Chapter 7: Call Me Xiaoya

As a maid of the Celestial Commerce Guild, Xiao Qingya had long developed a discerning eye, able to judge a cultivator’s purchasing power just by their attire and demeanor. For them, the more a customer bought, the greater their own earnings, so naturally, they favored generous patrons.

Though a bit disappointed, Xiao Qingya concealed it well, and Wang Chen noticed nothing amiss.

“Um, I’d like to learn about defensive spells. Could you introduce some to me?” Wang Chen asked shyly, seeming somewhat awkward in social interactions.

Seeing his honest and straightforward manner, Xiao Qingya’s smile grew a little more genuine as she nodded. “No problem. Please follow me.”

With that, she led Wang Chen toward the section of cultivation techniques.

The Celestial Commerce Guild was vast, selling a wide range of cultivation resources as well as everything needed for daily life. To facilitate management, the guild was divided into distinct zones.

Upon entering the cultivation techniques area, rows upon rows of jade slips were neatly displayed before Wang Chen’s eyes. These jade slips lined the walls, numbering in the thousands, each with an introduction beneath it.

Noticing Wang Chen’s astonishment, Xiao Qingya began to explain, “We have collected all the renowned cultivation techniques from across the entire Azure Cloud Domain. No matter what type of spell you need, our guild can fulfill your request.”

“Moreover, we guarantee that all cultivation techniques and spells sold here are free from any disputes or complications for our clients.”

“For defensive spells like the ones you’re seeking, we currently have one thousand three hundred and sixty-two varieties available. I’m confident you’ll find one to your liking.”

Xiao Qingya’s clear voice echoed gently in Wang Chen’s ears as he listened while browsing the introductions.

At a key point, Wang Chen couldn’t help but interject, “Could it be that you even sell the signature spells of the major sects?”

“Ah, you must be joking,” Xiao Qingya replied. “The secret manuals of the major sects are naturally off-limits to us and not sold lightly.”

Wang Chen pondered this. If they didn’t sell them easily, that implied they did sell them at times. Realizing this gave him a new understanding of the guild’s influence.

Impressive — to dare sell even the secret arts of the great sects, the Celestial Commerce Guild truly wielded formidable power.

Of course, Wang Chen wasn’t planning to purchase sect secrets; his curiosity was merely piqued.

Soon, he refocused on the matter at hand.

“Xiao Ya, may I ask how much the cheapest defensive spell costs here?” Wang Chen asked, wearing a slightly embarrassed expression.

Xiao Qingya had anticipated this and remained composed. “The least expensive defensive spell costs sixty spirit stones.”

“Sixty? That expensive?” Wang Chen was surprised. He was seeking only basic spells — like Fireball or Lightness Technique. Such spells were common; among ten cultivators, at least half would know them.

And yet, they still cost sixty spirit stones!

A pair like Fireball and Lightness Technique would only total about eighty spirit stones.

He had thought the spirit stones he carried would be enough to buy a defensive spell, but it turned out he was a bit short, which made him feel awkward.

“Uh, sorry, I may not have brought enough spirit stones today,” Wang Chen admitted, feeling embarrassed. He hadn’t experienced financial strain in a long time; in his previous life, he had achieved financial freedom early on.

“That’s alright. May I ask how many spirit stones you have? As members of the Celestial Commerce Guild, we can offer certain discounts,” Xiao Qingya said kindly. “If you’re only a little short, perhaps I can help resolve this small issue.”

Seeing Wang Chen’s awkwardness, she found it somewhat amusing. She hadn’t met such an earnest person in a while. Most customers pretended to be wealthy even when their pockets were empty, which was quite exasperating.

Since Wang Chen looked young and sincere, she didn’t mind offering a little assistance.

“That’s very kind of you,” Wang Chen said, scratching his head with a shy smile.

“It depends on how many spirit stones you’re short. If it’s too big a gap, I’m afraid I can’t help much.”

“I have fifty-two spirit stones on me,” Wang Chen whispered.

“Fifty-two is enough. Please wait here; I’ll go apply for the discount,” Xiao Qingya said, nodding before turning to leave.

Once she left, Wang Chen’s shy smile vanished, replaced by a look of helplessness.

“I never thought I’d resort to playing the innocent card for sympathy — I’m really going backward,” he muttered.

Though embarrassed, he had come all this way and didn’t want to leave empty-handed, so he had no choice but to use his youthful advantage.

If Xiao Qingya’s eyes were like fiery golden mirrors that saw through all, then Wang Chen’s were like demon-revealing mirrors. Having fought many battles in the commercial world in his past life, he had encountered countless schemers and charlatans.

From the moment he saw Xiao Qingya, he had already analyzed her character. Though not perfectly accurate, he was close.

She was a girl with a cold exterior but a kind heart inside.

People like her usually found it hard to refuse requests. He had originally intended to borrow spirit stones directly, but to his surprise, Xiao Qingya had taken the initiative to help him apply for a discount, saving him a lot of trouble.

This was also why Xiao Qingya found Wang Chen agreeable — because he had deliberately played the role for her.

As the saying goes, life is all about acting!

Xiao Qingya didn’t keep him waiting long before returning.

Seeing her approach, Wang Chen skillfully switched back to his innocent and bashful expression.

“Xiao Ya, is it ready? I hope I’m not causing you too much trouble. If it’s too much, maybe I should just forget it,” he said.

“No trouble at all. It’s a small matter and already done. Let me take you to choose a spell now,” Xiao Qingya replied with a smile.

“By the way, no need to call me ‘Fairy.’ Just call me Xiao Ya.”

“That won’t do! You helped me so much, I can’t just call you by your name. How about I call you Sister Xiao Ya? Is that alright?”

“Um, I suppose so,” Xiao Qingya said, feeling the address was a bit intimate but unable to refuse Wang Chen’s sincere look.

“Alright then, I’ll call you Sister Xiao Ya from now on. And don’t call me ‘Customer.’ My name is Wang Chen. Sister Xiao Ya can call me by my name,” he said.

The two laughed and chatted easily. With Wang Chen’s willing cooperation, their rapport grew quickly; at first glance, they seemed like old friends, though they had known each other less than an hour.

Soon, under Xiao Qingya’s guidance, Wang Chen selected a defensive spell called Golden Light Shield.