The Redleaf Forest was famous throughout the Great Azure Empire for one thing—the terrifying beasts that roamed its depths.
It was also rumored that a dying Immortal had built her tomb somewhere within, so whoever found her inheritance would have the chance to step onto the path of immortality.
Of course, opportunities and danger always went hand in hand.
At the far western edge of this infamous forest, near the Blue Lily Lake, there was a small two-story building with a faintly ancient vibe to it.
In front of it, a young man lounged on a recliner, sunglasses covering his eyes.
His black hair fluttered quietly in the breeze, blending perfectly with his chill attitude.
He hummed an offbeat tune, fingers drumming on the armrest, lost in his own world.
When the sun dipped below the horizon, he decided to call it a day.
Picking up the recliner, he headed inside the shop and set it aside.
"One more day wasted. My business skills are truly legendary," he muttered, flopping down behind the reception desk.
His name was Bai Yun—a normal guy who used to work his family's fields before suddenly appearing in this forest.
Why? He had no clue at first, but an excited voice soon explained everything.
Apparently, he'd been handpicked by Veyrion, the Divine Broker and Keeper of the Eternal Ledger—because who wouldn't want a clueless farmer as their apostle?
Veyrion, the Merchant of Realms, oversaw every trade and deal in the multiverse.
As his so-called apostle, Bai Yun was supposed to follow in his footsteps. The only problem was, he was weak as hell and didn't have a clue what he was doing.
So, Veyrion "generously" gifted him this store—the Dimensional Mall—where products from all over the multiverse could be found and sold.
His mission? Sell those products and services to get stronger.
He was even given the option to refuse, but who would do that?
Bai Yun had read enough Xianxia novels and was a die hard fan of the genre.
Back on Earth, he'd just been a lonely farmer. Now he had a shot at living in a real cultivation world—no way he'd turn that down.
"System, can't we change the prices? Or at least the location?" Bai Yun grumbled.
Since he'd just started, the entire mall only had three products—and they were priced like they'd been kissed by Immortals and blessed by Heaven itself.
To make matters worse, the mall was stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Sure, the scenery was nice, but it was the worst spot for business.
[The price is calculated on various factors and is therefore fair and cannot be changed.]
[As for the location, neither host nor system owns any property in this world, so this was the closest spot to civilization where the Dimensional Mall could be placed.]
[Location Change function will become available in future updates.]
"So I'm stuck here until then, huh," Bai Yun sighed.
Not that he hadn't seen any customers—he had. They all just cursed and left as soon as they saw the prices.
"Whatever. At least I'm safe here," he shrugged, counting that as a win.
That was about the only upside.
After learning he was supposed to run a store, he couldn't help but think of those novels where the MC is overpowered but acts clueless.
Sadly, that wasn't the case for him.
He didn't even have the physical constitution required to cultivate, let alone become some bigshot.
But the system did say he could grow stronger as long as he kept selling stuff.
"How am I supposed to sell these products at these prices?" he complained.
Seriously, it was like trying to sell a bottle of water for five thousand bucks… in the middle of a forest… with no one around. A business model straight from hell.
The only good thing was that the mall itself was invincible. As its current owner, he could use its powers as long as he stayed within its range.
That was why he never stepped outside the mall's boundaries.
The cultivation world was full of monsters, murder, and mad young masters who might kill you just for breathing... or wearing the wrong color. Or just existing, really.
Bai Yun, as weak as any mortal, had zero plans to tempt fate.
He wasn't stepping out of this mall until he could step on everyone else.
Till then, he was just a shopkeeper in his own little store.
He was about to close up for the day when he noticed a young woman in pink-and-white robes dragging a bloodied man, a desperate look on her face.
'Well, looks like my first real customer just arrived.'
Yun—as he insisted everyone call him—couldn't help but smile as he watched the pair approach the mall.
The young woman, Mu Xue, had noticed the strange building and figured it was worth a shot.
Her brother was poisoned by the Hundred Vein Poison of the Nether Valley, and she had no antidote.
Only members of the Nether Valley had it, so once poisoned, her brother's fate was pretty much sealed.
She refused to give up, though, and when she saw this odd little shop, she decided to take a chance.
Soon, they stood before the building, Mu Xue reading the plaque above the door.
"Dimensional Mall? A store out here?" she muttered.
By then, Yun had stepped out and greeted her, "Welcome to the Dimensional Mall. Looks like your friend isn't doing so well. Maybe my humble shop has just what you need to save him?"
Mu Xue glanced at her brother, whose face had gone pale as he struggled to stay conscious.
She sighed, "What I need isn't easy to find, so just give me some water."
"Sure thing. One bottle of water…that'll be 1 Low Spirit Stone," Yun said, smiling as he handed her a clear plastic bottle.
Mu Xue almost dropped her brother in shock. "One Low Spirit Stone? For water? You might as well put on a mask and call it a robbery!"
"I'm an honest man and will never do something so despicable. So, do you want it or not?" Yun replied, keeping the smile as he held out the bottle.
Mu Xue clenched her jaw, realizing he was taking advantage of her situation. But she needed water desperately.
She'd heard it could slow the Hundred Vein Poison's spread, buying her brother a little more time.
She'd only gotten this far by forcing him to drink along the way, but her reserves had run out, and the lake she'd hoped for was nowhere close.
Right then, her brother started coughing up blood. "Leave…me…alone," he managed.
"Brother, just hang on a little longer! I'll get the antidote!" Mu Xue cried, shaking him gently.
With no choice, she dug out a small pentagonal crystal and pressed it into Yun's hand.
She'd thought about snatching the water, but not with her brother in this state.
'Whatever. I can earn more spirit stones, but I only have one brother.'
Yun's eyes lit up as he took the crystal and handed over the bottle.
Finally—first quest complete, first sale made, and only a tiny bit of extortion involved. Progress.
[Congratulations! You have made your first sale.]
[Dimensional Mall Level Progress: 1%]
Still, he didn't feel too bad. After all, this was water from the Dimensional Mall—nothing from here could ever be ordinary.
Her brother would be fine. And Bai Yun? He was officially open for business.