man opened his eyes, his tone perfectly casual. "Three low-grade spirit stones a pound. Whatever currency you use on your side won’t work here."
Suzy blinked in surprise. "How did you know I’m from the outside?"
The old man chuckled, pointing a finger at her feet. "No one around these parts wears shoes like those." He then gestured toward Kitty in her arms. "That’s quite a fine spiritual beast you’ve raised there. Brought it from the outside?"
Suzy looked down at Kitty, who promptly buried her face into the crook of Suzy’s elbow, doing her absolute best to pretend she was just an ordinary house cat.
"Something like that," Suzy replied vaguely.
The old man didn’t press for details. Instead, he reached into the pile, picked out the largest, reddest fire date, and tossed it over to her. "Have a taste. On the house."
Suzy caught it. The fire date felt warm to the touch and radiated a faint, sugary aroma. She took a bite; the flesh was crisp and sweet, and a burst of rich juice exploded across her tongue, carrying a flavor she had never experienced before—a celestial blend of wild honey and floral nectar.
She chewed a few times and swallowed, instantly feeling a refreshing wave of comfort wash through her entire body.
"Thank you," she said.
The old man waved his hand dismissively, closed his eyes once more, and resumed lazy strokes with his cattail fan.
Suzy continued down the street. The crowd was growing thicker, and she let the flow of people carry her along. As she walked, she passed stalls selling talisman papers and spiritual elixirs.
Nearby, a man was using a wooden sword to split a massive boulder clean in half, demonstrating its supernatural sharpness to the passing pedestrians. Further down, a vendor carrying a shoulder pole cried out, hawking a strange food that resembled rice cakes, except the surface was dusted with a shimmering golden powder that sparkled brilliantly under the light.
For a moment, Suzy’s heart surged with a complex mix of disbelief and wild excitement.
Her spatial storage was actually connected to a cultivation world!