Testing

In the Jia Lie Family's main hall, Jia Lie Bi sat in the seat of honor. His powerful aura made him not someone to be underestimated. Like Xiao Zhan, he was a Three-star Great Dou Master.

At that moment, a supervisor from the Jia Lie Family Market stood below, reporting on recent developments.

"Patriarch, the market's recent profits have been quite good. There haven't been any major issues, but..."

The supervisor's voice grew much softer at the end, clearly unsure how to continue.

Jia Lie Bi frowned, slapped the armrest, and coldly demanded.

"Speak. What is it?"

The slap made the supervisor shudder, but he still truthfully relayed the rumors circulating in the Xiao Family Market to Jia Lie Bi.

"I heard that there is a shop in the Xiao Family Market selling a food called peach pastry. It can increase Dou Qi and is comparable to first- or second-grade medicinal pills, yet it has no side effects."

"It can increase Dou Qi? Are you sure this isn't a scheme by that fellow Xiao Zhan against my Jia Lie Family?"

Jia Lie Bi pondered for a moment before questioning the supervisor.

"It's true. I got the information from the Xiao Family Guards. Those guards sometimes go to that shop to buy peach pastries as well."

"Do you know the name of that shop, or who its owner is?"

Jia Lie Bi asked in a deep voice.

"It's called Ruyi Zhai. The owner seems to be surnamed Xiao, but I don't know the specifics."

The supervisor answered cautiously.

Jia Lie Bi muttered to himself.

"Surnamed Xiao... Xiao... Could it be a shop owned by the Xiao Clan?"

Jia Lie Bi assumed Xiao Cheng was a member of the Xiao Clan, but Xiao Cheng was not part of the Xiao Clan. They merely shared the same surname.

"Continue gathering information on the Xiao Clan. Also, keep a close eye on Ruyi Zhai. Inform me immediately if you learn anything important."

"Yes, Patriarch."

After the supervisor left, Jia Lie Bi tapped the armrest rhythmically with his fingers.

Suddenly, the tapping stopped. As if he had made up his mind, Jia Lie Bi summoned a member of the Jia Lie Family.

"Jia Lie Te, go to the Xiao Family Market and find Ruyi Zhai. Test the owner of that shop. Also, buy some of their goods and bring them back to me."

"Yes, Patriarch. Understood."

"Wait. Be careful. Do not let the Xiao Clan notice you."

"Understood."

Jia Lie Te turned and headed for the Xiao Family Market.

"Humph! Ruyi Zhai, Xiao Clan... In a little while, the Xiao Clan will cease to exist. Hahaha!"

If Ruyi Zhai's products really could increase Dou Qi, then he could simply seize them when the time came.

Not long after seeing Xiao Mei off, Xiao Lu entered with several Xiao Family Guards.

"Brother Xiao Lu, you've been coming here quite often. Looks like you're pretty well-off."

Xiao Cheng teased.

"Shop Owner Xiao, please stop making fun of me. I just want to become stronger too. Sigh."

Over the past few days, with the help of peach pastries, Xiao Lu was already close to breaking through to the Dou Zhe realm. He only needed the right opportunity.

"Perfect. Come here, let me recommend our newly released pastry to you—peanut candy."

"Peanut candy? A new pastry?"

Xiao Lu looked doubtfully at the new pastry beneath the Glass Cover.

"That's right. It's delicious, and its effects are no worse than peach pastry. Want to buy a piece?"

That tempting tone reached Xiao Lu's ears, leaving him uncertain and hesitant.

But Xiao Cheng's next words completely dispelled Xiao Lu's hesitation.

"You don't know this, but Xiao Mei came by just now. She bought some peanut candy, and after eating half a piece on the spot, she broke through to the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi."

Gasp!

Xiao Lu and the other guards sucked in cold breaths. It was truly terrifying—it could actually help someone break through a realm. None of them could remain calm now.

"Give me one!"

"I'll take two!"

"What's the rush? I want ten!"

Ahem.

Xiao Lu coughed lightly, signaling for the others to quiet down.

