Peter pulled out a book from behind the counter and handed it to Orochimaru.
"Take a look at this. If it's not to your liking, I can offer something else."
Orochimaru carefully took the book. On its yellowed cover were three bold, simple characters:
"The Secret of Immortality."
Just reading the title made his heart race and his breathing quicken.
"The Secret of Immortality…" he whispered, as if the path he'd always longed for had finally appeared before him.
His hands trembled with excitement as he gently stroked the book like it was the most precious treasure in the world.
"Boss, how much for this book?" Orochimaru asked, barely able to hide his anticipation.
Peter glanced at the label and replied casually,
"This is just an entry-level technique—15 million taels."
Orochimaru breathed a sigh of relief. He could afford it.
But curiosity got the better of him.
"Is there a higher-level version?" he asked.
He couldn't believe that something called "The Secret of Immortality" was just entry-level.
"Of course," Peter nodded. "This is a basic version. Techniques are categorized into four levels: Huang, Xuan, Earth, and Heaven, with Heaven being the highest."
Orochimaru's eyes glowed with desire. He made up his mind to buy whatever was necessary—even if it meant selling everything he had.
Peter noticed his expression and added a serious reminder:
"When cultivating, don't rush. Haste leads to failure. The road to immortality must be taken one solid step at a time."
Orochimaru was startled, then quickly bowed his head with sincerity.
"Thank you for the advice, Boss. I'll keep that in mind. Could you explain the difference between each level?"
Peter smiled.
"Each level determines the power and depth of the technique. Heaven-level techniques are the most profound, revealing deep truths about the immortal path. Earth-level techniques come next and offer great potential. Xuan-level is intermediate, and Huang-level techniques are the most basic. But no matter the level, mastery depends on your own effort and comprehension."
Orochimaru listened with rapt attention, determination shining in his eyes.
He had already made up his mind: he would practice relentlessly and achieve eternal life.
"Thank you, Boss, for clearing my doubts!" he said gratefully.
Peter then took out another book from the cabinet.
"Training is important, but you'll also need elixirs to support your cultivation."
He handed the book over to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru looked at the cover curiously. It read:
"Compendium of Pills."
"Boss, what's this?" he asked, puzzled.
"This book contains detailed instructions for refining pills—formulas, ingredients, and methods. Different pills serve different purposes: Longevity Pills to extend life, Strength Pills to boost physical power, and so on. They're incredibly helpful for increasing your cultivation speed and strength." Peter explained.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
"Boss, how much? I want it!"
"It's a comprehensive guide—pretty much everything known in the immortal cultivation world. So it's expensive: 40 million taels," Peter said, raising four fingers.
Without hesitation, Orochimaru took out several scrolls and handed them over.
Peter was stunned. He had expected Orochimaru to be rich, but this rich?
In total, Orochimaru had already spent over 60 million taels.
Peter took the scrolls and, after the system confirmed the transaction, accepted the payment.
"Excellent!" Peter said with a satisfied smile.
Orochimaru, still curious, had been watching Peter's every move.
But he still couldn't figure out how the scrolls just vanished.
He licked his lips and asked cautiously,
"Boss... how did you make the scrolls disappear like that?"
Peter hesitated. He couldn't exactly say, "Oh, the system did it."
Thinking quickly, his eyes lit up.
"Storage ring. Want one?"
He walked over to a nearby counter and took out a plain but elegant ring.
Orochimaru studied it curiously.
"This is a storage ring with 20 cubic meters of space. It can hold anything—except living things—and is far superior to storage scrolls," Peter explained.
"How much?" Orochimaru asked.
Peter checked the price and blinked in disbelief.
"Damn, that's expensive..."
He rubbed his eyes, counted the zeros several times, and finally said reluctantly,
"Three hundred million taels."
Orochimaru's jaw dropped.
"Haha… well, I guess storage scrolls still work just fine."
Peter chuckled, then said,
"Anyway, it's useless to have the recipe if you don't have a furnace or ingredients to actually make pills."
That snapped Orochimaru back to reality.
"Right, I'll need tools and materials too..."
Peter took out a basic alchemy furnace and set it on the counter.
"This one's suitable for beginners. It won't handle high-tier elixirs, but it's perfect to get started. Eight million taels."
This time, Orochimaru was slower to pay.
He had to open multiple scrolls before he scraped together the full amount.
Peter smiled.
"Tell me what kind of pills you want to refine. I'll help you gather the ingredients."
Orochimaru nodded and flipped open the Compendium of Pills.
Though he wanted to buy all the basic materials, his funds were running low.
In the end, he chose just two pills: the Longevity Pill and the Strength Pill.
"The ingredients for the Longevity Pill: two million taels. Strength Pill: one million taels," Peter said, handing over the necessary materials.
Orochimaru hadn't expected the materials to be so affordable, and quickly paid.
"Also, Boss… can I get three more Senzu Beans?" Orochimaru asked, flipping through another scroll. He eventually came up with 1.5 million taels.
Peter turned, took out two Senzu Beans, placed them in a cloth pouch, and handed them over.
"Sorry, but you didn't pay for the first one you ate earlier. So I'm only giving you two this time," Peter said with a regretful expression.
"You've spent a lot at our shop, and I really want to gift you one. But unfortunately, we're a small business. I just can't give discounts..."
Orochimaru's mouth twitched.
He had just spent over 70 million taels, and Peter was still calling it a "small business"?