Inside the bustling general store, Yue'er, her eyes wide with excitement as she touched the smooth grains of spirit rice, called out to the shopkeeper, her voice ringing with youthful enthusiasm, "I want one hundred jin of spirit rice!" Having satisfied their hunger, the trio had enthusiastically embarked on their shopping spree. Their space was already beginning to fill with various interesting finds. After exploring several establishments, they finally located spirit rice in this particular store. Without hesitation, their first request was for a substantial quantity: one hundred jin. The shopkeeper, a portly man with a neatly trimmed beard, was initially taken aback by the seemingly outlandish request. He chuckled loudly, a booming sound that echoed through the store. "One hundred jin of spirit rice? Who are you children? Do you even know what spirit rice is used for? Or how much it costs per jin? Asking for one hundred jin! Honestly! Alright, alright, go and play somewhere else! This is not a playground for children like you. Everything in this shop is very expensive!" The shopkeeper shook his head dismissively, not bothering to engage in a lengthy argument with what he perceived as naive children, and simply waved them away, indicating they should leave. "How much is a jin of spirit rice?" Hao'er inquired politely, his voice calm and measured. As soon as he spoke, the shopkeeper seemed to truly notice the composed, slightly older child among the group. He gave Hao'er a more appraising look and offered a somewhat condescending smile. "Spirit rice isn't measured in mere coins, young man, but in valuable crystal stones. One jin of spirit rice costs thirty crystal stones. It can significantly aid in one's cultivation, but it's not something everyone can afford. Generally, a single person consumes just a handful per meal. Look, like this." The shopkeeper chuckled again, scooped up a small handful of the precious white grains, spread them out in the palm of his hand, and explained with a knowing wink, "This small amount is enough to cook a bowl of spirit rice, and you won't need to eat anything else with it. You'll feel full of energy and won't experience hunger for the entire day." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚 The three children naturally understood exactly what he was talking about, as their own mother had often fed them this very spirit rice. "Is there a discount if we buy 100 jin?" Hao'er pressed, his tone still polite but now carrying a hint of seriousness. Hearing this, the shopkeeper's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he looked at Hao'er with renewed interest. "You really want one hundred jin?" He studied the three children more closely, and a flicker of confusion crossed his face. Their features seemed… indistinct. It was as if he could see them, yet what he perceived were remarkably ordinary, almost forgettable features. However, having been a shopkeeper in this city for many years, he had learned to be observant. He knew that some disciples of powerful masters possessed techniques to subtly conceal their true identities. This thought prompted him to take another, more careful look at the three children, and he began to ponder the possibilities. "Well," he said, stroking his beard thoughtfully, "I don't have a full hundred jin of spirit rice in my shop at the moment. I only have about seventy to eighty jin left. The next shipment won't arrive for a few days. However, if you are willing to take all that I have, I can certainly offer you a discount." "Do you have any seeds here?" Yue'er interjected, her earlier excitement about the rice momentarily overshadowed by a new interest. "Seeds? We have seeds of all kinds!" the shopkeeper exclaimed, his usual jovial demeanor returning. "I pride myself on having the most complete selection in the entire city. Whether you're looking for fruit tree seeds, spirit rice seeds, spirit flower seeds, medicinal herb seeds, or even seeds for spirit wine ingredients, I have it all. However," he added with a slight shake of his head, "I don't deal in common gold coins here, only valuable crystal stones." "We have crystal stones, don't worry," Yue'er assured him confidently. "I want some spirit rice seeds and some medicinal herb seeds. Take a look at this list and see if you have them. If you do, please prepare them for us." Yue'er then carefully produced the list she had diligently written earlier and handed it to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper took the crumpled piece of paper and glanced at it. He couldn't help but smile faintly at the somewhat crooked and childish handwriting. He carefully read through the list, nodding as he went. "Yes, we have everything on here, except for those pots and pans, but those are easy enough to find in another shop. Follow me! I'll show you our selection of seeds, and if you like them, I'll have one of my assistants gather them for you, and then you can settle the payment." "Alright," the three agreed readily and followed the shopkeeper deeper into the store. "Ahh!" Yue'er suddenly cried out in surprise and pain as she stumbled, knocking over a tall, slender jar of fragrant spirit wine that had been precariously perched on a shelf beside her. The rich, intoxicating aroma of the spilled wine immediately filled the air.