Make lemonade

Yang Cheng's ascension into the Body Perfecting realm was a mess. He was in his thirties, which was old for a mortal, and didn't have the opportunity to eat well for most his life. For the next hour after his breakthrough, he was constantly cleaning the foul sludge expelled from his body before it finally finished.

"I very sorry", he apologized to the few others that were inside the bath, "I'm sure this incident has ruined your experience of the store."

In fact, the four other men that were there were sitting on the other side of the room.

"It's fine", one man said, "It looks as if you didn't expect this either."

"Who could blame him?", a second man added, "If never heard of anyone breaking through at that age."

"That's very true", a third laughed, "It should be a surprise for your family though, I would say you look a few years younger now."

Yang Cheng had to admit that once all the impurities were expelled, he felt stronger now than his younger days. He used the rest of the 'shampoo and soap' provided in the bath basket to rid himself of any smells, and bade everyone farewell. He took his items out of the square storage box, which he found out was called a 'locker', and was once again shocked when he found his robes had been washed. The robes looked like the day his wife had bought them, and then he remembered that the package he bought included something called 'Laundry'.

Yang Cheng got dressed, and walked over to a row of mirrors where he took a look at himself. Just like the man said, he now appeared as himself but a few years younger. He left the bathhouse, and returned to the main store where Fang Shi was still sitting behind the counter.

"Owner Fang!", he exclaimed, "I need the wisdom of the your patron."

"Hm? Wait, aren't you Yang Cheng?", Fang Shi asked, "What happened to you?"

"I, I broke through to the Body Perfecting realm", Yang Cheng answered, "And I'm hoping you can tell me why!"

A crowd of people shopping in the store started to pay attention to the panicked Yang Cheng.

"Just give me a few minutes", Fang Shi requested, "I will try to get and explanation for you."

The puppet that watched the store came down the stairs, so Fang Shi headed up to his floor.

"System, what happened?", he questioned the entity, "How did a mortal his age breakthrough?"

'Answer: All beings have the ability to', the system answered, 'But most do not have the resources to do so. The artifacts or methods that cultivators use detect spiritual roots are inadequate, and often the resources required for most to achieve their step on their Dao is the first and last test.'

"So when Yang Cheng started eating the high quality rice and then entered the bath, he took that first step?", Fang Shi asked.

'Answer: Of course', the system replied, 'Often things are hidden deeper than what others are willing to look for. For instance, the system has captured the large spiritual vein that is deep underground, but that vein has a leak which formed as smaller spiritual vein.'

"Spiritual vein the town uses is just a branch from the larger?", Fang Shi was shocked, "How come no one figured that out?", Fang Shi didn't understand.

'Answer: As the system stated, beings usually will not look deep into something without evidence', it told him.

Fang Shi relented, "Yes, forget I asked, but why would the bath help Yang Cheng?"

'Answer: All the baths have some level of spiritual water mixed in', the system replied, 'This is the most probable reason he triggered a breakthrough.'

"Fine, I shouldn't keep them waiting too long", Fang Shi stated as he returned downstairs.

When he reached the main store again, Yang Cheng was still waiting.

"Friend Yang, I asked and I believe I have a satisfactory explanation for you", Fang Shi said.

The other shoppers who were curious about the situation began to ease drop again in anticipation.

"First, let me ask", Fang Shi started, "Other than the last few months, your food was mainly low quality products?"

"That's true for all the farmers stuck in the outer city", Yang Cheng replied.

"Then here is what my master said", Fang Shi remarked, "With the change to another quality diet for months, combined with the trace amounts of spirit water used in the bath, your spiritual roots were able to finally able to function."

"I had spiritual roots?", Yang Cheng was confused, "I was tested at twelve, and found to be lacking roots though?"

"My master said that everyone has spiritual roots", Fang Shi assured the man, "It is just that artifacts aren't sensitive enough to find them when they are buried deep inside. For example, you! You never had the food or support for your roots to grow, so they stayed inside of you waiting. Once you provided food and water, they finally could come to the surface."

