Lin Mo flipped through the pages of 'Shopkeeping 101: A Divine Primer', each one densely packed with elegant characters that he surprisingly could read despite the difference in the written language he had grown up with on Earth. The language in the realm bore oddly numerous similarities, as though it had been tailored to his understanding. Or maybe for a simple explanation, he got the language package installed in his head by Taihao.
The first few chapters covered basic principles, like maintaining order in a divine establishment and tips for dealing with difficult customers. He paused at a section titled 'System Rewards: Maximizing Profit and Personal Growth'.
Finally, something useful, he thought as he skimmed the text.
–
System Rewards and Bonuses
Completion Bonuses: Successful completion of system objectives will reward the shopkeeper with spirit stones and occasionally, unique items.
Daily Task Bonuses: Earn spirit stones or other rewards for completing daily tasks.
Sales Milestones: Reach higher tiers to unlock new inventory, upgrades, and personal cultivation resources.
–
"Wait a minute..." Lin Mo sat up straighter as he reread the section. "So, I do get spirit stones for completing tasks?"
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the system panel chimed.
[System Notice: Daily Tasks Completed]
[Completion Bonus: 2 Spirit Stones Credited to Personal Balance]
Lin Mo blinked, his gaze snapping to the updated interface.
[Personal Balance: 2 Spirit Stones]
"Two spirit stones?" He muttered as a mix of relief and disbelief washed over him. "It's not much, but it's something. At least I'm not completely broke anymore."
Liu Xiaoyu perked up from her bed, where she had been trying to balance a pillow on her head for no discernible reason. "Two spirit stones? That's better than nothing! Boss, why don't you treat your hardworking assistant to some noodles?"
Lin Mo shot her a deadpan look. "You mean the noodles we technically already own? Go and cook us two packets. I'm starving."
She huffed, tossing the pillow aside. And standing up to do as he ordered, her twinkling in secret, "Fine, stingy. But seriously, what did you do to earn them?"
"Apparently, completing the Daily Tasks," Lin Mo replied, gesturing to the glowing panel. "And maybe, the system's rewarding me for not letting the store burn down on the first day."
"Wow," Liu Xiaoyu said sarcastically. "Truly, you're an inspiration to us all, Boss."
Lin Mo ignored her sarcasm, returning his focus to the system. "It says I get bonuses for completing objectives. Maybe I'll get more spirit stones if I finish tomorrow's tasks. The sales may also be a factor "
"You should aim higher," Liu Xiaoyu said. "Like figuring out how to unlock that next tier. I want to see what kind of fancy upgrades this place has. Don't worry about customers. You now have me, boss! I'll go out and advertise outside. With your assistant with fairy-like beauty, you're all set!"
Lin Mo snorted. "Fairy-like beauty? Sure. If that helps you sleep at night. Anyway, this store clearly doesn't need more chaos. Let's take it one step at a time."
Then suddenly, he remembered something.
"Wait this is just for the Daily Tasks. Hey, system. What about those prompts you gave me earlier? I 'negotiated' with those troublemakers and 'politely deflected' Yu Qingyan's offer for Exclusive Rights. Don't tell me those are just suggestions so there are no rewards? What if I didn't follow your word and made a deal with the Verdant Sky Pavilion?"
The system chimed softly in response to Lin Mo's rhetorical question, and new text materialized on the floating panel.
[System Notice: Retroactive Task Evaluation Completed]
[Negotiation with Aggressors: Success – Reward: 1 Spirit Stone Credited to Personal Balance]
[Polite Decline of Yu Qingyan's Proposal: Success – Reward: 1 Spirit Stone Credited to Personal Balance]
[Personal Balance: 4 Spirit Stones]
Lin Mo's jaw dropped slightly. "You mean to tell me I could've missed out on these rewards if I didn't remind you about it? Get it together, system! You're called Divine System Interface!"
The panel blinked again.
[System Reminder: Adhering to System Suggestions Optimizes Outcomes for Host.]
"Optimize, my foot," Lin Mo muttered as he glared at the flickering text. "You could've told me upfront that I'd be rewarded. I've been running around blind all day!"
