Chapter 447 - 404: Meeting Shopkeeper Tian Again

Chapter 447: Chapter 404: Meeting Shopkeeper Tian Again

The short, dark cultivator said in surprise, "So much? That must have cost a fortune, right?"

The cultivator with the surname Yu smiled faintly and flashed a purchase voucher. "It cost a fair bit, but I got one of these."

The short, dark cultivator took a closer look and saw it was a voucher for fifty Spirit Coins off a purchase of three hundred.

"Whoa, Brother Yu, you’ve made a killing! I only got a voucher for twenty off two hundred."

...

The boundless sky met the sea, a single expanse of color.

By the time Zhao Lin arrived at the docks, the sun was high in the sky, casting down thousands of golden rays.

After a period of bold and sweeping reforms, the shop was gradually flourishing. Business was better every day, with monthly profits now exceeding five thousand Spirit Stones and merit points approaching one thousand.

At this rate, every member of the shop would receive a hefty dividend by the end of the year. As Chief Shopkeeper, Zhao Lin would naturally get the largest share.

Zhou Hongfang had even sent a letter to specifically praise Zhao Lin and his team. Now that the county’s cultivation supplies had a stable sales channel, more cultivators could be supported—a development the academy head was naturally delighted to see.

With the shop running smoothly, Zhao Lin had the free time to go to the coast and practice his Water Manipulation Skill.

One of the reasons Zhao Lin had agreed to become the shopkeeper in Dongfu District was its proximity to the sea, which was perfect for practicing the Water Manipulation Skill.

The coast wasn’t far from the market district, and with cultivators on patrol, there were no safety concerns.

SWOOSH!

Zhao Lin leaped into the ocean, his entire body enveloped in a teardrop-shaped current. He entered the water without a sound, hardly even kicking up a ripple.

Having reached the "Near-Perfection" level of the Water Manipulation Skill, the shape of his watery current had changed drastically from the Mastery stage. It now resembled a "teardrop."

The teardrop was a transparent, water-elemental shield of incredible hardness. Its size could be altered at will, and it could be used not just for defense, but also to directly ram into enemies.

Zhao Lin channeled his Water Manipulation Skill, streaking across the seabed. He felt almost no resistance, moving with the speed of lightning—even faster than his Divine Movement Skill on land.

Four hours later, Zhao Lin returned to the shore.

"Boatman, how much to get to Red Tail Island?"

A cultivator in his thirties, dressed in snug black attire, walked up to a sea vessel moored at the dock and addressed the person on board.

Zhao Lin glanced over at the cultivator in black, guessing he was likely heading to the island to undertake the Spirit Pearl collection mission.

Chu Hongtian had promised a threefold reward of merit points for that task, something Zhao Lin had kept in mind.

His Ice Blade Skill was nearing perfection, and his Water Manipulation Skill was on the verge of being mastered. With two perfection-level Magic skills at his disposal, Zhao Lin was confident he could take on any cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm underwater.

And even if he couldn’t win, he was certain he could escape.

’But I’m not short on Spirit Stones or merit points right now. And with the way the shop’s doing, the year-end dividend will be enough to support my cultivation.’

Lost in thought, Zhao Lin found himself back in the market district before he knew it.

Though the market district was growing more prosperous by the day, poorly managed businesses were always closing down, making way for new ones to move in.

He wandered aimlessly for a while. As he passed down Longxiang Street, which was adjacent to Ding’an Street, the facade of a small shop and a familiar name caught his eye: Harmony Hall.

Zhao Lin let out a soft "Huh?" There was a Harmony Hall in the market on Songyu Peak, too. He had even bought Acupoint Opening Pills there.

’Could it just be a coincidence?’

Walking closer, he saw a couplet flanking the door: "Divine pills and spirit cures, the essence of the herbal arts; A legacy of virtue, where harmony breeds fortune."

’Is it the same one, or a branch?’

Just then, an old man with graying hair emerged from the shop. Seeing Zhao Lin, his face lit up with surprise. "Fellow Daoist Zhao, what a coincidence!"

"Shopkeeper Tian!"

Zhao Lin recognized the old man; it was Shopkeeper Tian, the one who had sold him the Acupoint Opening Pills. "Has your esteemed shop relocated here?"

As he spoke, he glanced inside the shop.

Shopkeeper Tian chuckled. "Indeed. Business at my humble shop was slow, and I heard this area was bustling, so we moved."

He then looked Zhao Lin up and down. "Fellow Daoist Zhao, from the looks of your attire, could it be that you are..."

Zhao Lin didn’t hide it and explained that he had become a shopkeeper.

Shopkeeper Tian exclaimed in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, you are truly talented! To become a shopkeeper at such a young age... you’re far more capable than I ever was."

He then glanced around and lowered his voice. "And the other two Acupoint Opening Pills, has Fellow Daoist Zhao taken them yet?"

Zhao Lin’s expression didn’t change as he retorted, "What Acupoint Opening Pills?"

