’It’s not for me. It’s for his daughter!’
Hao’s thoughts were righteous. Overflowing with questionable sincerity.
[No, host. Complete more missions. Once you become a cultivator, you may leave the store.]
[Stop trying to emotionally manipulate me.]
Hao stood frozen.
He tilted his head back.
His soul let out a silent, pained cry.
’Aaaawhoooo…’
He didn’t even try to argue anymore. The system was as cold as a blade.
No negotiations. No compromise.
He let out a breath and turned back to Yunlan Haorang.
“I would love to go.”
“But I’m afraid I’m not able to leave this place… just yet.”
He gave a small bow.
“Your daughter’s health is worth celebrating. I’ll be cheering from here.”
Emperor Yunlan Haorang paused, then gave a slow, understanding nod.
Since the senior had already given his reason, there was no need to press further.
“This one understands.”
Hao smiled lightly. “However, if your daughter wants more noodles, she’s always welcome.”
“Of course, she still has to pay.”
“…”
“Hahahahaha!”
Emperor Yunlan Haorang let out a loud laugh that echoed inside the store.
Even the two men beside him blinked in surprise. It had been a long time since they’d seen the emperor laugh like this.
Not a polite chuckle or a rare smile – this was a full laugh from the heart.
The man stroked his beard and looked at Hao with shining eyes.
“Senior Hao truly has the bearing of a true store owner.”
Suddenly, the door swung open, and four figures stepped inside, interrupting the moment.
Hao immediately recognized two of them: Elder Tang Sheng and Elder Feng Yuhan. But the other two?
He had no idea who they were.
Just as he was about to greet the four, Hua Feixue and Xiao Lianfeng reacted in unison, their eyes widening in disbelief.
“Sect Master?!”
They had expected their masters to come, but not the Sect Masters themselves!
The man among the two appeared to be in his teens, with long, flowing silver-gray hair streaked with green highlights, tied back in a simple low ponytail.
His jade green eyes were sharp and piercing. A few strands of hair fell loosely around his handsome face. He wore a simple black robe.
This was Jiang Xianwei, the Sect Master of Drifting Sword Sect.
Despite his youthful appearance, this man was already an old fart.
The woman beside him was entirely different. She wore a blank white mask that concealed even her eyes.
Her flowing light blue hair cascaded down her back like a frozen waterfall, and her simple white robe only added to her ethereal aura.
This was Bing Xuan, the Sect Master of Snow Petal Sect.
Hao easily picked up on the shock in Hua Feixue and Xiao Lianfeng’s words.
’So these two are the sect masters?’
’That explains everything.’
These two were big shots, and just like the man beside the emperor, their arrival triggered a notification from the system.
Both of them were potential candidates to be recruited as store guardians.
That could only mean one thing – they were cultivators who had reached the Heavenly Emperor Realm or beyond!
As Hao was processing all this, Sect Master Jiang Xianwei’s eyes locked on the emperor, and a grin broke across his face.
“Brother Haorang? Here of all places?”
“I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
Emperor Yunlan Haorang erupted in laughter, unmistakably in high spirits as he responded.
“Brother Xianwei! You’re too much! What a coincidence! I had no idea we’d meet again so soon!”
“It’s fate, I suppose.”
Their laughter filled the room as they traded knowing stares. It was obvious that they shared a close bond.
“Well, Brother Haorang, what brings you here today? I doubt you just happened to stroll into this store for no reason.”
The emperor casually waved a hand, clearly unbothered by the teasing.
“Honestly, I came because of my daughter.”
Sect Master Jiang Xianwei’s eyes flashed with understanding.
“Ah, I see.”
“Indeed, Brother Xianwei. This store is the one that helped my daughter.”
“I’m here to thank the store owner personally.”
Elder Tang Sheng and Elder Feng Yuhan exchanged glances, their expressions suddenly enlightened.
’So it was the storekeeper…’ Elder Tang Sheng murmured.
’No wonder.’
Elder Feng Yuhan nodded. ’Right. A condition thought to be incurable, suddenly vanishing like that.’
Their minds quickly connected the dots.
Was it the instant noodles that had caused this? It seemed the most plausible answer.
’Only the Immortal Storekeeper could have done something such as this,’ Elder Tang Sheng concluded.
The two elders began transmitting the information mentally to their sect masters.
Neither Jiang Xianwei nor Bing Xuan showed any outward change, but internally, both were growing more and more intrigued by the store and, especially, its owner, Hao.
Despite Hao’s mortal appearance, there was something different about him. Even with their powerful spiritual senses, they couldn’t detect any spiritual qi in his body.
It was a mystery.
“What about you, Brother Xianwei?”
“What brings you to this place? To think you’d even bring one of your elders along.”
Sect Master Jiang Xianwei smiled.
“Brother Sheng mentioned this store to me, Brother Haorang. He spoke of noodles that are truly out of this world.”
“We’re here to try them today.”
Before the emperor could respond, Jiang Xianwei quickly interjected, not giving him a chance to ask more questions.
“How about you join me, Brother Haorang? You must try them with me!”
The emperor raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, especially since these miraculous noodles had played a role in his daughter’s recovery.
“You’re right, Brother Xianwei.” Emperor Yunlan Haorang said with a nod.
“Let’s try it together.”
Elder Tang Sheng shot a glance at Lin Yijun and Xiao Lianfeng, silently signaling them to take charge and guide the group.
But before either of them could respond, Sect Master Jiang Xianwei immediately noticed the look and laughed.
“Brother Sheng, is that how you abuse your elder status?”
“Ordering the youngsters around like that?”
Elder Tang Sheng’s face twitched, clearly caught off guard, but he quickly recovered.
“I’m just trying to make sure they’re useful.” he muttered, but Jiang Xianwei was not done.
“Let the youngsters enjoy their time.”
“How about you lead us, Brother Sheng? After all, you’ve been here before.”