Popular Demand

After Xu Ya adjusted her prices, there was a noticeable increase in the number of cultivators coming to buy.

Some familiar faces who had hesitated a few days ago were now finally picking out a few pieces to take home and try.

For a while, Xu Ya’s fried chicken shop was packed almost every day.

Surprisingly, the crowd remained orderly.

Even as Xu Ya and A Xi bustled around nonstop, wiping the thin sheen of sweat from her forehead with a raised hand, Xu Ya thought to herself: These cultivators are actually pretty well-behaved when it comes to buying things.

What she didn’t know was that, in the blind spots of the shop, there was almost always a powerful figure standing silently with a sword in hand, eyes sharp as blades, watching the crowd.

Sometimes it was Zhan Zhengzhen. Other times it was Cai Wenle. Occasionally, it was even Shi Yuzhen!

Their piercing gazes nearly made the cultivators break out in cold sweat.

Inside, the cultivators were screaming: Heavens, can someone please tell us how these high-ranking sword cultivators are connected to Xu Ya? Why are they standing guard here like it’s their duty?!

Despite their muttering, after buying Xu Ya’s fried chicken a few times, they all fell in love with the crispy-skinned snack.

In the Yunmeng Immortal Marsh, cultivation-enhancing items were notoriously expensive. Initially, cultivators scoffed at the idea of paying three mid-grade spirit stones for chicken.

But once they bought it, used it to regulate their qi, and experienced its real effects, they couldn’t stop.

They were hooked.

If they went to a Culinary Cultivator sect’s shop for something with the same effect, it would cost them ten mid-grade spirit stones.

But buying directly from Xu Ya? That amount could last them three days. It was practically the perfect companion for cultivation.

The cultivators found Xu Ya’s slogan incredibly fitting: A-Ya Fried Chicken, your cultivation companion.

At the same time, Xu Ya was also taking the special constitution-nourishing pills prepared daily by the male lead.

Then one day, A-Ya Fried Chicken Shop received an unexpected visitor.

Well, not entirely unexpected—Master Xu.

But now that Xu Ya was practically the male lead’s loyal dog (crossed out), anything that might endanger him immediately triggered her internal alarm.

Master Xu had finally found time to visit the shop he had invested in, arriving nearly half a month late.

With his hands behind his back and a smile on his face, he stood watching the long line of customers.

Xu Ya was sweating bullets inside. While efficiently packing orders for the cultivators, she kept a wary eye on Master Xu out of the corner of her eye.

Her subtle movements didn’t escape Shi Yuzhen, who was standing in the blind spot outside the shop.

Shi Yuzhen paused for a moment, then continued sensing.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a cold gleam flashing in them as he locked onto Master Xu.

Shi Yuzhen had never been one to show respect to other people’s masters.

Master Xu was unfazed by the sharp gaze, neither meeting it nor responding. He continued smiling as he watched the crowd in front of the shop.

The cultivators, however, felt the pressure and broke out in nervous sweat.

Who had offended this god now?

What they didn’t know was that Shi Yuzhen was currently squinting, sizing up Master Xu with a sour look: What makes him so important to Junior Sister?

Shi Yuzhen couldn’t quite sense just how strange his own emotions were at the moment. He simply had a gut feeling that Master Xu was up to no good.

If Xu Ya knew what Shi Yuzhen was thinking, she would definitely comment: As expected of the male lead! Everything about the process is wrong, but the conclusion is spot on!

Thanks to Xu Ya’s business adjustments, A-Ya Fried Chicken’s sales had visibly skyrocketed. The stream of customers was endless, and there were even many pre-orders.

Half a month ago, she could still pack up after two hours in the morning. Now, she was busy until the sun was high in the sky before the crowd finally thinned.

The cultivators in line wiped away sweat and grumbled, while Master Xu stood there unbothered by the sun, maintaining the same posture. It was rather unsettling.

Master Xu didn’t enter the shop until it had closed. Once inside, he looked around as if noticing the shop assistant for the first time and said to Xu Ya, “Xiao Ya, I’ve heard business is booming here. Hmm? This child looks unfamiliar. Who is he?”

Xu Ya now treated Master Xu like the villain from the opposing faction, always on guard for anything that might threaten the male lead. She cautiously replied, “He’s a child I adopted from the countryside. He had nowhere to go, just like I once did. I happened to need help, so I took him in to lend a hand.”

After several conversations with Shi Yuzhen, she had learned that A Xi had a promising cultivation constitution. With Xu Ya’s care, he was slowly developing the potential of a future cultivator. Xu Ya had seen the Soul Snatching Talisman that Master Xu had set up. If the male lead failed to secure his target, what if Master Xu turned his sights on A Xi?

She couldn’t figure out Master Xu’s intentions, so she subtly moved A Xi behind her.

But her acting was terrible. Master Xu’s smile didn’t change, and A Xi instinctively hid behind Xu Ya, his shy demeanor making up for her poor performance.

Master Xu said, “Hmm, that’s a good approach. I was just about to suggest that if you’re too busy, you could find some help. Coincidentally, I have a low-level pill cultivator who’s not very obedient. She ran off to join the Culinary Cultivators, and your Master Wang was furious, saying we can’t just dump anyone there. Haha.”

Xu Ya’s internal alarm blared: Here it is! He’s trying to plant someone to keep an eye on me! Waiting for the chance to poison me!

