New Store Opening, Xun'er Falls Unconscious?

"Xun'er, come on. I'll take you outside the Xiao Family to play!"

"Okay, wait for me, Brother Lin Yu."

Wutan City lay in the northeastern province of the Jia Ma Empire, at the borderlands of the western region of the Dou Qi Continent. It was not a particularly prosperous city, with an area of roughly one hundred thousand square meters.

That meant that if he opened the store in the center of Wutan City, Lin Yu would be invincible within the city.

The system had said he would be invincible within ten li of the store. Converted, that covered nearly 78.5 square kilometers! In other words, within those 78.5 square kilometers, Lin Yu was a god!

As he thought, he held Xun'er's hand and headed outside the Xiao Family.

And so, two extraordinarily cute children appeared on the streets of Wutan City, walking hand in hand.

Lin Yu led Xun'er around, stopping whenever they pleased and eating wherever they went, having a wonderful time.

Along the way, many young women came over to pinch his and Xun'er's cheeks. So being cute had its perks.

Some even wanted to kidnap him and Xun'er.

Wutan City was not large. Compared to the entire Dou Qi Continent, it was insignificant—one could even call it run-down. Yet countless factions still had their eyes on this place.

Because the Xiao Family was here. No, a tiny Xiao Family was naturally not worth the attention of those great factions. What mattered was the Tou She Ancient God Jade!

Before long, Lin Yu brought Xun'er to the center of Wutan City.

"Brother Lin Yu, what are we doing here?"

"Hehe, Xun'er, Brother Lin Yu will show you a magic trick!"

"Okay, okay!"

Lin Yu stepped forward and covered Xun'er's eyes with both hands.

Shop Start!

The system's voice rang out.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully opening a store! Reward: 1,000 points! Please name your store!"

"Hmm... Lin Yu General Store!"

(Don't mind the naming. Names are the hardest, so anything will do. Hehe.)

A small store of just over twenty square meters appeared before them. Five crooked characters hung above the entrance. The interior was extremely simple: upon entering, there was a counter, with three stools in front of it. Everything was old and worn. If it smelled any worse, people might mistake it for an outhouse.

"This... is way too slapdash."

"Eh? Why is there an outhouse here, Brother Lin Yu? Your name is even written on it. Is this the magic trick you made? So amazing!" Xun'er asked in confusion as she tugged at Lin Yu's clothes.

Lin Yu's face darkened with embarrassment.

He scratched his head helplessly. "Hehe... this will be the store I'm opening from now on."

"Eh? Brother Lin Yu is opening a store?" Xun'er tilted her head and looked at him in confusion.

"That's right. I'll open my store here from now on. My store has anything you could ever want!"

"Really? Brother Lin Yu is amazing!" Xun'er's unconditional trust warmed Lin Yu's heart. Since you trust me so much, I can't let you down. From now on, I'll protect you!

"Of course!" Lin Yu patted Xun'er's head and said affectionately, "Xun'er, will you let Brother Lin Yu protect you from now on? I won't let you suffer even the slightest injury or grievance!"

Xun'er froze upon hearing Lin Yu's words. Blushing, she lowered her head as countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Was that Brother Lin Yu confessing to me? I... I like Brother Lin Yu too, but... we're still so young! What should I do? Waiting online, urgent!

"Brother Lin Yu, I..."

Before Xun'er could finish, Lin Yu pulled her into his arms.

"Kids these days are really maturing too early. How old are they? Meanwhile, I'm over thirty and still single. Comparing yourself to others really makes you furious!" a passerby said with a lifeless expression as he watched Lin Yu and Xun'er embrace.

Xun'er's mind went blank when Lin Yu hugged her, and she simply let him hold her.

Brother Lin Yu's embrace is so warm. Having someone willing to protect me... doesn't seem so bad.

Xun'er hugged Lin Yu as well and smiled. "Xun'er likes Brother Lin Yu too! I want to stay with Brother Lin Yu forever."

"Mhm, Xun'er, I'll never leave you!"

I need to hurry up and become stronger too. Xun'er is the young lady of the Ancient Clan. Without strength, how could I ever be worthy of her?

There was a saying Lin Yu truly liked: "No matter how deeply you've been hurt, the arrival of one person will make you forgive all the hardships life has inflicted upon you." Perhaps Xun'er was that person.

After lingering together for a while, Lin Yu released Xun'er and said, "All right, today is the opening day of our new store. Let's go inside!"

"Mhm!"

"System, the store doesn't have anything. How am I supposed to sell things?"