Shopkeeper Tian paused, then a look of understanding crossed his face. "Ah, I have misspoken. Please, Fellow Daoist Zhao, come inside for a chat."

Zhao Lin didn’t want to get too close to the man and politely refused. "Thank you for your kind offer, Shopkeeper Tian, but I still have things to attend to at my shop. I should be getting back."

"Take care, Fellow Daoist Zhao. We’ll talk another day."

Shopkeeper Tian cupped his hands in a farewell gesture, watching Zhao Lin walk away.

Just then, an assistant came over and started to say, "Tian—"

Shopkeeper Tian’s face fell, and he shot the man a fierce glare. The assistant immediately clamped his mouth shut.

The two entered the inner hall. With a wave of his hand, Shopkeeper Tian set up a Mana barrier.

He snapped harshly, "Yangquan, you’ve been with me for years. How can you still be so reckless?"

The assistant trembled and bowed his head low. "I was wrong. It will never happen again."

Shopkeeper Tian stared at him for a long moment before asking, "What did you want to say?"

Yangquan let out a sigh of relief. "Lord Tenzou, do you think he’ll get suspicious, seeing us move here right after him?"

Shopkeeper Tian sneered and shook his head. "Opening a shop to do business is perfectly normal. What’s there to be suspicious about?"

Yangquan continued, "I’ve had people investigating these past few days. The shop run by the man surnamed Zhao is booming. In my humble opinion, we should use some method to get him transferred away from here."

He then raised his hand and made a sharp, downward chopping motion.

Shopkeeper Tian frowned in thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "We have an important mission. Let’s set this aside for now. Just plant some eyes on him and keep watch. We absolutely must not alert him prematurely."

"Yes..."

When Zhao Lin reached the end of Longxiang Street, he glanced back, a faint feeling that something was off.

’A shop from my home region opening up here in Dongfu District seems plausible,’ he thought, ’but it’s also a bit too much of a coincidence.’

And there was something about that Shopkeeper Tian. Though he was always smiling, Zhao Lin sensed a cold, sinister glint in his eyes.

He listened intently for a moment, then shook his head and muttered to himself, "Maybe I’m just being paranoid."

...

"Well, if it isn’t Shopkeeper Zhao! A man in high spirits after a happy event, I see. You walk with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger!"

As Zhao Lin reached the entrance to his own shop, Liu Chaoyuan, the shopkeeper of the neighboring Linglong Pavilion, "happened" to step out and remarked in a sarcastic tone.

"What happy occasion? You’re joking, Shopkeeper Liu."

Zhao Lin stopped and replied with a smile.

It was only natural for his thriving business to attract the envy of his peers, and Zhao Lin took it all in stride.

Interestingly enough, upon seeing Golden Core Hall’s booming business, Liu Chaoyuan had also tried to implement a purchase voucher system.

Since magical artifacts, unlike pills and talismans, sold for at least a thousand Spirit Coins each—and Linglong Pavilion’s artifacts were several times more expensive than average—the situation was different.

Liu Chaoyuan, being a penny-pincher, was only willing to give out vouchers worth ten or twenty Spirit Coins, which was hardly enough to entice customers.

Furthermore, magical artifacts were durable goods. A cultivator would use one for several years at least, so even with a voucher, they were unlikely to return for another purchase anytime soon. The system simply didn’t produce the desired effect.

"Business is booming, and you don’t call that a happy occasion?"

Liu Chaoyuan glanced enviously at Golden Core Hall.

"My shop is a humble business. The profit from selling dozens of bottles of pills can’t compare to what Shopkeeper Liu makes on a single magical artifact."

Zhao Lin said humbly, "Business may look good, but really, we’re just making an honest living."

"Honest living? I don’t think you’re working very hard at all, Shopkeeper Zhao..."

Liu Chaoyuan sneered. ’You’re barely ever in the shop, you brat,’ he thought. ’Others might not know, but I certainly do!’

He was about to toss out a few more sarcastic remarks when Zhao Lin suddenly clutched his stomach. "My apologies, Shopkeeper Liu. I’ve been eating too many Nine Plum Pills lately and my stomach is upset. If you’ll excuse me."

With that, he hurried into Golden Core Hall.

"Nine Plum Pills? Isn’t he afraid of how sour they are!"

Liu Chaoyuan spat on the ground, then wondered aloud, "He’s so young. Why would he be eating Nine Plum Pills?"

Nine Plum Pills were extremely sour. They had the effect of purifying blood, transforming Qi, and slowing the aging process, which made them popular among elderly cultivators. A young, robust man like Zhao Lin had no need for them at all.

Then, Liu Chaoyuan slowly put two and two together. Zhao Lin was clearly mocking him for being "sour"—that is, jealous. He stamped his foot in frustration. "You little brat! If attack Magic wasn’t forbidden in the market district, I’d teach you a lesson you wouldn’t forget!"