The effects of mineral water were undeniable.
However, its awakening properties only worked the first time it was consumed.
Those who had already used it could only look on in envy, knowing they had missed their chance.
Meanwhile, the customers who had yet to purchase it were eager and restless.
A chance to awaken a special physique…
The idea was too tempting to ignore.
Though the probability was incredibly low—out of twenty customers, only Gu Yunxi had awakened a Frost Spirit Body—
That tiny glimmer of possibility was enough to ignite excitement.
It was like a lottery in a game.
No matter the odds, everyone secretly believed they might be the next lucky winner.
---
And Luo Chuan?
He wasn't about to stop them.
If anything, he found their enthusiasm amusing.
After all, increased customer demand was always a good thing.
The store's business was thriving, and the atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation.
That day, despite Yao Ziyan's absence, time passed uneventfully.
Customers played games, made purchases, and discussed the mystery of awakening physiques.
But no one could shake off a lingering feeling—
Tomorrow held something important.
---
As dusk settled, Luo Chuan finally stretched and rose from behind the counter, yawning.
He stepped outside the store, gazing at the distant horizon.
The setting sun cast a warm, crimson glow across the sky, its last rays illuminating the world in fiery brilliance.
For a moment, he sighed.
"I miss Yao Ziyan's cooking…"
He let the thought linger before shifting his attention back to the sunset.
At first, he admired its beauty.
But then—
Something felt… off.
It was already evening.
And yet—
Instead of darkening, the sky was growing brighter.
Luo Chuan frowned.
Something was definitely wrong.
As if confirming his suspicion—
The distant sky split open like a torn veil.
A massive rift appeared, its edges jagged and unstable.
An invisible force pulsed from the rupture, distorting reality itself.
---
Then, the earth trembled.
A low, ominous rumble echoed across the land.
It was as if another world was emerging—
Slowly descending and solidifying before everyone's eyes.
BOOM!
A deafening roar shook the heavens.
The impact was so immense that even the land beneath Jiuyao City quivered.
The disturbance extended far beyond—visible for hundreds of thousands of kilometers.
And then, realization struck Luo Chuan.
"…Could it be?"
His gaze sharpened, his mind flashing back to past conversations.
The ancient ruins…
The ones his customers had frequently mentioned.
At that same moment, in the heart of Nine Stars City, countless cultivators had already taken notice.
There was no way anyone could miss such a massive event.
Even monsters in the surrounding wilderness howled in response, their instincts sensing something monumental.
For those beasts that had awakened intelligence, their eyes gleamed with something almost human—excitement.
The ancient ruins had opened.
---
The Nine Stars Mountain Range was vast—so vast that even across the Azure Continent, it occupied an immense territory.
Now, with the ancient ruins emerging, the very fabric of the region shuddered.
The mountains quaked.
The rivers roared.
Countless creatures, human and beast alike, surged toward the newly revealed ruins—driven by the promise of opportunity.
For within those ruins lay untold treasures, ancient inheritances, and power beyond imagination.
Yet, despite all this—
Despite the waves of excitement, greed, and anticipation spreading across the land—
One man remained utterly indifferent.
Luo Chuan, standing before his shop, let out a bored sigh.
"So, the ancient ruins opened. That's it?"
---
He yawned, stretching lazily.
Honestly, he couldn't understand why people were always so excited about things like this.
A supposed once-in-a-lifetime event?
A legendary opportunity?
To Luo Chuan, it was just another day.
If anything—
He was more interested in grabbing a bag of spicy strips than worrying about some mystical ruins.
---
Of course, he wasn't completely uninterested.
His curiosity was piqued.
But the problem was—
He had standards.
Luo Chuan wasn't someone who threw himself into danger for no reason.
With his current abilities, he was only comparable to a cultivator in the Soul Dominion Realm.
And in the world of ancient ruins, where Eminences clashed for supremacy—
That level of strength was barely above cannon fodder.
Frankly, he had no intention of dying over some dusty relics.
---
But just as he was about to dismiss the whole situation—
A line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.
---
"Owner-exclusive mission: 'Star Ascension' has been activated!"