Chapter 309
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Chapter 309: Opening a Store
"Contract No. A57."
Upon hearing the call, Wang Chen stepped forward and handed the magical token marked with “A57” to the cultivator in front of him.
The cultivator, clad in the standard robe of the White Tiger Sect, glanced at him and then waved his hand to unfurl the scroll: "Choose."
The scroll on the table was a magical artifact, and as it activated, it slowly unfolded to reveal a holographic image of White Tiger City before Wang Chen.
The White Tiger Sect cultivator reminded him, "You have ten breaths to make your selection."
Wang Chen didn’t need ten breaths; with a sweep of his divine sense, he immediately grasped the situation.
Without hesitation, he pointed, "I choose this one."
Wang Chen held three new contracts: two deeds to houses and one deed to a shop, with the latter being drawn first in the lottery.
Thus, he was now selecting a storefront.
The White Tiger Sect was not running a charity; the shops and houses in the core area of the new city and along the four main roads were not available for selection.
Wang Chen chose a shop near the main street, which was considered a decent location in the secondary tier.
The White Tiger Sect cultivator glanced at Wang Chen once more and then produced two magical contracts, instructing him to leave a trace of his aura on each.
These magical contracts served as the deeds to the houses.
After selecting the shop, Wang Chen proceeded to draw for two houses.
Both were located in the southern district of White Tiger City.
Though the locations of the shop and houses weren’t the most desirable, with these two houses and one shop, Wang Chen could live comfortably for the rest of his life—provided White Tiger City didn’t decline or get destroyed.
The White Tiger Sect had been quite generous to the original cultivators of Xian City, at least not making things overly difficult.
Unfortunately, Wang Chen had no intention of staying long-term; once he found his team by next spring, he was certain to leave.
But most cultivators had a different mindset than Wang Chen. They were thrilled to receive their new homes, eagerly discussing and dreaming of a bright future, their eyes filled with hope and anticipation.
At first, everyone had their doubts.
However, upon moving into White Tiger City, they quickly realized their concerns were largely unfounded.
In addition to a strong sense of security, the spiritual energy within the city was noticeably richer compared to the outside.
This was clearly the work of the formations.
The formations set up by the White Tiger Sect connected with the earth’s veins, not only providing robust defense but also gathering the surrounding atmospheric spiritual energy.
Living in the city significantly boosted cultivation efficiency!
Almost overnight, White Tiger City, which had once resembled a ghost town, became vibrant and bustling.
Thousands of cultivators eagerly moved into their new homes, and shops sprang up rapidly.
The harshness of winter did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm for starting a new life!
In the world of cultivation, many low-level loose cultivators are as resilient as wild grass; with just a bit of sunlight and rain, they thrive fiercely.
Though the White Tiger Sect had taken over Xian City, they also offered these cultivators hope and a future.
Thus, he successfully won the hearts of the people.
After the tent camp was relocated and most of their territory’s cultivators settled into the new city, the White Tiger Sect publicly announced that White Tiger City and its surrounding area of a hundred miles were all under the jurisdiction of their sect.
They governed a territory spanning a thousand miles!
At this point, the White Tiger Sect’s ambitions were fully revealed.
But who would dare to oppose them?
Wang Chen certainly wouldn’t.
Using the shopfront he had chosen, he opened a small talisman shop.
Wang Chen had previously set up street stalls, but opening a shop was a first for him in both this life and the last.
It was quite a novel experience.
Wang Chen’s shop had two floors; the lower level served as the storefront, while the upper level could function as both a living space and a workshop.
However, it was all just bare walls.
Renovation was a straightforward task; as long as he was willing to spend spirit stones, everything he needed could be gathered within two to three days, even the signboard for the shop.
Dust Smoke Talisman Shop.
“Dust Smoke” took the “Chen” character from Wang Chen’s name, also implying the idea of blending into the dust and smoke, reflecting his sentiments about cultivation.
Without flower baskets or banners, and without any fanfare, Wang Chen’s little shop quietly opened its doors.
All the items on the shelves were talismans he had personally crafted.
First-grade legal symbols.
To avoid disrupting his cultivation, Wang Chen only opened the shop in the mornings, closing it in the afternoons and evenings.
Although he lacked the professionalism of a seasoned shop owner, his Perfected Level mastery of Beginner Talisman Making ensured that the first-tier talismans he crafted quickly gained the approval of customers.
Word of mouth spread among the cultivators, and without any need for advertising, business naturally came his way.
The profits from crafting first-tier talismans were entirely reinvested into learning and mastering second-level spiritual symbols.
Wang Chen had already begun his journey in Intermediate Talisman Making, but the accumulation of experience points was painfully slow.
The reason was that crafting second-level spiritual symbols was far more challenging than first-tier talismans, with stricter material requirements.
Higher quality talisman paper or boards, better talisman brushes or knives, and superior talisman ink and ingredients were all necessary.
Even with the assistance of his Cultivation Panel, Wang Chen’s failure rate when crafting second-level spiritual symbols remained high.
Each failure meant a significant loss.
The cost of trial and error was steep!
Despite this, Wang Chen remained steadfast in his resolve, persistently investing spirit stones into his craft.
Getting started was difficult, and advancing his skills was even more challenging.
But if he could level up his abilities, the rewards would be tenfold, even a hundredfold.
Why not strive for it?
As the days passed, the weather grew increasingly colder.
After several heavy snowfalls, the residents of White Tiger City huddled indoors, and the streets, blanketed in thick snow, were eerily quiet.
Wang Chen’s talisman business suffered greatly.
That morning, not a single customer appeared, so he decided to close the shop early and take a walk around the city.
As he wandered through the newly rebuilt city by the White Tiger Sect, he noticed it was several times larger than the original Xian City, with meticulously planned architecture.
Wang Chen observed that the beggars and vagrants who once roamed the streets of Xian City were nowhere to be seen in the new city.
He wondered if it was due to the harsh cold or if they had been driven away by the cultivators of the White Tiger Sect.
As he strolled, he unknowingly ventured beyond the boundaries of White Tiger City.
Outside the city, there were numerous stone and wooden houses, built by cultivators who lacked the connections or financial means to live within the city walls.
Without comparison, one couldn’t fully grasp the disparity; compared to these cultivators, the city dwellers seemed to live in relative comfort.
Wang Chen speculated that this might be why the White Tiger Sect tolerated the presence of these “cowhide moss” around the city!
But what did it matter to him?
Surrounded by a vast expanse of white, Wang Chen glanced back at White Tiger City.
He was far enough away now.
In the next moment, he suddenly leaped high into the air, shooting forward like an arrow released from a bow.
Air Snatching Technique!
With his fists always moving and his techniques always practiced, Wang Chen had been diligently cultivating the Purple Palace technique and spells during this period.
He had reached the point of neglecting sleep and food!
As he soared, it was like a dragon returning to the sea or an eagle soaring through the sky—he raced across the snowy ground like a shooting star, his speed increasing with every moment!
