Chapter 446 - 404: Encountering Shopkeeper Tian Again

Chapter 446: Chapter 404: Encountering Shopkeeper Tian Again

Full and satisfied, the short, dark cultivator and his friend wandered around the shop.

The shop was bustling with a constant stream of customers. The few clerks were running off their feet, and even the Shopkeeper was busy attending to patrons. So, the two of them browsed the items on the shelves by themselves.

The shelves were neatly organized. Cultivation items of the same type were grouped together and arranged on different tiers according to price. Every item had a price tag next to it.

"A jade slip for one hundred ninety-nine Spirit Coins—that’s pretty affordable!"

"An Essence Enhancing Pill for seventy-nine. Cheaper than other places."

After browsing for a while, the two made their way near the central hall, where they saw a dozen or so cultivators gathered around a display case, selecting items.

An eye-catching sign was posted on the display case: Today’s Special! Everything 20% Off!

"Everything in the display case is twenty percent off?"

The short, dark cultivator let out a low gasp. ’The prices in this shop are already good,’ he thought. ’With another twenty percent off, wouldn’t it be an absolute steal?’

No clerk was around, but one of the other customers, taking a moment from his own shopping, answered, "You heard right. Everything’s twenty percent off."

"Really?"

As if his feet had a mind of their own, the short, dark cultivator walked over. He picked up a storage pouch embroidered with an exquisite beast pattern and glanced at the price tag: 119.

"One hundred nineteen, with a twenty percent discount is..."

The short, dark cultivator did a quick mental calculation. After the discount, it would only be ninety-five Spirit Coins. He couldn’t help but feel his heart stir with temptation.

"You have excellent taste, sir. This storage pouch is made from top-grade scythe beast hide, and the sealing formation was crafted by a renowned master. Just look at these patterns, and feel the elasticity... TSK TSK TSK..."

A clerk had walked over and was now chattering away by his side.

The short, dark cultivator listened for a moment, with only one thought in his mind: ’Buy it!’

Seeing the short, dark cultivator clutching the storage pouch, Brother Yu asked with a smile, "Looks like you’ve taken a liking to it, Younger Brother Guo?"

Younger Brother Guo nodded. "My old storage pouch has been used for years and is completely worn out. I was thinking of replacing it. What do you think, Brother Yu?"

Of course, Brother Yu wasn’t about to spoil his friend’s excitement. He chimed in, "It’s quite nice, indeed. I’m tempted myself."

There were many customers paying, so Younger Brother Guo had to wait in line for quite a while before reaching the main counter.

"Storage pouch, one hundred nineteen. Twenty percent off is ninety-five," the accountant announced, flicking the beads of his abacus.

"Sir, to show our appreciation for our new and returning customers, the shop is holding a special promotion today. For any purchase of one hundred Spirit Coins or more, you’ll receive a ten-Spirit-Coin shopping voucher."

Younger Brother Guo was just about to pull out his money when a young cultivator beside the counter spoke up with a smile.

The young cultivator was tall and looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. With thick brows, large eyes, and a dashing, handsome face, it was none other than Zhao Lin.

"You’re only five Spirit Coins away from getting the voucher. Why not pick up one more small item?"

Hearing the two words "shopping voucher," Younger Brother Guo recalled what the old man at the market entrance had said. He blurted out, "So I just need to buy something for five more Spirit Coins?"

Zhao Lin smiled and nodded, turning his head toward a small rack on the counter.

The rack was filled with inexpensive cultivation items, with prices ranging from a few Spirit Coins to fifty.

Younger Brother Guo thought to himself, ’If I buy something for around ten Spirit Coins, I’ll save ten Spirit Coins on my next visit. It’s basically free!’

So he picked up a bottle of Fasting Pills worth ten Spirit Coins and placed it on the counter. "This should be enough, right?"

"It is, but the Fasting Pills are on promotion today: buy three, get one free. If you buy two more bottles, you’ll get another one for free!"

Zhao Lin said, pointing to a small wooden plaque on the counter.

Younger Brother Guo glanced at the plaque. Sure enough, it read: "Fasting Pills: Buy Three, Get One Free."

The price of Fasting Pills was always stable; they could even be used as a substitute for Spirit Stones at times.

After a moment’s thought, Younger Brother Guo decided it was a fantastic deal—he might even turn a small profit. "In that case, I’ll take two more bottles of Fasting Pills," he said.

The accountant recalculated and called out, "One storage pouch, four bottles of Fasting Pills. The total comes to one hundred twenty-five Spirit Coins."

Younger Brother Guo took out his money pouch, but unexpectedly, Zhao Lin spoke again. "Spend one hundred fifty Spirit Coins, and you’ll receive a twenty-Spirit-Coin voucher."

"Right now, you only qualify for the ten-Spirit-Coin voucher. Would you like to add a little more to your purchase?"

"For example, this warning talisman is exactly twenty-five Spirit Coins—the perfect amount."

As he spoke, Zhao Lin took out one of the twenty-Spirit-Coin vouchers and waved it in front of Younger Brother Guo.

A hesitant look crossed Younger Brother Guo’s face. ’I only meant to browse casually,’ he thought. ’How did I end up spending over a hundred Spirit Coins in the blink of an eye?’

But then again, ’if I spend another twenty-five Spirit Coins, I get a twenty-Spirit-Coin voucher. That’s like buying a warning talisman for only five Spirit Coins! An opportunity like this is rare.’

"Fine! I’ll take a warning talisman!"

The accountant took the payment and recorded the transaction. Zhao Lin helped pack the voucher, pills, and talisman into an exquisite cloth bag, which he presented with both hands. "Please take this, sir. We hope to see you again."

Younger Brother Guo felt a surge of pleasure, thinking the shop had excellent service. As he accepted the bag, he noticed three words embroidered on both sides: Golden Core Hall.

"Brother Sancai, bring over some more pills and talismans. The shelves are almost empty," Zhao Lin said, turning his head to Li Sancai. On that last sale, the storage pouch hadn’t brought in much profit; the real money was in the Fasting Pills and the warning talisman.

"So fast?"

Li Sancai was slightly surprised and hurried to the storeroom.

As Younger Brother Guo was heading out with his purchases, he suddenly realized his companion was gone. He quickly scanned the area, only to spot Brother Yu standing in the line to pay.

After a short wait, Brother Yu walked over, also carrying a cloth bag.

"What did you buy, Brother Yu?"

Younger Brother Guo asked curiously. His friend was famously frugal, after all.

Brother Yu laughed. "A jar of medium-grade Spirit Tea, a jade slip, and four bottles of Fasting Pills."