Ch 122: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

At Mount Baixian’s Spacetime Internet Café.

Jiang Yan sat at a corner computer in the main hall, tapping his fingers anxiously on the edge of the desk as he waited for his final escort mission to end.

When Tales of the Six Realms officially launched, the leveling mechanism was adjusted, making it significantly slower than during the beta test.

Eager to reenter the Mirage, Jiang Yan initially managed to visit the café every other day, but the slow leveling pace frustrated him. This time, he camped at the café for three days straight, his eyes fixed on the screen as he ground out the last few thousand experience points to reach level 40. He didn’t dare blink.

Once he reached level 40 and reentered the Mirage, he planned to again choose the Gate of Dao, remaining a sword cultivator.

This time, he was determined to cultivate diligently, strengthen his body, and improve his spiritual power.

At the café’s entrance, two disciples of Hengze Sect stood under the Bodhi tree, their expressions a mix of panic and uncertainty.

The young medicine boy shuffled back a few steps, hiding behind Zhao Qingming. “Second Senior Brother, this place is full of devils and demons. Could Senior Brother Jiang already be…?”

Zhao Qingming frowned deeply, his face also troubled.

When the medicine boy first spoke of Jiang Yan’s behavior back at the sect, their fellow disciples had chalked it up to excessive worry and paid little attention.

They had traversed Mount Baixian’s rear hills countless times in their youth, knowing every path even with their eyes closed.

The spiritual energy there was so sparse that no major demons would bother claiming the area. Only a few small spirits lingered. Jiang Yan couldn’t possibly have encountered danger there.

Still, seeing the medicine boy’s pitiful tears, Zhao Qingming had offered to accompany him up the mountain to look for Jiang Yan.

But to their shock, the sect’s mountain now hosted an unfamiliar establishment—a place teeming with demons and devils, protected by a barrier that masked its presence until now.

Inside the barrier, the demonic energy was overwhelming. Zhao Qingming hesitated, knowing they couldn’t rashly enter the tree’s hollow. They needed to return to the sect and inform the senior disciples and elders.

Suddenly, the teleportation array at the café’s entrance lit up, and three cultivators appeared—one from the Pill Sect, one from the Beast Taming Sect, and even a sword cultivator from Kunlun.

Zhao Qingming immediately approached them. “Fellow Daoists, please wait.”

Ling Shan, Jin Huaichen, and Xiao Yi stopped in their tracks.

Zhao Qingming asked, “Are you heading to the internet café?”

The three nodded.

Zhao Qingming was delighted. “I am Zhao Qingming of Hengze Sect. I’ve come to this mountain seeking my junior brother Jiang Yan. May I accompany you inside?”

Jin Huaichen replied casually, “Sure, just follow us in.”

Ling Shan and Xiao Yi remained silent. They hadn’t come together and didn’t know each other well.

Zhao Qingming quickly followed, reassured by the presence of a Kunlun disciple. With their strength, entering the café should be manageable.

However, once inside, the scene was entirely different from what Zhao Qingming had imagined. The three cultivators didn’t engage in any battles but instead moved skillfully within the establishment.

To his surprise, the Beast Taming Sect and Kunlun disciples even took out spirit stones to pay the attendant—who was clearly a small demon—for access to computers.

Xiao Yi opened his terminal and immediately headed upstairs.

Ling Shan spoke briefly with the attendant before being guided to a room behind the counter.

Meanwhile, Jin Huaichen went to the lounge to check on the little Tangkang.

The piglet had grown plumper recently and lay lazily in its soft bed, but it was still too weak to stand.

Nearby, the spirit beast egg gleamed with a glossy black hue, as though it was on the verge of hatching.

When Jin Huaichen left the lounge, Zhao Qingming was still standing awkwardly in the main hall.

Jin Huaichen approached him and pointed in a direction. “That young man wearing the same sect robes as you likes to sit over there. He’s been coming here often lately.”

Zhao Qingming followed his gesture and indeed saw a familiar figure. He quickly thanked Jin Huaichen and began walking over but paused to ask, “Daoist friend, what exactly is this place?”

Jin Huaichen raised an eyebrow. “An internet café. It’s a great place.”

Zhao Qingming: “…”

Cultivators mingling openly with demons and devils—how could this possibly be a great place?

Suppressing his confusion and irritation, Zhao Qingming navigated through the crowded passage to stand behind Jiang Yan. Gently, he tapped Jiang Yan on the shoulder.

The timer on the screen showed only ten seconds left for the task, so Jiang Yan ignored the person behind him.

Zhao Qingming frowned deeply and called, “Junior Brother Jiang Yan.”

Startled, Jiang Yan turned abruptly, his eyes wide. “Second Senior Brother?”

Zhao Qingming placed a firm hand on Jiang Yan’s shoulder, his expression pained. “Junior Brother Jiang Yan, your senior brothers and sisters have all returned to the sect. The young medicine boy said you haven’t returned for three days. I came to find you. Why are you in a place like this?”

Jiang Yan hesitated. “Second Senior Brother, I…”

Zhao Qingming waved his hand dismissively. “Enough. Don’t argue. Let’s return first.”

