Chapter 2: Just sell it

Li Yunxian spent a lively day at Jincheng No.1 High School, and returned with difficulty to her family’s large apartment.

There was no one at home, but the dining table was already set with steaming hot dishes.

This was Auntie’s doing.

After Li Yunxian’s parents divorced, neither of them stayed in Jincheng.

They weren’t the kind to give her a lot of love, but they sure gave her a lot of money.

Back when she first turned eighteen, Li Yunxian used to feel sad about her thin ties of kinship, but now, she just felt it was rather nice being the only one at home.

***

After dinner, Li Yunxian sorted through the Herbs she currently had on hand.

If she wanted to participate in the Xiuzhe Exam, the first thing she needed was Qi Absorption, to enter the Qi Refining Stage.

After all, it was a Cultivation School.

Her Channels were blocked all over, to the point that she couldn’t even sense her Spiritual Root.

If Li Yunxian had never crossed into the Cultivation World, she would definitely have lived as an ordinary person.

But now………………

In the Cultivation World, this kind of problem was minor—just a simple medicinal bath could solve it.

Li Yunxian had already bought a fair amount of Herbs, but she was still missing the most crucial ingredient: Lingyao Bloodbone.

Theoretically, since there were Cultivators in this world, there must be basic spiritual Herbs available, but Li Yunxian simply couldn’t find a channel to buy them.

Still, it wasn’t a big problem—she had the game.

Li Yunxian logged directly into the game.

The slogan “Welcome to Wanwuwu” flashed by, and Li Yunxian’s consciousness landed in a Town.

It was the place where she’d logged off last time.

Since getting this game system, Li Yunxian had studied the game’s mechanics quite a bit.

For example, a character’s stats in the game were completely tied to reality.

In other words, since Li Yunxian hadn’t started cultivating yet, she was just an ordinary person in the game too.

And the core of Wanwuwu was all about monster hunting.

Kill a foreign race, and random coins or materials would drop.

Of course, the materials dropped in-game could only be used in the game. If Li Yunxian wanted to exchange them for real-world materials, it came at a different price.

Specifically, 2000 game coins.

Not expensive.

After all, it was just a basic, entry-level material; compared to the ones in the Material Exchange Mall that cost millions, it was dirt cheap.

Li Yunxian had spent quite some time grinding low-level monsters, but as for the results……………

Looking at her character panel showing a balance of 213 coins, Li Yunxian was speechless.

That was the total she’d managed to accumulate in the half month since returning.

The coin drop rate from low-level monsters was truly dismal.

There was no way she could grind her way to 2000 coins before the exam.

If she wanted to earn game coins without fighting monsters, she’d have to make money off other players.

From what Li Yunxian had observed, that didn’t seem too difficult.

After all, if you summed up the players in Wanwuwu in Cultivation World terms, they were all—

All sword cultivators!!

Li Yunxian: What a coincidence, so is she XD.

Being a sword cultivator was really thrifty with spirit stones, and for someone like her—who crossed over to another world, fought tooth and nail, and in the end could only squeeze into a minor sect—it was the best choice.

But after cultivating to the Nascent Soul stage and becoming someone the Cultivation World would call “Old Ancestor,” Li Yunxian had also dabbled in the Four Great Arts of cultivation.

The Four Arts: Pill, Tool, Talisman, and Array.

The Tool path was very appealing to professional fighters, but after a little observation, Li Yunxian decisively gave up on it.

The players in this game seemed to have already pushed the Tool path to its limits.

She wasn’t about to show off her meager skills before experts, so this time she planned to earn game coins with Pill Arts.

She’d discovered that this game didn’t have any of the usual red or blue potions!

What a golden opportunity!

She’d never had money for such things as a sword cultivator, but the players here weren’t short on cash!

Li Yunxian prepared to brew Yunling Water and Susheng Water.

Yes, brew.

Even mortals in the Cultivation World had their own wisdom—both of these could be made by mortals.

