He should have been panicking—he had no idea what remote countryside wilderness the Ability Store had flown to, and there was barely a soul in sight outside. If he truly encountered danger, screaming himself hoarse probably would not help; worse still, he had run into a ruthless figure who lived by the blade. Whether the blood on her sword belonged to humans or beasts made no difference to an unarmed man like him. Now, this ruthless figure was looking at him with clear hostility, as though she might strike if they disagreed on a single word. He felt as if he had suddenly found himself standing at the edge of a cliff.
Yet Chen Xuan was exceptionally calm at that moment, so calm that even he found it surprising. From the moment she entered the store until now, the smile on his face had not faded in the slightest.
"Don't mind it. We were in Tianlu Residential Area one second ago, but that doesn't mean we're still there this second... Just like how a river flows every moment, it's perfectly normal that I failed to notice the subtle changes."
He spoke slowly.
"As for what sort of store this is... it would be difficult to explain clearly in just a few sentences. But if you need any abilities, or wish to improve some of your shortcomings, then you've come to the right place."
"Abilities?" the young woman repeated skeptically.
"That's right. Would you like a cup of coffee?" Chen Xuan openly walked past her, as if he had not seen the blood-dripping sword behind her at all.
For some reason, a thought in his heart became increasingly clear.
"She is a customer."
And one of the customers chosen by the Ability Store.
No one who could enter this store was ordinary!
The young woman hesitated.
What she hesitated over was clearly not whether to drink coffee. Rather, the sharp killing intent in her eyes was no longer as aggressively threatening as before.
Chen Xuan ignored her answer and made himself a cup of coffee. Then he returned behind the counter. "If you still don't understand, why not ask yourself this first: since this store stands in the middle of the wilderness, why did you come here? It's late at night now... It isn't exactly safe for a girl like you to travel through the night alone."
He noticed that the store had likely appeared in the mountains suddenly, and that only its entrance had changed. Even now, the electrical appliances inside were still functioning normally, and the hidden strip lights in the ceiling had not gone out. This meant the building was still connected to the power grid.
And she had most likely been drawn here by the light behind the door curtain.
Why had it attracted her instead of someone else?
In other words, why had the store entrance appeared in some wilderness rather than a major city?
"Give every customer a warm welcome."
The first rule of the Shopkeeper's Rules surfaced in Chen Xuan's mind.
Put another way, every customer who entered this store possessed a value worthy of a warm welcome.
"Ordinary people cannot hurt me, and I had no intention of coming here in the first place." The young woman answered only after a moment of silence. "I merely saw two wrecked carriages on the road and followed the traces of fighting here. Only after I wiped out a group of bandits did I realize that I had entered the depths of the mountains and forest."
So... the fresh bloodstains on her sword had been left after she slaughtered the bandits?
Could such a thing happen in his country? Obviously not.
Then this mountain was not Foothill Mountain behind the residential area either.
"Someone was robbed... and then what? Are they still alive?"
"I arrived one step too late. Everyone who was taken captive was already dead." She shook her head regretfully. "Every one of them was covered in wounds. They were likely tortured cruelly until every last bit of value had been squeezed from them. The bandits never intended to leave any survivors from the beginning."
"What a pity." Chen Xuan sighed softly.
"Where there are people who murder and rob for goods, there are naturally people who buy and sell stolen goods. I originally suspected that this Ability Store was engaged in such filthy business, which was why I decided to come over and investigate." She looked at Chen Xuan again. "But you seem unsteady on your feet, incapable of even trussing a chicken, and you speak like someone educated in reading and writing. You probably are not with those bandits."
"Even if you suspected me, you shouldn't have suspected this Ability Store." He chuckled. "With the tastes of mountain bandits and highwaymen, there is no way they could arrange such an elegant storefront."
He finally understood why she had entered with such a cold expression, and why her gaze toward him had carried such scrutiny.
The young woman nodded slightly. "Indeed. The moment I stepped inside, I could sense that this place was extraordinary. Even compared with... the place I came from, it was no less impressive. But appearances can be forged easily, so I still had to see for myself."
"I understand." Chen Xuan took a sip of coffee. "Standing up for justice, drawing your sword to help others, and not forgetting to clean up afterward even after eliminating evil—miss, you truly are a person of chivalrous courage. But what I want to say is that the reason you came here was not because of those bandits. It was because of your fate with this Ability Store. Do you know that not everyone is qualified to enter? This opportunity belongs only to a fortunate few."
"Fate? Where does this fate come from?"
"From the doubts in your heart! You wanted to save them, but failed. Though you eliminated the bandits, you could not bring those poor people back to life. Perhaps you have asked yourself whether you did all you could, whether there was some ability that could prevent such things from happening again. For example, swifter movement techniques, more formidable martial arts, or even foreknowledge of the future to stop a tragedy one step in advance—"
"Can you foresee the future?" the young woman interrupted crisply.
"Those are only examples," Chen Xuan said patiently. "If there truly were an ability to foresee the future, it would surely be extremely valuable. This Ability Store is precisely such a place... a place that can fill the gaps and shortcomings in a customer's abilities. If you do not know what kind of ability you need, I can also provide corresponding consultation services."
