In one hand, he held an extravagant folding fan, encrusted with jade and gold, shining so brightly that if you stared too long, it would hurt your eyes.
He took another step forward and wiped his forehead, flinging beads of sweat onto the floor without a care.
“Water… I need water… now…” His voice was hoarse, as if he had swallowed an entire desert.
Hao squinted, studying the man closely. The longer he looked, the more familiar he seemed.
Mo Xixi, who had been quiet all this time, finally mumbled. “Boss, his face reminds me of someone…”
“Yeah, Little Xixi… he kinda looks like – ”
Before Hao could finish, the man took a deep breath and stood upright. In an instant, his tired look disappeared, replaced by a commanding presence, as if he had turned into a different person.
“I am Gong Jueyon, Vice Master of Azure Mist Dining Pavilion. Bring me your best drink. Money is no issue.”
“…”
A beat passed before Hao suddenly let out a low chuckle.
“Oh. I remember now.”
[A moments ago…]
Gong Jueyon stood outside the Dimensional Convenience Store, his expression dark.
His son, Gong Shaoyan, had returned home in a fit of rage last night, claiming that the owner of this store had humiliated him.
As a father who had always spoiled his son, how could he let this slide? He came today to settle the score, determined to put the store owner in their place.
But when they arrived, something unexpected happened.
Gong Jueyon couldn’t open the door.
At first, he frowned. Maybe it was sealed with some basic formation? He placed his hand on the handle and pushed harder.
Still nothing.
He gathered a bit of spiritual qi and applied force.
Not even a tremor.
His brows twitched.
He tried pulling it instead. Nothing.
His eyes moved to the massive glass wall beside it. His son had said this store was strange, that its defenses were like a top-grade treasure.
Gong Jueyon had dismissed it as nonsense, but now, as he pressed his palm against the glass, he felt a resistance unlike anything he had encountered before.
This was no ordinary glass. This was terrifying craftsmanship!
A cold sweat began forming on his forehead, but he refused to back down. He unleashed a powerful palm strike.
A booming shockwave spread out, shaking the air. The impact should have shattered huge boulders.
The wall remained spotless.
“…Hmph. Interesting.”
His pride as a Saint Realm cultivator wouldn’t allow him to admit defeat.
He retrieved a strength-enhancing pill from his storage ring. Together with his 1st Stage of Saint Realm cultivation, he was confident that no mere door could stop him.
The pill dissolved instantly. His veins bulged as spiritual qi surged through his body.
His next strike carried everything he had.
A blinding flash erupted as his palm slammed into the door.
The result –
His hand shattered instead.
A sharp crack rang out. Gong Jueyon staggered back, his face frozen in disbelief.
Zero damage. Not even a scratch.
The pain shot up his arm, and for the first time in years, he gasped.
Just what kind of monstrous blacksmith forged this? No, it had to be beyond anything the mortal realm could produce!
Was it reinforced by a Formation Grand Master?
His breathing turned ragged. His spiritual qi was almost depleted, his hand was broken, and his pride was in shambles.
Yet the door stood there, mocking him.
His gaze snapped toward his son.
“Gong Shaoyan.”
“Are you lying to me?”
His son took a cautious step back. “Father, I – ”
“Shut up.” Gong Jueyon clenched his teeth.
His son had sworn that this store belonged to a mere mortal. But looking at this unbreakable door, he couldn’t believe it.
Had his son offended some hidden powerhouse? A wandering daoist grandmaster? A reclusive expert playing storekeeper?
His mind raced through all the possibilities. The more he thought, the more his anger burned.
“This is your fault.” He growled.
And in his frustration, he shoved Gong Shaoyan aside.
The moment his son stepped away –
The door clicked pushed open effortlessly.
“…”
The father and son pair stared at the open door in stunned silence.
A chilling realization dawned upon Gong Jueyon.
His son was the problem!
All this time, the reason he couldn’t enter… was because his useless brat was standing too close!
A vein bulged on his forehead. He had shattered his own hand, wasted a precious pill, and almost drained his entire qi reserve – all because of his son!
And worst of all, he had made a complete fool of himself in front of a door.
Gong Shaoyan looked at his father.
“F-Father, you – ”
“Enough. You and I will talk later.” Gong Jueyon didn’t spare him another glance.
He adjusted his robe, retrieved a folding fan from his storage ring, and stepped inside. But the second he entered, his breath grew more heavy.
The pill’s side effect had begun to take hold.
The price of a short-term boost in strength was extreme exhaustion, leaving his body drained to its limits.
[Back to the present…]
’So this was the father of that arrogant young master we kicked out yesterday?’
Hao had expected the next level boss to arrive eventually, but this was a bit too fast.
Wasn’t there supposed to be a cooldown period before the stronger family members showed up?
As Hao was considering whether he should handle this, Mo Xixi spoke first.
“The drinks are in that section, old man.” Mo Xixi pointed at the glass-door refrigerators.
“…”
Gong Jueyon’s tired eyes twitched as he processed what he just heard.
’Old man?’
This brat dared to call him old man? A dignified Saint Realm cultivator?
A respected figure who could make small sects tremble with a single word?
His face darkened, but he quickly exhaled. He had no strength left to argue.
Besides, shouldn’t this child be the one fetching the drink for him, instead of just pointing at it?
Where were the basic manners of the younger generation these days?
Suppressing his frustration, Gong Jueyon forced himself to walk toward the glass shelves.
At last, he saw the drinks.
Strange red metallic containers, stacked neatly in rows. Gong Jueyon had no idea what he was looking at.
Was this truly a refreshment?
His eyes fell on the price.
“…”
Three crystals.
For a drink.
A drink.
Three entire crystals!
Even in their dining pavilion, the most luxurious tea wasn’t this expensive.