"Ding! Host only needs to silently recite the name of an item, and the item and its selling price will appear. However, Host cannot use any of these items! If Host needs something from the store, it can be exchanged with points!"

Just as I thought.

"How do I earn points?"

"Ding! Host gains corresponding points for every item sold. Ordinary items grant 1 point, low-grade items grant 10 points, mid-grade items grant 100 points, high-grade items grant 1,000 points, and special-grade items grant 10,000 points!"

So that was how it worked! I have 1,000 points now. Let me see what cultivation methods there are first. I've been on the Dou Qi Continent for nearly half a month already, yet I'm still just a pathetic Ninth Duan of Dou Qi. Even with bloodline and physique, without a good cultivation method, progress is still too slow.

If anyone else found out about this, they would probably cough up blood and die on the spot. Half a month, from knowing nothing to the Ninth Duan of Dou Qi—he was more monstrous than an unparalleled genius!

"System, list all the cultivation methods for me. Let me see what kind I can exchange for!"

"Ding! All cultivation methods have been listed. Please check them, Host."

Chaos Divine Grinding Meditation Method — 100,000 points (A cultivation method practiced by Zhou Yuan from Dragon Prince Yuan. Each circulation transforms the divine soul, and after nine transformations, the divine soul becomes indestructible.)

Immortal Divine Skill — 100,000 points (A cultivation method practiced by Zhou Weiqing from Heavenly Jewel Change. It allows one to live as long as heaven and earth and coexist with the sun and moon. Includes Immortal Divine Gang.)

Immortal Scripture — 100,000 points (A cultivation method practiced by Shi Hao from Perfect World. The strongest body-refining cultivation method in heaven and earth. Even if the body exists eternally and the soul is destroyed, spiritual awareness can be reborn.)

Flame Mantra — 100 points (A cultivation method practiced by Xiao Yan from Battle Through the Heavens. It can evolve by devouring Heavenly Flames. A continuously evolving cultivation method.)

He Transforms Freely Method — 10,000 points (A cultivation method practiced by Shi Hao from Perfect World. It can use the Dao Fruits of others for oneself and create avatars with powerful combat strength. Each avatar can further create avatars.)

One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones — 10,000 points (From The Great Ruler. It can create external incarnations, and each incarnation can cultivate independently.)

Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art — 10,000 points (From Shrouding the Heavens. It can devour powerful physiques to evolve the cultivation method. A continuously evolving cultivation method.)

Heaven and Earth Overlord Qi Art — 10,000 points (It uses heaven and earth as a dantian to store profound qi. As long as there is enough profound qi, one can steadily become stronger.)

...

"I can't afford any of them! I can afford the Flame Mantra, though. Forget it, I won't exchange for a cultivation method yet. I can just steal the Flame Mantra from Yao Chen anyway. Hehe."

Nothing much would happen over the next few years anyway. As long as I stayed in Wutan City, I was invincible. Besides, I had three Dou Huang Experience Cards. With the Asura Divine Sword, I could even fight a high-level Dou Zong.

Thinking this, Lin Yu gave up on exchanging for a cultivation method.

"System, can the things I exchange be used by other people? Things like bloodlines and physiques too?"

"Of course. Bloodlines and physiques will be provided in tangible form for others to use!"

There was even a feature like that? As expected of a system. It was simply an enormous cheat among cheats.

"Ah!" Xun'er suddenly cried out in pain and collapsed toward the ground.

Hearing her cry, Lin Yu hurriedly pulled Xun'er into his arms. He anxiously asked, "Xun'er, what's wrong?"

Xun'er did not answer him. She only clenched her teeth and trembled in pain in Lin Yu's arms.

Xun'er's face was flushed red, and her entire body felt like a blazing furnace.

What is going on? Could it be the Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame?

"System, what's wrong with Xun'er?"

"Host need not worry. This is a normal fluctuation of the Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame. It can strengthen her bloodline power. As her strength grows, she will eventually be able to directly control the Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame."

"This can't go on. I have to do something! System, what should I do right now?"

"Has Host forgotten? Inside the store, you can control everything!"

Lin Yu suddenly understood. As long as he was inside the store, even if a Dou God stood before him, he could kill them with a flick of his finger, much less a mere Heavenly Flame. He only needed to let Xun'er completely master the Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame now! As for bloodlines, he could exchange for an advanced one and give it to Xun'er later.

Lin Yu held Xun'er with one arm while placing his other hand over her stomach through her clothes, sensing the Heavenly Flame's agitation.

He gave a low shout.

"Condense!"

The Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame seemed to receive an absolute command and immediately calmed down.

