3 Shop Owner Chen
After Little Wei finished explaining the things Jun asked, Jun bought all of his herbs for 7 spirit stones.
"Thanks for your patronage. I will come back again," Little Wei bid farewell to Jun, leaving with a joyful expression, clearly elated after selling all of his herbs for a good price.
"Now, what do I do?" Jun pondered about his next steps, staring at the bucket of herbs Little Wei had sold to him.
After careful consideration, he chose to head to the market area of Golden Moon Island, exploring various other shops for cultivators to gain more knowledge about the area.
"But first, I will have to clean all this mess before leaving," Jun sighed as he looked at the empty shop house accumulating dust.
After cleaning up, he made his way to the main market area of Golden Moon Island.
A bustling market unfolded before him, with a large crowd of independent cultivators and mortal martial artists.
There were many ancient buildings and shops in the market.
Other than that, many small ships, cultivators on swords, and tamed beasts filled the sky.
"Fellow Daoist, I haven't seen you before in the market. Did you come here for the rumored Spirit Moon Cave? If you are, then you should go back; independent cultivators like us won't get a single pill there, leaving aside those top-level techniques and artifacts."
A middle-aged man sneered from inside an extravagant shop, mistakenly assuming Jun to be a foolish independent cultivator with lofty ideals, a sentiment shared by many newcomers of Golden Moon Island.
"Shop Owner Cheng, you are scaring away potential customers again. You have nothing to worry about since you have those young masters and ladies coming to your shop every day. But, shop owners like us who don't have a reputation like yours can't even meet the ends meet," another middle-aged shop owner retorted, clearly frustrated with Shop Owner Cheng's behavior.
"What? What did you say? I can't hear you. It must be old age getting me," Shop Owner Cheng pretended not to hear anything the other middle-aged shop owner had said.
"Shop Owner Cheng, you..." The other shop owner was about to pounce at Shop Owner Cheng, but he was stopped by another young man who looked like an assistant in that shop owner's shop.
Jun, observing the amusing interaction between the shop owners, couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.
"Ahem! Fellow Daoists, I am not here for the Spirit Moon Cave. I am a new resident of Golden Moon Island and am staying outside the city in an abandoned shop house near the Serene Herbal Lake," Jun intervened between the conversation that was going a little out of hand.
"Oh! So, you are the banished immortal from Overlord Spear Sect," Shop Owner Cheng exclaimed loudly in surprise, attracting attention from passersby and other nearby shop owners.
"A banished immortal from Overlord Spear Sect?" Most of the nearby shop owners were flabbergasted, while others' eyes lit up as they sensed a new opportunity.
"Nice to meet you, fellow Daoist from Overlord Spear Sect. I am Shop Owner Cheng; Manager Cheng, who must have previously met you, is my elder brother. May I ask for your name?" Shop Owner Cheng respectfully cupped his fist.
Although Jun's status as a banished immortal wasn't all that great, he was still once a resident of the world these people dreamed of living in.
Furthermore, many banished immortals, especially those from top forces in the Immortal world, would have trump cards at their disposal, as well as treasures from the Immortal World.
Of course, Jun's previous host invested most of the resources he had to breakthrough the Nascent Soul Realm and lost everything.
"I am Wu Jun. It's an honor to meet you, Shop Owner Cheng," Jun responded politely to Shop Owner Cheng, taking into account that offending him might not be in his best interest, given the onlookers and the familial connection to Manager Cheng.
"You don't have to be so polite, fellow Daoist Wu Jun. Why don't you come inside my shop so I can familiarize with you a little bit?"
Hearing Shop Owner Cheng's invitation, gritted teeth and suppressed anger were palpable among the other shop owners.
Shop Owner Cheng's attempts to attract wealthy customers using his brother's status had clearly rubbed many the wrong way.
"Sure, sure. Why would I refuse an invitation from Shop Owner Cheng?" Jun accepted the invitation politely, albeit with a hint of hesitation as he noticed the discontent from the other shop owners.