Master Xu continued, “She’s a good person. Her cultivation is still shallow, but she’s hardworking and diligent. I thought she could come here for some experience. What do you think, Xiao Ya?”

The entire shop was funded by Master Xu. He was the real boss, and Xu Ya was technically just an employee. Even if she held the so-called “technique,” she didn’t have the final say over who worked here.

Xu Ya’s hand clenched into a fist behind her back. With no emotion on her face, she politely thanked him, “Thank you, Master Xu! I have no objections.”

Seeing that Xu Ya was tactful enough to agree, Master Xu’s smile became even more eerie, a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “Excellent. I’ll return to the Immortal Marsh and inform her of this good news. Don’t worry, I’ve arranged her lodging. She won’t be living with you.”

With that, Master Xu left the shop with his hands behind his back. Just before stepping out, he glanced meaningfully to the left, then cast a spell and soared into the sky, disappearing in an instant.

With a loud bang, Shi Yuzhen entered the shop, deliberately making a racket.

Startled, Xu Ya shrank back a little. When she looked up and saw Shi Yuzhen standing at the door with a stern face, her eyes lit up with joy and she quickly invited him in.

That one look soothed Shi Yuzhen’s irritated mood. He froze for a moment.

Xu Ya had no idea what high-level cultivators were thinking. She earnestly said to him, “Great Senior Brother, could you check for me? I think my constitution might be ready for higher-grade pills now.”

It felt like someone had whipped her from behind. Master Xu’s visit and his plan to plant someone in the shop meant she had to be on full alert from now on.

The sense of crisis pushed Xu Ya to want to advance to the Qi Refining Stage as soon as possible.

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a slender, fair arm.

Shi Yuzhen lowered his gaze and, for some reason, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly at the sight. He formed a hand seal, and a stream of pale blue spiritual energy entered Xu Ya’s veins.

After a moment, Shi Yuzhen concluded, “Mm. After one more course, you can try higher-tier pills. But you must take them only when I’m present.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Oh heavens, the male lead is amazing!

Shi Yuzhen looked at Xu Ya, who was as obedient as a kitten. Even her hair was tied into two buns shaped like cat ears. He couldn’t help but reach out, wanting to give her a pat.

To her surprise, Xu Ya lowered her head obediently, letting him touch the warm strands of hair atop her head. Shi Yuzhen’s pupils trembled slightly, his throat tightened, and his arm relaxed, finally coming to rest gently on her head.

Just like a well-behaved house cat.

Shi Yuzhen quite enjoyed it.

His declaration gave Xu Ya a surge of hope. She could absolutely accommodate a few of the male lead’s little quirks. Even though she had no idea why he was always so fixated on her face, she was sure he had his reasons.

Overwhelmed by the good news, Xu Ya became even more cooperative with everything.

That night, Xu Ya began preparing the next day’s inventory. The male lead was still seated cross-legged on her small bed, meditating and regulating his qi.

The order list was the top priority for daily frying. Cultivation never stopped, and the number of people coming back for more fried chicken was steadily increasing.

A Xi, with his childish voice, carefully tried to read the characters on the preorder list, stumbling over the words as he went. Xu Ya moved swiftly, preparing the marinated chicken with practiced ease.

She didn’t notice that Shi Yuzhen had long since stopped meditating. He was now standing behind her, watching her work with great interest.

A Xi was still just a child, easily distracted by anything—especially when the meditating big brother suddenly appeared behind his sister. His curiosity got the better of him, and he stopped reading the order list to sneak a peek.

Xu Ya didn’t notice a thing. She simply shook her head and took the list from the dazed A Xi’s hands, telling him to go rest.

Then a familiar voice came from behind her. “Let me try.”

Startled by how close Shi Yuzhen’s voice sounded, Xu Ya instinctively leaned back, only to bump her head right into him. Her face flushed red as she quickly rubbed the back of her head and apologized over and over.

A Xi found their interaction amusing and didn’t go back to the bed. Instead, he giggled and joined the fray.

Children didn’t think in complicated ways like adults. He mimicked Xu Ya and, without hesitation, bumped his head into Shi Yuzhen’s stomach.

To A Xi, Shi Yuzhen’s body felt like an unbreakable wall of iron and stone.

Before he could go in for a second headbutt, a pair of warm little hands gently stopped him.

Xu Ya awkwardly held A Xi back and gave Shi Yuzhen a shy smile.

In the end, Shi Yuzhen was allowed to fry a batch of chicken. Xu Ya couldn’t tell him that only the chicken she personally fried had the miraculous effect of enhancing cultivation. She didn’t want to spoil the mood, so she simply made a mental note of where that particular batch was placed.

Shi Yuzhen, for the first time, showed a rare clumsiness and nearly got splashed by hot oil.

Xu Ya quickly grabbed a paper towel and wiped the oil from his hand.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door.

It interrupted the three of them in the middle of their preparations.

Xu Ya was curious at first, but then it hit her—it might be the low-level cultivator Master Xu had mentioned!

A wave of nervousness washed over her, and even her steps grew hesitant. She slowly walked to the front and opened the door.

Outside stood a woman in simple attire, her hair neatly tied up. When she saw Xu Ya open the door, she gave a respectful bow and introduced herself.

— Translator’s Notes —

– mid-grade spirit stones: In cultivation novels, spirit stones are currency and cultivation resources containing spiritual energy, graded by quality (low, mid, high grade).