Liu Xiaoyu returned from the kitchenette, carrying two steaming bowls of noodles. "What's with all the grumbling now, Boss? Why are you quarreling with a bunch of texts?" she asked, setting one bowl in front of him.
"I just found out that the system gave me extra spirit stones for handling today's chaos," Lin Mo grumbled, picking up his chopsticks. "Apparently, if I didn't remind it, I might've missed out on that. This system is like some kind of stingy accountant."
Liu Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. "Wait, so how many spirit stones do we have now?"
"We?" Lin Mo raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, I was the shopkeeper."
She pouted, plopping down across from him with her own bowl. "Fine, fine. How many do you have now, oh benevolent Boss?"
Lin Mo sighed, gesturing to the panel. "Four. See. I doubled my assets."
Liu Xiaoyu twirled her chopsticks thoughtfully as she rolled her eyes. "Wow. A 100% increase. But it's still 2 spirit stones! You know, Boss, for a divine system, this thing really loves dangling rewards in front of you. Like a carrot on a stick."
"Tell me about it," Lin Mo muttered, taking a bite of his noodles.
The spicy flavor hit his taste buds, and for a brief moment, the day's stress melted away.
It wasn't gourmet by any stretch, but it was comforting in its simplicity. A small piece of Earth that reminded him of home.
Liu Xiaoyu took her first bite and immediately froze, her eyes watering. "Boss... is this supposed to be this spicy?"
"It's called Spicy Taihao Noodles for a reason. You could've picked the yellow one," Lin Mo said dryly, watching as she flailed her arms and reached for a glass of water.
"I-I'm dying!" she gasped, her face red as she gulped down the water.
"Looks like your Heaven's Reflex doesn't cover spicy food," Lin Mo quipped, smirking as he returned to his meal.
–
After their makeshift dinner, Lin Mo leaned back in his bed, staring at the softly glowing system panel. Everything still felt surreal for him as though he had just lived someone else's life.
He let out a long sigh. "This whole thing still feels like a fever dream. A celestial shopkeeper? Selling noodles and toothbrushes to cultivators? If you told me this yesterday, I'd have laughed you out of the room."
"Yeah, but look at you now," Liu Xiaoyu said, her voice muffled as she sprawled across her bed. "You've got celestial providence, a cozy shopkeeper's suite, and four shiny spirit stones to your name. Not bad for day one. I don't know about your previous world, boss. But getting the favor of a divine being is a pretty good start."
"Well, you're not wrong," Lin Mo echoed, though his tone carried a mix of weariness and uncertainty. "You seem not that surprised to hear that I'm not originally from here, Xiaoyu."
"Oh? That intrigues you? Boss, this is the Realm of the Nine Heavens. Countless Mortal and Immortal Worlds are connected to this realm. You're not the first otherworlder."
"I see… Makes sense." Lin Mo shrugged. While everything felt bizarre, he had no other choice but to accept his new reality.
"Anyway, what do you think will happen tomorrow? Word will surely get out about our products. This place won't be quiet anymore. People are going to come sniffing around and we will have to deal with all sorts of customers, both good and bad.
Liu Xiaoyu sat up, her expression unusually serious. "That's true, Boss. You need to be prepared. If this store really is as special as it seems, it's going to attract attention—good and bad."
Lin Mo nodded slowly. "You're right. But I can't fight. I don't even know the first thing about cultivation. And this so-called 'system' isn't exactly forthcoming with answers."
"Well, you've got me!" Liu Xiaoyu declared, puffing out her chest. "With my Heaven's Reflex, I'll be the fastest shop assistant in the Realm of Nine Heavens. Nobody will dare mess with us!"
Lin Mo snorted. "You hid behind the counter during the last fight."
"I was conserving energy!" She shot back as she crossed her arms. "Next time, I'll show you what I'm really capable of!"
Lin Mo chuckled despite himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'll hold you to that, Xiaoyu."
As the store's lights dimmed for the night, Lin Mo welcomed the first calling of dreamland.
On the other bed, Xiaoyu stared at the young man's back for a while, muttering softly to herself before turning to face the wall and closing her eyes.