"Merge!"

Another low shout rang out, and the Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame instantly fused with Xun'er.

Xun'er, lying in Lin Yu's arms, also calmed down. Her breathing was steady, and she had clearly fallen asleep.

Lin Yu stroked Xun'er's face and gazed at her tenderly.

"Young Miss!"

A figure rushed into the store and saw Xun'er lying in Lin Yu's arms.

"You..."

"Shut up!" Lin Yu interrupted before the figure could finish speaking.

The figure seemed to receive an absolute command. He could not force out a single word and stood frozen in place.

The newcomer was Ling Ying, the old man who had stood behind Gu Yuan several days ago.

Ling Ying's heart was already in turmoil. He never could have imagined that a six-year-old child could do something like this. He could sense that if the child before him wanted to kill him, a single glance would suffice. The aura emanating from this child was incomparably vast, not the slightest bit weaker than Gu Yuan's—perhaps even stronger. This reminded him of Gu Yuan's warning before leaving: This child is anything but simple. Try to befriend him, and do not offend him!

Lin Yu said calmly, "You disturbed Xun'er."

Lin Yu picked Xun'er up, flashed to her room, placed her on the bed, and gently tucked her in. Then, with another flash, he returned to the store.

Ling Ying was still standing there without moving. Lin Yu gave him an indifferent glance and waved his hand, restoring Ling Ying's ability to move.

Ling Ying panted heavily, still unable to recover from his shock.

Lin Yu said calmly to Ling Ying, "Don't tell Xun'er about what happened today. In return, I can consider helping you advance to Dou Zong!"

Ling Ying was stunned when he heard Lin Yu's words. Then he recalled the power Lin Yu had just displayed, and a surge of ecstasy rose within him.

He cupped his fists and bowed ninety degrees to Lin Yu. "Thank you, Young Master-in-law!"

"Hmm? You know how to read the situation." Hearing Ling Ying's words, Lin Yu gave a wicked smile, though it looked exceedingly adorable to others.

"System, if I sell him an Essence Augmenting Pill, how much will he have to pay?"

"Ding! The Essence Augmenting Pill is a mid-grade item and requires 500 points to exchange. Others may purchase it for 10,000 Gold Coins."

"What about the Imperial Pole Pill?"

"Same price."

Seeing Lin Yu smile, Ling Ying immediately felt that his words had pleased him. Excited, he bowed repeatedly toward Lin Yu.

Lin Yu smiled faintly when he saw Ling Ying's reaction. "Ling Ying, aren't you going to buy something from my General Store? I have everything here, including pills that can help you advance to Dou Zong."

"Young Master-in-law, I don't understand."

Lin Yu smiled wickedly. "Since this is a General Store, naturally I sell things. I have Essence Augmenting Pills and Imperial Pole Pills here, which can help you break through to Dou Zong. You only need to give me twenty thousand Gold Coins. Do you want to buy them?"

Ling Ying was overjoyed. He did not know what the Essence Augmenting Pill was, but he knew the Imperial Pole Pill. As long as one reached the peak of Dou Emperor, taking the pill would allow them to advance to Dou Zong.

"Buy, buy, buy! I'll give the Gold Coins to you right away, Young Master-in-law."

"Here, this is the Essence Augmenting Pill and the Imperial Pole Pill. The Essence Augmenting Pill can help you advance to the peak of Dou Emperor. Then you can take the Imperial Pole Pill."

Essence Augmenting Pill (From Mortal's Journey to Immortality. A spiritual pill suitable for Core Formation Stage cultivators that increases cultivation.)

"Yes, yes, yes. Ling Ying will remember." Ling Ying held the pills in his hands, unable to conceal his excitement.

"All right, remember your duty from now on. When I'm around, there is nothing for you to do. Whenever I'm not by Xun'er's side, protecting Xun'er will be your responsibility. If Xun'er loses even a single hair, you'll answer for it!" Lin Yu said to Ling Ying in an unquestionable tone.

"Yes!" Ling Ying felt the cold aura Lin Yu inadvertently released and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

"All right, leave."

Ling Ying bowed to Lin Yu and withdrew.

At that moment, the system's cold voice sounded.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for selling two mid-grade items and receiving 200 points. Total points: 1,200!"

That seemed pretty good.

Lin Yu flashed over to Xun'er's room.

Looking at the still-sleeping Xun'er, he smiled softly and tucked the blanket she had kicked away back around her.

It was already dusk. Lin Yu simply lay beside Xun'er's bed, crossed his hands beneath his head, and fell asleep.