"Thank you, Owner fang", Yang Cheng said as he bowed, "I have to go now, and let my family know what happened."

Yang Cheng quickly, but politely left the store, and everyone that heard the conversation also quickly paid for their items before leaving as well.

It didn't take long for Yang Cheng to reached his farm since he was Fang Shi's neighbor, but when he entered the door, he heard his wife gasp.

"Cheng, what happened to you? Why do you looked different?", his wife asked.

"Ji'er, the most amazing thing happened today", he exclaimed, "Gather everyone so I don't have to explain more than once."

It took a few minutes, but soon everyone was present. Yang Cheng explained to everyone about the events of the day, including the breakthrough, and the new farming products.

Yang Cheng's father, Yang Xiao, spoke, "So if we continue to eat this food and take baths, we can breakthrough? And we can also grow spirit rice on our land that lacks spiritual aura?"

"That's what they told me", Yang Cheng responded, "Honestly, I wouldn't believe it, but after today, I have faith in the Heaven and Earth pavilion."

Yue Ji, Cheng's wife, was worried, "It's still a lot of money. If we take the gamble and lose, we will lose this farm."

"Then let's do this", Cheng suggested, "Everyone has been eating the rice, so I'll take father with me next time I visit the store. If my father can breakthrough, we can feel safer buying the other products."

"Your father is way to old to breakthrough", Yue Ji countered, "I do not wish to offend you father, but it's already a miracle for my husband to breakthrough."

The old man laughed, and Yang Cheng continued, "That's exactly why if it does happen, we should feel confident afterwards."

Everyone was in agreement, and they soon sat down for dinner.

Unbeknownst to Fang Shi, word started to spread around the outer city about the miracle of Yang Cheng's breakthrough. For the next several days, the number of mortal customers quickly increased. On the third day, something happened that had never happened before, the high quality rice sold out. Fang Shi felt annoyed for the first time when he heard the chime of an achievement, because he was doing his best to placate the customers.

"Everyone, I have to inform you that our stocks of high quality rice are sold out", Fang Shi announced, "I will receive a ship tonight, so please return tomorrow if you wish to purchase. In the meantime let me direct your attention towards our other products that also have the same benefits as the rice."

That day, a few other shelves also were empty by the end of the day, and Fang Shi walked upstairs feeling tired. He took a look at the wall scrolls and saw some empty spaces before realizing what happened. He had bought more plots of land to build the bathhouse, and forgot to plant crops in the expanded area.

Fang Shi took a look at the daily report to decide what to plant in the open space, and then looked at the achievement tab.

He saw a new entry:

[New! I'm all out of F's to give]

He quickly opened it:

[I'm all out of F's to give

Sell out a product for the first time (completed)

Reward: Storage wall scroll. The storage wall scroll will store up to one additional day of goods inside.]

Ye Yu was hiding on the path towards the rock quarry again, but this time he had prepared for any possibility. Having failed to kill the courier last time, he went into his storage to pull out formations and tools needed to kill High Qi Gathering realm cultivators. He set up everything to prevent the man from escaping like last time, and had his best weapons ready to attack.

Ye Yu knew he had came here much earlier than needed, but he suspected that the target might change what time he came to perform the pick up. His concerns were unfounded as he detected the courier traveling down the path at the same time as usual.

'Why would you still follow the same routine?', he thought to himself.

He didn't ponder on this for too long, and sat back awaiting for the man to fall into his trap. As the courier approached the spot he set the formation, Ye Yu started to prepare to attack to complete the job as he brought a blowgun to his mouth with a highly toxic dart loaded in the barrel. The man with the mask stepped on the array, and it activated. Ye Yu shot the dart at the courier, and was satisfied when he saw it hit the target's shoulder.

