Yuan Haoran walked through the town with a curious mind. He looked at the construction of the buildings, the craftsmanship of the boats drifting on the river, and the demeanour of the local people. His leisurely walk led him to the night market.
The place was a little noisier than the rest of the peaceful Riverside.
His interest was piqued because he wanted to understand the nature of the general market in this world. As a former capitalist, he could not help but think about the importance of making money and becoming a true overlord.
Unfortunately, he was disappointed when he entered the night market. He expected a lot of insight into the culture and needs of the people of the Obsidian Continent. But after strolling around, he realised that Riverside was a tourist town.
He frowned as he looked at local specialities, such as snacks, foods and cute curios. The shops catered to wants, not needs. If he was going to explore the cultivation market and start a business, he might have to wait until he got to the capital or a bigger town.
As he strolled, he noticed an apparel shop and walked to it.
The clothes he had were made of quality fabrics with some special qualities. Moreover, keeping clothes clean was not challenging with a simple technique. However, he was ultimately a modern person. He could not get used to not having a few more clothes.
When he entered the shop, he removed the hood of the cloak from his head to have a better view. His eyes perused the merchandise, trying to understand the types of clothes that were available in this world and find suitable options for himself.
His primary interest was comfort.
In the hidden domain, wearing the cloak was comfortable over his clothes because it was heavy and warm. The necropolis was cold due to the strong death energy, so it served him well. However, in the outside world, it had proven to be a little cumbersome for travel.
Still, he had no desire to do away with his hood and cloak look. He was not comfortable with exposure to too much sunlight, even though the damage was not too significant. Until his energy was completely stable, he wanted to continue concealing himself.
But he needed a lighter cloak and hood to ensure he could move comfortably during the day without expending spiritual energy to keep cool.
"Welcome to Riverside Beauty Apparel." An older woman appeared before him with an enthusiastic expression. Yuan Haoran looked at her coldly as she drew close to him, and she stopped a few steps away awkwardly. "What are you looking for?"
"A cloak with a hood like the one I am wearing but lighter." Yuan Haoran was clear and concise.
The shopkeeper chuckled nervously. "The design is not popular, so we do not have it in stock. You can look at our other items and find something suitable instead."
Yuan Haoran was not interested in anything else, and he had already looked at the options and found them lacking. He was ready to leave when someone else popped up from behind a rack of clothes and spoke up.
"I think what she means is only a few people want to dress like bandits or devil cultivators." Su Yaling said with a friendly smile. "It is not a wonder that people keep mistaking you for a devil cultivator. Sooner or later, you will be in trouble."
Yuan Haoran looked at the new woman, but he did not find her familiar at all. However, based on her words, she should be one of the people who came from the hidden domain earlier. Since she was an unknown party, he turned to continue walking out.
Su Yaling was speechless as she looked at him. It was fine if he was not interested in a beautiful girl like herself, but how did he not understand the common courtesy of responding when someone engages in friendly conversation?
She could now understand how he made so many enemies in a short period.
"Wait." She called out, but he did not stop. "I was going to give you a helpful suggestion."
Yuan Haoran stopped and looked back as the woman stepped out through the rack of clothes. She looked at him for a moment longer, appreciating his appearance. In comparison to burly men, she found his gentle facial features and lean build more appealing.
However, she did not have covetous thoughts as she looked at him. She was merely acknowledging the beauty. A cold man like him could not be controlled unless someone could get his voluntary surrender, so she was not interested in trying her luck.
The prolonged stare made Yuan Haoran annoyed, and he contemplated gouging the assessing curious eyes. He wondered if cultivator body parts had some special uses. Could they be transplanted or even used as cultivation resources?
"I am Su Yaling from the Moonlight Clan." Su Yaling introduced herself, ignorant of the kind of thoughts that were swirling around the beautiful man's brain.
Yuan Haoran broke from his imagination of eggs in jars. "If you have something to say, just say it."
"You are very rude you know." Su Yaling frowned at the response.
Yuan Haoran turned to leave the apparel shop without another word. Su Yaling cursed in her heart and followed him, leaving empty-handed. She did not need more clothes; she just liked shopping when she went to a new place.
"I was going to suggest that you buy fabric and hire someone to create the design you like." She said as she followed him. "You have a unique style, so you will be searching for a while before you find a readymade cloak with a hood."
Yuan Haoran had already thought about it. It was not a groundbreaking suggestion, and it would not help him immediately. He wanted something for immediate use, so he would not have to withstand the heavier cloak during the day.
Su Yaling was not discouraged by the lack of response. Instead, she smiled because she had her agenda in engaging with Yuan Haoran. She was not just talking to him to pass the time. Her intentions were much loftier.
"But you have probably thought about that. You like the cloak you have but need a new one fast because this one is not convenient for travelling." She continued as she followed behind Yuan Haoran. "What if I told you that you could make the same cloak light and airy?"
Yuan Haoran stopped and turned to look at the woman with narrowed eyes. As a modern world person, he had heard all kinds of marketing schemes. This pitch was just so basic and unimaginative that it would be considered an immediate scam.
"What are you selling?" Yuan Haoran asked.
Su Yaling stood with pride before Yuan Haoran who was looking at her like she was a swindler. She refused to crumble under his oppressive energy. She was not doing anything wrong. As an experienced cultivator, she was upright and respected.
"I am selling my skills in sewing, more specifically embroidering formations!" She declared.
Yuan Haoran was not expecting that answer, and he was interested in knowing more. "Continue."
"The clothes that cultivators use often have some protective qualities due to the materials used in creating them. However, the basic performance is limited, like resisting sword attacks a few times. I have a technique that allows me to give clothes different unique properties." Su Yaling explained.
Yuan Haoran did not know much about formations, but he was a capitalist at heart. He knew how to recognise a business opportunity and take advantage. His impression of the woman improved tremendously as she turned from an annoyance into a golden goose.
Perhaps, he would let her keep her eyes.