Brocade Robe

Yang Wen still had three spirit crystals after each person had spent one at the vending machine. Before eating the food from the vending machine, he had been skeptical that the stuff being sold here would be worth spirit crystals, but now he was convinced. He decided to trust that the clothing store would have something on the same level as the vending machine.

Yang Wen and the others curiously entered the clothing store, not quite sure what to expect. As soon as Yang Wen and the others entered through the doors, they felt their consciousness go blank for a moment.

When Yang Wen and the others came back to their senses, they were alone in a small room. Bolts of cloth and wooden mannequins wearing clothing that was in the process of being made were pushed to the edges of the room. It looked like the workshop of a tailor or seamstress.

In the center of the room was a mannequin with the same rough dimensions as Yang Wen. The mannequin had no clothing on it but it did have many translucent squares of light on either side of it.

When Yang Wen walked up to it, he noticed images of different clothing items were shown on the screens of light. His eyes lit up as he realized that these screens of light functioned similarly to the vending machines.

Reaching out, Yang Wen pressed different images on each screen of light. With every image he touched, a different piece of clothing would appear on the mannequin. Each screen of light corresponded to a different article of clothing and had many options.

Yang Wen swiped through different options and slowly mixed and matched different articles until he had a complete outfit.

"Amazing! I have never seen any brocade this detailed before." Yang Wen rubbed the fabric and marveled at its texture.

"I'll buy this outfit!" Yang Wen looked around for a place to put his spirit stone and a smaller screen popped up in front of the mannequin.

Yang Wen's face stiffened as he read what was on the screen.

[Fifteen spirit crystals]

Yang Wen stared in disbelief at the price for one outfit for quite some time before sighing.

"How much for just the upper robe?"

The screen flashed once and the number on it updated.

[Three spirit crystals]

——

Yang Wen emerged from the clothing store wearing a brocade robe with an empty feeling in his heart and wallet.

The remaining cultivators gathered around discussing the clothing in the store.

"The clothing is beautiful but do you think it has a special effect like the food from the vending machine?"

"It has to, doesn't it? Otherwise, the price is too high."

Yang Wen quietly looked down at the robe he was wearing. It had to have a special effect, right?

"One can only master so many things. If Senior Lin can make food at such a high level, can he also make clothing at such a level?"

"Of course, it has a special effect! We just have to find out what it is!" Yang Wen interrupted, trying to drown out the pain in his heart. "Senior Lin's products are all top quality! You shouldn't doubt such a peerless expert."

Everyone looked over as Lin Feng emerged from the store with Mei while wearing a new outfit. No longer was he wearing those strange clothes from before.

"Senior Lin, might I ask you what special effect this robe has?"

Lin Feng stopped as he tried to think of how to answer this question. He had no idea what effect these clothes had, the system just said it was a clothing store. To be perfectly honest, he didn't even know the vending machine food was special until Mei said something. The extra effects didn't seem to work for him.

Lin Feng felt it was probably a bad idea for people to know how little control he had over all this.

"That's something for you to find out for yourself."

"…," Yang Wen felt quite stifled as he angrily scolded Lin Feng in his heart.

You told us what the food did nearly as soon as we bought it. Now you refuse to tell me what the clothing does after I've already spent the rest of my money? What kind of customer service is this?

Lin Feng didn't know what Yang Wen was thinking, but, if he did, he wouldn't care. At this point, Lin Feng just wanted to go look through the system to find anything else new now that he finally had customers. He hurriedly found a reason to say goodbye.

"Well, there are no other shops here at the moment, so I'll leave you to explore on your own. You're welcome to come to the mall anytime. We're open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week!"

"Check back in often for new products!" Mei happily interjected.

With that, Lin Feng and Mei walked away, leaving their new customers feeling quite awkward.

Before they had eaten the vending machine food, they had wished more than anything to leave. They have even been bullied into taking out the riches of Yashan city's city lord. Now, they didn't want to leave at all, the shopping mall had turned out to be too wondrous. They didn't know if they should be aggrieved or grateful, it was an odd feeling. Unfortunately, they didn't have any money.

"I have to urgently report this matter to the imperial court. I'll be leaving first!" Wang Mu remembered he was not here for pleasure and hurried away. "I'm sure we'll meet again soon!" He called out as he left.

As the others slowly began to walk toward the exit, Chen Rong slowed to a stop.

"I… am going to stay." He said hesitantly after thinking for a minute.

The others looked at him in surprise. He was the weakest one here, one would think he would be eager to get to safety.

Although, after thinking about it for a moment, they were all equally weak compared to Lin Feng, so maybe strength didn't matter. Chen Rong also hadn't spent those couple hours walking on eggshells while waiting for spirit crystals. He did not feel as stifled as everyone else.

Chen Longhui looked concerned.

"Young master, your grandfather sent me to keep you safe. It would be better if you returned home."

"I think being here is safe. Senior Lin is so strong that Yashan city is probably less safe than this shopping mall. I think, as long as I don't touch Senior Lin's bottom line, I might be safer here than in Yashan city."

Chen Longhui grimaced.

"To be in the king's company is tantamount to living with a tiger. If you stay with these powerful figures, you will always risk making them angry. What benefit is there to staying here? We don't have any spirit crystals, young master."

"It's not only the products that are valuable here, uncle." Chen Rong shook his head. "The spiritual energy is so thick! Cultivating here is a thousand times more valuable than cultivating in the Spirit Gathering Array at home. Senior Lin says this is a place for shopping, open all the time. He doesn't mind people being here."

Chen Longhui sighed with a difficult look on his face.

"Very well, young master. I will go back and inform the Chen family about Senior Lin and his shopping mall. Do your best to avoid Senior Lin and Senior Mei. The family will send some people to accompany you and investigate these shops more soon."

——

Lin Feng had walked away from the entrance, toward the back of the room, and was unaware of the conversation currently taking place and Chen Rong's decision at this time.

Lin Feng was more concerned now with exploring the new options he had with the system—as well as making himself a private room.

Now that customers were showing up, hopefully regularly, he couldn't use the entire mall as his private abode any longer. That meant no more taking baths in the water fountain or sleeping wherever he felt like.

Lin Feng just hoped that seven system points were enough to buy some furniture. Lin Feng would love to stop sleeping on stone benches and the floor.