With Mo Xixi gone, Hao barely had any time to enjoy the peace before customers started coming in. All of them were familiar faces.
Lin Yijun, Hua Feixue, Yue Xueyan, and Xiao Lianfeng had, whether they realized it or not, become loyal customers. The store had fully captured their stomachs.
A product that was not only heavenly delicious but also provided out-of-this-world effects could only be found here.
The four cultivators expressed their gratitude as they made their purchases, each of them singing praises about the miraculous drink ’Cola.’
Their latest hunt had been a massive success, allowing them to rake in a hefty profit.
Thanks to that, they would not need to go out for a good while.
They bought 4 Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles, 4 Chicken-Flavored Instant Noodles, and 4 Cans of Cola, earning Hao 20 crystals.
After completing the transactions, Hao checked his advancement on the system’s missions.
────────────────
Main Task: Sell 20 Cups of Instant Noodles.
Progress: 8/20 → 16/20
Status: Incomplete
────────────────
Side Task 1: Accumulate 30 crystals from Cola.
Progress: 12/30 → 24/30
Status: Incomplete
────────────────
Side Task 2: Hire your first employee. You weren’t planning to do everything yourself, right?
Progress: 1/1
Status: Completed
────────────────
Hao rubbed his chin. ’At this rate, I should be able to finish these tasks by today or tomorrow.’
More importantly, he was excited. With the main task so close to completion, that meant new products would be arriving soon!
The regular instant noodles were great and all, but the spicy version? Now that was something else.
Spicy noodles just hit differently. The burn, the sweat, and the satisfaction of suffering just enough to crave another bite made it the ultimate instant noodle experience.
He was looking forward to it.
As Hao busied himself in mastering the ancient art of shelf organization, he carefully nudged a cup of instant noodles half a centimeter to the left.
Satisfied – no, unsatisfied – he moved it back. He was about to repeat the process when the store door creaked open.
A new customer had arrived.
The man who stepped in had an average appearance, the kind that wouldn’t attract attention in a crowd.
A hood covered his shiny bald head, leaving only his piercing golden eyes exposed.
He wore a simple dark gold sleeveless alchemist robe, exposing his lean but well-defined arm muscles.
This was Bai Chen.
Or rather, that was the name he always went by when asked.
His real name? Ji Yunzhi.
A rogue cultivator and an even rarer rogue alchemist.
Unlike sect alchemists who had endless resources and guidance, Ji Yunzhi had carved his own path by scavenging discarded techniques and experimenting on his own.
Today, he had been searching the backstreets of Sovereign City for shops that sold alchemy materials or books when he noticed this peculiar store.
It wasn’t just the hidden location tucked away in a quiet alley that caught his attention but also the fact that its interior wasn’t visible from the outside.
Intrigued, Ji Yunzhi stepped inside and looked around.
While the alley was dimly lit and unremarkable, the inside of the store was bright and spotless.
Strange glowing lights hung above, likely powered by some kind of crystal formation. Only high-end establishments could afford lighting formations of this quality.
His eyes landed on a group of four cultivators seated in the corner.
He furrowed his brows. Something was off.
They weren’t moving.
They weren’t speaking.
They just sat there, eyes closed, completely motionless.
Ji Yunzhi felt a sudden chill crawl down his spine.
Were they cultivating or had they all dropped dead seating down?
His mouth twitched.
’Did I just walk into some kind of cult?’
Before he could think too much about it, a voice drew him back to reality.
“Welcome.”
Ji Yunzhi turned to see the storekeeper greeting him.
The man had a young, above-average face, but what stood out to Ji Yunzhi was the complete lack of spiritual qi.
At first, he thought the storekeeper was hiding his cultivation, just like himself. But the more he observed, the stranger it seemed.
Ji Yunzhi had always been confident in his detection skills. Even powerful cultivators a few realms above him could not escape his senses if he focused.
Yet no matter how he examined the storekeeper, he still felt like a true mortal.
After a moment of silence, Ji Yunzhi gave a slight nod.
“…Mm.”
He kept it short. No need for unnecessary chatter.
Now that he was inside, he could finally take a good look at the products on display.
There were only two kinds of items available. Some sort of cup-shaped container with colorful packaging and another strange-looking metal container.
’What… are these?’
The cup-shaped items looked similar to storage containers but had no visible opening. The metal ones were even stranger.
He walked closer and examined the price.
“…”
3 crystals?!
He almost snorted.
With 3 crystals, he could buy many alchemy ingredients, enough for several full pill concoctions, refining the essence of certain herbs, or experimenting with mixtures.
However, here was this metal thing, priced as if it contained some heaven-defying treasure.
’Is this some kind of scam?’
If this were really a rip-off, then why were those four still here? They had clearly bought the products, as they were right there on the table in front of them.
Ji Yunzhi stole another glance at the unmoving cultivators, their expressions strangely… blissful.
He frowned.
Just what kind of store had he walked into?
Ji Yunzhi finally spoke. “Storekeeper, what is this… Cola?”
Hao looked at him like he had just asked whether water was wet. “It’s a drink.”
Ji Yunzhi’s brow twitched. “A drink?”
“Yes.”
That was it? That was his only explanation?
Ji Yunzhi stared at Hao, half-expecting him to elaborate, but Hao simply returned his attention to the cups.
’What? That’s it? Did he cultivate too recklessly and damage his mind? Or is he just a terrible merchant?’
Ji Yunzhi let out a slow breath. “Is it worth the price?”
“Yes, it is worth the price.”
“Also, there are no returns or refunds after purchase.”
Ji Yunzhi couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Not only was the price outrageous, but the storekeeper was basically telling him, buy at your own risk.
Yet, despite his growing suspicion, his curiosity burned even stronger. He could afford three crystals, and those four cultivators still hadn’t moved from their seats.
In the end, Ji Yunzhi made the purchase.
[Author’s Note: I’ve updated the system interface! Do you like the new look, or would you prefer the old one?]