This is not a clip joint, is it?
This was Dong Mingsong’s first reaction. On the other hand, he believed Su Ping didn’t need to run a sketchy business at all to make money, considering his strength and the identity of “that guy” behind him.
Dong Mingsong adopted a more serious attitude as he thought of “that person.” He ran his gaze over the shelves a few times. All of a sudden, he noticed that some exotic flowers and rare herbs contained pure and condensed element energy.
There were various elements such as flames, ice, and lightning Another element that he noticed was the aura of death.
“What’s in this bottle?” Dong Mingsong cast his eyes on a particular bottle. It was as transparent as glass; inside there was a piece of green fruit with peculiar grains formed naturally on the surface.
Su Ping took a look and replied, “It’s Wind Fruit. When consumed, the fruit can help pets increase their speed. There’s a slim chance that the pets can pick up a skill of the wind family.”
Dong Mingsong was surprised. “They can pick up a skill of the wind family?”
Luo Guxue, who was standing next to Dong Mingsong, was also shocked by the price of the pet food. She opened her eyes wide in astonishment as she heard Su Ping’s words. “A piece of fruit can help a pet learn a skill of the wind family?”
“It’s just a slim chance.”
Su Ping went on calmly, “If the pet can eat this regularly, the result is more than certain. There’s even a chance that the bloodline of the wind family can be assimilated. This way, pets of other families could also have wind type abilities. Unfortunately, this is the only one I have left. Hurry up if you want to buy
it.”
Dong Mingsong was intrigued. He had a pet of the wind family, his favorite. The price of this Wind Fruit… was 78,000 coins. The price was high, so high that usually people would shrink back at the sight of it. On the other hand, it was worth a shot if the effect was as miraculous as Su Ping claimed.
“Okay. I’ll take it. It just so happens that I have a Storm Sea Hawk. This fruit might be of use.” Dong Mingsong stopped hesitating. He could afford to spend this much money easily. He would consider it a favor to Su Ping’s store if the fruit’s effect wasn’t as good as advertised.
Su Ping raised his eyebrows. He didn’t like the word “might.” At the same time, he understood that his little store was not famous yet; it was only natural that he would be questioned. That being said, he had absolute confidence in the quality of the products he sold.
“Here you go.” Su Ping handed the fruit to Dong Mingsong and took over the money.
Dong Mingsong grabbed the fruit. He didn’t feed it to his pet right away since his Storm Sea Hawk was large, too large to fit inside the small store. Besides, it would seem as if he were testing its effectiveness. On the off chance that the effect wasn’t obvious, Su Ping would be embarrassed.
Dong Mingsong put away the fruit and glanced over the other items on the shelf, but he did not make another purchase. After all, those items were all pricey. He preferred to check the effect of the Wind Fruit first, whether it was a good bargain or a small loss; either way, he could always come back again.
“Mr. Su, I will take those three.”
As a person who had been saved by Su Ping, she couldn’t fall behind so she placed an order of her own once the Vice President was done. She looked at the shelf and picked three odd plants that contained the fire element. She placed the order directly without even asking about the effects.
Su Ping saw the three plants she wanted. They were all expensive and the total amounted to over one hundred and eighty thousand.
Su Ping had a basic idea of what she was thinking given her straightforward action, but he didn’t point it out. The items he sold had a good value for the money invested; it was a good deal all in all. The only problem was the lack of promotion; very few people knew about the store. That was why the fruit had been piling up.
But, anyone who had bought the food there knew the benefits.
It was going to be difficult for Luo Guxue to repay his kind offer in this way. “Here you go.” Su Ping took the items off from the shelf and gave them to Luo Guxue.
“Do you have a bag?” Luo Guxue was somewhat inconvenienced since there were a lot of things.
Su Ping replied, “Nope.”
Luo Guxue was stunned speechless. She had spent one hundred and eighty thousand coins on a single purchase and yet she couldn’t get a bag?
