compensation

As Chen Yang channeled his fiery eye technique into the mysterious rock, its faint glow pulsed like a dying star. An image flickered into existence, solidifying into a majestic peacock. Its feathers unfurled like a breathtaking tapestry, each one shimmering with a kaleidoscope of colors that seemed to vibrate with raw energy.

Lost in the vision, Chen Yang felt a connection unlike anything before. Every strut, every flick of the peacock's tail echoed in his own body.

He found himself mimicking the bird's movements, his arms tracing graceful arcs in the air like a conductor leading an invisible orchestra.

His internal energy, the qi that fueled his cultivation, surged with newfound power. The peacock's light, a cascade of vibrant hues, seemed to seep into him, supercharging his senses.

He felt like a human battery on overdrive – a far cry from the usual image of exploding peaches that accompanied cultivation breakthroughs

Speaking of disastrous, his cultivation level skyrocketed from the sixth foundation establishment realm to the ninth, his core solidifying like a diamond under immense pressure.

Just as the energy in the rock sputtered out, turning it to dust with a soft poof.

A curious sensation washed over him as he rose. For a fleeting moment, a shimmering, iridescent peacock feather materialized between his eyebrows, the intricate pattern mirroring the vision he'd just witnessed.

Its vibrant colors seemed to pulse with residual energy before fading completely, leaving no trace behind.

As Chen Yang was meditating, Suddenly, the shop door creaked open, jolting Chen Yang out of his peacock-fu trance. He scrambled downstairs, wiping soot off his face in a desperate attempt to look presentable.

He saw Xiao Long and a beautiful girl at the door , with smiling face just as he was about to greet Xiao Long , a Jade like white, smooth hand fist connected with his jaw.

"Ahh... brother, what was that thing?" Xiao Yi yelled after punching Chen Yang in the face before hiding behind Xiao Long.

Xiao Long also pulled out his sword, as if he were ready to strike at any moment.

" Ow! there, young master Xiao! It's just me, shop owner Chen. "he stammered, nursing his sore jaw.

Xiao Long peered at the soot-covered figure, finally recognizing him. "Whoa there, shop owner Chen! You look like you lost a fight with a chimney! Someone mess with you in broad daylight?"

Chen Yang chuckled sheepishly, the memory of his disastrous experiment flashing in his mind. "Nothing of the sort, young master Xiao. Just a minor… wine brewing disagreement. Let's not dwell on it. Why don't you two come in? I could really use a decontamination chamber."

After Chen Yang disappeared to clean up, Xiao Yi nudged Xiao Long with a mischievous glint in her eye. "This shop owner is a few exploding peaches short of a full orchard, brother. You sure this place sells qi-enhancing beverages?"

"Relax, Yi," Xiao Long reassured her. "Shop owner Chen is legit."

Inside the shop, Xiao Yi ran a finger across a table, surprised by the spotless surface. The entire place had a certain calming aura, despite its small size and remote location. Everything was meticulously clean, tastefully decorated, and surprisingly serene.

After Xiao Yi  finished her appraisal of her surroundings, Her gaze then landed on the price list displayed on a tablet.

Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Five spirit stones for the cheapest wine? And a whopping 250 for starlight sip? Shop owner Chen must have been channeling his inner leprechaun when he came up with these prices!"

Just then, Chen Yang reappeared, his face now thankfully clean. "Alright young master and young miss, what can I tempt you with today?"

"Shop owner Chen, get me that jar of starlight sip; I am going to give my little sister a taste of the most expensive wine in the city," Xiao Long calmly stated.

" Alright please wait" just as he was about to fetch the wine , he suddenly remember about the expose wine . So he turned around and said, "Hold on there, young master Xiao. We actually have a new, uh, 'explosive' wine on the menu. It's currently our most prized possession. Fancy a taste?"

Xiao Long opened his mouth to speak, but Xiao Yi cut him off, her eyes gleaming with a hint of suspicion. "We're not just here for a drink, shop owner Chen." She retrieved 200 low -spirit stones from a hidden compartment and placed them on the counter with a determined clink. "We're also here to collect on that little… favor my brother did you a while back."

Chen Yang scratched his head, a furrow forming between his brows. He plastered on his best innocent smile. "Redeem what, miss? I'm afraid I've been a bit preoccupied lately."

"We're here to cash in that little debt my brother has on you, and redeem that stone " Xiao Yi stated, her voice firm and a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

Chen Yang's smile faltered at Xiao Yi's words. The stone they mentioned had become a casualty of his earlier research . "Ah, about that stone," he began hesitantly, wiping his hands on his soot-stained robe. "It seems it met an unfortunate fate already."

Xiao Yi's eyes narrowed. "An unfortunate fate? Shop owner Chen, are you implying you misplaced it, or are you suggesting you have no intention of honoring the debt?" Her voice was laced with suspicion, and she rose slightly from her chair, posture stiffening.

Chen Yang winced. This wasn't going as planned. "No, no, no, a misunderstanding entirely, miss! See, during a particularly... explosive experiment with a new wine recipe, the stone somehow found its way into my alchemy caldron. There might have been a bit of an overreaction, and well, the caldron… let's just say it met a fiery end. Your brother's stone, unfortunately, got caught in the crossfire." He gestured towards his still-smudged face for emphasis.

"You should have seen my condition when you walked in."

Xiao Yi studied him for a moment, her initial anger subsiding as she took in his sheepish demeanor. "If that's truly what happened, shop owner Chen, I can understand the predicament," she conceded.

"In that case," Chen Yang offered, a hopeful glint in his eyes, "how about a ten percent discount on all our wines today? Plus, a complimentary bottle of your choice!"

Xiao Yi shook her head. "Wine isn't really my thing, shop owner Chen. But you're still on the hook for that favor."

Just then, Xiao Long chimed in, a mischievous glint in his own eye. "Well, well," he drawled, "if free wine's on offer, why not sample everything you have, shop owner Chen? One jar of each, to be precise."

(Internally, Xiao Long chuckled. It seemed his little sister had a knack for negotiation, scoring both a free drink and a future favor from the shopkeeper. Perhaps he should bring her along more often.)

Chen Yang chuckled, relieved to have deflected the situation with a bit of free merchandise. "Alright, alright, young master Xiao," he conceded, "you win. Consider it a token of apology for the, uh, explosive situation."