The former could restore a tiny amount of spiritual energy to a Cultivator, and ward off evil for mortals.

The latter was straightforward—it could heal external wounds. The effect was average, but as long as you weren’t killed on the spot, it could at least keep a mortal hanging on to life.

These two, compared to all sorts of pills in the Cultivation World, were nothing special, but their advantage was that they were cheap, came in big bottles, and the materials were easy to get.

So it wasn’t just mortals; even many at Qi Refining Stage level two or three would carry a few bottles with them.

She’d been diligently grinding monsters in the game, and had amassed a big pile of relevant materials.

Plus, the other ingredients she bought yesterday had arrived. Li Yunxian got right to work, tossing everything into the pot.

After considering the exchange rate between Cultivation World currency and game coins, Li Yunxian set the price for both types of potion at 5 game coins each.

She brewed 200 bottles of each. If she sold them all, she’d have her 2000 game coins in one go!

Li Yunxian’s calculations were sharp, and she energetically hauled the potions to the Town’s Trading Market.

There were quite a few people at the Trading Market.

But in this game world where everyone could be a sword cultivator, all the traded items were weapons and equipment.

Seeing Li Yunxian lug over two big boxes, everyone was curious.

They all thought it was some kind of new weapon, and crowded around.

But when Li Yunxian lifted the lid, they were greeted by a pile of bottles and jars. Everyone:

The crowd looked at Li Yunxian’s fresh, youthful face—finding her both cute and amusing—and said, not without exasperation, “Little sister, no one in Wanwuwu needs to drink nutrient solution.”

After all, Wanwuwu was for training everyone, learning how to fight foreign races, and gaining combat experience. Naturally, there was no hunger bar or anything like that.

“These aren’t nutrient solutions.”

Li Yunxian introduced the two potions to the crowd, “Simply put, Yunling Water can restore a small amount of spiritual energy, and Susheng Water promotes healing of external injuries.”

“They’re only effective for those below Qi Refining Stage three.”

Li Yunxian explained a lot, but no one listened, and no one believed her.

With so many planets in reality, no one had ever heard of potions with those effects.

Even when Li Yunxian added that they only worked for those below Qi Refining Stage three, it made no difference.

In reality, some medical devices combined with drugs could achieve the effect of Susheng Water. To be precise, they were much more effective than Susheng Water.

And such devices existed in Wanwuwu too.

So no one was particularly interested in the two potions, despite Li Yunxian’s introduction.

Still, no one said anything to spoil the kid’s fun; at 5 game coins, the price was low, and there were always people curious enough to try new things.

“I’ll take one of each to try.”

A bearded man spoke up, “I’ve been in Wanwuwu for years and never drank any kind of beverage here.”

Baibai.

The crowd burst out laughing at that, but their curiosity was piqued, and they started to show interest in Li Yunxian’s potions.

Wanwuwu was just a game; no one would really die no matter what happened. Even if trying something did get you killed, so what? Why not try it?

“I’ll take a bottle too.”

“Me as well.”

Li Yunxian sold more than a dozen bottles in one go, feeling a bit helpless.

She wasn’t selling drinks, after all.

At that moment, the bearded man who’d gotten the first potion had already opened a bottle of Susheng Water.

He took a gulp of the small bottle, and looked puzzled: “Doesn’t taste like anything……………” Before he could finish, a wave of heat rushed through his limbs.

“Hiss—”

That spiciness was something else.

Li Yunxian:

The bearded man sucked in a sharp breath, unable to describe the feeling.

After a few seconds, he said, “What kind of spiciness is this? My body’s perfectly healthy, so the Susheng Water is just running wild all over me.”

He then took a swig of Yunling Water—again, no taste at first, but then a cool, refreshing sensation spread through his body.

“Tastes like mint, really wakes you up.” The bearded man grinned, then transferred 10 game coins to Li Yunxian.

“Boss, this stuff’s pretty interesting, like pop rocks candy. Give me two more bottles to take home.”