Dong Mingsong did not know how to react, either. He felt Su Ping didn’t know how to do business at all. Who would offer services like this?
Eventually, Dong Mingsong helped Luo Guxue hold a large plant. This way, both held a plant in each hand.
Dong Mingsong was ready to leave. He said to Su Ping, “Think about the competition. Besides, I suggest you go to school tomorrow to register or the day after tomorrow at the latest. It’s up to you. When you do, come to me first. I’ll arrange the classes for you.”
“Sure,” Su Ping promised.
Dong Mingsong could tell that his reply was about going to school, just by looking at the expression on Su Ping’s face. Dong Mingsong shook his head, heaved a sigh, and left.
Luo Guxue politely and respectfully bade farewell to Su Ping, also taking her leave. When the two of them were outside the store, they looked at each other, embarrassed. Wasn’t it silly for them to hold those things in their hands and walk on the street… given their identities?
“I’ll call a cab.” Dong Mingsong forced a smile.
Luo Guxue proposed, “Let me.”
Soon, they called a cab and went directly back to school.
After they left, Su Ping resumed his training at the counter. The four basic augmentation skills had been cultivated to the second rank, and were about to reach the third rank. This could be credited to when he was sending pets to die in those cultivation planes… While the pets were being trained, he could also cultivate his astral power and develop his skills.
“Another 2500 energy points acquired. Adding the ones I made before, I have 7500 energy points in total.” Su Ping believed he could reach the 10,000 goal the next day. By then, upgrading the store to the second level would be the top priority. That way, he would be able to make money faster.
If his daily income could be at least half of what he had made that day, the store could be upgraded quickly and he could become stronger.
Some time later, Dong Mingsong and Luo Guxue arrived at the school. They said their goodbyes and went separate ways.
Dong Mingsong walked along the path toward an old, aged battle venue at the back of the campus. This was the former plaza; it was abandoned after the new plaza had been built. He and some teachers would go there to exercise; students preferred other places.
Dong Mingsong took a look around. The battle venue was covered in dust since nobody had gone there to clean it. He felt its former vibe was still lingering; this filled him with emotions.
He raised his hand and a vortex to the contract space appeared. A hawk that was over a dozen meters long flew out. It was the Storm Sea Hawk, a pet at the lower position of the ninth rank.
This Storm Sea Hawk had reached adulthood long before. It sufficed to say that it was in its declining years. The feathers at the end of its wings were a bit worn out. The Storm Sea Hawk had been through many sufferings and had been fighting alongside Dong Mingsong for a dozen years.
For Dong Mingsong, the Storm Sea Hawk was like his child.
“Come here.” Dong Mingsong looked at the Storm Sea Hawk gently. He opened the bottle, took out the Wind Fruit, and threw it to his pet.
He could certainly perceive the wind element contained in the Wind Fruit, regardless of its actual effects. It would be of use, more or less.
The small fruit fell into the Storm Sea Hawk’s beak. It swallowed the fruit completely; it was clearly not enough. A long time had passed since the pet had gone out to walk around. It lowered its neck and rubbed its beak against Dong Mingsong.
He laughed and patted its huge beak gently as if patting a child. Only while being in front of his pets could he let down all of his guards and pressure to enjoy this relaxing moment.
Pets would never betray him.
All of a sudden, the Storm Sea Hawk flapped its wings, yowling and stirring up the dust on the ground.
Dong Mingsong stood there stunned for a second. Right after, he saw the Storm Sea Hawk spread its wings and quickly take to the skies. In an instant, he saw the Storm Sea Hawk dash into the clouds; although it was as large as a basketball court, all he could see was a black dot in the sky which soon vanished.
Dong Mingsong was confused. He could feel the emotions of the Storm Sea Hawk. It was full of joy, having become excited all of a sudden.
Whoosh!
Soon, the Storm Sea Hawk dived down and reappeared in front of Dong Mingsong.
But the dive was powerful, like a falling meteorite, rushing straight toward the ground.
