Hao scanned the last can of Cola as the screen beeped. The group lined up at the dispenser, chatting while their noodle cups were filled with steaming hot water.
That left him alone behind the counter again.
Only then did it hit him.
He hadn’t even eaten breakfast.
Hao blinked at the thought. Oddly enough, he didn’t feel hungry.
Was that… because of cultivation?
That had to be it, right? Spiritual qi was nourishing his body. Cultivators had this kind of perks all the time.
Qi over food. Cultivate over rice.
Regardless.
He was a cultivator now. That meant he should finally be able to experience the effects of the store’s products firsthand.
He leaned on the counter, thoughtful.
Wait… didn’t it send people into enlightenment?
What the hell was he supposed to do if a customer walked in while he was spaced out?
Hao stared at the door.
Yeah. No way.
That would be bad.
The system really needed to issue another task. One that let him recruit a proper store crew member this time – like Mo Xixi.
Someone who could man the counter while he tested products, just in case things got weird.
If he was going to start testing the store’s products, someone had to cover the register in case he went full “cultivation coma.”
For now, though?
No noodles.
As much as he wanted to crack open a cup of Spicy Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles and embrace noodle-dao for the first time, it was a hard no.
Too risky.
But there were a couple of products he could try.
Hao turned, grabbed a can of Lime Fizz and a bag of Original Salted Potato Chips.
These would do.
His first meal of the day.
Hao tore open the bag of chips and popped the tab of the Lime Fizz.
He didn’t hold back.
The chips disappeared fast, and the soda went down even faster – fizzing bright citrus bubbles hitting the back of his throat like it owed him money.
He was halfway through before he even thought to check for any effects. Guess he wasn’t used to eating as a cultivator yet.
There was no effects. Nothing.
It wasn’t until the last crumb hit his tongue that something finally clicked.
He blinked.
The chips… did something.
But not like boom-explode-level something. It was subtle. A kind of quiet inside his chest. Like static getting dialed down. His body felt more… composed?
Calmer?
Yeah. That was the word.
He tilted the empty bag and stared at it.
If Hua Feixue hadn’t already raved about this potato chips, Hao might’ve suspected it was a defective batch.
Or expired.
Or maybe the factory just forgot to put in the magic.
But no. That wasn’t it.
He didn’t have any bloodlust. No rage. No inner demon whispering in his head.
Of course the effect wouldn’t hit hard.
The chips were made to ease violent urges, suppress impulse, steady the mind. Hao didn’t have any of that to begin with.
He crumpled the bag and set it aside.
The Lime Fizz though?
Now that was a whole different story.
Sweet, tang, cold as a glacier’s attitude. And more than just refreshing – his mind felt… clearer. Like someone scrubbed the fog off his thoughts and left everything crisp and vivid.
He leaned back, blinking at the ceiling. If he had this back in high school?
Bro.
Math tests? Crushed.
Group projects? Solo’d.
Final exams? Aced with extra credit just from handwriting alone.
Honestly, he wouldn’t even need to study. Just crack open a Lime Fizz, sip it slowly, and enter his scholar era.
He chuckled to himself.
This stuff would’ve been legendary after a long night out, too. The kind of drink that’d slap you awake after partying with the boys until sunrise, right before stumbling into Monday morning classes.
He set the empty can down and exhaled.
Solid breakfast.
Didn’t make him full, but it scratched the itch.
The rest of the day went by like usual. A steady stream of customers came in and out, while the rest of the store’s members slowly started waking up one by one.
By the time afternoon rolled around, Mo Xixi took over behind the counter.
Hao stretched and cracked his neck.
His time had come.
He grabbed a cup of Spicy Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles, prepped it, and settled into the corner. The store was quiet – just Mo Xixi and the two kittens, Yoru and Tsuki, lazing around the glass-door refrigerators.
Kurome had already taken up her guarding post outside. Tian Lu was out too. He’d said something vague about “checking on a few things” and left earlier.
Hao didn’t pry.
If Tian Lu didn’t want to explain, Hao wasn’t going to push.
In a few minutes, the noodles were ready. He peeled the lid back.
Steam rose in a rush, carrying with it the savory punch of beef, chili oil, and just a hint of garlic. The broth shimmered red and gold, and the noodles were thick, springy, and perfectly soaked in flavor.
He took one bite and nearly groaned.
Spicy. Rich. Addictive. The kind of taste that punched you awake and made you keep eating even when your mouth was on fire.
It wasn’t just food – it was a full-body experience.
He’d had this exact cup dozens of times before, but this was the first time he could truly feel it working.
His newly awakened qi pathways responded without delay. Warmth spread from his gut, coating his limbs, loosening tension in his shoulders and back.
Across the room, Mo Xixi squinted at Hao
’What’s wrong with boss today?’
He usually ate like a calm, civilized person.
Today, he looked like he’d just discovered flavor for the first time.
She leaned on the counter, eyeing him suspiciously. That goofy grin while eating instant noodles?
Something was definitely up.
It had to be connected to his sudden cultivation base. Just yesterday, the boss didn’t give off even a single hint of spiritual qi.
But today? He was clearly sitting at the First Stage of the Spirit Awakening Realm.
This was obviously a disguise – or was it really just that simple?
No, it couldn’t be. The boss must’ve used some kind of profound method.