Chapter 6: A First Step – The Shop Opens!
Zhao Laosan lazily raised his eyes. Seeing that the newcomer had a calm and composed demeanor, not like an ordinary Loose Cultivator, he quoted a normal price: "Gray-Veined Mushroom, twenty-five Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
Xiao Ming said nothing more, casually tossed down the Spirit Stones, picked up that "Gray-Veined Mushroom," and turned to leave, his movements crisp and decisive.
Zhao Laosan put away the Spirit Stones, unconcerned, and continued to doze off against his stall.
Xiao Ming threw down the Spirit Stones, picked up the seemingly ordinary Gray-Veined Mushroom, and turned into the crowd. Zhao Laosan put away the Spirit Stones without a care, continuing to nap, completely unaware that he had just missed out on a windfall.
Xiao Ming did not go far; he only stopped at a few nearby stalls. While he appeared to be browsing casually, his peripheral vision remained locked on Zhao Laosan's position. As time ticked by, sure enough, less than half an incense stick of time later, a Cultivator stumbled into the market, instantly attracting the attention of those around.
This person's complexion alternated between pale and green, his aura was chaotic, and a strange aura of alternating cold and scorching heat faintly emanated from his body—this was the typical symptom of being afflicted by "Cold Spirit Fire Poison." His pace was hurried, his eyes scanned the stalls anxiously, and one hand remained hidden in his sleeve, constantly calculating; clearly, he was sensing something using some kind of secret technique.
After searching for a moment like a headless fly, his body suddenly jolted. He turned his head abruptly, his gaze fixed firmly on Zhao Laosan's stall! He rushed forward in a single stride, his voice hoarse from urgency: "Stall owner! Do you... have a Gray-Veined Mushroom here?" He clearly sensed through his secret technique that the aura of the life-saving medicinal ingredient had last remained here.
Zhao Laosan was startled awake and answered blankly: "There was one just a moment ago, but it has already been bought by a Fellow Daoist." He subconsciously pointed in the direction Xiao Ming had left.
The Cultivator's face turned paper-white in a "swish," the fire of hope in his eyes instantly extinguished, replaced by despair. He roared: "Bought it?! Which direction did he go? Speak quickly!"
Zhao Laosan shuddered in fear at his frantic state and hurriedly pointed the way again. Upon hearing this, the Cultivator's spiritual power surged, and it looked like he was about to chase after him regardless of anything else.
"Are you looking for this?" A calm, ripple-less voice sounded faintly from not far to his side.
The Cultivator turned his head sharply, only to see Xiao Ming, who had silently appeared a few steps away at some unknown point, holding the Gray-Veined Mushroom between two fingers, looking at him with an indifferent expression.
"Fellow Daoist! Please... please let me have this mushroom! I am willing to pay thirty... no, fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!" The Cultivator, like a drowning man grabbing a floating log, spoke eagerly, completely forgetting that this action would reveal his hidden hand.
Xiao Ming's eyes were indifferent. He slowly raised one hand, spreading his five fingers: "Five hundred."
The Cultivator's face changed drastically. A flash of humiliation and anger crossed his eyes, but the fire poison within his body flared up violently at that exact moment, and a piercing, scorching pain struck him. Seeing Xiao Ming make a move to leave, all his struggles instantly collapsed, and he squeezed two words through his teeth: "... Deal!"
The transaction was completed. The Cultivator snatched the mushroom and, not daring to delay for a moment, left in a stumbling hurry.
Zhao Laosan, who was watching from the side, was already dumbfounded. It took him a long while to recover, and he beat his chest and stamped his feet, his intestines turning green with regret—that inconspicuous, lousy mushroom was actually worth five hundred Spirit Stones?!
[Ding! Successfully intercepted Zhao Laosan's Opportunity!]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully unlocking: The Villain Store!]
[System Prompt: Every Villainous act performed by the host will grant corresponding Villain Points. Villain Points can be used to redeem anything in the store!]
"The Villain Store?" Xiao Ming's heart stirred, and his consciousness sank into the System. He saw that beside the originally simple interface, a channel emitting a faint, eerie light had quietly appeared.
The moment his consciousness touched it, a vast sea of information flooded into his mind!
The items in the store were bizarre and varied, with numerous categories, far exceeding his imagination:
1. Strange Items
Misfortune Curse Ball: Throw at a target to cause their Luck to plummet in the short term, leading to being bitten by dogs when going out, tripping while walking, making mistakes during Cultivation, and having all Opportunities result in nothing. (Price: 250 Villain Points)
Elementary Opportunity Interferer (One-time use): Can slightly distort the trigger conditions or location of a predetermined Opportunity within a small range, making it difficult for the original owner to obtain it. (Price: 600 Villain Points)
Elementary Loyalty Brand: Can be used on those with a lower cultivation base than oneself. It plants a brand on their Divine Soul, causing them to subconsciously develop awe and loyalty toward the host, making it difficult to betray. (Price: 1,000 Villain Points)
...
2. Cultivation Technique Category
《Other-Transformation Freedom Demonic Technique Imperial Rank Fragment: Can divide Divine Thought to inhabit another person's body, subtly influencing their Heart-Nature, and eventually turning them into one's own Puppet. Note: Since the Cultivation Technique is a fragmented version, unknown situations may occur; please use with caution! (Price: 15,000 Villain Points)
《Heaven-Seizing Creation Art》 Heaven Rank: An incomparably tyrannical plundering secret technique that can forcibly extract others' Spiritual Roots and Bloodline Origin to nourish oneself; it harms the natural harmony and is prone to backlash. (Price: 10,000 Villain Points)
...
3. Magic Treasure Category
Imitation Myriad Soul Banner (King Rank): Requires devouring living souls for refinement. The more souls, the stronger the power. It has heaven-soaring Evil Qi and has miraculous effects on the Divine Soul. (Price: 9,000 Villain Points)
Heaven-Deceiving Mask (King Rank): Can perfectly simulate others' appearance, aura, and even parts of their Cultivation Technique fluctuations. It cannot be detected unless by those two major Realms higher or those with special Physiques. (Price: 15,000 Villain Points)
...
4. Bloodline / Physique Category
Nether Ghost Physique (Elementary): Fuses a trace of Nether Ghost Qi, significantly increasing affinity for Yin Evil Qi, and allows for the Cultivation of Ghost-path Divine Abilities. (Price: 16,000 Villain Points)
True Dragon Essence Blood (Diluted): After refining, it can slightly increase Physical Body strength and carries a trace of Dragon might, which has a deterrent effect on Yao Beasts. (Price: 25,000 Villain Points)
...
The store list seemed endless. The further one flipped, the more astonishing the items that appeared. There even appeared terrifying items like "Deity Experience Card," "Immortal Emperor Puppet," and "Chaos Supreme Treasure Fragment," things whose names alone made one's mind sway. The long string of "zeros" following them made one feel intimidated.
Xiao Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart. This Villain Store—every item inside was something that made one drool with envy.
He looked again at his currently pitiful Villain Points: 200 points (obtained by successfully intercepting Zhao Laosan's Opportunity). He couldn't even afford the cheapest [Misfortune Curse Ball].
"It seems I must hurry and do more 'things a villain should do.'"