It was late at night.
Fu Wen lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
It wasn't insomnia. A thought kept circling in his mind.
Oscar's Flying Sausage let whoever ate it fly at the speed of a Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallow for an hour.
And it could be used by someone other than the person who made it.
Wasn't this a ready-made product?
A short shelf life? Then they could contact buyers in advance and make and deliver it all on the same day.
Could only make five at a time? Then they could take the boutique route. The rarer something was, the more valuable it became.
If they sold all five sausages at a good price, they'd bring in a substantial sum.
Shrek Academy still had some money in the books, but it was eating into its reserves.
As the number of students grew, they'd need resources for cultivation, medicinal herbs, equipment—which of those didn't cost money?
Rather than wait until their funds ran dry before looking for a solution, they might as well open up a steady source of income now.
Fu Wen rolled over and glanced at Oscar, who was already asleep beside him.
That guy had no idea what a treasure he had in his hands.
The next morning, in the dining hall.
Flender was holding a bowl of congee and drinking with gusto.
Fu Wen put down his bowl and chopsticks and spoke up.
"Dad, I have an idea."
"Go on."
Flender didn't even look up.
"I think we could sell Xiao Ao's Flying Sausages at the auction house."
The table fell silent for a moment.
Oscar froze, his spoon suspended in midair.
Ma Hongjun had a bun stuffed in his mouth, his eyes wide.
Zhao Wuji set down his chopsticks and watched Fu Wen with interest.
Flender looked up and pushed his glasses into place.
"Sell them? How?"
"Xiao Ao can make five Flying Sausages at a time right now, and they last for one day."
Fu Wen spoke unhurriedly. "We can contact the auction house in advance and have them notify customers who might be interested."
"Make them that day, deliver them that day, auction them that day."
"The buyers can eat them right away or keep them as backups. That takes care of the shelf-life problem."
"As for the price..."
Fu Wen paused. "Start the bidding at two Gold Soul Coins, and aim to sell each one for around fifty."
"If all five sell, that's two hundred and fifty Gold Soul Coins."
"And that's only at his current second-ring level. As Xiao Ao's rank rises, both the quantity and quality will improve."
"Before long, this could become a steady source of income for the academy."
Flender set down his spoon and fell silent.
He was doing the math.
So was Zhao Wuji.
Li Yusong adjusted his glasses and was the first to speak.
"Wouldn't fifty Gold Soul Coins for one be too expensive?"
"Not at all."
Fu Wen shook his head. "Not even a Seven-Ring Soul Sage might be able to catch a Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallow."
"One sausage could mean the difference between life and death. Fifty Gold Soul Coins to save a life is cheap for wealthy merchants and nobles."
"Besides, it's an auction. The highest bidder wins."
"Fifty is just the starting price. If we're lucky, it could go for even more."
Li Yusong considered it, then nodded.
Zhao Wuji tapped the table and said, "I think it's worth a try."
"Those five sausages cost practically nothing to make."
"If they sell, we profit. If they don't, we lose nothing."
"Xiao Ao, what do you think?"
He looked at Oscar.
Oscar scratched his head, hesitant.
"I... I'm fine with it."
"I'm just a little nervous. What if nobody buys them?"
"If nobody buys them, we'll take them back and eat them ourselves."
Fu Wen said calmly, "It's not like we'll lose anything."
Oscar thought it over, then gritted his teeth.
"Fine! Let's give it a try!"
Flender glanced at Fu Wen, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
That kid had a better head for this than he did.
"Then it's settled."
Flender slapped the table. "After breakfast, I'll contact the biggest auction house in Suotuo City."
"Xiao Ao, take it easy today and save your strength."
"This afternoon, you'll make the sausages at the auction house."
Suotuo City, auction house.
It was the largest trading venue in the city, backed by Spirit Hall and known for its reliability.
Flender had gone in person. With his status as a Seven-Ring Soul Sage, the auction house's manager didn't dare treat him lightly.
"Dean Flender, this... Flying Sausage you mentioned—is it really that miraculous?"
The manager's surname was Gu. He was a shrewd, capable-looking man in his forties.
"Whoever eats it can fly at the speed of a Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallow for an hour."
Flender placed a Flying Sausage he'd prepared earlier on the table.
"Find someone to try it. Then you can decide."
Manager Gu hesitated for a moment before calling over one of the auction house's guards.
The guard was a Five-Ring Soul King who had seen his share of things.
He picked up the Flying Sausage and took a bite.
A few seconds later, blue wings of light suddenly unfurled behind him.
The guard froze.
He tried flapping his wings, and his whole body rose off the ground, hovering in the room.
His speed was astonishing, and he turned with the agility of a swallow.
Manager Gu's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"This... This is..."
"The speed of a Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallow."
Flender leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, looking perfectly at ease.
The guard landed, his face full of shock.
"Boss Gu, this thing... it's terrifying."
"I feel like even if a Soul Saint showed up, he might not be able to catch me."
Manager Gu took a deep breath, tamping down his shock.
"Dean Flender, how many of these can you get?"
"Not many. Just a few a week."
Flender didn't tell him the truth. He held up two fingers. "The rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes."
"And they only last a day, so they have to be made and auctioned off on the same day."
"So here's what I want: notify customers who might be interested in advance and have them come bid."
Manager Gu nodded repeatedly.
"No problem, no problem! These will sell like hotcakes!"
"What price do you have in mind?"
"Start the bidding at two Gold Soul Coins, with no upper limit."
Flender stood up and patted Manager Gu on the shoulder.
"This afternoon, I'll have my student make them here. You arrange the auction."
"Absolutely!"
Manager Gu personally escorted Flender to the door.
That afternoon, at the auction house.
Oscar stood backstage, his palms slick with sweat.
"Brother Wen, I'm nervous."
"What are you nervous about?"
Fu Wen leaned against the wall, his expression calm. "You're not going onstage to fight."
"You're just making a sausage. Once you're done, you can leave."
"What if nobody buys it?"
"Then we'll take it back."
Fu Wen glanced at him. "It's not like you'll lose anything."
Oscar took a deep breath and nodded.
"Honored guests, today's auction house has a special lot."
Manager Gu stood on the stage, smiling.
"It's not a Soul Bone, a medicinal herb, or a weapon."
"But it can save your life."
The people below grew interested.
"What could be so miraculous?"
someone shouted.
Manager Gu didn't keep them in suspense. He went straight to the point:
"Flying Sausage. Whoever eats it can fly at the speed of a Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallow for one hour."
"Everyone here should know how fast a Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallow is."
"Even a nine-ring Titled Douluo might not be able to catch it."
"That's why I say it can save your life."
Before you continue