Jiang Yan tried to explain, “Please listen, Senior Brother…”

But Zhao Qingming, feeling the watchful eyes of nearby demons and members of the devil clan who seemed to be enjoying the show, grew more irritated and forcefully dragged Jiang Yan toward the exit.

Lu Yao descended from upstairs just in time to see Jiang Yan being hauled out of the internet café by his senior brother. She walked over to the counter and asked the young leopard demon.

Apparently, Jiang Yan had been at the café for three days, and the person dragging him away was his senior brother.

Hengze Sect would inevitably become aware of the café’s existence now.

Recently, more young cultivators had been frequenting the café, and Lu Yao contemplated expediting the development of the fifth-floor Mirage.

In the lounge, Ling Shan sat on the sofa with the little Tangkang cub snuggling and cooing on her lap.

Lu Yao entered with a calm expression. “So quickly done?”

Ling Shan pulled out a bottle of freshly made pills from her storage pouch. “The Hair Growth Pills formula isn’t complicated, and the materials are easy to find. I’ve already sold some, and they’re very popular. Here, take two bottles to try.”

Ling Shan hadn’t expected the Hair Growth Pills to sell so well; the café owner clearly understood human needs better than she did.

Lu Yao accepted the small black porcelain bottle, opened it, and poured out a few fingertip-sized black pills that smelled faintly of honey. She popped one in her mouth and put the rest away. “Thank you.”

After a while, Ling Shan couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Lu Yao’s hair. “Strange, it doesn’t seem to have changed.”

The ingredients for the pills weren’t expensive, but they were mixed with spring water and honey and refined using spiritual fire. Consuming them should make hair instantly shiny and smooth, with visibly improved texture.

Lu Yao smiled. “It probably doesn’t work on me. I just wanted to taste it.”

Seeing that the café owner didn’t want to elaborate, Ling Shan changed the subject. “Your café seems even livelier than last time.”

Lu Yao replied, “A new game launched recently, so there are more guests. I expanded a bit. By the way, have you ever tried going online?”

Ling Shan shook her head.

Lu Yao continued, “The game we just launched is very interesting—even the ghost officials are playing it. Want to give it a try?”

After the beta test ended, the four ghost officials must have reported back to their superiors. The next day, two more ghost officials arrived at the café, their attire and demeanor suggesting higher status than the previous ghost officials.

They spent the day gaming at the café and, before leaving, proposed opening a door to the ghost realm in the same manner as the devil clan.

Now, to the right of the café, beside the door to the devils’ realm, the gate to the underworld had appeared.

The ghost officials had specific timing preferences, usually arriving after midnight. They always came in groups (no more than ten ghosts) and left at dawn, as if prearranged.

Ling Shan expressed interest in the café but felt uneasy seeing demons and devils gathered in groups. Upon learning that even the ghost officials frequented the café, her curiosity deepened. “Aren’t you afraid?”

Lu Yao asked, “Afraid of what?”

Ling Shan replied, “Demons, devils, and ghosts are not the same as humans.”

Lu Yao responded calmly, “Perhaps to demons and devils, humans appear just as they do to us.”

Ling Shan seemed thoughtful.

Understanding Ling Shan’s hesitation, Lu Yao didn’t press further. She only mentioned that the Hair Growth Pills were effective and agreed to restock soon. Before parting, she also purchased ten bottles of low-grade Marrow Cleansing Pills, twenty bottles of Slimming Pills, and twenty bottles of Rejuvenation Pills.

Marrow Cleansing Pills in the Floating World Continent are a basic yet somewhat specialized type of elixir, primarily used to cleanse impurities, refine the marrow, and unblock meridians.

This elixir is in high demand, but its ingredients are highly selective, and the refining process is complex. High- and medium-quality pills are rare and expensive.

In the world of the shopping street, where spiritual energy is absent, the effects of Marrow Cleansing Pills are relatively limited. Overall, low-grade Marrow Cleansing Pills is the cheapest. After consideration, Lu Yao decided that the store would temporarily only sell the basic low-grade pills.

Bai Yi and Ji Qingyan finished their month-long course of Slimming and Rejuvenation Pills.

Neither of the two girls was particularly overweight—their body shapes were well within a standard range. However, they had gained a few extra pounds during the New Year holiday, eating more and exercising less.

After finishing the pills, they naturally lost eight pounds in a month, achieving a more balanced figure. Fine lines under their eyes and nasolabial folds gradually faded, and their skin became smooth and fair.

The store staff, initially deterred by the price, were astonished by these visible results. They couldn’t stop whispering in the group chat, saving up money to buy a set before the next New Year’s holiday, hoping to secretly slim down and beautify themselves to amaze friends and family.

These elixirs sold exceptionally well in other alternate worlds. However, Lu Yao maintained tight control over the quantity, allowing only three sets per month per shop. Once sold out, customers would have to wait until the following month.

Lu Yao also posted links on the internal VIP channel, where VIP customers snapped them up within moments.