From calling her “little sister” to “boss,” it was clear the man now recognized the value of what Li Yunxian was selling.

But………………

These potions really weren’t drinks!

Li Yunxian was speechless for a few seconds, but honestly handed over the potions.

Whatever, as long as they sold.

But drinks only get a temporary burst of popularity. Soon, the onlookers dispersed, and Li Yunxian still had plenty of potions left.

Selling things really wasn’t her area of expertise.

If she’d had this skill before, she wouldn’t have had to slog away as a sword cultivator all the way to the Nascent Soul stage.

Luckily, perhaps because she’d done a good deed in reality today, Li Yunxian’s luck was unusually good.

A Black-clad Girl, decked out in obviously expensive gear, showed up at her stall.

“Boss, how many of these potions do you have left? I’ll take them all!” the Black-clad Girl said grandly.

Li Yunxian blinked. That sounded like a returning customer.

Had people in Wanwuwu already realized the effects of these two potions?

Before Li Yunxian could finish being surprised, the Black-clad Girl let out a sly “jejejeje” laugh:

“April Fool’s Day is coming. I’m going to give these to my Public Guild members as a prank─hehe!”

Li Yunxian:

She’d been overthinking it.

Money for goods, goods for money—Li Yunxian was quite satisfied as the payment arrived in her account.

But after the transaction, Li Yunxian thought for a moment, and emphasized the effects of the two potions to her big client.

Otherwise, she’d feel a bit guilty about taking the money.

But clearly, the Black-clad Girl didn’t care. After stowing all the potions in her storage item, she waved dismissively at Li Yunxian, “Got it~”

Having fulfilled her duty to inform, Li Yunxian watched the Black-clad Girl leave, then looked at her account balance and promptly exchanged for Bloodbone.

Log out!

Opening her eyes in her bedroom, Li Yunxian saw a void appear in front of her.

A piece of Bloodbone dropped out.

Li Yunxian’s eyes shone.

Exchange successful!

She could cultivate now!

Li Yunxian happily played with the palm-sized material for a bit, then put it away.

After brewing and selling potions in Wanwuwu, it was already very late. Whatever else needed doing would have to wait until tomorrow.

***

Meanwhile, in Wanwuwu, the Black-clad Girl Sheng Yu was urgently summoned to support a battle after returning to her Public Guild.

Their guild team was ambushed by an A-class Exotic Beast on the way back to town.

Sheng Yu immediately joined the guild members in fighting outside the city, and after a fierce battle, the A-class Exotic Beast finally crashed to the ground.

But all the other guild members had collapsed as well.

“Hang in there. As long as we make it back to the Town, we can get treatment.” The guild members struggled to lift their companions onto stretchers.

“We can’t die now. The Guild Ranking Tournament is tomorrow. If we die and get forcibly logged out for three days, our Changguang guild will drop out of the top hundred!”

The ones lying on the ground coughed up blood and forced a bitter smile, “It’s not like I get to decide………………”

“What rotten luck, running into an A-class on the way back with everyone already injured.”

“Yeah, how could an A-class show up so close to town?”

“Do you even have to ask? It must be Miaoying’s doing.”

“Enough. What’s the point of saying that now……………”

Sheng Yu worked hard to bandage her companions, trying to save them, but listening to their words, she knew her efforts were futile.

She’d originally been planning to celebrate a successful guild ranking and enjoy April Fool’s Day with everyone tomorrow.

But now……

As she bandaged her teammates, Sheng Yu’s hands grew weaker, and she slumped in despair. Yet, for some reason, a memory surfaced in her mind.

It was the clear voice of a girl, explaining the effects of the potions, then saying:

“You bought so many—why not keep a few bottles? Try them when you really need them.”

Sheng Yu pursed her lips and took a deep breath.

“When you really need them”—wasn’t that now?

It couldn’t get any worse anyway.

Sheng Yu took out all the potions and shouted, “Everyone, come here! Help me get these potions into anyone who’s on the brink of death!”