Gong Shaoyan circled inside the store as if he owned the place, inspecting the products with clear disdain.
He stopped in front of a cup of Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles and grabbed one.
Hao observed with interest. ’Here we go.’
“One crystal for this?” Gong Shaoyan scoffed, holding up the instant noodles.
“Are you joking? A single spirit crystal for… whatever this is?”
“Yes. That’s the price.” Hao muttered.
’Bro, you’re dressed like you own half the city, and you’re gonna complain over a single crystal?’
’What happened? Your daddy cut your allowance?’
Gong Shaoyan clicked his tongue. “This costs the same as a gourmet meal in our pavilion?”
“Absurd! I don’t even feel a shred of qi from it. Is this store trying to rob me in broad daylight?”
Instead of being annoyed, Hao felt his heartbeat quicken with excitement.
Finally! An arrogant young master! I was starting to think I chose the wrong world!
This was it.
The moment he had been waiting for.
The cultivators he’d met so far had all carried themselves with dignity, restraint, and an air of self-discipline. Even the ones who looked down on him did so with the usual arrogance of cultivators.
But this guy? This was exactly the kind of arrogant young master Hao expected in a cultivation world!
Gong Shaoyan radiated peak “Arrogant Young Master” energy.
“This had better be worth a spirit crystal.” Gong Shaoyan sneered.
Mo Xixi couldn’t take it anymore. She sent a mental transmission to Hao.
“Boss, should I deal with this man?”
Hao almost burst out laughing.
’Hey, hey, hey! Don’t end it so fast! I want to enjoy this!’ He shook his head at her, signaling to stand down.
He knew full well that a single flick from Mo Xixi could turn this guy into a half-dead lump on the floor.
Gong Shaoyan let out a dismissive snort but still pulled out a spirit crystal, tossing it onto the counter.
“Fine. I’ll buy it.” he said.
“But let me warn you – if this turns out to be a scam, my Azure Mist Dining Pavilion will make sure this store disappears overnight.”
Hao barely held back a grin.
Oh? A classic young master threat?
This was too perfect.
Still, he played along, nodding seriously. “Sure.”
“Hand me the cup first.”
“What?”
“I need to scan it to confirm your purchase.”
Gong Shaoyan’s expression didn’t change, but internally, he was confused.
Scan the cup? What the hell does that mean?
Still, there was no way he’d admit his ignorance.
“Of course.”
“A proper merchant should confirm the purchase. At least you know how to do business.”
He strode up to the counter, gripping the Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles tightly. He raised his hand, prepared to slam it down, when –
Shwoop!
The cup vanished from his hand.
“…?”
Gong Shaoyan blinked in confusion. Did it just disappear?
His hand remained frozen in the air, hovering over the counter.
Meanwhile, Mo Xixi, holding the instant noodles, smoothly passed it to Hao, acting like she hadn’t just yoinked it mid-motion.
“…”
Gong Shaoyan slowly lowered his hand, trying to pretend that didn’t just happen.
Hao suppressed his laughter and calmly ran the scanner over the cup.
Beep!
With the process complete, he handed it back.
Gong Shaoyan quickly snatched the cup back, pretending the whole thing never happened.
But as he looked at it, his arrogance faded into uncertainty.
“How do I eat this?” he asked.
“There’s no way I have to eat this raw, right?”
Mo Xixi was about to answer, but a hand gently landed on her head.
Hao leaned closer and whispered. “I’ll handle this, Little Xixi.”
Then, with a sudden change in demeanor, Hao turned to Gong Shaoyan, putting on his most respectful storekeeper act.
“Of course, Young Master.” Hao said with a polite smile.
“Allow me to guide you.”
With that, he walked toward the water dispenser.
“The preparation process is simple.” He pointed.
“First, peel off the lid. Then, place the cup in this artifact – it’ll pour exactly the right amount of hot water.
“Once it’s done, reseal the lid and wait. In three minutes, it’ll be good to go.”
Gong Shaoyan narrowed his eyes. “…That’s all?”
There was doubt in his voice, but this time, it wasn’t unreasonable arrogance – he was genuinely baffled.
For a cultivator used to meals that required precise control over fire and ingredients, this was just ridiculous.
There was no skill involved. No effort, no refining, nothing. Just pour hot water and wait.
And worst of all, he didn’t even have to pour it himself. The artifact did everything for him!
Was the noodle already cooked? He shook the cup, then sent his qi inside to check. It felt completely normal, like any other raw food.
“…Are you messing with me?” Gong Shaoyan asked suspiciously.
Hao raised a brow. “Why would I do that to my customer? That’s the proper way to prepare it.”
“Just follow the steps and see for yourself. If you still have complaints after tasting it, I’ll hear you out.”
Gong Shaoyan didn’t bother arguing. In his mind, this was already doomed to fail. No good meal could be made this easily.
Still, he did as instructed and sat in the corner, waiting.
A few minutes passed. Was it ready now?
He lifted the lid slowly, expecting nothing special. But instead, he was greeted by hot steam carrying an enchanting scent that rushed straight to his nose, overwhelming his senses.
His mouth went dry.
Gulp. Gong Shaoyan hadn’t even tasted it yet, but his body was already reacting.
He grabbed his chopsticks and cautiously grasped the noodles.
Slurp!
The noodles touched his tongue, his entire being trembled. His cultivation, his bloodline, his very soul had no defense against this taste.
’Impossible… How can something so simple taste this incredible?’
’If our Azure Mist Pavilion served this, we’d be unstoppable!’
This only cost one crystal.
One.
If this were sold in their Azure Mist Pavilion, how much could they charge? Ten crystals? No – at least fifty!
They could slap some fancy name on it – “Heavenly Dragon Essence Noodles” or “Celestial Immortal’s Delight” – and sell it as a rare, once-in-a-lifetime dish.
He could already picture it. The rich disciples and sect elders scrambling over themselves, begging for just a single bite.
And yet… this godly noodles was being sold in some random store for a single crystal?!