Cayan hummed contentedly as he reclined in his worn armchair, oblivious to the group of students rushing towards his shop. He savored a leisurely breakfast, the rhythmic creak of the chair his only companion. Suddenly, the tranquility shattered as the door burst open, revealing a wave of eager youngsters.
Cayan blinked in astonishment. His shop, usually seeing one or two curious souls a day, was now filled with activity. He watched, flabbergasted, as excited students flooded the aisles, their eyes fixated on the shelves. Before his very eyes, his meticulously crafted toys began to disappear.
Never in his wildest dreams had Cayan imagined a day like this. The students, most of them still at the 1st Class Warrior level, displayed a surprising disregard for the prices. Fueled by Leyla's flamboyant demonstration of the "Azure Steps of the Mystic Cloud" toy, they craved advanced techniques and faster cultivation, consequences be damned. In a matter of minutes, Cayan's entire stock of fifty-two "Unrivaled Dantian Convergence" and forty-eight "Azure Steps of the Mystic Cloud" toys vanished.
The frenzy didn't stop there. Disgruntled students who missed out on the toys bombarded Cayan with questions. When could they expect a restock? Some even attempted to bribe the fortunate buyers, a comical scene that unfolded before his astonished eyes.
Cayan, ever the consummate salesman, efficiently processed the transactions. A grin, the widest he'd felt in years, stretched across his face. Ten gold coins! A fortune compared to his usual meager earnings. He promised a restock by Friday, leaving thirty disappointed youngsters without their coveted toys.
With a grateful smile towards Leyla, his unexpected marketing manager, Cayan locked up the shop. The system, ever-present, claimed half his earnings, leaving five gold coins for reinvestment. Building a larger shelf to accommodate the growing demand seemed like a wise first step. With a renewed sense of purpose, he closed the shop and headed towards the market.
As he passed the martial arts school, the rhythmic thuds and shouts from within stirred a long-dormant yearning in his chest. "My dreams are closer than ever," he thought, a newfound determination strengthening his resolve. This was about more than just money now. The students' enthusiasm had rekindled a fire within him, a desire for strength that had always felt out of reach.
At the market, Cayan procured groceries for the week alongside the lumber he needed for shop renovations. He planned to tackle the repairs himself – another testament to his years of juggling odd jobs. These jobs, while diverse, hadn't brought him mastery in any particular trade. Instead, Cayan had become a jack-of-all-trades, a man who wore the marks of his varied experience on his calloused hands.
However, unlike others who chased fleeting pleasures, Cayan valued delayed gratification. He'd sacrificed immediate comfort for long-term goals, finding solace in books and the knowledge they offered. This patient approach had served him well in the past, and it would serve him well now.
Back at his shop, Cayan unloaded his purchases and surveyed the work ahead. Renovations could wait. First, there were toys to be made. The system, his silent benefactor, provided the magical touch – the ki infusion and the martial arts techniques. Crafting the wooden figures themselves fell to Cayan.
Years of experience honed Cayan into a skilled craftsman. He moved with practiced ease, his calloused hands shaping the wood with practiced precision. The system, unbeknownst to him, provided high-quality wood and tools – unknowingly crafted from the same materials favored by the legendary God of Craftsmanship.
The system's requirements were stringent, but Cayan exceeded expectations. He meticulously crafted thirty of each toy, determined not to waste a single day of this newfound opportunity. As he finished the final piece, he remembered to check his status, a task he'd neglected in the day's excitement.
EXP: 101/200 (+100)
Skills: N/A
Cultivation: N/A
A surge of curiosity drew him towards the training room offered by the system. Materializing in a vast, open space, he discovered a demonstration function. Eager to learn, he activated the "Unrivaled Dantian Convergence" program. Fortunately, Cayan had already opened his meridians. The previous owner of this body, also named Cayan, had perished from a ki overflow – a deadly consequence of uncontrolled ki. This new Cayan, however, was determined to master his newfound abilities. What a life he had inherited, he thought, a mixture of wonder and responsibility settling upon him. The future, once shrouded in uncertainty, now glimmered with possibility.