"Wait, Old Xuan, is that thing even right?!"
Watching Xuan Zi pull out something that kept spewing black fumes from his Storage Bag, Bai Ran immediately took two steps back in fright.
This was bad. Could this old man really be a supreme elder of the Holy Spirit Cult? He had even brought out the Human Emperor Banner—he was not even pretending anymore, was he?
"What are you afraid of, Bai? With me here, a mere thousand-year Soul Beast can't hurt you. Besides, plant-type Soul Beasts are inherently less offensive than animal-type Soul Beasts."
Bai Ran: That was exactly why he was even more afraid, alright?
"So what Soul Beast is this, exactly?"
It looked like a fruit tree, yet it emitted black fumes. It was Bai Ran's first time seeing such a thing.
All he could say was that the world was full of wonders.
"A thousand-year Toxic Miasma Sour Orange Tree."
"A sour orange tree?"
Hearing that, Bai Ran carefully examined the fruit tree emitting black fumes, which actually used toxic miasma to protect itself.
Now that he looked at it, the green fruits among its leaves really did resemble unripe oranges.
"Old Xuan, I asked you to find a fruit tree. Even if it wasn't especially delicious, it should at least not taste awful.
"This tree's fruit looks incredibly sour. If I absorb its Soul Ring, wouldn't my coffee become even harder to drink?"
Espresso was already bitter enough, and now he had to add sour orange juice. The kind dozens of times more acidic than lemon juice.
One sip of that could probably knock out even a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast if it was caught off guard.
"But Bai, your coffee wasn't that good to begin with."
Having only ever drunk Iced Americano, Xuan Zi felt that coffee was only slightly tastier than an old man's foot-washing water.
Besides, high-level Soul Masters could shut off their five senses. As long as the effect was good, who cared what it tasted like? Just make it.
"You are not allowed to insult my Luckin Coffee."
"Luckin Raw Coconut Latte, the coffee I grew up drinking."
Bai Ran took out a cup of Raw Coconut Latte, handed it to Xuan Zi, and told him to try it.
"You had something this good, and you didn't bring it out last time?"
After tasting it, Xuan Zi did not know what to say for a while.
No wonder Bai sold more than twenty cups of coffee every day at the coffee shop in the Outer Academy cafeteria.
He had thought they were all clowns looking to try something new. But when he turned around, he realized that the clown was actually Xuan Zi himself.
"Old Xuan, you said you wanted coffee. Of course I treated you to an Iced Americano."
Strictly speaking, Raw Coconut Latte was merely a coffee-flavored drink. Things like Classic Americano were what truly counted as coffee.
Joking aside.
Bai Ran still looked at Xuan Zi expectantly, hoping he would introduce this sour orange tree that looked like it was cosplaying the Human Emperor Banner.
"As for this thing, all I know is that it's very sour—sour enough to corrode metal. This layer of toxic miasma floating on its surface is called Corrosive Poison Mist. The Corrosive Poison Mist of a thousand-year Toxic Miasma Sour Orange Tree can easily melt ordinary hundred-year Soul Beasts."
"As for what Soul Skill absorbing its Soul Ring might give you, Bai?
"It might grant those who drink your coffee a buff that adds corrosion to their attacks, or it might increase poison-type damage."
"Are there any other fruit trees?"
Bai Ran was not satisfied with these fruit-type plant Soul Beasts.
That Gold Jade Glazed Pomelo was good, but its age was too low. If it had reached a thousand years, Bai Ran probably would not have hesitated at all.
As for this final Toxic Miasma Sour Orange Tree, its age was suitable, but its effect was too lackluster. And the taste after being mixed into coffee was simply indescribable.
Bai Ran: What a pity to throw it away, yet it was tasteless to eat.
"No."
Xuan Zi touched his Storage Bag. There was actually a Ten Thousand Year Rainbow Watermelon Soldier inside, but he had saved that for himself to eat.
Besides, Bai had trouble enough absorbing the Soul Ring of a thousand-year Soul Beast. Asking him to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring was no different from asking him to kill himself.
Xuan Zi was not the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. He did not have the ability to make a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast willingly sacrifice itself to a human Soul Master.
