Chen Xuan did not go outside the city to get involved in the grain distribution. He believed that with Liu Shuyue's ability, she would certainly manage the matter well. Besides, he was a store manager, considered an outsider to Qing State and even Shuyue's world, so he shouldn't get too deeply involved.
However, Liu Shuyue would chat with him every day about the details of the grain distribution whenever a new batch of goods arrived.
Every afternoon around three or four, they each had a cup of coffee and sat at the bar chatting for half an hour, which had become a routine in recent days.
As it turned out, Liu Shuyue managed this matter even better than he expected.
"I didn't expect you would agree to let the refugees trade their relief noodles," Chen Xuan praised as he helped refill her coffee.
"Actually, I thought of this possibility the first day I tasted them," the young woman said cheerfully, "Simply by adding some boiling water and seasoning packets, it creates such a delicious meal, and even wealthy families find it a novel experience. Don't be fooled by the rising grain prices; they've never worried about starving or affording food. For the sake of novelty, the sons of noble families are always willing to spend a large sum of money."
"You haven't seen it, but now many restaurants and establishments in the city have launched the Lotus Cloud Spicy Noodles dish, and the wealthy have to line up to get a taste. The big fish and meat can't compare to the relief food for the disaster-stricken masses, proving how absurd this world really is."
"So are you still distributing noodles now?" Chen Xuan asked.
"Not anymore. It's better for me to handle the negotiations uniformly rather than letting them sell individually and risk being undercut by merchants," Liu Shuyue said openly, "Now, with the noodles you gave me, I keep half and sell the other half. With the money made, I trade it for rice, flour, and flatbreads, which are more filling than a pack of instant noodles. I've calculated that one pack of noodles can be exchanged for five to six portions of food, which is fairly economical."
This is Liu Shuyue's marketing strategy.
By relying on the allure of "Immortal Technique Miracle Food" and "Refugee food is more delicious than restaurant meals," instant noodles' fame spread throughout the city in a very short time. When the wealthy, intrigued, came to try them, they were hooked. Relief noodles became a commodity, with prices skyrocketing several times, and the exchange yielded less tasty but longer-lasting dry goods and cured meats.
Chen Xuan originally thought he could only supply continuously for about half a month, but now it seemed that Liu Shuyue sustaining for a month shouldn't be a problem.
If he had initially supplied rice instead of instant noodles, this effect probably would not have occurred.
One can only say that Sect disciples truly have some skill.
"But what's the situation with the Governor? You mentioned he seems troubled lately?"
Liu Shuyue nodded, "Yes, he may appear normal, but the turbulent aura around him indicates he has concerns."
Clearly, someone solved the refugee problem for him, he should be laughing in his sleep. Chen Xuan immediately imagined a grand drama of the local official supervising the post, embezzling a large amount of disaster relief funds.
But it didn't make sense logically, as the disaster relief money and food were still on their way. Besides, Liu Shuyue resolved the refugee issue without using Zhangwei City's resources, bringing only benefits without any harm. Now, having dealt with the refugees without any effort, he would, in fact, feel no pressure in embezzling the relief funds.
"Do you think he has a problem?"
"I've done a simple investigation, found nothing. Shen Fang, since his appointment as Zhangwei's Governor, has maintained a good reputation, known for being honest and fair in office, and people privately call him Shen Qingtian."
Perhaps the "Voice of Trust" obtained from Joan could be helpful? Chen Xuan thought, while it could not detect lies, it could sense if the other party harbored hostility.
But before he could speak, Liu Shuyue waved her hand, "Forget it, I actually don't care about his thoughts. I just heard that the first batch of Qing State's disaster relief grain will arrive in Zhangwei in two days. By then, my goal will be achieved."
Indeed... the refugees weren't her responsibility.
She stepped up to take over this mess simply because she didn't want to see lives devastated.
Once the funds and food from other regions arrived, the crisis here would naturally be resolved.
"Where do you plan to go next?" Chen Xuan asked casually.
"No plans yet. I heard there are Evil Cultivators lurking in the neighboring Yuan State, maybe I'll go there for a look," she smiled as she took a sip of coffee, "After all, the solution to this issue was largely thanks to you. Without the Encyclopedia of Ancient and Modern, I probably wouldn't have thought of promoting Lotus Cloud Immortal Noodles; without Liberty Leading the People, I couldn't have united thousands of refugees in one day."
