Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Night Market Outside the School

The deafening roar of dragons echoed through the sky. These massive creatures gradually flew above the crowd, their broad wings blocking out the sun and casting a heavy shadow. The golden scales of the dragons became increasingly clear.

As they slowly descended, some sand was stirred up by the wind created by their wings. Finally, the dragons landed on the ground, their proud heads towering over the others present. The figures of the Eastern visitors on their backs also became clearer. They were dressed like ancient people from Lolan Hill’s past life, wearing silk robes adorned with crowns and long sleeves that fluttered in the wind.

The language used by these Eastern students was different from that of the West Continent. It was articulate, though distinct from Chinese, yet quite similar. There were about 50 to 60 of them, including students and accompanying guards. Although there weren’t many guards, each was ranked above Sequence 5. These nine dragons were around Sequence 6 and 7. Their golden eyes exuded immense power, and being stared at by them could even cause one to tremble with fear.

As the day turned darker, the lanterns around the square gradually lit up, casting an orange-yellow glow. These lanterns had flames burning quietly inside, with semi-transparent covers that shielded the wind, only the upper part visible, illuminating the various tents around the square.

The vast campus of Emanas was on the other side of the river, while this side of the empty land had no buildings. This area only became particularly lively during the period when students enrolled. Tourists from all over the world, friends and family seeing them off, and small merchants doing business would gather here temporarily, setting up various style tents. Common ones included round tents reminiscent of grasslands, simple triangular tents from the South, and hawk-shaped desert windbreak tents.

The square remained bustling even at night, perhaps even more so than during the day. Small stalls lined the square, selling specialties from various places. There were elegant longbows and wines from the elf clan, carvings and military knives from hawks, fur and coats from the Gufia grasslands, fruits from the southern islands, and even Eastern silk dresses and hairpins. Most students at Emanas came from wealthy families and spent generously, allowing many merchants to make a profit.

Lolan Hill and Jena were browsing through these stalls, curiously examining the items.

“Boss, how much is this saber?” Jena picked up a curved long knife and asked the stall owner.

“Ten Exalted Gold coins,” the owner gestured, wearing a white robe and a hat with a long feather sticking out from one side.

“It’s a bit expensive.”

Jena carefully observed the knife as she spoke. The slightly curved blade had a groove down the middle, and the edge had delicate wave-like patterns. The girl held the knife up to the light to check if it was straight, gently running her thumb along the back to feel the smoothness and look for any defects.

From Lolan Hill’s observation, although the knife didn’t use any Exalted materials, it was rarely seen to reach the Silver grade, making it a fine piece among its kind.

“Can you make it cheaper? I only have about eight gold coins.”

Jena seemed to really like this knife, waving it in the air a few times before reluctantly putting it down.

“I’m sorry, miss. Our goods come from the hawk region, not to mention the acquisition and storage costs, the transportation alone is quite expensive, and there are security issues on the way. It can’t be cheaper.”

The stall owner explained in detail and then started talking about the history of the saber, mentioning it was crafted by a masterful artisan who regularly supplied weapons to the military, ensuring quality.

Despite several exchanges, Jena couldn’t bring the price down and finally gave up.

“I still have some money left. Do you need me to lend you some?” Lolan Hill whispered to the somewhat disappointed Jena.

“No, it’s okay.” After some thought, Jena shook her head, declining Lolan Hill’s offer.

“In fact, I acted on impulse. Spending so much right after coming to school might cause problems later.”

“Alright.”

“Do you like swords and sabers?”

“Yeah, a bit. Many of my elders were mercenaries, so I grew up surrounded by weapons, learning a lot about them. A good weapon is often like a second life to us.”

“I’m a girl, but my father taught me some basic sword skills and steps when I was young. However, he hoped I wouldn’t need to use these skills in the future because even the most skilled warriors get injured. Living a life of bloodshed isn’t as romantic as poets describe; it’s mostly about necessity.”

As they walked between the stalls, Jena reminisced, her youthful face looking slightly naive under the light.

The night market wasn’t just filled with students from various countries of the continent, but also a few Easterners. Two siblings in Eastern robes were walking among them.

“Brother, do you see that beautiful girl with black hair in front?”

“Yes, what’s wrong, Lu Shuang?” The handsome brother asked, his waist adorned with a red tassel sword, the metal hilt etched with cloud patterns, giving off a unique Eastern charm.

“That girl has black hair and eyes, and her appearance is very gentle. Which family is she from in our House of Plantagenet?”

“I haven’t seen her before, that’s strange.”

“This girl is new, I’ve seen all the others we’re traveling with, but not her. But her appearance does seem more Eastern.”

“Oh, if only I were Sequence 5·Dragon Blood Witch. Each of our Eastern families has dragon blood, making it easy to sense them.”

“Maybe she’s a descendant of one of our branches that stayed in the West Continent. Anyway, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet her now that you’re enrolled.”

“Sure, sure. But that sister is really beautiful, like a secluded orchid, serene and charming. Why don’t you try pursuing her in the future?”

“You’ve only been at school for a day, why are you thinking about such things? I have plenty of things to do lately. If I hadn’t come to pick you up, I’d still be practicing my sword skills. Take care of yourself first, don’t fall for some scoundrel.”

The older brother, dressed in a moon-white robe, affectionately tousled his sister’s hair.

“Okay, my dear brother.”

In the spring night, the lights flickered, shadows danced, and the night market was bustling like day.