“That is fast!” Dong Mingsong was taken aback. He told the Storm Sea Hawk to come to a stop at once. Otherwise it would lose control and smash into the ground.
The Storm Sea Hawk flapped its wings and stopped the rush at once. Making a “U” turn, it climbed once more and only came back down slowly after hovering in the sky for seven or eight times.
Dong Mingsong was astonished by what he had witnessed.
He knew his old pal well. The Storm Sea Hawk had never been this fast before; it was about 10 or 20 percent faster than its prime years’ top speed!
Even 10 to 20 percent improvements were important. When advanced pets battled, the slightest advantage could change the outcome.
Dong Mingsong remembered the Wind Fruit he gave the Storm Sea Hawk moments before.
Su Ping had mentioned that the pet’s speed would be increased after consuming it.
At first, this didn’t catch Dong Mingsong’s attention. He just cared about the small chance of his pet learning another skill, just as Su Ping had claimed. Dong Mingsong didn’t expect that the speed increase could be this dramatic.
This wasn’t merely a speed increase. Essentially, it had been a breakthrough in rank!
How could a fruit worth 78,000 coins produce such miracles?
Dong Mingsong was aware that the majority of miraculous elixirs were harvested in the unknown worlds found beyond space fractures. Those elixirs with potent effects were all sold at a whopping price. Usually, people couldn’t buy them even if they had the money. They would have to pull some strings to find a way to buy those plants. As for the Wind Fruit, judging by its effects, Dong Mingsong believed it could be qualified as an elixir. This exaggerated effect of improving abilities was already precious on its own, not to mention the possibility of comprehending pet skills.
No wonder only one piece was left…
Dong Mingsong took a look at the empty bottle in his hand. His heart was aching. He must have taken too long and others had beaten him to the draw.
“This must belong to the top-level master trainer hiding behind Su Ping. Why is that master selling those precious items at such a cheap price?” Dong Mingsong went through many possibilities in his head, and yet he could not arrive at a conclusive explanation.
He wanted to turn back at once to buy out the rest of the items in Su Ping’s store. Given the Wind Fruit’s powerful effects, the other items had to be of similar quality.
On second thought, he realized that if he went back right away, it would practically be the proof that he had been eager to test whether the fruit worked or not. Would Su Ping think that he didn’t trust him?
This thought troubled him. On the other hand, if he didn’t go and make another purchase, he would essentially suffer a loss if others bought the rest of the items before he did.
“Well, I can send someone else there.” Dong Mingsong’s eyes glowed. He gloated over what a genius he was and took out his phone at once to make some calls.
At the store, Su Ping was pondering about the lectures while he cultivated next to the counter.
The best way to do it was to give lectures after the store’s upgrade to the second level. By then, he would be able to teach and his doppelganger would train the pets in his place.
Someone entered the store while Su Ping was deep in thought.
“I’m surprised to see that a pet store can be found in this remote location,” a young man said to himself curiously as he stepped in.
Hearing the sound, Su Ping knew that a customer had arrived. Halting his train of thought, he said, “Hi, how can I help you?”
The young man noticed how young Su Ping was. The former was surprised, but this didn’t bother him. It was commonplace to see a worker this young.
“Do you have food for pets of the undead family? Something like Resentment Bead or Spirit Skeleton,” the young man asked, with a seemingly casual tone. The Elite League competition was about to begin; he had just returned from an uncultivated area specifically to sign up. He was in a hurry and forgot to pack food. Halfway there, his pet was already starving.
As soon as he entered the city, he went to look for pet stores everywhere. However, in this lower town area, pet stores that catered for pets of the undead family were drastically few. The search had exhausted him.
“Oh?” Su Ping’s eyes glowed. Finally, someone with pets of the undead family.
Su Ping replied at once, “Yes, I do. But I don’t have Resentment Beads or Spirit Skeletons. I only have a Bloodsoul Bead and Devil Bones.”