"Sounds like I just gave them to you for free," Chen Xuan shook his head with a smile, "You paid the price to obtain them, so the results should entirely belong to you."
"Did I?" Liu Shuyue glanced at him slyly, "I remember there's a rule in the store: if not satisfied with the ability, you can return it at the original price within a month?"
Chen Xuan's smile froze on his face.
"Uh, well... do you want to return them?"
"Hmm... No, I'm very satisfied with both abilities." Seeing him visibly relax, Liu Shuyue suddenly felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
These days had been the most relaxed she felt in recent years, not only due to her new home being rich in Spiritual Qi and akin to a fairyland, but because she suddenly had someone to exchange ideas with. Solving the refugee problem wasn't a battle fought alone, just knowing there was such a mysterious store providing support in the background gave her immense confidence.
Chen Xuan no longer appeared merely a merchant in her eyes; he seemed more like a friend.
Even if this was just her illusion, she hoped this illusion would extend a little longer.
After all, once they parted this time, who knew how many years it would take to meet again.
After Liu Shuyue finished chatting and went upstairs, Chen Xuan found himself idle. He'd been busy purchasing instant noodles these past few days and hadn't had the chance to properly appreciate the new abilities in the inventory. Now he finally had the opportunity to experience them.
When he first obtained the "Celestial Mist Skill," he replaced the previous "Purifying Heart Technique" with it, but he didn't feel a significant change overall.
He could perceive that this Heart Method was far more complex than the Purifying Heart Technique, but it wasn't a full replacement in terms of functionality. For instance, besides calming the mind, the Purifying Heart Technique could also regulate body temperature, making hot summers bearable and cold winters comfortable, like a portable air conditioner. The Celestial Mist Skill lacked such convenience. It was stronger in amplifying other spells; while if the Purifying Heart Technique leaned towards support, then it was more combat-oriented.
He just couldn't grasp the nuances of the described self-evolution and ascension.
His understanding of this ability came entirely from Liu Shuyue, and naturally, Liu Shuyue wouldn't know what "ascension" means.
Perhaps the store's evaluation of abilities was inherently filled with embellishment, not meant to be taken as truth.
In any case, it was a secret Heart Method of the Lotus Cloud Sect, only taught to the most outstanding disciples. By falling into his hands, in a sense, Liu Shuyue had already seriously violated sect rules. Of course, Liu Shuyue had discussed this with him, claiming she didn't teach any incantations, didn't copy any texts, and didn't even explain the most basic techniques, so technically, it wasn't an external transmission.
It must be said, her standards for action were rather flexible.
The other three abilities "Divine Eye Technique," "Golden Cicada Shell Escape Technique," and "Thousand Thoughts Sword" were much more user-friendly. After swapping in the Divine Eye Technique, Chen Xuan discovered he could easily see the clothes hanging to dry on a balcony several hundred meters away, and could even capture the moment a bird took off from a branch. This ability was akin to cybernetic eyes, significantly extending his range for visual information acquisition.
The Golden Cicada Shell Escape Technique was a life-saving spell, with an intriguing principle. As Liu Shuyue explained, it used one's destiny to avert a guaranteed fatal crisis, but it wasn't fully automatic. If the practitioner didn't foresee their impending death, it wouldn't activate. The non-passive nature of this ability left Chen Xuan somewhat disappointed. If it couldn't prevent sneak attacks, its practical value would undoubtedly decrease greatly.
As for the Thousand Thoughts Sword... true to its name, when cultivated to a profound level, it could summon a thousand Qi Swords of meditation, each sword being an extension of consciousness, attacking from whatever direction desired, with extreme flexibility. Chen Xuan tried a few casual attempts in the store and found the swords similar to alternative drones, emphasizing the element of surprise.
Unfortunately, at his current level, he could only summon two to three Qi Swords at most. Any more and he felt dizzy, struggling to maintain concentration.
According to the store manager's level explanation, a Level 2 store manager would restrict those abilities acquired through transactions to a maximum of Level 2, meaning that while it might be a Level 10 Thousand Thoughts Sword for others, for him, it was only at Level 2.
Is the store afraid the manager might embezzle abilities?