All good things must come to an end, even if it was Christmas. After taking them browsing at a floating ring with all kinds of fancy decorations and even enchanted weapons with crazy high prices, it was finally time for Caroline and Jason to leave and go back to their plans.
"Damn Boss, how can we make that much? And how to even earn those kinds of special crystal coins?" Jason shook his head: "And I'm never going to look at the world with the same eyes again."
"Well, just like ruby coins and sapphire coins, they're special currencies, only this one's slightly rarer. The best way is to sell valuable merchandise to those who are willing to buy, do some contract work, or be born into a family that own a couple of special material mines." Jianmen chuckled: "And don't worry, you're not missing out on much. The things that can be sold tend not to be unique enough."
"Hmm. I wonder how much does this cost?" Jason brought out his flask and asked jokingly.
"I know you're joking, but if you dare sell anything I give you for your training just for some extra money, I will beat you up." Jianmen looked at Jason and in turn Caroline with a serious expression and said: "But last time I decided I wanted to try and sell one, someone was willing to pay about five sapphire coins for it."
"Holy crap! When are you gonna teach us that?" Caroline was just giggling on the side when she heard the price someone was willing to pay for her flask.
"If you're interested, I'll teach you once you reach the fourth layer. It's really not that difficult, just that you need to find some good material." Jianmen smiled and led them back to a door, when he opened it, the door now led to the diner.
"And are you gonna teach us how to get here Boss? So maybe I can come next time?" Jason asked.
"Yeah. I'll give you a key in a bit. But fair warning: don't buy anything without a price tag; don't take any loan from anyone; don't eat or drink anything that looks and smells funky and be very careful with dangerous looking artifact shops. The rest of your money is good for a few things you like, but remember, buyer beware. Don't be afraid to use your power to examine things." Jianmen stood by the door to let Caroline and Jason through.
"That's a lot of things to take note of, can things really be that scary?" Caroline walked through the door first.
"Oh, it could be very scary. If you're not careful it can be the wild west. The rings I brought you to are the safer ones. There are ones where people can literally start a fight over bargaining disputes."
"Huh, sounds like a Christmas fair in my hometown." Caroline chuckled.
"Okay. Here." Jianmen walked over to the reception's desk, took two small and golden keys from a drawer and handed them to Caroline and Jason: "I just locked the location they lead to, just stick them into a normal keyhole and you can go through the door to the same entrance we just went through. "
"Thank you Boss, this was really cool." Caroline took her key and looked at Jianmen in the eyes: "The gifts, the… allowance and this shopping trip. It's really nice of you."
"Yeah, and thanks for sharing that story with us too!" Jason took his key and nodded: "I really appreciate it."
"Actually, before you go." Jianmen turned back and took out two glass jars of tea leaves and gave a jar to Caroline and Jason each: "I want you to know that - if you wanna talk about some things that are bothering you, I am here. I may not be able to give you straight answers because of - you know, complicated business with truths and all that, but I'll be here for you. No promises on the judgment on my part though."
"... thank you Boss, this is really cool." Caroline went silent for a while then nodded: "But I'm… I'm fine."
"Yeah. Boss, don't worry." Jason exchanged looks with Caroline, then nodded.
"If not me, I can recommend someone you can talk to. Kinda like therapists of the supernatural world." Jianmen nodded: "You don't have to answer right now. Just know that the option's there."
"Gee, Boss, I don't know what to say." Jason chuckled nervously: "Maybe..."
"We'll think about it." Caroline cut Jason off: "Thanks again, Boss."
"Of course. To be a good cultivator, one must not let the horrors one encounters the path cloud their mind and stifles their growth." Jianmen nodded. Overcoming trauma from battles and recovering from them were critical aspects of any cultivator's path forward. "Demons of the Mind" was a term commonly used to describe latent and unresolved past traumas, grudges and obsessions. If a cultivator didn't resolve their Demons of the Mind, or at least keep them in check, they would not only face significant challenges as they progress further on their paths, but they would also very likely be haunted by their these Demons during tribulations or other critical moments where absolute concentration and focus was required. Should this to happen, not even one out of a thousand cultivators could make it out of the situation alive. "If not me or a therapist, you can talk to Dave. He's pretty interested in stories, and you can count on him to not pass any judgment. "
"... sure. But our gossip will live forever." Jason smelled his jar of tea and made a satisfied sound.
---------------------------------------
"Oh, here you are again." when Jianmen knocked on Nan's door, Nan greeted him with the same cold, uncaring and slightly angry demeanor.
"Yes. Here I am. I bought some really nice beef and chicken for porridge." Jianmen raised the two plastic bags in his hand.
"Doctor said I shouldn't eat too much porridge. It's a potential cause of diabetes." Nan stepped to the side and let Jianmen in, yet her tone did not change one bit.
"I'll cook you anything you want.�� Jianmen nodded with a smile and walked in: "And if you want I can make you some nice stir fried beef or chicken. Or Szechuan style if you like."
"No. I'm afraid of the gout."
"Okay. Just let me know what you want to eat." Jianmen put the two plastic bags on the kitchen counter: "You want tea?"
"Yes. "
There was already some tea in the teapot in the kitchen - this was something Jianmen got for Nan, as long as it was plugged in it could keep the tea in optimal temperature. So he just simply took out a small teacup and brought it to Nan.
"This is old tea. Make me a new pot." Nan tasted the tea, then handed the teacup back to Jianmen: "And use new tea leaves, my are all old and taste funny."
"No problem. Coming right up." Jianmen nodded.
"When you're done. Come and watch TV with me."
"Okay." now Jianmen was surprised, for in the past Nan never made this request.