Fu Chi even messaged Lu Yao, saying he wanted to buy a set for his mother but couldn’t secure one in time.

With the arrival of the Hair Growth Pills, Lu Yao sent a message in the group chat.

[Lu Yao]: Freshly arrived Hair Growth Pills—any takers?

[Game Team 01]: !!!
[Game Team 02]: How much?
[Game Team 03]: Me! Me! Me! No matter the cost!
[Interdimensional Internet Café Liu Yixi]: Raises hand.JPG.
[Interdimensional Internet Café Cheng Ye]: One bottle for me!!!

…

A single bottle of Hair Growth Pills contained thirty pills and was completely sold out in under five minutes.

Ling Shan emerged from the lounge, initially intending to return to the Pill Sect. She took a few steps toward the door but hesitated, recalling the game Lu Yao mentioned. After a moment’s thought, she turned back and headed to the counter to open a computer station.

…

Baixian Mountain, Hengze Sect

Dozens of sect members crowded into Jiang Yan’s residence, their expressions varied.

They couldn’t believe their junior brother (or senior brother), who had always been introverted and steady since childhood, would associate with demons and monsters—and remain unapologetic about it.

Jiang Yan was nearly in tears. “Senior Brother, it’s just an internet café. I’m not associating with demons and devils; I’m just… just… going online there!”

The senior brother’s expression darkened. “Enough. Say no more. For the next few days, stay in your room and reflect. When the master returns, he will decide your punishment.”

Jiang Yan: “…”

After leaving Jiang Yan’s residence, the sect members discussed how to handle the strange shop on the mountain.

Based on the information brought back by the second senior brother, it wasn’t just Hengze Sect’s disciples who had been lured in. Disciples from the Pill Sect, Kunlun, Jiujue Sect, Tianyan Sect, Beast Taming Sect, and even Chan Xin Sect were also frequenting that peculiar establishment.

The severity of the situation far exceeded what a few young disciples could handle. They would likely have to notify the sects directly to come to Baixian Mountain and retrieve their disciples in person.

…

Three days later, on the fifth floor of the internet café.

Lu Yao stood amidst an expanse of inky clouds, holding the Regulation Rod in her hand. She looked upward toward a long staircase that stretched endlessly into the sky, disappearing into the heavens.

This was the final realm of the Tales of Six Realms—the Heavenly Ladder.

The piece of World Tree she obtained was only about ten centimeters long, no larger than a palm.

After much deliberation, she combined it with Xirang. Through painstaking efforts, she managed to create the Heavenly Ladder.

Before officially launching the Heavenly Ladder, internal testing was necessary, and this time, the conditions for the beta test had to be stricter.

As Lu Yao pondered over the arrangements for the test, the Transmitting Jade Talisman in her pocket lit up.

The soft and slightly urgent voice of the little ginseng demon came through:
“Lu Yao, Lu Yao, the spirit beast egg is about to hatch!”

“I’ll be right down.” Lu Yao quickly put away the Regulation Rod and turned to head downstairs.

Over the past few weeks, the pitch-black spirit beast egg had grown several sizes thanks to the constant nourishment from spirit stones.

Jin Huaichen had even mentioned to her a few days ago that the egg was nearing its hatching time.

But even Jin Huaichen couldn’t identify what kind of egg it was.

It was like opening a blind box, and Lu Yao couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement.

In the lounge, Jin Huaichen and the little ginseng demon were squatting by the green cat bed, keeping watch over the egg.

When Lu Yao opened the door and entered, the two instinctively stood up and prepared to leave.

The little ginseng demon even tried to carry the little tangkang out with them.

Lu Yao was puzzled: “Where are you going?”

Jin Huaichen replied, “Outside. If it sees us first, it might mistake us for its parents.”

Like bird chicks, spirit beast hatchlings imprint on the first creature they see upon hatching, identifying them as their parent.

Lu Yao hesitated. “…Stay for now.”

It was her first time caring for a spirit beast egg, and having experienced individuals on hand seemed prudent.

Besides, this was an unidentified spirit beast egg. If something unexpected occurred, Jin Huaichen and the little ginseng demon would be better equipped to handle it. Translated on Hololo novels.

Jin Huaichen frowned, clearly thinking she didn’t understand. “It’ll be troublesome if it imprints on the wrong person.”

Lu Yao, however, was unfazed. “It doesn’t matter if it does. You both have more experience than me. Stay and help.”

Unable to argue with her, Jin Huaichen and the little ginseng demon reluctantly returned.

“Crack—”

A crisp sound broke the silence, followed by the continuous “click-clack” of cracking.

Lu Yao crouched down to look. The spirit beast egg had split open.

Fine, spider-web-like cracks spread across the black shell, but nothing moved inside.

The little ginseng demon observed, “It might be too weak and needs to gather strength.”

A few minutes later, faint rustling sounds emerged from the egg. Near the base, a small hole was pushed open.

Crack, crack, crack.

The crisp sounds continued. After another two minutes, a soft yellow beak poked through the hole, followed by a damp little head. Its beady eyes stared blankly at Lu Yao before it let out a tiny chirp.

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