Despite the undercurrent of tension, Jun decided to walk inside the shop.
In a world where connections mattered, it was essential to cultivate relationships, regardless of the circumstances.
Inside the shop, the atmosphere was surprisingly simple, in contrast to the extravagant exterior.
Simple lanterns, filled with illuminating crystals, cast a warm glow, and cultivation manuals, pill bottles, and artifacts were neatly displayed on tables and walls.
"What do you think about my humble shop, fellow Daoist Jun?" Shop Owner Cheng asked politely.
"It's a good shop. I especially like the idea of keeping the inside of the shop simple and displaying your products like this to divert the attention of customers to the products instead of decorations," Jun expressed his appreciation for Shop Owner Cheng's business approach.
He was impressed by the practicality, catering to a target audience that valued substance over showiness.
"It's good that you like it. I heard you are also going to open up a shop for cultivators."
Jun chuckled, recognizing the intentions behind Shop Owner Cheng's invitation more clearly.
Aware that Jun was planning to open a shop, Shop Owner Cheng sought to gauge Jun's capabilities and understand the kind of competition he might pose.
In this dynamic market, Jun could either become a formidable competitor or be relegated to a corner of the city.
"Yes, I am going to open up a shop. It's a good thing you asked about it. I would love it if you could introduce me to a supplier for talisman crafting materials and 1-2 grade beasts," Jun expressed, concealing the fact that he could exchange for these items from the system.
It was crucial to maintain the appearance of relying on external suppliers to avoid unnecessary attention.
"A supplier for talisman crafting materials is easy to find, but it would take a while to look for someone who can supply you with spirit beasts for now," Shop Owner Cheng explained.
Like him, all the other shops in the area also needed suppliers to provide raw materials, as well as professionals like talisman crafters and alchemists, to create or refine their products.
Jun's disappointment briefly flashed on his face. If he couldn't secure a supplier for demon beasts, it would delay his ability to sell them for quite some time.
"I see, it's still a big favor for me if you could help me introduce a supplier for talisman crafting materials," Jun smiled at Shop Owner Cheng, masking his disappointment behind a polite expression.
After exchanging pleasantries, Shop Owner Cheng offered to introduce Jun to a Talisman Apprentice, but Jun politely declined, having other plans.
Leaving the shop, he headed directly to the branch office of the Immortal Order to register himself as a new resident and obtain the permit to open a shop for cultivators.
"Are you Fellow Daoist Wu Jun?" A skinny man dressed in a white robe approached Jun with a polite expression. The aura around the man indicated that he was a peak-stage Qi Condensation Realm cultivator.
"Yes, I am. Does this Fellow Daoist know me?" Jun responded politely to the skinny man.
"I am Liu Chang. I am here to tell you that the City Lord has personally pardoned taxes for you for three years. You will still have to pay the rent for your shop house, though," Liu Chang conveyed the information with a formal tone.
"City Lord did?" Jun expressed extreme confusion as to why the City Lord would grant such a favor.
After all, Jun's status as a banished immortal wasn't prominent enough to warrant such attention. Liu Chang, looking equally puzzled, couldn't provide a clear explanation.
"Thank you for informing me, Fellow Daoist Liu Chang." Jun politely cupped his fists and left the office after receiving his permit and completing the registration.
As he strolled through the market, Jun couldn't shake off his bewilderment. Why would the City Lord extend such a gesture?
Perhaps he sought information about the Overlord Spear Sect, or maybe he aimed to establish positive relations with Jun, although the latter seemed highly unlikely.
Regardless, Jun didn't want to reject the City Lord and risk becoming an adversary. After all, the City Lord was a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator from the Immortal Order.
The first four realms of cultivation were — Qi Condensation Realm, Foundation Establishment Realm, Golden Core Realm, and Nascent Soul Realm. Each realm was further divided into nine levels.
Golden Moon Island had only three Nascent Soul cultivators, with the City Lord being the strongest among them. This made him a formidable force on the island, a figure whom nobody dared to challenge.
