His First Storage Ring

Wen Xiancheng practiced Illusion Arts all night.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Wen Xiancheng called the elementary schools and kindergartens he had worked with before.

What Xu Junfeng had said yesterday had left him feeling deeply stifled.

He had to grow stronger!

And richer!

Only then could he spare Xue Ruigao some hardship.

And make anyone harboring designs on Xue Ruigao give up those thoughts for good!

Of course, he could not focus solely on making money and growing stronger.

For their relationship to blossom, they needed a little romance too.

But clearly, now was not the time for romance.

For the moment, making money came first.

Improving his strength came next.

Deepening his relationship with Ice Cream came last.

Money was the foundation.

Without money, everything was empty talk.

To Wen Xiancheng's delight, although he was turned down several times, two kindergartens still agreed to preorder textbooks for the next semester.

Wen Xiancheng hurried over to meet the principals of the two kindergartens, finalize the agreements, and collect the deposits.

"Wen Xiancheng, wait a moment!" At Red Star Kindergarten, Wen Xiancheng had just left the principal's office and was about to leave when a woman's voice called out behind him.

Wen Xiancheng would never forget that voice. It belonged to Sun Xinlei, the teacher who had helped him land his first deal with Red Star Kindergarten.

Over their past few encounters, Wen Xiancheng had learned that Sun Xinlei had graduated from university only a year ago. She still seemed rather inexperienced.

That was why she had been willing to give him a chance when they first met.

Wen Xiancheng felt fortunate.

Had she been one of those slick old hands, he probably would have been thrown out that day.

Wen Xiancheng stopped, turned around, and smiled at Sun Xinlei as she approached. "Ms. Sun, did you need something?"

Sun Xinlei was holding two cups of milk tea.

She handed one to Wen Xiancheng and said, "It's already summer vacation, yet you're still running around doing business. It must be hard on you. Have this cold milk tea and cool off."

Wen Xiancheng accepted the milk tea, touched by her kindness. He bowed to her. "Thank you, Ms. Sun."

Sun Xinlei smiled casually, then reminded him, "You're always so busy. Don't let it interfere with your cultivation. Making money is important, but don't climb a tree to catch fish. Remember, your goal is cultivation, not making money."

"I'll remember, Ms. Sun. Thank you," Wen Xiancheng said earnestly.

Sun Xinlei nodded, then took a somewhat tarnished ring from the bag at her waist and offered it to Wen Xiancheng. "I hope you won't mind that it's used. This Storage Ring belonged to my boyfriend's younger sister. There's a space the size of a classroom inside. Carrying all those books on your back must wear you out every time. Wear this. You won't fill up the space inside anytime soon."

Wen Xiancheng hastily waved his hands. "I can't accept this! Storage Rings are expensive. Even one costs at least several dozen high-grade spirit stones!"

Sun Xinlei grabbed Wen Xiancheng and firmly pressed the ring into his hand. "Enough! You're a grown young man. Stop dithering. It's not a new Storage Ring, just one my boyfriend's sister doesn't want anymore. Leaving it at home would be a waste. If you take it and put it to use, it'll at least serve its purpose."

Wen Xiancheng stared at the Storage Ring in his palm, his eyes reddening.

He looked up and forced a smile at Sun Xinlei. "Thank you."

Sun Xinlei waved a hand. "All right, go on with your work!"

Wen Xiancheng nodded firmly, put on the Storage Ring, and left.

Only after leaving Red Star Kindergarten did Wen Xiancheng turn back to look at Sun Xinlei's retreating figure.

She really was a lovely, kindhearted young woman.

I hope you and your boyfriend spend your whole lives in happiness.

After leaving Red Star Kindergarten, Wen Xiancheng headed straight to Xinhua Bookstore.

Under his agreement with Red Star Kindergarten for the customized autumn textbooks, the kindergarten would specify the books, and Wen Xiancheng would purchase them himself and deliver them before school started.

The price had changed to thirty-five low-grade spirit stones per book. There were five subjects across three grade levels, totaling two thousand textbooks.

Wen Xiancheng arrived at Xinhua Bookstore, settled the price for the batch of textbooks with the owner, left a deposit, and returned to his lodgings.

Wen Xiancheng was in a good mood that day.

After a whole night's effort, the Mouse Clone had finally coaxed the ten little mice out of the corner of the room.

Now the ten little mice were sprawled openly on the table in Wen Xiancheng's room, sleeping in a huddle.

Cookie crumbs littered the area around them.

To persuade the ten little mice to stay and become a little bolder, the Mouse Clone had sacrificed an entire bag of cookies last night.

When Wen Xiancheng pushed open the door and entered the room, the ten little mice did not stir.

Only when Wen Xiancheng came closer did they scramble up and scurry away.

The Mouse Clone remained on the table. When Wen Xiancheng opened a drawer and took out a notebook without hurting the Mouse Clone, the ten little mice let out a chorus of squeaks and tentatively approached.

Wen Xiancheng glanced at the ten little mice and shook his head.

So filthy.

Once the Mouse Clone gets a little more familiar with them, I'll haul them into the bathroom and give them all a wash!

Wen Xiancheng spent the rest of the day at home studying the notes of Zhang Lu, the head of Iceheart Hall.

The first ten pages of Zhang Lu's notes contained anatomical diagrams of humans, Demon Beasts, and plants, showing such things as the paths of meridians and the locations of acupoints.

In this world's martial arts, the human body had three dantians: upper, middle, and lower. Each served its own special purpose.

Demon Beasts actually had two structures similar to human dantians. One lay in the very center of the forehead and would form an inner core once certain conditions were met. The other varied in location from one animal to another.

Plants had meridians too, though theirs differed from those of humans and Demon Beasts.

According to Zhang Lu, knowing all of this backward and forward, as though it were branded into one's mind, was the most basic requirement for practicing Healing Arts.

Wen Xiancheng read through it three times but could not retain it all.

Just as he was about to keep reading, his phone rang.

It was Xue Ruigao calling.

It turned out that Xue Ruigao had finished classes and could leave campus that day. She was getting ready to come out.

Wen Xiancheng said he would pick her up.

Just as he stepped out of his room, Cui Qianqian called too.

Wen Xiancheng arranged to meet her at the Royal Academy gates.

When Wen Xiancheng reached the Royal Academy gates, he found that Xue Ruigao, Cui Qianqian, and Xue Ning had all arrived.

However, Xue Ruigao did not know Cui Qianqian or Xue Ning, so even though they stood close by, they had not interacted.

The moment they spotted Wen Xiancheng, all three women came toward him.

Xue Ruigao and Cui Qianqian called out at the same time, "Orange!" "Wen Xiancheng!"

The three women stared at one another in surprise.

Wen Xiancheng walked over, feeling a little awkward, and said to Xue Ruigao, "Ice Cream, let me introduce you to a couple of people!"

He led Xue Ruigao over to Cui Qianqian and Xue Ning, then gestured toward her. "This is Xue Ruigao, my fiancée."

Then he gestured toward Cui Qianqian and Xue Ning. "Cui Qianqian and Xue Ning, my business partners. Ice Cream, I promised Cui Qianqian I'd help make her the next Professor Liu Lanzhi."

(End of chapter)