Chapter 2: The Trial of Worth
To establish himself, Akira needed to complete the Trial of Worth, a series of challenges to prove his skills as a merchant and cultivator. The first trial took him to a dying world, where he was tasked with bartering for a legendary artifact: the Celestial Flame Core.
He arrived to find the world in chaos, with its last inhabitants desperately clinging to survival. A rival merchant, Zara, had already set up shop and was undercutting his prices.
"This is my territory," Zara sneered. "Leave before I crush you."
Akira ignored her and activated the system's Market Analysis feature. It highlighted the true needs of the locals: not weapons, but food and medicine. Using his system, Akira crafted basic supplies and sold them at fair prices.
In gratitude, the locals revealed the hidden location of the Celestial Flame Core. Zara tried to ambush him, but Akira used a Dimensional Teleportation Talisman to escape and secured the core.