"Looks like... huh?"
When Bai Ran picked a Jasper Creamy Peach and prepared to taste it.
A line of prompt text suddenly appeared before him: Eight-hundred-year Jasper Creamy Peach. Ordinary crafting material.
Recommended Luckin product: Fleshy Peach Coffee. Fruit coffee.
Product description: Plenty of fruit chunks you can chew, paired with extracted coffee liquid. The fruit flavor stands out while the bitterness stays low.
Recipe: One hundred words omitted here. Luckin Coffee employees would not reveal their own recipe.
Recommended price: 19.9 Gold Soul Coins for a large cup, 29.9 Gold Soul Coins for an extra-large cup. Standard cup: 9.9 Gold Soul Coins.
Effect (current): After drinking, heals most minor injuries on the body.
Thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him, Bai Ran picked another type of fruit.
Another line of text appeared: Six-hundred-year Gold Jade Glazed Pomelo. Rare crafting material.
Recommended Luckin product: Pomelo C Americano. Fruit coffee.
Product description: What makes a good pomelo? Time has the answer. Fresh pomelo fragrance, rich fruit notes, refreshing to the heart.
Recipe: One hundred words omitted here. Luckin Coffee employee: I could never tell you anything.
Recommended price: Same as above.
Effect (current): After drinking, gains a basic illusion-piercing effect, allowing the user to see through any disguise of Soul Masters below Soul Ancestor rank for thirty minutes.
So his golden finger really was Luckin Coffee.
Even exclusive custom orders had appeared?
Still unconvinced, Bai Ran asked Old Xuan to help him pick a fruit from the thousand-year Toxic Miasma Sour Orange Tree.
The prompt text appeared again.
But this time, it was different.
"A twelve-hundred-year Toxic Miasma Sour Orange, rated as the worst among inferior products. Recommended to sell to the neighboring Mixue Ice Cream & Tea to make lemonade."
Six six six. Bai Ran had thought it would recommend making fruit coffee such as Lemon C Americano, but instead it wanted him to send it to Mixue Ice Cream & Tea to make lemonade.
This was how simple and unpretentious business warfare could be.
"Bai, why are you standing there without moving? Did this fruit sting your eyes?"
Seeing Bai Ran stand still while holding that thousand-year Toxic Miasma Sour Orange, Xuan Zi thought something had happened. There was a hint of concern in his voice.
"Old Xuan, would you like to try coffee with a different flavor?"
"Hm? Bai, have you decided which Soul Beast's Soul Ring to absorb?"
Hearing Bai Ran say that, Xuan Zi thought he was preparing to absorb a Soul Ring.
No need to worry. With Xuan Zi here, no one could disturb Bai Ran while he absorbed a Soul Ring.
"No. If I want different coffee effects, I don't necessarily need to absorb a Soul Ring."
Xuan Zi: What was this child babbling about? He had controlled the toxic miasma, so there was no way it could have blown into Bai Ran's brain.
"Rich fruit flesh, overflowing peach aroma, plenty of fruit chunks you can chew."
As Bai Ran spoke, the eight-hundred-year Jasper Creamy Peach in his hand was peeled, diced, and juiced in one smooth process under the effect of Soul Power.
Finally, it blended perfectly with an Iced Americano containing more than half a cup of ice and a small cup of espresso.
"Please enjoy, a large Fleshy Peach Coffee."
Xuan Zi, who witnessed this scene, had already opened his mouth wide. No, child, are you performing magic for me here?
(Because Luckin Coffee has too many products, even if all nine Soul Rings were million-year Soul Rings, they probably still would not be enough to make them all. Therefore, the protagonist would gain an ability every time his Soul Power increased by ten levels.
Upon reaching Soul Power Level 10, he would gain the ability to increase his Soul Power slightly with every cup of Luckin Coffee sold.
Upon reaching Soul Power Level 20, he would gain Luckin-exclusive prompt text, expanding the Luckin Coffee Shop menu.
Upon reaching Soul Power Level 30? Your beloved Xue has sent you a team-up request.
...)
Before you continue