Chapter 128 - 126: Overseeing the Alchemy Workshop, Encountering the Black Sheep Spirit Again (Part 2)

Chapter 128: Chapter 126: Overseeing the Alchemy Workshop, Encountering the Black Sheep Spirit Again (Part 2)

Ordinarily, he would have put on a pleasant facade and exchanged a few polite words.

But with the Chief Shopkeeper right behind him and the situation urgent, he couldn’t be bothered. The words that came out of his mouth were quite hostile.

"Hmph!?"

Xu Chang’an snorted coldly.

"A customer is a guest. Don’t you even understand a principle as simple as that!?"

Just as the Yellow Dog Demon was about to retort, the Shopkeeper’s voice drifted up from downstairs.

"What’s all this ruckus!?"

He glanced back to see the Shopkeeper and other Managerial Demons crowding around the Chief Shopkeeper as they ascended the stairs.

’Damn it!’

A flash of regret shot through the Yellow Dog Demon.

’If only I’d known, I should have just let things be. Now, not only have I failed, I’ve completely botched it.’

"Gray Rat Alchemist!?"

An astonished voice rang out.

The Yellow Dog Demon froze.

He followed the sound of the voice and was stunned to see that the speaker was none other than the Chief Shopkeeper.

"Gray Rat Alchemist, it really is you! What a coincidence, meeting you here."

The black-and-white striped Tiger Demon bypassed the throng of demons and walked up to Xu Chang’an, his face wreathed in smiles.

"Gray Rat Alchemist, your presence brings honor to my humble establishment!"

Xu Chang’an recognized him.

The Chief Shopkeeper before him was the very same Tiger Demon he had encountered earlier at the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop.

’Gray Rat Alchemist!?’

The Yellow Dog Demon stared, dumbfounded.

The Antelope Spirit, trailing far behind, was equally stunned.

’What’s going on?’

"Mm."

Xu Chang’an gave a cool nod.

"Gray Rat Alchemist, to meet twice in one day... we must truly be fated to meet.

How about we adjourn to Lotus Square for a drink?"

the Tiger Demon invited, smiling warmly.

He seemed oblivious to Xu Chang’an’s chilly demeanor.

"That won’t be necessary. I’m just here to take care of some business. I want nothing more than to see it handled smoothly."

"Of course, of course."

The Tiger Demon nodded with a smile.

"Please wait just a moment, Gray Rat Alchemist. I am certain everything will proceed smoothly."

"Shopkeeper Shanmu, take Gray Rat Alchemist to the VIP room at once!"

"Yes, Chief Shopkeeper."

The one who replied was the shopkeeper of the Brokerage Shop, a demon at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

Xu Chang’an glanced at the Tiger Demon and gave a slight nod in thanks.

The Tiger Demon beamed, watching warmly as Xu Chang’an departed.

Once Xu Chang’an’s figure had disappeared from view into the second-floor VIP room, the Tiger Demon’s expression abruptly darkened.

"What was that all about!?"

He had, of course, seen the previous scene. Coupled with the Gray Rat Alchemist’s cold reaction, it was obvious he was unhappy in the shop.

Having worked his way up in Peacock Demon City for many years, he could make a pretty good guess as to what the Gray Rat Alchemist had just experienced.

However, it would have been improper to cause a scene in front of the Gray Rat Alchemist; that would have been a crude approach.

Since the Gray Rat Alchemist hadn’t mentioned it, he would feign ignorance to keep the situation amicable.

’But feigning ignorance doesn’t mean the matter won’t be dealt with!’

He would get to the bottom of it, handle the situation, and then give the Gray Rat Alchemist a proper resolution.

’*That* was the proper way to handle business!’

"Chief Shopkeeper!"

The Yellow Dog Demon dropped to his knees.

"It’s all my fault! Please punish me, Chief Shopkeeper!"

From the scene that had just unfolded, the Yellow Dog Demon clearly understood that he had provoked a demon he should never have crossed.

The Chief Shopkeeper, a Foundation Establishment Great Demon, had treated that Gray Rat Demon with such deference. And yet, the Gray Rat Demon had seemed utterly unfazed, his expression cool and his tone calm. Clearly, to him, a Foundation Establishment Great Demon was nothing remarkable, merely a peer to be engaged with on equal terms.

From this, he could deduce that the Gray Rat Demon’s background was terrifyingly powerful.

"Explain what just happened. And who was responsible for receiving the Gray Rat Alchemist? Tell me everything, from start to finish."

The Tiger Demon’s face was grim, his presence overwhelming.

"Replying to the Chief Shopkeeper, it was I who attended to the Gray Rat Alchemist."

The Antelope Spirit stepped past the other demons, body bowed and tone respectful.

’This was the kind of thing that only happened in cultivation gossip and storybooks, yet today, he had actually experienced it himself.’

For him, this moment felt like a dream!

...

Xu Chang’an didn’t know what transpired after that, nor did he want to.

Accompanied by the Brokerage Shopkeeper, Shanmu, Xu Chang’an waited in the VIP reception room for about fifteen minutes.

Afterward, the Tiger Demon walked in, carrying a wooden box and a bag of Demon Stones.

"Grey Rat, here is your refund of one hundred Demon Stones, plus your two-hundred-Demon-Stone deposit. That’s three hundred Demon Stones in total. Please, have a look.

And this is a small token of my sincerity, to apologize for the unpleasantness you experienced."

As he spoke, the Tiger Demon opened the wooden box, revealing a long, slender Spirit Ginseng inside.

The Spirit Ginseng was long and slender, radiating a rich Spirituality.

In terms of value, it was likely more precious than an ordinary Middle-grade Magical Artifact.

Xu Chang’an and the Tiger Demon were neither friends nor family, so this gift was a testament to the Tiger Demon’s sincerity.

"And how should I address you?"

Only now did Xu Chang’an formally ask for the Tiger Demon’s name.

"Haha! Gray Rat Alchemist, just call me Black and White Mountain!"

The Tiger Demon laughed heartily, looking delighted.

Xu Chang’an taking the initiative to ask his name carried an unspoken message: the matter was now closed.

With this as a starting point, the conversation between the two demons became increasingly smooth. The atmosphere grew congenial, carrying a hint of regret that they hadn’t met sooner.

"By the way, Grey Rat, I’ve already demoted that Yellow Dog Demon to a common Steward. That Antelope Spirit, on the other hand, is quite clever and has principles. I’m thinking of observing him for a while, perhaps grooming him for a better role. What do you think?"

Black and White Mountain remarked, as if in passing.

"The decision is yours to make, Black and White Mountain."

Xu Chang’an was also quite satisfied. The other party had given him both respect and tangible compensation; he had no reason to be displeased.

’This Tiger Demon really knows how to handle things,’ Xu Chang’an thought.

In one smooth sequence, he had not only resolved the issue and offered a gift in apology, but had also neatly tied up all the loose ends.

It had to be said: any Great Demon who could claw their way up in Peacock Demon City and build a sizable enterprise was truly a talent among their kind!