Just as Hao was about to drift off to sleep, the door creaked open.
A breeze swept in, carrying the faint scent of fresh earth and morning dew. The man who entered had an elegant yet carefree aura, his steps light and unhurried.
His black robes were simple but well-made, carrying the emblem of a soaring sword on the chest.
His long, dark hair was tied back loosely, with a few stray strands framing his sharp yet handsome features.
This was Lin Yijun, one of the inner disciples of the Drifting Sword Sect.
Despite being incredibly talented in cultivation, Lin Yijun was far from the typical obsessive cultivator who shut himself in for months, chasing after breakthroughs.
Instead, he preferred to travel, explore new places, and enjoy life at his own pace.
Some called him a genius. Others called him a lazy bastard who wasted his potential.
Hao Chen raised his head and lazily greeted.
"Welcome."
That was it. No fake enthusiasm. No attempts to lure the customer in.
It wasn't that Hao wasn't desperate enough to make a sale. It was just that the system strictly prohibited him from actively promoting the products.
No advertising. No explaining unless asked.
Lin Yijun, who was used to shopkeepers eagerly trying to sell him things, was momentarily caught off guard.
But he didn't dwell on it. Instead, his gaze swept across the store.
At first glance, the place looked surprisingly bright and clean.
The shelves were neatly arranged, the floor spotless, and the lighting so warm and inviting that it felt completely out of place in this world.
He had passed by this strange building a few times but never managed to see what was inside from the outside. That alone had been enough to pique his curiosity.
However, after looking around for a few moments, his expression slowly turned odd.
Something wasn't right.
There were so many shelves, yet they were all completely empty...
Except for one.
Lin Yijun walked over, narrowing his eyes at the only product displayed in the entire store.
A strange-looking cup sat neatly stacked in rows, covered in colorful packaging that he had never seen before.
Bold characters were printed on it.
"Beef-Flavored Instant Noodles."
The illustration on the packaging showed a steaming bowl of noodles, golden and rich, with slices of meat and vegetables floating in a broth.
Lin Yijun stroked his chin.
Was this... food?
Then, his eyes shifted downwards.
To the price tag.
For a moment, Lin Yijun simply stood there, staring.
Then, his eyebrow twitched.
His lips parted slightly.
Finally, he spoke.
"One crystal?!"
Hao sighed. Here we go again.
But unlike the previous customers who had stormed out in anger, Lin Yijun didn't leave immediately. Instead, his brows furrowed in thought. He reached out and picked up the cup of instant noodles, turning it over in his hands.
For a mere food item to be priced at one crystal, something had to be wrong. If this was a mistake, he could report it to his father.
After all, his father was Lin Tianheng, one of the law enforcement elders in Sovereign City, responsible for overseeing trade regulations and ensuring that merchants did not deceive or exploit others.
Although Lin Yijun wasn't the type to meddle in these matters, he still had a sense of righteousness.
A single spirit crystal was enough to buy a rare medicinal herb! If someone was truly being scammed, he couldn't just ignore it.
He weighed the cup in his palm. It was surprisingly light.
Out of habit, he infused a wisp of qi into it, attempting to probe its contents.
... Nothing.
His brows furrowed even deeper. He sensed no fluctuation of spiritual qi, no hint of rare ingredients, no concealed formations.
Still holding the instant noodles, Lin Yijun walked up to the counter and faced Hao.
"Boss, this is food, right?"
Hao gave him a look.
"Yeah. It's noodles."
Lin Yijun tapped the cup.
"Then why is it so expensive? Does it contain rare ingredients? Special effects?"
Hao paused.
After a moment, he nodded seriously.
"It's super delicious."
Lin Yijun: "..."
For a second, the store fell into silence.
Hao maintained a perfectly straight face.
Lin Yijun's lips twitched. Was the store owner messing with him?
He took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to walk out.
Forget it. It was just one crystal. He had saved up a few from completing sect missions, so it wasn't like he was completely broke. He might as well see for himself why this thing was priced so ridiculously high.
"I'll buy it, boss."
Hao raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected to actually make a sale.
Without any change in expression, he casually pointed toward a board on the wall.
"Are you sure?"
Lin Yijun followed Hao's finger.
Rule No. 2: No Refunds, No Returns. Once purchased, the product is bound to the buyer. Even the heavens cannot reverse a transaction.
The words were clear, but the more Lin Yijun thought about them, the more absurd they seemed.
Why did it feel like he was signing a life-and-death contract instead of buying food?
But since he had already made up his mind, there was no turning back.
He took out a crystal from his storage ring and placed it on the counter.
"Alright, boss. Just take my money."
Hao grabbed the cup of instant noodles and ran it over a small black box beside the counter. A faint beep echoed in the quiet store.
Transaction complete.
He handed the cup back to Lin Yijun, who stared at it before glancing up.
"Boss... how do I eat this?"
Hao had been waiting for this question. He gestured toward the machine in the corner of the store.
It was a tall, metal contraption with a smooth, reflective surface. At the front, a small opening was positioned above a flat, circular platform, likely meant to hold cups in place.
"See that? That's the Water Dispenser. Go over there."
'Dispenser?' Lin Yijun had never heard of such a thing before, but he walked over anyway.