Hua Feixue gripped the table, breathing rapidly from sheer excitement. She had advanced to the 5th Stage of the Saint Apprentice Realm!
Lin Yijun, despite having experienced this once before, looked just as dazed. His cultivation had skyrocketed once again, placing him at the 5th Stage of the Saint Apprentice Realm.
They all looked at each other.
Drawn by the same thought, they turned toward the man behind the counter.
Hao met their stares with an easygoing face, arms crossed.
“Good noodles, right?”
Xiao Lianfeng was the first to react. He abruptly stood up, nearly knocking over his chair, and cupped his fists before giving a deep bow.
“Thank you so much for your guidance, Senior!” he declared loudly.
“I have stepped into the Saint Realm thanks to your help!”
Lin Yijun flinched. His sworn brother’s action made him want to dig a hole and disappear. But at the same time, he couldn’t blame him.
Stepping into the Saint Realm was a monumental moment, something that could take cultivators years or even decades. He understood why Xiao Lianfeng was acting this way, even if it was a little embarrassing.
Lin Yijun sighed but eventually followed suit.
“Thank you for the guidance, boss!”
Hua Feixue as expected, jumped in with her usual enthusiasm.
“You have my deepest gratitude, Senior Hao! The noodles are really beyond amazing!
“If it weren’t for your noodles, I wouldn’t have progressed this fast!”
Yue Xueyan, quieter as always, simply bowed. “Thank you, senior.”
With the formalities out of the way, Hua Feixue had already set her sights on the new Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles. She grabbed two cups from the shelf. The price was the same as the beef noodles – one crystal each.
After Hao scanned the items, she and Yue Xueyan immediately got to preparing them, following the same steps as before.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lianfeng was still struggling to process everything. Not only had he reached the Saint Realm, but was he mistaken? His foundation already felt completely stable.
Normally, one needed time to adjust after a breakthrough, yet he felt no signs of instability at all.
What in the heavens? Just how powerful are the Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles?!
As if seeking further proof, Xiao Lianfeng reached for another cup of Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles and brought it to the counter.
Hao gave Lin Yijun a lazy, indifferent look.
Lin Yijun blinked.
That look… Wait… Oh no.
Hao sighed, looking like he was dealing with an ignorant child. He raised his hand, pointing toward the large board on the wall.
Xiao Lianfeng followed his finger and instantly felt as if the world had crumbled before him.
“Rule No.1: Daily Limits Are Absolute.”
His hand trembled. His excitement drained away. He couldn’t buy another legendary instant noodle today!
Hao shook his head. “You can buy again tomorrow.”
Xiao Lianfeng opened his mouth but closed it again. This… This was torture.
Lin Yijun patted Xiao Lianfeng’s back. “I should’ve warned you.”
Feeling dejected, Xiao Lianfeng could only step aside. With nothing else to do, Lin Yijun made his way over. Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles. But before he could reach them, something caught his eye.
In the glass shelf, Lin Yijun spotted small red cans neatly displayed in rows. Frowning, he opened the glass door and grabbed one. A cool sensation ran through his fingers. He examined the can closely before turning to Hao.
“Boss, what is this?”
Hao glanced at Lin Yijun. “Cola. A soft drink.”
Cola? Soft drink? Lin Yijun had never heard of such a thing, but from the owner’s answer, it had to be some kind of drink.
His attention landed on the price tag below the cans.
‘Three crystals?!’
Lin Yijun squinted back and forth, checking again just to be sure.
No mistake. The price was real.
There was no way the owner had mispriced it. If anything, it had to be special. Otherwise, why would it be more expensive than the instant noodles, which could directly enhance one’s cultivation?
Lin Yijun grabbed one, alongside with the two cups of Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles and walked to the counter, placing five crystals down for payment.
He led Xiao Lianfeng to pour hot water into their instant noodles before they sat in their usual corner.
Xiao Lianfeng, still sulking over the daily limit, looked like he had lost all purpose in life. His eyes were dull as he stared blankly at the table.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed Lin Yijun holding a small red can with a silver top. It was nothing like the usual gourd-shaped bottles or jade flasks used for beverages in the cultivation world.
“Brother Yijun, what’s that?”
“It’s called cola.”
Xiao Lianfeng sat up slightly. Cola? That was the first time he had ever heard of such a drink.
“How much was it?”
Lin Yijun raised a hand and casually showed three fingers.
“Three what? Gold? That’s cheap. I should get one too.”
“No.”
“Three crystals.”
Xiao Lianfeng “…”
“What?!”
He jumped up in shock. “You paid three crystals for that?!”
“Yeah.” Lin Yijun didn’t even look at him, completely focused on the can.
Xiao Lianfeng clutched his chest, feeling like he had just been stabbed. Three crystals for a drink?! That was nearly double the price of instant noodles! What kind of heavenly nectar was inside that can?!
Lin Yijun turned the can in his hand. No corks. No stoppers. Just a strange golden tab on top.
He was trying to figure out how to open it. Noticing the small groove underneath the tab, he hooked his finger under it and pulled.
Pop!
Tsstt!
A sharp, fizzy sound escaped as tiny bubbles rushed to the surface. Lin Yijun flinched slightly, not expecting such a reaction.
A crisp aroma spread in the air. It was unlike anything he had ever smelled. It carried a refreshing and slightly sweet scent.
He cautiously brought the can to his nose and took a whiff.
His brows lifted slightly. This scent… it was revitalizing.
Finally, unable to resist his curiosity any longer, Lin Yijun took a small sip.
The moment the liquid touched his tongue –
Fizz!
Tiny bubbles danced across his tongue, tickling his senses. Sweet, but not overwhelming. Cold, but smooth. The richness lingered, coating his throat with an oddly satisfying aftertaste. It was… entrancing.
Cold! Sweet! Bubbly!
A chill spread through his body, energizing him from the inside out.
Before Lin Yijun even realized it, he took another sip. Then another.
He couldn’t stop.
Soon, Lin Yijun tilted the can upward and chugged the rest down in one go.