No wonder hidden realms were always so wealthy and abundant that a single encounter could change the life of an ascendant.
At the same time, Van couldn't help but feel anger rise in his heart at their disrespectful behaviour toward the expert's store.
Fortunately, he managed to calm the situation before the expert had to intervene personally, or else the consequences would've been severe.
'I wonder if he would give me a discount,' Van thought, a glimmer of excitement flashing in his eyes.
Suddenly, the sign at the door flipped from 'Closed' to 'Open.' The only one who noticed was Kafla.
"Senior Sisters, the store has opened!" Kafla said excitedly, pointing at the sign.
While Tiana, Kafla, and Van looked at the store with barely contained emotions, Nessa and the four descendants of the Mountain Cloud Clan stared with curiosity.
They assumed Jonathan had sensed them outside and came to open the store for them. However, if Jonathan had heard their thoughts, he would've informed them that he had simply woken up at 8 a.m. to open the store, before the store could send sound waves to rattle his internal organs awake.
Tiana sighed in relief. "Let's go in then." However, she didn't take the first step forward. Instead, she nodded at Van with a smile.
Van returned her gesture with a nod of his own and stepped forward. He entered the store, the four early teens following behind him.
Soon after, Tiana entered the store, with Kafla following closely behind.
After a brief hesitation, Nessa followed. The moment she stepped in, she froze as a calm breeze brushed against her. Her eyes widened in shock and astonishment.
And it wasn't just her, the four early teens behind Van had also frozen in place, their eyes widening with the same emotion.
This… was pure refined mana.
Nessa took a deep breath and exhaled softly. A misty cloud escaped her lips. Her Life Vein surged, greedily devouring the mana in the air. Yet due to its purity, she absorbed them slowly and gently, preventing any harm to her body.
Compared to Nessa, however, the four Mountain Cloud Clan teens entered a trance as their Life Veins frantically devoured the mana, nourishing their bodies. A few of them even sat down on the floor to properly guide the mana into their veins.
Van turned around at this scene and frowned. He cleared his throat loudly, "AHEM!" and released a wave of spiritual pressure, snapping them out of their trance and forcing them back onto their feet.
The four teens opened their mouths as though ready to speak, but upon seeing Van's stern expression, they fell silent instantly.
Van snorted and turned away, walking toward the counter where Jonathan was seated.
The others followed him, while Nessa and the four teens took in the store's interior, which was far larger than its exterior suggested.
Remembering how she had attempted to break down the door earlier, an even colder shiver crawled down Nessa's spine.
On the other side of the room, Jonathan sat behind the counter. He had observed the entire situation outside, and the moment they entered, which had lasted no less than fifteen minutes.
He observed the group curiously while mentally calculating how much profit he would make today.
'Hey, system, why did they sit down?' Jonathan asked, eyeing the four teens curiously.
[ They sensed the purest form of mana emitted by the Air Conditioning Units, which is highly beneficial for their growth in this world. They attempted to take full advantage of it. The store ensures a safe, conducive environment for customers, allowing them to spend their hard-earned money joyfully in the store.
Additionally, Host does not need to worry. The system will constantly adapt to the most suitable environment regardless of which world the Host enters. ]
Despite the system's detailed explanation, Jonathan focused on only one thing at that moment.
'Does that mean we can rent out tables in the store for cultivation?' he asked curiously.
He could already see the possibilities… Customers renting tables for a set period and buying the store's products to boost their cultivation. In no time, the store would not only be a convenience store but a sacred land, just like in those stories he had watched and read.
This would also give him countless opportunities to witness various magical powers and items firsthand. Yes, this was one of Jonathan's primary goals.
Having witnessed Nessa's abilities earlier, the ability to control the elements at her fingertips, move at incredible speed, wield fine weapons, and even fly, was deeply etched into his heart. Even if he couldn't wield any of this himself, simply witnessing it up close was better than nothing.
It was the perfect plan. However, what followed was a long stretch of silence from the system.
[ It is recommended for you to first get settled as the owner of the Dimensional Convenience Store. Get used to running the store before moving on to grander plans. Then, as a Convenience Tycoon, you'll be able to do whatever you desire. ]
Jonathan's eyes shone in understanding. This was the first time the system had given him such a vague answer after he'd asked such a simple question. Didn't that mean the system had secretly accepted his plans but was too shy to respond to them now?
Still, Jonathan took the system's warning to heart. He quickly shelved any thoughts of charging for a seat, along with every related scheme that might have sprouted in his mind, pushing them to the back of his mind.
Soon, Van, Tiana, and the others reached the counter.
They bowed toward Jonathan respectfully.
"Greetings, Senior!" Their expressions were filled with solemn respect.
In response, Jonathan nodded. "I didn't expect to see all of you today, and all at once. Are these perhaps the referers you managed to bring?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with interest as he stared at the unfamiliar figures beside them.
Van, Tiana, and Kafla nodded in response.