Ye Yu stood up to go collect proof of his kill when he noticed that the courier was still moving in place despite being poisoned. He immediately became concerned, this dart should be able to kill any Qi Gathering realm cultivator within the same time it should take to drink a cup of tea. To his surprise, even though the courier was trapped, it didn't seem affected by the dart.

Ye Yu drew his sword, and prepared to handle the target with his own hands. As he went to take the first step towards the man, pain blossomed as he saw a sword tip appear. The sword blade extended from his chest before retracting back in, as his last memory was seeing a second masked man standing over him before nothingness greeted him.

The guard puppet stood over the now deceased Ye Yu, and scanned the area for any additional threats. Once everything was clear, it cleaned its sword, removed everything from Ye Yu's body, and dragged it off into the forest. It quickly dug a grave for the unfortunate assassin before returning to the courier puppet that still moved in place. With quick motions, it removed the poisoned dart from the courier and disabled the formation keeping it in place. No longer restrained, the courier continued it journey, after another successful exchange, returned home.

When the two puppets returned, the guard took out all the items held by Ye Yu and placed them on the table of Fang Shi's room. Later that day, Fang Shi finished his work and entered his room as normal only to see the items on the table.

"Did you make these items, system?", Fang Shi inquired.

'Answer: These are the belongings of an assassin that was trying to kill the courier puppet that responsible for visiting the Quarry', the system responded.

"That guy didnt give up?", Fang Shi asked, "I guess birds die for food, and men die for money."

Even though his face didn't show it, Fang Shi was pleased he could use an often used quote from the novels he read in his past life.

"So should I just hand these over to you, System?", he asked.

'Answer: The system will not accept these items', the voice responded, 'The unit is the Merchant system, since the items were procured through the death of a potential customer, and not by selling or buying, the system doesn't recognize their worth. This unit will reiterate to the host that he is a merchant, and not a warrior.'

Fang Shi wasn't sure what to do with these items since the system had no interest in them. It had already taken a needle from the last time the courier was attacked, and that needle was gathering dust in the corner of his room. That night Fang Shi went to sleep as he contemplated what to do with the items that brought him no profit.

The next morning, Fang Shi completed his normal morning ritual, but today he saw a new wall scroll decoration his room. He had accepted the reward for the achievement yesterday, and the new scroll depicted a large empty storage building with tiny people moving boxes inside it. He decided to go into the city because after some thought last night, he final decision was to sell the items to a shop there. He hoped to make something from the transaction considering he had to spend his own money to return the items to their pristine state. Leaving the main store to the puppets, he made his way to the outer city to one of the more popular shops. As he entered, an employee greeted him, "Welcome to the Blue moonlight store", the younger woman greeted him, "How can I help you today?"

Fang Shi summoned the needle weapon he acquired a few weeks ago, "I would like to sell several items like this, is that acceptable?"

The employee could tell the needle was a well crafted item, so she said, "Honored customer, can I invite you to a private room?"

"Certainly", Fang Shi responded as he followed the employee to a door far away from the normal store counters. Once inside, he took a seat as the employee disappeared and someone he guessed was a manager walked in.

Fang Shi offered a quick bow, and the woman returned it.

"Honored guests, I was told you have items of high value you no longer wish to keep, it that correct?", the woman asked.

"Yes, that is my purpose for visiting today", Fang Shi answered before he waved his hands, and placed a variety of items on the table between them. He had already burned anything he felt he couldn't sell, and brought everything here.

"Forgive my rudeness, I am Qi Meng, the manager of the first floor", Qi meng said, "After looking over these items, I must admit that these are very high quality goods."

Fang Shi dispensed with the pleasantries, and started negotiating prices with Qi Meng. After an hour, they finally settle on a price that both could agree on, and as Fang Shi received the money, he heard a chime.

It was an achievement chime, but he ignored it for now and started walking back to the shop. He was actually curious why he got an achievement, so on the trip back home he called up the status panel to view the achievement. The new entry on the achievement tab read:

[New! When life gives you lemons]