Her eyes widened, and for the first time, surprise appeared on her face. "Do you mean that this store can treat abilities as merchandise and freely trade them to customers?"
"Correct."
At least, that was what the Shopkeeper's Rules said.
The young woman could not help falling into deep thought. After a moment, she glanced at the lucky cat on the counter, then looked up at the softly glowing strip lights overhead before finally speaking. "I do indeed have doubts."
"My name is Liu Shuyue. I am a Cultivator of the Lotus Cloud Sect. I did not introduce myself earlier. Please forgive my rudeness."
"Chen Xuan." Chen Xuan smiled.
"May I ask whether you are the shopkeeper or the owner?"
"The shopkeeper. You may consider me both."
"Mm..." Liu Shuyue seemed thoughtful. "But you have never heard of the Lotus Cloud Sect? This store's decor appears so ingenious and unique. I thought its owner must possess extraordinary powers and knowledge. It seems I was too arrogant."
Was this sect so famous that people trembled upon hearing its name?
"Fame is not worth mentioning in the River of Time. Perhaps one second it resounds throughout the universe, and the next it vanishes like smoke." He spoke in his most confident tone. "Of course, if you are willing to introduce it, I would be happy to listen. Oh, would you like a cup of coffee? It is a beverage that can refresh the mind and relieve fatigue, somewhat like tea."
This time, she understood. "The thing you are drinking?"
Chen Xuan nodded.
"Sorry for the trouble."
Seeing her agree, he took out a new cup and began preparing coffee. From that moment onward, he truly regarded himself as the shopkeeper of this mysterious Ability Store, while the young woman was his first customer.
"The Lotus Cloud Sect is not some hidden sect, so I have nothing to conceal." Liu Shuyue spoke with frankness and integrity. "It is located atop the Kunlun Cloud Sea, and its mountain gate opens once every hundred years. Several Lotus Cloud Sect disciples set out from there to travel below the mountain and choose one nation to assist. There are currently Six Nations in the world, so there are six disciples in total."
That description alone did not match any history Chen Xuan knew.
"You are one of those disciples?" He vaguely guessed the answer.
"Yes." The young woman admitted it openly.
"Are there no other sects in this world?"
"Not on this land. The others are either frauds who deceive the world for fame or evil cultivators; none are worth mentioning. As for other places, they are separated by the Abyssal Sea, so I do not know."
So this was a monopoly industry...
In other words, she was an officially recognized immortal cultivator. Her status truly was no small matter.
Chen Xuan handed her a warm latte. "Then what do you usually do when assisting a ruler? I suppose the sect must have trained you for that?"
"Of course. For the past decade or so, I have been studying such matters. They include conducting sacrifices, praying for rain, slaying Monsters, and comforting the people. The purpose is to avert misfortune and bring prosperity to the dynasty." She accepted the cup, sniffed it cautiously first, then took a small sip. The instant the coffee entered her mouth, her delicate brows furrowed tightly. "So bitter..."
Spitting it out would undoubtedly have been impolite, and she was already doing her best to hide her rejection of it.
But after only a moment, the young woman's brow relaxed, and a trace of surprise appeared in her eyes.
Clearly, she had tasted the latte's distinctive lingering sweetness and rich aroma.
Chen Xuan smiled faintly. "Are those the only four duties? But why do I feel... things are not that simple?"
"Why do you say that?" Liu Shuyue's gaze sharpened.
"Since assisting rulers involves matters of the immortal path, you are clearly the most professional people for the job. You should simply do as the sect taught you. Where would there be any doubts?" He analyzed. "But your attitude does not seem to be that way... When you mentioned assisting a ruler, you were clearly somewhat hesitant. Not much, just a little... but I would guess it has nothing to do with those four duties."
When the young woman fell silent, Chen Xuan knew he had guessed correctly.
Besides, it was not difficult to guess.
What was the most distinctive trait of cultivators? Naturally, combat power! From the fact that she dared travel alone at night and pursue a whole band of bandits by herself, it was clear that her strength far exceeded that of ordinary people. How could the rulers of a dynasty waste a "sharp sword" on such trivial matters? Once they possessed a sword, anyone could guess what they would use it for. Cultivators did not even need to be powerful enough to summon wind and rain. As long as they could serve as sniper rifles, they would be terrifying enough.
"I have indeed heard several seniors mention... that some Lotus Cloud Sect disciples also become involved in court affairs and forget their original intentions... But how did you know?" After a moment, she asked in confusion.
"If I did not understand even that much, how would I dare operate this Ability Store? You are anxious about the unknown future because it is a field you have never studied. Perhaps you wish to preserve your own integrity and take on only the responsibilities that belong to a Lotus Cloud Sect disciple, but some fragments left behind by your seniors suggest that sometimes, the course of events is beyond one's control." Chen Xuan spoke mysteriously. "Let me guess again. The Six Nations of today probably do not have much history, do they? They either came from the division of one dynasty, or several dynasties merged into one?"
"...Do you truly know nothing about us?" Liu Shuyue asked suspiciously.
"I truly had never heard of you before." Chen Xuan spread his hands candidly.
"Then do you believe this Ability Store can answer my doubts? Do you possess the ability to fill this gap?" she pressed.
Before you continue