Once they had settled down, he got to the crucial question.

"Shop Owner, how much is this peanut candy?"

"66 Gold Coins. It's well worth the price."

Xiao Cheng replied with a smile.

"66 Gold Coins! Fine, I'm used to it. Give me three."

Xiao Lu helplessly ordered three pieces of peanut candy.

The others also bought two or three pieces each.

At that moment, Xiao Lu could no longer wait and ate a piece of peanut candy.

Suddenly, a powerful current of air erupted around Xiao Lu. The Heaven and Earth Qi nearby surged wildly into his body.

At the same time, Xiao Lu felt the Dou Qi within him frantically absorbing that spiritual energy. Gradually, his Dou Qi formed a Qi Cyclone.

Xiao Lu had broken through to the Dou Zhe realm.

After a while, the surroundings returned to normal. Yet the breakthrough's commotion had not affected Ruyi Zhai in the slightest.

Xiao Lu exhaled a long breath of stale air, opened his eyes, and said excitedly.

"I broke through! I broke through! I've become a Dou Zhe!"

Xiao Lu happily shared the joy of his breakthrough with the guards.

The other guards looked at Xiao Lu enviously. How could they not want to break through to the Dou Zhe realm as well?

Suddenly, their gazes burned as they stared at the peanut candy in their hands. At that moment, there was only one thought in their minds.

Hurry up and buy peanut candy to take back for cultivation.

Thus, the guards each bought another two pieces of peanut candy before leaving.

"Shop Owner, thank you so much. I never expected that I'd actually break through."

Seeing Xiao Lu's smug expression, Xiao Cheng could not help pouring cold water over him.

"Don't get carried away. The real reason you could break through to Dou Zhe was that you were already just one step away. The peanut candy merely sped up your cultivation and increased your Dou Qi, allowing you to cross that threshold."

After hearing Xiao Cheng's words, Xiao Lu calmed down and realized it was true. Thinking of this, he could not help feeling sorry for his friends who had just left.

Poor guys, you've been fooled by appearances.

After chatting with Xiao Cheng for a while, Xiao Lu bought another five peach pastries before leaving.

Now that he was a Dou Zhe in the market's Patrol Squad, he was in especially high spirits.

Sitting in his chair, Xiao Cheng was overjoyed as well. From morning until noon alone, he had sold nearly twenty portions of peanut candy. The efficiency was astonishing.

"View Personal Panel."

Host: Xiao Cheng
Identity: Owner of Ruyi Zhai in the Xiao Family Market
Shopkeeper Level: Novice Level
Realm: Ninth Stage of Dou Qi
Martial Skill: None
Items: None
Evaluation: You are only a fledgling rookie. You could be wiped out by a big shot at any time. Develop carefully, for the happiness of you, me, and everyone.

Main Quest: Have the host learn and become proficient in making God-Tier Honeyed Shortbread, then sell one hundred portions (66/100)
Quest Reward: Recipe for God-Tier Honeyed Three-Knife Pastry
Quest Failure: The host sings "Conquer" in the street
Quest Time: Seven days

Side Quest: Have the host sell one hundred portions of peanut candy (21/100)
Quest Reward: One random pastry recipe
Quest Failure: The host wears women's clothing for seven days and cannot take it off
Quest Time: Seven days

Although the new quest's progress was quite promising, whenever he saw the punishment for quest failure, Xiao Cheng always had a bad feeling, as if he would be dressed in women's clothing the very next moment.

That scene would truly be too beautiful to behold.

Just as Xiao Cheng was complaining about the punishment, Jia Lie Te had already slipped quietly into the Xiao Family Market and was asking people for the location of Ruyi Zhai.

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders of the Xiao Clan had gathered once again to continue discussing how they should cooperate with Ruyi Zhai.

This time, Xiao Zhan had intended to send Xiao Yan to discuss the partnership with Xiao Cheng, but the Three Elders had different opinions. Thus, the two sides began arguing.

Xiao Yan was still immersed in cultivation, completely unaware that he had become the main reason the elders and Xiao Zhan were arguing.