The shabby-looking man strolled past the counter and went straight to the shelves.
Each step was swift, devoid of the calculated nature Noa got used to seeing in this world.
The man was familiar. It took Noa more than a glance to recognize him. That's how much different the man looked.
"You are here to buy a spinner, right?" he asked.
Feng Fan, a stray cultivator who looked nothing like his former self, nodded eagerly.
"Yes…" he trailed his words. "I would take one bottle as well."
'Now that I look at him, his hair does look in better condition,' Noa realized.
But completely emptying an entire bottle in a single day was weird and unnecessary.
Feng Fan's clothes were dirty and torn, and a rotten smell followed his every step. But his black hair was unusually clean, as if he had just washed it.
"This soap helped me cultivate. I couldn't break through, but my progress is heaven-defining. I doubt even one-in-a-century genius can keep up with me. But it's all thanks to the elixir you sold me," Feng Fan explained, taking a bottle and a packed fidget spinner.
Though Noa couldn't tell, even his aura had changed. It felt like he was a completely new person.
The progress Feng Fan made increased his confidence. So he had one or two battles where he tested his improved strength.
"I have enemies to beat."
Suddenly, he felt compelled to share his life story. He needed a listener and, somehow, found one in Noa.
"My two sisters and parents were murdered by the Morning Dawn cult. They are demonic practitioners, and they are collecting life force for their evil schemes."
Each word Feng Fan said established the weight of the hate and sadness he was facing. He gritted his teeth, his lips on the verge of tearing.
"I wanted to get revenge and stop their plans. But no one took me as their disciple because I was just a rogue, talentless man wandering through the world, as it abandoned me completely."
His emotions were strong. So strong, in fact, that even Noa could feel them.
But under the sentences Feng Fan uttered, there was a slight tremble. His hands shook from the anger, almost snapping the toy in half.
"I was left with five True Spirit Coins from my father, and the other two I made on the side. I was on the verge of giving up when I stumbled upon your shop. As someone who had no hope left in me, you gave me a chance to get on my feet."
The long monologue ended with Feng Fan bowing deeply, his back bent to its absolute limit.
The man expressed his gratitude.
As for Noa, his eyes narrowed before he even realized it.
What reason could this humble yet roguish cultivator have for expressing his deepest feelings?
Was he trying to create a sad story and make Noa sympathetic towards him?
But Karma wouldn't allow it, and his every word was genuine. It didn't look like he was trying to gain something by dumping his lore, and Noa could tell that much.
"I am not going anywhere. This shop would remain here and would even expand slowly and surely. Don't think too much about it and drop by whenever you want."
Leaning towards Feng Fan, Noa kept his tone slow and steady.
Hearing these simple words comforted him, and knowing that there was still hope for him to improve and get revenge, Feng Fan smiled.
Then he swiftly approached the counter and allowed Noa to scan the items.
He waited patiently and sighed after getting the spinner back.
With a flick of his thumb, the toy began to spin. The motion was even and made no sounds at all.
As a result, the air shifted.
It was just a subtle change, but it started something far more intense.
Each spin of the spinner loosened Feng Fan's spirit. Comforted by the toy's calming influence, his worries began to vanish.
The tight pain in his heart, the anger he was holding, and the fear of the unknown world left his mind.
Every breath he drew was an epitome of the energy he gained. Every rotation of the spinner deepened his focus, and every moment blurred connections between his thoughts.
The world gave Feng Fan power, and he was finally ready to accept it.
After what felt like decades to him, clarity returned to his eyes.
The artifact that had aligned the universe around him crumbled into dust. Yet, it had fulfilled its purpose, bridging the gap Feng Fan faced.
"This is incredible," he said, his voice louder than usual.
Meanwhile, Noa could only think about one particular idea that formed in his head.
'He is a perfect candidate. The first cultivator for my sect. The first man I will lead,' Noa thought.
Feng Fan was strong. His character was equally fascinating, and having a goal he would strive for was something Noa could exploit.
Not in a bad way. He would just use this opportunity and poach the man.
"You have been training in hiding," Noa stated, locking his eyes with Feng Fan. "But hiding won't sharpen you forever."
"Wh-what are you trying to say?" the cultivator said and stood up.
He was still eccentric because of the immense energy his meridians had just absorbed.
"You need revenge, and I need people. What about the sect that will help you achieve your goals? You want power, and I see sharpness in your eyes," Noa said, his voice was confident.
He already had a mysterious aura around him.
"You want to take me under your wings?" Feng Fan asked.
Considering the offer, there was a mix of emotions dancing on his face.
Noa knew he had taken the straw, and there was no need for him to push further. All he had to do was extend a hand, and the rogue cultivator would take it.
"You aren't a hopeless stray. You are just a blade with no sheath, and you need someone who has them in stock," Noa said, offering a handshake.