78: Reserve

After saying that, he propped his arm on the ground, touched the jade pendant at his waist, and three hundred Source Spirit Stone appeared on the street.

Chu Qinhui carefully counted them, then stored these Source Spirit Stone into the jade pendant at his waist.

During this delay, the young man from the Shen Family seemed to have finally recovered. He struggled to get up from the ground, glaring resentfully at the Xi Ming Pure Soul Beast inside the shop.

"We are from Zhiyao County, the eighth-rank Noble Family Shen. Is Your Excellency's action not a bit excessive?"

"Excessive? If you have any dissatisfaction, tell your Clan Chief to find me at Medicine Heart Hall."

Sun Chunchen's figure walked out from the adjacent Medicine Heart Hall, taking two or three steps to stand before the young man from the Shen Family, and kicked him to the ground again.

The young man from the Shen Family, who had just stood up, frantically helped him up from the ground. Facing Sun Chunchen's stern face, he didn't dare to say another word and quickly scurried away.

Fu Family's Second Master, from the other group of people, seemed to know the formidable background of the man before him. He straightened up and cupped his hands towards Sun Chunchen, then had the people beside him carefully carry the cages with the rabbits away.

The Xi Ming Pure Soul Beast retracted the white light scattered across the floor of the shop, glanced at Sun Chunchen, and lazily walked to the chair behind the counter, lying down to rest.

The other customers in the shop, whose movements were now restored, no longer wished to watch the commotion and left the shop one after another, feigning indifference.

Suddenly, the shop became empty again.

Chu Qinhui did not stop these departing customers. The total number of Source Beasts in the shop was sixteen. Today, three Flying Fur Rabbits, four Leaf Wing Insects, and two Multi-Eyed Poisonous Insects had been sold.

Additionally, one Moon Worshipping Rabbit and one Medicinal Fragrance Powder-Eared Rabbit, the shop's treasures, were each sold, making a total of eleven. The shop still had three Flying Fur Rabbits and two Multi-Eyed Poisonous Insects remaining.

Even if there were no customers for a while, it didn't matter.

Walking into the shop, Sun Chunchen waved at Chu Qinhui. Only after Chu Qinhui approached did he say:

"Xiao Hui, time to pay protection fees."

Chu Qinhui showed a wry smile, then took out twenty-one Source Spirit Stone and fifty Origin Rune Stones from his jade pendant.

This was the 'protection fee' of five percent of the transaction value that his father had promised Sun Chunchen before opening the shop.

Sun Chunchen satisfactorily collected these Source Spirit Stone and Origin Rune Stones. "Just give me the first day's. From now on, you can give them to the butler."

"Alright, alright."

In the afternoon, after the commotion in the shop had settled for a long time, customers began to increase again.

Moreover, another wave of unusual-looking customers arrived. They saw that the cages for the Moon Worshipping Rabbit and Medicinal Fragrance Powder-Eared Rabbit in the shop were empty.

The sign 'Sold Out' was also posted. The leading woman quickly turned to the counter and inquired:

"We are from the Li Family of Zhiyao County. Shopkeeper, do you really not have any other Moon Worshipping Rabbits or Medicinal Fragrance Powder-Eared Rabbits left in your shop?"

Although the woman's attitude was urgent, it was not rude, so Chu Qinhui replied with a smile, "I'm sorry, not for now."

A look of disappointment appeared on the woman's face. "Then, Shopkeeper, do you accept reservations here? We would like to reserve the next Moon Worshipping Rabbit and Medicinal Fragrance Powder-Eared Rabbit."

This woman is quite intelligent, Chu Qinhui silently evaluated, then slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, we don't know how long it will take to cultivate the next Moon Worshipping Rabbit and Medicinal Fragrance Powder-Eared Rabbit, so we are not accepting reservations for now."

Thinking of the lively Moon Worshipping Rabbits in the courtyard, Chu Qinhui unconsciously clenched his jaw. Seeing the urgency of the woman before him, he suddenly understood the meaning of 'hunger marketing' that Ancestor Chu often spoke of.

