Orion pondered for a moment, considering the attendant's offer. He knew that he needed the Qi Stones to buy other things, but he couldn't help feeling like he was being shortchanged.
The attendant must have sensed his hesitation and spoken up again. "I cannot give you more than that, but how about other items? The Beast Emporium also handles other things aside from beast cores."
Orion's curiosity was piqued. He had heard about the Beast Emporium before, but he had never been there himself. He wondered what other kinds of items they sold and whether they would be of use to him.
"Can you tell me more about what kinds of items the Beast Emporium sells?" Orion asked, his interest piqued.
The attendant smiled, happy to have caught Orion's attention. "We sell all sorts of items that would be useful to a cultivator like yourself," he said. "We have everything from cultivation manuals to spirit stones to rare herbs and even magic treasures."
Orion's interest was piqued at the mention of the wide range of items sold at the Beast Emporium. He smiled and asked the attendant, "Can you show me those items? I'm interested in seeing what else you have."
The attendant nodded and led Orion to a section of the building where various items were on display. Orion's eyes widened as he took in sight before him. He saw shelves and tables lined with cultivation manuals, spirit stones, rare herbs, and magic treasures.
Orion couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement as he looked at the various items. He had heard about many of these things before, but he had never actually seen them up close.
The attendant noticed the look of wonder on Orion's face and smiled. "We have items to suit all kinds of cultivators," he said. "Whether you are a beginner or an experienced cultivator, we have something that can help you on your path."
Orion took his time browsing through the various items on display, carefully examining each one. He picked up a cultivation manual and flipped through its pages, studying the diagrams and explanations. He then moved on to the spirit stones, marvelling at their vibrant colours and the energy that radiated from them.
As he continued to browse, he came across a section of rare herbs. Orion's eyes widened as he recognized some of the plants that he had read about in his studies. He knew that these herbs were extremely rare and valuable, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he looked at them.
As Orion was browsing through the shelves and display cases, admiring the various treasures and tools on offer, he heard a sudden beep in his mind. It was the familiar voice of the system, speaking to him directly.
[Host. It is advised for the host to get the item that was in the corner left.]
Orion was taken aback by the sudden interruption. He had heard the system speak to him before, but it was always related to his cultivation progress or the state of his body. He hadn't expected it to offer him advice on what to buy at the Beast Emporium.
Curious, he turned his attention to the corner of the shop that the system had indicated. There, on a small shelf nestled between two larger displays, was a small, unassuming box.
Orion was intrigued by the box, wondering what it could contain. He made his way over to it, trying not to draw too much attention to himself as he examined it more closely. The box was made of dark, glossy wood, with intricate carvings etched into its surface. It was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, but it felt surprisingly heavy when he picked it up.
As he held the box, Orion felt a strange energy pulsing from within it. It was a subtle, almost imperceptible vibration that seemed to hum through his fingertips and up into his arm. He couldn't quite explain it, but he felt drawn to the box as if it were calling out to him in some way.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Orion opened the box to see what was inside. To his surprise, he found a small, glowing crystal nestled within the velvet lining. The crystal was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, but it was radiating a powerful energy that made Orion's heart race with excitement.
The attendant watched as Orion examined the crystal, a look of amusement crossing his face. "So you're interested in this item, too," he remarked.
Orion looked up at the attendant, still in awe of the power emanating from the crystal. "What is this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The attendant shrugged. "It's just a crystal," he said. "We sell it mainly for the box, to be honest. No one really knows what it is, but it's pretty to look at."
Orion was surprised by the attendant's dismissive tone. He could clearly sense the energy radiating from the crystal, and he knew that it was far from ordinary. Still, he didn't want to reveal his true thoughts to the attendant, lest he was taken advantage of.
Orion carefully placed the crystal back into the box and closed it, turning his attention back to the attendant.
"I will choose this crystal and make the rest be Low-Grade Qi Stones," he said, his voice filled with determination.
The attendant nodded in understanding, his expression neutral. "As you wish," he said, gesturing to the pile of beast cores that Orion had brought with him. "I will count them and give you the appropriate amount of Qi Stones."
Orion watched as the attendant sorted through the cores, his fingers moving deftly as he counted each one. After a few moments, he turned back to Orion, a small pile of Qi Stones in his outstretched hand.
"Here you go," he said, handing over the stones. "Thank you for your business, and I hope that the crystal brings you good luck in your cultivation journey."
Orion nodded his thanks and tucked the stones and the small box containing the crystal into his bag. As he turned to leave the shop, he felt a sense of excitement growing within him. He didn't know what it was but he felt that it was something good.
