The car moved slowly along the road, rocking back and forth due to the uneven and bumpy surface.
Tang Xin's face grew increasingly pale, and she stuck her head out the window, feeling a bit better.
"Miss Tang, this is for you," Lan Ji said, handing her a pitch-black pill.
Tang Xin took the pill with a puzzled look, sniffing it. "Is this medicine?"
Lan Ji nodded. "It prevents motion sickness and heatstroke if you take it." He had just remembered carrying some Qing Yun Pills, a unique creation of the Valley of Divine Doctors, extracted from various precious herbs. They had a wide range of effects, not only boosting energy and focus but also aiding digestion. On this trip, he had mostly brought medicines for treating burns but had a few Qing Yun Pills with him.
"Thank you!" Tang Xin popped the Qing Yun Pill into her mouth. Expecting it to be bitter, she was surprised to find it sweet and refreshingly cool, immediately relieving her feelings of heat.
Lan Ji took out another Qing Yun Pill and offered it to Old Mr. Tang.
Old Mr. Tang waved his hand with a smile. "We'll be at the hotel soon, so I don't need it. Give it to Ling Yue instead." As he grew older, he became increasingly averse to taking medicine, so he avoided it whenever possible.
"Grandpa, this medicine isn't bitter at all, and it works really well. Give it a try," Tang Xin said mischievously, winking at Old Mr. Tang. She knew her grandfather hated taking medicine.
Old Mr. Tang eyed the black pill in Lan Ji's hand with a polite refusal. "No, thanks." He just couldn't believe a pill that dark wouldn't be bitter.
Seeing that Old Mr. Tang really didn't want it, Lan Ji didn't insist and offered the Qing Yun Pill to Ling Yue instead. "Yue, you have one too."
"I'm fine, you can keep it," Ling Yue declined with a shake of her head. As a cultivator, ordinary medicine had no effect on her, and she had many spirit pills in her own small world, though those weren't suitable for mortals.
Lan Ji smiled and put the Qing Yun Pill into his own mouth. Since he had already taken it out, putting it back into the bottle would reduce its efficacy.
The car stopped in front of a three-story small hotel building. At a glance, it was clear that the building was quite old, with cracks and peeling paint on the outer walls.
Upon entering the hotel, the sanitary conditions were equally discouraging, with cigarette butts and litter scattered across the floor.
Ling Yue scanned the area with a slight frown. Not only had the hotel fallen into disrepair over the years, but it was also laden with heavy negative energy.
"Mr. Ma La Nian, could you help us find another hotel?" Tang Xin asked, feeling uneasy as soon as she entered.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Tang," Ma La Nian said apologetically. "There are too many people attending the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting this time, and all the hotels are fully booked."
Old Mr. Tang glared at Tang Xin. "Mr. Ma La Nian, please don't mind the child's ignorance."
"No problem. I've already arranged rooms for you. Just check in, and you'll be all set," Ma La Nian said before bidding them farewell after exchanging pleasantries with Old Mr. Tang.
After completing the check-in process, Ling Yue and the others went to their respective rooms.
Ling Yue and Tang Xin shared a room, which was quite spartan, containing only two single beds and no other furniture. The bathroom reeked of a musty odor when they opened the door.
"This place is so dirty," Tang Xin said with a look of disgust. She had expected Myanmar to be fun, and with the summer vacation not yet over, it seemed like a good opportunity to visit. But upon arrival, she realized how underdeveloped the country was, completely different from her expectations.
"We'll make do," Ling Yue said, placing her backpack on the bed. It was her only piece of luggage.
"I guess we have no choice." Tang Xin pushed her suitcase against the bed and lay down with resignation, realizing they would just have to accept the situation.
"I'm going to wash my face," Ling Yue said, entering the bathroom and closing the door. She summoned a talisman and tossed it towards the bathroom, causing a plume of black smoke to rise before the air became noticeably fresher.
When Ling Yue came out, Tang Xin grabbed her clothes, towel, and toiletries and headed to the bathroom. "I need to take a shower; I stink of sweat. Huh? The musty smell is gone."
"I opened the window," Ling Yue replied, closing the bathroom door for Tang Xin.
"Oh, that makes sense," Tang Xin said, setting her things on the sink and starting to run the water for her shower.
Ling Yue went to Lan Ji's room next door and knocked lightly. The few rooms they were staying in weren't very clean, and if the negative energy wasn't cleared, it could affect their health.
"Yue," Lan Ji greeted her with a bright smile as he opened the door.
"May I come in?" Lan Ji and Old Mr. Tang were sharing a room.
"Of course, come on in," Old Mr. Tang called out from inside, brewing some tea.
Ling Yue entered the room and scanned the area. When the two men weren't paying attention, she tossed a talisman into the bathroom. Bathrooms, being places where dirt and grime accumulated, were naturally where negative energy thrived.
"Ling Yue, I'm sorry for the inconvenience this time," Old Mr. Tang said, pouring her a cup of tea.
Ling Yue took the tea cup. "It's no problem. This place is quite nice."
"Oh, take this invitation. You'll need to present it to enter the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting, or they won't let you in." Old Mr. Tang handed her an invitation. Earlier, when he had called Ma La Nian, he had specifically asked for an extra invitation, as each one allowed a maximum of three people. Since he was bringing Tang Xin, he needed an additional invitation for Ling Yue, who was also bringing her cousin.
"I understand. Thank you, Old Mr. Tang," Ling Yue said, accepting the invitation. After chatting with Old Mr. Tang and Lan Ji for a bit, she took her leave.
Later, when Old Mr. Tang went to use the bathroom, he noticed the air seemed fresher, lacking the musty odor from before.
Puzzled, he looked around. "Was I just imagining it?"
Ling Yue had intended to visit the other travelers in their group but decided against it since she wasn't well-acquainted with them. It wouldn't be appropriate to knock on their doors unexpectedly. Instead, she planned to give them some protective talismans later in the evening.
