Chapter 98: The World Is So Big

Whenever Huo Chong encountered matters that required prudent consideration before rendering a decision, he would retreat to his study and leaf through the ancient texts that had accumulated within the room over the years.

Inside the study, Huo Chong regarded his son with a placid gaze: "My position will invariably be passed down to you in the future; sitting in this seat, one must weigh every single matter against the single word, 'profit'."

Even as he turned the pages of the ancient tome upon the desk, he spoke: "When the profit is sufficient, one may strike. However... this time it is Pang Rulie who approaches us with a plea, so it is naturally impossible for us to agree so easily."

"Then what must be done?" the young man standing before the desk inquired. "Father, did we not also harbor quite a few designs upon that small shop ourselves?"

Just as Pang Rulie had claimed, regarding such a peculiar little shop with a profoundly unfathomable cultivator presiding over it and all manner of novel games, Huo Chong had in truth been keeping a watchful eye on it for some time.

For instance, after the incident where Xiao Yulv was thrown out for the first time, those who were dispatched to test the waters included their own men.

"That little shop, regardless of whether the presiding cultivator takes action or not, is not so easily dealt with," Huo Chong remarked indifferently. "Otherwise, why do you think I have remained a silent observer for so long?"

"Then could it be that we reject the offer?" the young man asked in bewilderment.

"Reject? Why should we reject?" Huo Chong scoffed.

"Then we..."

"Profit," Huo Chong smiled, "It is still about profit. Since it is he who has a request for me, we can demand sufficient profit. As long as the profit suffices, we may partake."

...

A maidservant handed over a letter, and immediately afterward, leaned in to whisper something into Pang Rulie’s ear.

A faint shadow of delight seemed to cross Pang Rulie's countenance.

"What did you say?" Pang Rulie suddenly slapped his thigh, rising from his seat as he burst into hearty laughter. "You say someone drank too much and threw a drunken tantrum at the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion, even accidentally vomiting onto their master's shoes?"

With such things, even a crude man like Pang Rulie, should he be touched by even a speck of it, would inevitably shatter that person's teeth on the spot!

Furthermore, it was rumored that the master of the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion was actually a woman!

"Precisely!" A distinct gleam of joy also shone within the maidservant's eyes. "Most importantly, that customer who threw the drunken tantrum seemed to have just finished playing games at the Origin Shop. As a result, almost everyone at the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion who was discussing that game while drinking incurred their wrath and was driven out on the spot!"

Originally, there were quite a few players discussing games within the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion. Ever since Haagen-Dazs and Sprite appeared in Fang Qi’s shop, many customers would compare the two items to the fine wine and pastries of the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion.

Whether they cared or not, anyone would find their mood souring upon hearing that the carefully crafted wine and pastries of their own establishment could not even compare to a small shop opened by a commoner.

And now that such an incident had broken out, ill will naturally germinated!

To think there could be such a stroke of good fortune?! Pang Rulie's eyes instantly lit up; was this not heaven itself aiding him?!

As long as this matter was manipulated just a bit further... even if the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion refused to cooperate with him, a grievance would still be firmly established with Fang Qi's small shop!

Originally, Pang Rulie believed that bleeding a little this time to pull Huo Chong into the same alignment was already quite a fine outcome.

He had not expected the direction of events to unfold in a manner that was far better than he had anticipated!

...

"A foul mood, drinking, a drunken tantrum... you truly managed to pull this off without leaving a trace..."

In the courtyard, Ji Wuyou toyed with the bronze wine goblet in his hand, the ripples within the cup reflecting the fractured fragments of the moonlight.

He was ever unhurried, for he always stood behind the scenes; many matters did not require his personal intervention.

Indeed, given the circumstances at the time, most of the players from Fang Qi’s shop were in a foul mood, so running to the Qingfeng Mingyue Pavilion to drink was entirely normal.

With so many people drinking, it was even more normal for one or two who could not hold their liquor to throw a tantrum.

"Merely a convenient stroke along the way," the figure in the darkness remarked indifferently.

Ordinarily, matters could naturally not be so coincidental, but it was a different story when someone was fanning the flames.

"Next, they should make quite a racket on their side. Let them fuss for now; we need not concern ourselves. This state of affairs happens to be perfect for conducting our own business." Ji Wuyou drained the fine wine within the goblet in a single draught!

The fire he had kindled was already quite sufficient.

...

"Achoo! Achoo!" Fang Qi removed the virtual headset and let out several sneezes in succession.

"Who is missing me this much?" Fang Qi gave a great stretch; at this hour, it was just about time to close up.

Upon walking over to the counter, he found the little girl with her head buried in the crook of her arms, slumped over the desk.

Fang Qi immediately rapped on the tabletop: "Sleeping is strictly forbidden during working hours, otherwise wages will be docked."

Jiang Xiaoyue raised her head instantly, only to reveal a pair of tearful eyes gazing at Fang Qi with utmost grievance, her entire face already cried into a mess like a tabby cat.

Fang Qi froze for a good while: "I say, it's just a game. You haven't even played it yourself, you just watched from the side, is it really worth all this?"

"One day, this young lady will get to play it!" Jiang Xiaoyue pouted her small lips.

"Then you ought to work even harder to please the boss." Fang Qi pointed at the storefront opposite them, "Seeing as the shop was expanded today, the cleaning of the opposite side falls to you. Wash your face and get over there quickly."

Jiang Xiaoyue: "..."

"Are human bosses every bit as black-hearted as this?!" Jiang Xiaoyue stomped toward the opposite side in a huff, feeling that they could no longer get along properly!

Concluding a day of gaming, Fang Qi also felt a slight touch of exhaustion. The high-intensity combat coupled with long hours of practice had nevertheless allowed his mastery over various skills to become much more familiar, and he himself had naturally attained some elevation.

"Sword-riding flight..." Fang Qi's gaze pierced through the shop doors, looking out toward the sky beyond. The sky was high and the earth vast, yet what he beheld was merely a tiny corner of this world.

His vision was confined only to a small portion of the entire city. Even the neighboring Yanhai City was something he had merely heard Ye Xiaoye and the others mention, let alone places like the Liuyun Daoist Palace, the various sects of the South Sea, the Imperial Capital, or even further realms.

His understanding of cultivators and martial artists was likewise limited to the Lingyun Academy and the great aristocratic clans.

Even regarding the echelons of martial artists, he perhaps still did not know what realm Nalan Hongwu truly occupied.

A gradually expanding shop was his everything.

At this moment, Fang Qi actually began to comprehend a little of what sort of sentiment lay behind the thought: "The world is so big, I want to go and see it."

Yet for now, pondering over such distant matters was of little use; after all, focusing on the present was the proper course.

Fang Qi, who was tidying up the shop's cleanliness, knew very clearly what he ought to do.

Fang Qi let out a heavy yawn, his eyelids drooping as he muttered softly to himself: "Well, after practicing skills for a whole day, it's time to sleep."