"I spent five hundred thousand Mora on five jars, and what I received is beyond anything you could imagine. The value of this book alone... well, see for yourself."
Ningguang handed the Economics & Management book to Keqing.
Keqing glanced at the thin volume, unimpressed. It was barely a pamphlet.
But the moment she flipped to the first page and scanned the text, her pupils dilated. Her gaze locked onto the words, unmoving.
Her reaction was a perfect mirror of Ningguang's earlier state.
Seeing Keqing entranced by the knowledge, Ningguang stayed silent, letting her absorb it without interruption.
For a time, the only sound in the Jade Chamber was the crisp turning of pages.
With only a dozen pages, Keqing finished quickly.
But as she closed the book, she felt as though a dam had broken in her mind. A new world had opened up before her.
"This book is incomplete!"
Keqing looked at Ningguang, her expression intense. "There must be more."
"Correct. It's only a fragment, but as you've seen, even this fragment could elevate Liyue's economy by several tiers."
Seeing Keqing's excitement, Ningguang spoke softly. "But it's not just the book. Look at the rest. This is an Eternal Youth Pill. One pill, and your youth is frozen in time forever. Your face will never age."
"This is an Explosive Tag. It seals a powerful explosion within the paper. Useful for mining or as a self-defense charm."
"This is a Senzu Bean. It restores your physical and mental stamina instantly—like a condensed energy source."
"And this... is the Devil Fruit. An item that rivals a Vision."
Ningguang briefly introduced the remaining items. Keqing stared at them, her shock mounting with each description.
The Eternal Youth Pill caught her attention immediately.
Even Keqing, pragmatic as she was, felt a jolt of desire. No woman could completely ignore the promise of eternal youth.
But she quickly took a deep breath, suppressing her shock, and replaced it with a serious expression. "What is a Devil Fruit?"
Ningguang had called it an "item that rivals a Vision." That was a heavy claim.
"Eating it grants you a unique ability. This specific one is called the Wash-Wash Fruit. A strange name."
Ningguang's voice lowered. "But its effect is terrifying. The user gains the ability to wash and hang enemies out to dry like laundry. It can scrub anything flat. Living beings lose their form and strength when washed. But most importantly... it can wash away the 'evil' in a person's heart. It cleanses their soul, weakening their malicious intent."
"What?!"
Keqing looked at the bizarre, swirling fruit in disbelief.
A single fruit could do all that?
This wasn't elemental power. It was conceptual manipulation.
"Of course, there is a price," Ningguang continued. "According to Shopkeeper Felix, the fruit is the incarnation of a sea devil. Whoever eats it becomes a 'landlubber.' If you are submerged in water, you lose your ability, your strength drains away, and you become helpless. You will drown."
"That side effect is easily avoidable."
Keqing dismissed it instantly. "As long as you stay away from deep rivers and don't fall into the sea, it's a non-issue. But the power... is it truly that heaven-defying? That surpasses a Vision entirely."
In Keqing's view, this was far superior to a Vision.
A Vision granted elemental power—fire to burn, ice to freeze. It was a weapon.
But this fruit? It could purify the human heart. It could fundamentally change a person's nature.
That was a power belonging to gods, not mortals.
She was beginning to doubt if these things were real. If they were fake, Ningguang wouldn't have wasted her time.
But if they were real... who was this shopkeeper? Was he a god in disguise?
But would a god be so bored as to sell jars for pocket change?