The days passed steadily. I kept up with my daily missions, always pushing myself to outperform the previous day. Alongside cultivation, I kept an eye on the pottery business.
The first batch of products was finally ready—over two hundred pieces in total. I handed them over to the four salespeople, and our approach was simple. We set up a roadside stall to display our wares, while two others went door-to-door, showcasing the pots' features and persuading people to buy. The entire batch sold out easily, and the earnings were reinvested into production. Days went by, and business was booming.
Soon, our products began appearing in other shops as well—some cheap and plain, others styled as premium and luxurious. Sales remained steady, though not as fast as the first wave.
One day, Rajan went to meet the businessman who had initially backed us. They exchanged a few words before the businessman asked, "What do you plan to do now?"
Rajan replied calmly, "I had a vision when I started this business, and I see it being fulfilled."
The businessman leaned forward. "What vision?"
"It's simple," Rajan said. "I saw a problem, and I wanted to solve it—earning money was only secondary. The solution was always the main goal."
The businessman nodded, then asked, "And how will the business proceed from here?"
"Don't worry," Rajan answered. "I know your concern, and I've already prepared for it. You invested ten silver coins and gave us a place to operate. In a month, we've made roughly thirty silver coins in profit. I'll give you twenty silver coins and buy out your share."
The businessman was caught off guard—his intentions had been read clearly. But he didn't object. Barely a month had passed, and his investment had already doubled. He left the meeting visibly pleased.
The next day, Rajan settled his account and handed over the coins. Then, he went to the workplace and gathered the four best workers—those with the skill and dedication to take on leadership roles.
"I'll guide you for a month," Rajan told them, "and then I'll step away from this business. The entire setup will remain—the operations, the market, the customers—but without me."
He encouraged them to think beyond what they had been doing. "This product is mostly used for storing water—can it be used elsewhere? If it can be made in different shapes, what other purposes could it serve? It's fragile—how can you make it less breakable? And how will you advertise it on a large scale?"
Instead of giving them answers, he left them with questions to explore.
That night, back at the inn, he checked his cultivation progress.
Fetching Cultivation Progress…
Cultivation Progress: 61%
A satisfied smile formed on his face. He was cultivating and living life on his own terms—no need for seclusion or isolation. Of course, his rapid progress was the result of always going beyond the system's minimum requirements.