Douluo: The Mysterious System

After finalizing the details and signing the agreement, Wang Xiaotian taught Xiao Huohuo the cooking methods and oil extraction techniques. He even demonstrated them once for their benefit.

Since Xiao Huohuo was the City Lord, he couldn't publicly get involved. As for Su Yuntao, that was even more impossible. So, Xiao Huohuo proposed that Wang Xiaotian be the public face of the operation.

But how could Wang Xiaotian agree to that? He wanted to work behind the scenes. After much discussion, they finally decided that Xiao Yuchen would be the public face.

Anyway, Xiao Yuchen was already in sixth grade. After three more years at the Advanced Soul Master Academy, he would graduate.

Of course, Xiao Yuchen would only be the figurehead. Behind the scenes, the Xiao family would assign someone with business acumen to manage and oversee operations. Su Yuntao and Wang Xiaotian would supervise everything, and the books would be reviewed monthly.

In Xiao Huohuo's eyes, this stir-fry method was a money tree. The fact that Wang Xiaotian was willing to share the process and that their family would receive 30% of the profits was more than enough.

After all, the Xiao family wasn't powerful enough to spread the stir-fry business across the entire continent. Having a contract to operate in one province was already satisfying.

Then came the most important part: naming the restaurant!

Naturally, the name would be chosen by Wang Xiaotian. After thinking for a while, he decided on Prosperity Restaurant.

It was a nostalgic tribute to a name from his previous life—Fugui'er...

Xiao Huohuo decided they would start with three locations in Notting City. With his influence as City Lord, attracting customers wouldn't be a problem.

Su Yuntao also said he would make an appearance to show support.

With everything settled, everyone returned to their own business. After all, they weren't idle people.

"Ding! New mission issued: Protection."

"Your junior brother Tang San is about to hunt a soul beast to obtain his first soul ring. Mission objective: Protect the Grandmaster from harm."

"Mission reward: Soul Power Simulation Skill (guarantees no one below god-level can see through your soul power cultivation!)."

"Mission penalty: Three years as a eunuch."

What kind of punishment was that? I'm only ten years old-what's three years as a eunuch supposed to mean?

No! Wang Xiaotian smacked himself on the head. How could he even consider the idea of becoming a eunuch? God!

But that reward... now that was something he had been longing for: Soul Power Simulation!

Thanks to his "snoring skill" leveling up, he could now gain 500 soul power points just by sleeping overnight. He was currently a Level 13 Soul Master, needing 3,000 soul power to level up.

That meant, after just six more days of snoring, he'd hit Level 14!

Scary, huh? One level every six days?

To reach Level 15, he'd need 4,000 soul power-so eight days of snoring…

By that rate, he could break through to Level 20 and become a Grand Soul Master in less than three months!

Meanwhile, even Tang San-despite having the powerful Xuantian Technique-took about two years to reach Level 20.

After all, when Tang San entered Shrek Academy, he was 12 years old and already a Level 29 Grand Soul Master. So, it wasn't hard to estimate his growth rate.

If Wang Xiaotian reached Grand Soul Master in under three months, he was sure people would come looking for trouble.

So, for the sake of survival-err, caution-he needed this soul power simulation skill badly.

Showing off was never his style.

So, whether for the reward or to protect the Grandmaster, he was going all out on this mission!

He remembered that Tang San's first soul ring came from the Mandrake Snake, and the Grandmaster had been poisoned by it.

Even though Wang Xiaotian was now a Level 13 Soul Master with a 480-year soul ring, and even though his Heavenflame Sword was powerful, and Tang San could kill that snake…

Still, Wang Xiaotian felt he needed to be prepared. After all, you only get one life.

Fortunately, he borrowed five silver soul coins from Xiao Yuchen. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the money for supplies.

"Boss, do you have an antidote for Mandrake Snake venom, around 400 years old?"

"You do? Great, I'll take three portions-give me a discount, yeah?"

"Boss, you got any healing powder? Give me ten packs!"

"Boss, do you…"

Thankfully, Wang Xiaotian's "Five-Three" space was large, and Notting City's prices were cheap. So, the shopping trip went smoothly. He spent all his money but got everything he needed.

He felt the single silver soul coin left in his the only asset he had left. It was his last bit of food money for the month.

But… maybe he should buy more. Life is priceless. This was his first soul beast hunt. Better safe than sorry.

Buy it!

Three days later, on the road northeast of Notting City, near Soul Hunting Forest-

A carriage was traveling at a steady pace. Inside, the Grandmaster was explaining soul beasts to Wang Xiaotian and Tang San.

But truthfully, only Tang San was listening carefully and asking questions. As for Wang Xiaotian-since he'd enrolled half a month earlier and had obtained skills like "Soul Beast Encyclopedia," "Cultivation Encyclopedia," and "Soul Bone Encyclopedia" from the Grandmaster via the system-he wasn't paying much attention.

He was instead thinking about the grand opening of Prosperity Restaurant in two days. He'd written the entire opening plan himself-three different versions-and chosen the best one.

Of course, much of the plan was based on restaurant management systems from Earth in his previous life.

It included customer service, kitchen management, opening events, and so on…

He probably wouldn't make it back in time, but he hoped everything would go smoothly. By all logic, there shouldn't be any problems. He had planned everything so carefully.

Suddenly…

"Xiaotian, you're my senior disciple, and I've never given you anything. Today, take this belt." The Grandmaster took out a belt and handed it to him.

The belt was entirely black with dark patterns barely visible unless looked at closely. Embedded evenly across it were 24 milky-white jade stones, each about the size of a thumbnail, round, and lustrous-rare, top-grade jade.

"Teacher, is this a soul tool?" Wang Xiaotian asked calmly. He had already thought up a backstory for his "Five-Three" space. He had also predicted this moment when the Grandmaster would give him the belt, so he wasn't flustered at all.

This was Tang San's item. He wouldn't take it. He'd avoid interfering with the plot whenever possible-especially with something as iconic as "Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges."

"Oh? How did you know it's a soul tool?" the Grandmaster asked, surprised. After all, Wang Xiaotian's parents were just ordinary people-how could he know about soul tools?

"Because I have a similar one too, Teacher. Look." Under the gaze of Tang San and the Grandmaster, Wang Xiaotian took out a bag of water from his "Five-Three" space.

"This soul tool was given to me by my village chief when I left. He said it was a sacred item they stumbled upon long ago, and they passed it to me once I became a soul master." Wang Xiaotian spoke smoothly. Given that soul tools were ancient and often of mysterious origin, his story was perfectly believable.

"Hmm, didn't expect you to be the hope of your entire village, Brother Xiaotian," Tang San joked beside him. He figured he probably counted as his village's hope, too.