The woman smiled softly, "Our Li Family doesn't mind waiting a bit longer. Here are one hundred Source Spirit Stone as a deposit. We only ask that the next Moon Worshipping Rabbit and Medicinal Fragrance Powder-Eared Rabbit be reserved for our Li Family first, if possible?"

"Please convey these words to your backer, Shopkeeper."

As she spoke, the woman even specially took out a source spirit stone and secretly handed it to Chu Qinhui, clearly treating him as a messenger.

Chu Qinhui was stunned for a moment, then reacted, accepted the source spirit stone the woman handed over, and said in a feigned manner:

"Seeing Young Miss Li's sincerity, I will go ask my backer."

With that, Chu Qinhui walked out of the Medicine Beast Shop and turned to enter the Medicine Heart Hall's shop.

The Shopkeeper of Medicine Heart Hall saw Chu Qinhui arrive and quickly stood up to greet him, "Young Master Chu, are you looking for our backer?"

Chu Qinhui waved his hand, "No, I want to borrow your tea room to have a hot tea and rest for a while."

The Shopkeeper had no suspicions, called an apprentice over, and had him lead Chu Qinhui to the tea room.

About a quarter of an hour later, Chu Qinhui came out of the tea room, thanked the Shopkeeper, and returned to the Medicine Beast Shop.

Seeing Chu Qinhui return, Young Miss Li, who was resting in the lounge area, quickly stood up to greet him, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Chu Qinhui cupped his hands towards her, "The Li Family's sincerity is ample. Our backer has agreed to your proposal to reserve Source Beasts. This is the contract; if Young Miss Li agrees, please sign it."

Young Miss Li, Li Menglan, picked up the contract and carefully examined it. It stated the deposit the Li Family needed to pay and stipulated that the Medicine Beast Shop would provide the Source Beasts to the Li Family within three years.

Three years was not a short time, but upon seeing this clause, Li Menglan smiled. While reading, she had thought there wouldn't be a specific deadline.

It's just three years; for Noble Families like theirs, it's nothing. What's important is that their Li Family would be the second Noble Family in the entire county, after the Huo Family, to acquire this type of Source Beast.

"No problems."

Li Menglan took out a small seal from her jade hairpin and pressed it onto the two identical copies of the contract.

After putting away the contract, Li Menglan didn't spare another glance at the other Source Beasts in the shop and left the Medicine Beast Shop with the three people behind her.

News of the Li Family signing a reservation contract with the Medicine Beast Shop somehow spread.

In the following days, even without new Source Beasts being replenished, the shop became lively again.

The eighth-rank Noble Families in town, the Fu Family and the Shen Family, successively had people arrive, wanting to imitate the Li Family and sign reservation contracts.

Even some Spirit Rank Loose Cultivator Contract Masters in town came to inquire about how to make a reservation.

Chu Qinhui accepted everyone. As long as they could accept the long waiting period and afford the thirty percent deposit, he would sign a contract with them.

The term written on the Fu Family's contract was four years, and the Shen Family's term was five years.

Although Chu Qinhui did not intend to make them wait that long, writing it this way was to create the illusion for others that the evolution conditions for these two types of Source Beasts were difficult, making them feel that it was worth the price.

Having only used a few sheets of contract paper, Chu Qinhui looked at the nearly thousand additional Source Spirit Stone and felt an inexplicable unease in his heart.

Indeed, people cannot earn money beyond their understanding. Just a month ago, the Chu Family Patriarch still needed to hunt Beyond the Border to earn Origin Rune Stones. Now, their Chu Family seemed to be making money effortlessly, incredibly relaxed.

But after only a moment of excitement, Chu Qinhui knew that this was merely a coincidence, that Sun Chunchen was able to provide them protection. If Sun Chunchen wasn't there to hold the fort,

Their Chu Family would probably have been targeted by the seventh- and eighth-rank Noble Families in the county city on the second day after the auction. What their situation would be then was hard to say.

Just making money is useless; strengthening their own power is the most important thing.

Soon after the Origin Rune Stones were in hand, Chu Qinhui went to the Treasure Pavilion to purchase many spirit materials, as well as other things that could enhance the Family's strength.

A few days after the shop returned to calm, on an unnoticed night, he quietly returned to the Family with many purchased spirit items.