Chapter 137: The Grand Magic—Magic Shop

“I’m heading out for a bit. Where exactly is the small magic shop? Why haven’t I seen any signs for it?”

All along the way, he was searching for the shop, but there seemed to be no sign of it anywhere. If you tried to find a place in such a huge city without directions, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Butler: “Your Highness, all the houses with crystal domes are magic shops. What kind of items are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for some magic potions, herbs, and a few magic stones.”

“In that case, I recommend you visit the Curio Shop. The owner there is Old Witch Sanwu. She has the largest selection of magic potions, and she also has plenty of herbs and magic stones. The Curio Shop also sells high-level magic cards, in case Your Highness needs them.”

Magic cards?

He must have noticed me carrying someone and guessed at my intentions, so he mentioned that.

Sang Chu smiled at the young butler and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re too kind, Your Highness!”

As Sang Chu turned to leave, a flash of ruthlessness flickered in Butler Ke’s eyes. He lowered his head, took out a black stone, and squeezed it. The stone emitted a faint glow.

A cold voice sounded in his ear: [Ke, what’s the background of that guy carrying someone around the market? Should we inform everyone to be careful?]

Ke: [Let everyone know, don’t mess with these people for now—they’re probably not to be trifled with!]

[He’s not even wearing a witch’s robe, just an apprentice’s badge at most. Why are they so dangerous?]

[Yeah, Ke, don’t tell me you want to keep that guy for yourself!]

Amidst the teasing, Ke replied coldly: [What do you know? He paid with a royal family card from the Rose City, and the woman he was carrying was wearing a rose-patterned witch’s robe. If you’re not afraid of offending the royal family, go ahead, but don’t drag me into it.]

After finishing, he put away the communication stone, steadied his hands, and returned to his post.

Sang Chu walked out and happened to run into Xun Deng. As soon as Xun Deng saw the rose-patterned witch’s robe Sang Chu was wearing, he was stunned.

If the crystal badge before had already hinted that this group was from the Rose City royal family, then the rose-patterned witch’s robe on Sang Chu left no doubt about her identity.

“Greetings, Your Highness Sang. Are you heading out?”

Sang Chu nodded slightly. “Yes, I want to visit a magic shop to buy some things. Where’s my crystal card?”

Xun Deng handed the card to Sang Chu with a smile. “Your Highness, all the magic crystals you earned from the last mission have been credited to your card. You now have three crystal oxen in total.”

Sang Chu took the card back and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re too kind, Your Highness. If you’re looking for the magic shops, just turn right after leaving and walk down the street—you’ll see them.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Sang Chu nodded at Xun Deng and followed his directions. Sure enough, she soon saw a whole street lined with buildings topped with crystal domes.

She didn’t go to the shop Ke had recommended, but instead looked around and finally entered a shop that looked a bit different from the others.

This shop didn’t have a name. Its large door and stone walls were covered in strange wooden patterns, and the old-fashioned glass windows were adorned with odd magical symbols. Embedded in the symbols were peculiar stones that made Sang Chu feel a bit uneasy just looking at them.

She pushed the door open and walked in.

The wooden door creaked, emitting a strange sound that made Sang Chu feel a little dazed.

“Honored Highness, you are the first guest of the day.”

The shop owner, Granny Miz, looked to be over eighty, her figure slightly stooped, her hair snowy white and thin, held in place by a blue hairpin. She was elegant and dignified.

She wore a purple witch’s robe, but unlike others, hers had no strange runes—just clusters of blooming purple hyacinths.

It was somewhat similar to the robes sold in the market, except hers was the real thing, embroidered with rose patterns.

Sang Chu said, “It’s alright, ma’am. I’m here to buy some magic potions. Do you have any?”

Granny Miz glanced at Sang Chu, her kindly face showing a hint of puzzlement. “Your Highness, have you been poisoned?”

“Yes, by some strange toxin. I’m not sure what it is. Could you take a look?”

Sang Chu wasn’t sure if magic could reveal her poisoning. If the shopkeeper couldn’t even do that, then she probably couldn’t help her.

She rolled up her sleeve. The black lines on her arm had already spread. If she hadn’t been using magic and willpower to suppress it, the toxin would have reached her heart by now.

Granny Miz leaned on her cane and walked over, her deep-set eyes glowing faintly. Sang Chu could sense something probing her, but she didn’t resist or show any fear, calmly allowing the inspection.

“Your Highness, this is the Corrupting Venom. You must have encountered a Corrupting Demon.”

Corrupting Demon? That sounded like some kind of monster.

“Is there an antidote?”

Granny Miz’s expression grew serious. “There is an antidote here, but only one dose.”

“Just tell me, Granny, what do you want in exchange?”

“I need a large amount of Corrupting Demon venom. Since Your Highness has been poisoned by it, you must know where to find it. If you can promise to bring me a batch, I’ll give you the antidote.”

“Alright, but I need the antidote first. I’ve been poisoned for a while now, and I’ve only managed to hold on with magic. If I don’t get it soon, I’ll die.”

Granny Miz nodded. “Of course, I’ll get it for you right away.”

While waiting, Sang Chu noticed a white little fairy hiding behind the wooden counter, peeking out with a tiny pouch, looking a bit scared of her.

She only glanced at it and didn’t pay much attention, then walked over to the display.

Inside, there were rows of magic cards, each with different designs—some with snakes, some with birds, and even some with human faces.

“Your Highness, are you interested in magic cards?”

“Yes. How much are they?”

“This fire-element card is rare despite its young age, so it costs three crystal oxen. The others are a thousand crystal shards each. Here’s your antidote.”

Granny Miz handed Sang Chu a crystal vial. The liquid inside was a deep, eerie green, making Sang Chu hesitate—was this really safe to drink?

Would it kill her?

Seeing Sang Chu hesitate, Granny Miz looked at her in confusion. “Your Highness?”

“Mm.”

Sang Chu asked, “Do I just drink this directly?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Once you drink it, the poison will be neutralized, and the black lines on your body will disappear.”

“Do I have to drink the whole thing?”

“Yes.”

Once she was sure it was meant to be drunk, Sang Chu didn’t hesitate—she downed it in one gulp!"