Crescent Peak Trade Union

The sun glistened through the small window, shining light onto the small compact empty room. Niu Peng groggily rubbed his eyes, slowly waking up from his deep sleep. He turned his head away from the sun, but the brightness only gleamed more as time passed. Having incoherent grumbles from his mouth, he covered himself with a blanket and balled up more. However, as time passed this only made him to start sweating.

There was no source of cool air, and it was already nearing summer, making the room a pot ready to boil. Finally becoming too uncomfortable in the annoying heat, he spun his body towards the edge to get up.

Every morning the first thing Niu Peng usually did was look out the window as he got used to Chen Hai training in the yard, but recently he has stopped doing that, but old habits die hard.

Looking towards the window while having a hand on his round belly, he noticed the cake, then registering the events that had transpired the day before.

Seeing how the two cakes were each split in half, he knew that Chen Hai had tried the cakes he had bought for him, and he even left some for him. Going to the cakes, he grabbed the fork Chen Hai had left for him, putting a bite into his mouth.

Peh!-

However, the taste was very stale. He never had cakes before in his life, but he was sure they didn't taste like this. It probably tasted horrible because it was left out in the open for so long.

Knowing that its a waste, but on the other side remembering how much he had spent on those two cakes, he wasn't sure whether he should eat or throw away the cakes that have gone bad.

. . .

"Teacher! Where are we going to today?", Chen Hai stood in the shade next to Biyu Cuifen as the walked down main street. He knew what Ms. Biyu wished to buy for him, but there were multiple types, and many places to acquire them from. He was really curious on what she will buy for him today.

Leading Chen Hai down the street, they seemed like a perfect mother and son pair. The mom being really beautiful, and the little boy having the makings of a fine man. "We are going to the biggest store in town, only they will have the biggest selection and choices for things like this."

The store which she referred to was the Crescent Peak Trade Union. They were a mega giant within the business world, having stores that spanned across all over the continent. When one needed cultivation resources, they were usually the place to get it.

They were named after the famous Crescent Peak which towered within their headquarters. There were many fabulous places in the world, and place that Chen Hai will probably never have a chance to visit...

Following behind his teacher, eventually they arrived before a huge three story building. This was the building branched within this small city. Although three stories did not seem that big, in this small city it was the biggest building one could see.

Going inside the store, Chen Hai felt cool air hitting his face, it was so comfortable compared to the outside. He remembered that the home he used to live in had these air conditioners... These things were expensive spirit equipment. The current technology wasn't the most advanced, so some things were only functional by spirit equipment.

Spirit equipment were crafted by crafters who specialized in spirit equipment. They were commonly known as spirit crafters. They were one of the many lucrative jobs in the world, by only producing a small item such as this air conditioner, they already made more than what a common citizen makes in a month.

Of course this was not to say that they were rich, the materials required to craft each spirit equipment was ridiculously expensive, so only the ones who can make more advanced equipment were generally rich. For the ones who can only make items such as these, they actually lived pretty normal lives as almost everything they earned was put into buying new materials to hone their craft, and to make more of the stuff they can sell.

If Chen Hai ever had a chance, he wished to learn a job that related to cultivation, whatever that job might be. He wouldn't care as long as it related to cultivation. The receptionist seeing two new customers walked in, she called out to the pair to see if there was anything she can help with. "Hello, welcome to Crescent Peak, do you need any help in acquiring any items today?"

Going near the counter, Biyu Cuifen began to converse with her. "Yes we wish to buy anything that can help someone break through to the next rank, specifically the Spirit Gathering to the Spirit Condensating rank."

Thinking for a second, the girl at the counter started to ask her for some filters to help out with her choice. "Well as you know cultivation resources are always very expensive and limited, may I ask you what your price range is? Luckily our store sells things for the lower ranks as although they are rare, they aren't exactly exotic either."

"What's the cheapest and most expensive option?"

"Well the cheapest will be around 8,000 spirit stones, but I really suggest you not buying that. It really doesn't do anything other than speed up the rate one takes in Soul Power, it's not very useful to break through the next rank. Our most expensive option that is suitable for what you need is 120,000 spirit stones, but I'm guessing that one is too extravagant. It's only used for people who need to guarantee a break through quick as the other options are too low in quality to have a guaranteed break through, and one that is quick."

Taking a moment to help them digest the info, she continued her speech. "Of course there are better options, and even a little cheaper ones too, but that is the only option for a Spirit Gatherer as the other options are too powerful in essence, which would make it dangerous for the consumers. In fact, this one can be considered overpriced as it is only priced that high due to the high demand. The effect is honestly lower than the more powerful things, but it is the only one gentle enough for a Spirit Gatherer to break through the next rank, making the thing in very high demand."

Hearing how expensive the prices were, Chen Hai tried to stop her from buying. He didn't know how expensive these things were before he got here, making him think that although it was expensive, it was affordable.

However, Chen Hai had never even gained 8,000 spirit stones yet from the food business that he has done for these three months, and now the only thing which can help him breakthrough was 120,000 spirit stones? If it was this expensive, he rather just give up on having a good future than making someone he knows go broke for him...

"Teacher..."

However, Biyu Cuifen cut him off, and threw her bank card on the table. "We'll get the expensive one if we can get it today."

Hearing that she hooked in a big customer, the receptionist smiled. Although this wasn't exactly expensive in the grand scheme of things, it was a big fish for this small city. There were generally no sales of bigger items here because all the ones who needed them already moved towards the bigger cities. "Please wait here valued customer, I will bring it to you shortly."

Her figure disappeared upstairs for a while, and when she came back she was holding a small case that could fit a ring. "Ok, this is your item. It is called the Soul Gathering Pill, and is primarily used for people who are looking to break into the next rank at level nine. To use it, you just simply swallow the medicine and circulate your Soul Power. Unless if something is wrong about yourself, or you do not cultivate when taking it, than it is pretty much guaranteed that you will have a breakthrough."

Transferring the spirit stone numbers from the customer's bank card to the shop's swiper, she handed her back the crystalic card. "If you ever need anything else again, please visit our store in the future, and we will be sure to provide it to you."

Exiting the store with the pill, she handed the box to him at the front of the entrance. "Ok don't disappoint me alright? Now I have to work longer to provide for my retirement! So you must pay me back in the future! Haha!-", laughing at the end, she messed with Chen Hai's hair seeing that he was still looking at her with those complicated eyes. "Don't think much of it ok? I'm more well off than you think, plus this amount of spirit stones is actually very cheap for the future you can get in return, so make sure to not disappoint me little boy."

"Th-Thank you Ms. Biyu...", bowing to her, he silently remembered in his heart to pay back the full amount in the future.

"Alright I'm a head home now, make sure to take that pill as soon as you are ready! Those things aren't a single pop and you are done, they take time to digest! Days can pass by the time you are done cultivating the essence, so don't waste time as there is only one week left! Anyways, I'm a head home now, I want to get some sleep, I stayed up pretty late last night. I'll see you in class later ok?"

Watching his kind teacher walk away, he resolutely determined to break through the next rank, and not let any of this precious pill go to waste as he hurried home.

This was the last chance that he had, and it was a chance not made, but given to him from another. He had to make the best of it...