Veinspire breathed like a massive, humming beast.
From the first terrace to the highest tier, the city pulsed with condensed qi, running in visible lines beneath streets of pale stone and crystal. Bridges arced between floating platforms; towers rose like unsheathed swords; spirit beasts wheeled through open air, their feathers and scales flashing brilliant color in the twin suns.
Karma walked with his cloak drawn close and his aura pressed thin, concealing his true strength beneath the mask of a late Qi Condensation cultivator. He kept the vibrant green pulse in his chest expertly muted.
Stop staring at everything, Host. You look like a lost tourist with a secret. Also, try to ignore the blatant appraisal from that textile merchant. Mira's warning was clipped.
"Understood," he murmured, his eyes still cataloging the dizzying array of formation techniques and guard movements.
The Lower Markets: Greed and Grit
They started on the lowest terrace, the chaotic, crowded junction where the city met the wilds. Here, merchant caravans emptied their cargo into a sea of stalls. The air was thick, smelling of hot oil, sweet incense, beast fat, and roasted spirit grains. Hawkers sang their prices over the high, constant hum of the hidden arrays.
Karma stopped at a jade stele listing city rules, quickly filing away the warnings: Draw no weapon without cause. No open battles above Foundation Establishment.
He merged with the flow, his refined posture drawing immediate attention. People quickly moved aside, anticipating the passage of a higher-status cultivator.
Karma paused before a table lined with knife-thin, jagged crystals.
"Is this Thunder Essence?" he asked softly, his voice clear and resonant.
The stall-keeper—a lean woman with inked sigils on her temples—glanced up. Her eyes widened slightly at his face before snapping back to professional focus. "You know your stones, handsome. Unrefined, straight from the Stormfall Corridor after the Dual Calamity."
"Dual Calamity?" Karma inquired, letting curiosity override caution.
She leaned an elbow on her counter, her voice softening. "You been living in seclusion, or what handsome? Sky Serpent and Molten Behemoth clashed recently. The destruction is Massive. They tore the Corridor apart. Good for business, bad for the poor souls caught in it." She winked playfully. "You look tough enough to survive either, though."
Ignoring her weird looks she keep giving to him, He touched a shard and asked. "What is the market price for this quality?"
"Five mid-grade stones a shard. The price is firm, even for a face as appealing as yours."
He offered a faint, polite smile under his hood. "I'm just gauging the market today. I appreciate the information."
She chuckled, a throaty sound. "Suit yourself. If you change your mind, I'll be here—"
He moved on, recognizing the value of his new, easy access to information.
Appraisals, Maps, and Gossip
He observed the appraisal pavilion, learning the true value of common items, then approached a map-seller whose booth was buried under scrolls.
"I need the current Eastern Continent charts," Karma stated.
The map-seller, a weary woman, pushed her sleep talisman away and squinted at him. Seeing his looks, she straightened and used a more respectful address. "Which cuts, sir? Local veins, trade belts, sect claims, or calamity zones?"
"All of them. I'm charting a long road, so the comprehensive suite is necessary."
She peered at him. "Ambitious. That'll cost you."
He paid, and scrolls unfurled. He pointed at the glowing, jagged band. "What is the status of the Stormfall Corridor?"
"It's unstable. No sane man goes there until the arrays settle. Which, of course, means half the city will try to, in the next week." She smirked. "Greed always does the madman's work, doesn't it?"
He pointed at the shaded region west of it. "And this area?"
"The Wild Expanse. That's where the tide of demon beasts flows when the Corridor ruptures. Nasty place. You look too clean for that kind of trouble."
He folded the maps. "I appreciate the warning. Luck to you."
"Mm. Luck with teeth," she said, quickly collecting his stones.
Acquired: Cartographic suite. Uploading… done. Hazard overlays and patrol paths added. Note that your handsome appearance reduced the likelihood of her overcharging you by nineteen percent.
Information Guilds and Hidden Woes
He ascended to the mid-terrace, passing the Artificers' Hall and the Pill Masters' Conclave. Above them, a fan-shaped building glittered with blue light: the Star-Seeking Pavilion, the city's primary information hub.
He entered a hall cooled by silent arrays. A clerk in a simple robe looked up as Karma approached. The clerk's posture was immediately respectful. "Welcome, Young Master. Daily brief or a deep pull for a specific query?"
"Just the daily brief, please," Karma said.
The clerk flicked a sigil. A panel formed, text flowing like water.
Dual Calamity Aftermath: Stormfall Corridor unstable. Demon Beast activity up 30%.
Recent Survivors: Disciples of Azure Edge Pavilion, Crescent caravans, and two minor sects arrived. Unconfirmed reports of a Grand Elder fighting off an airborne shockwave.
Health Warning: Spiritual sea turbulence observed in cultivators exposed to the aftershock. Symptoms: disorientation, memory glazes, shallow soul anchoring. Remedies: mind-soothing herbs, soul-nurturing dew, stable-array meditation.
Karma read that last line twice. His fingers tightened against the counter, but his face remained a calm mask.
"This spiritual sea turbulence," he said, his voice measured and authoritative. "What is the primary cause?"
"Exposure to unstable calamity qi," the clerk said, leaning forward slightly, eager to please. "If the spiritual sea is shallow or already wounded, the symptoms are worse. Time helps, sir, but herbs help more."
"Which herbs are considered most effective for immediate stabilization?"
"That depends on the severity, but generally: Mindcalm Orchid, Soul-Nurturing Dew, Silvernight Lotus, and Memory-Anchoring Jade if you can find it. They are gentle cures. Forceful cures often risk cracking the spiritual bowl to simply calm the water."
Karma inclined his head slowly. "I thank you for the clarity of your advice."
The clerk offered a respectful bow. "You look like you came close, sir. Please rest. The city holds back the tide, but it's still the sea."
Karma left with the words lodged behind his ribs.
That confirms it. This explains the distance—and why her clan's patterns cluster at apothecaries. Probability of soul turbulence for Su Liana: ninety-eight percent.
"That's serious," he said, pushing through the throng. The need for recognition was replaced by a clear, focused urgency. Su Liana wasn't ignoring him; she was compromised.
He turned instantly toward the mid-terrace's largest buildings.
"Mira," he whispered. "Find me the best apothecary in this city. I need to find those herbs, fast."
Beginning resource acquisition route. Primary target: Apothecary Conclave and high-end suppliers. Time to treat that handsome face like gold.
He walked deeper into Veinspire. The city's noise faded into a rhythm that matched his pulse—steady, resolute. He was hunting for a cure.