Blissful Panic
It has been a week since the beginning of the triple partnership.
"Hey, look! That's Trilok and Noland... so young. Ah, if I was a few years older, I would have snuck inside their beds~!" A slightly tired middle-aged woman instantly grew energetic at the sight of two youths.
One wore luxurious robes and shoes with sunglasses covering his eyes, and the other wore a furry jacket over his tunic, a rather well-made shorts, and a pair of slippers. Similarly, the perm-haired youth also wore a pair of sunglasses.
"Did you try Noland's new stuff? It's bigger... and meant for the southern door other than our butt," A slightly younger woman, married, whispered with a blissful smile.
"Yeah, my stupid husband brought it... how good is that!" Another one gasped with a blush on her face.
"Tch, shameful wenches! Buy the oil from Trilok... my husband had this idea. He used the oil... on his you know what, and rubbed it inside my... you know who... and we could cultivate quickly and have a better... ehm, I'm getting off-topic!"
"I feel like a young master. Do you? Everyone keeps looking at us!" Noland grinned.
"That's why we wore our sunglasses, remember? Let them tremble at our sights. Let our current appearance emerge in their minds when they use our products with their loved ones. This is the epitome of benevolence!" Trilok chuckled.
In one week, most of Roa's men turned into adorable puppies from the raging lions who had their salary cut off. Heck, this transition came within a single night. A round of amazing Cultivation and some more made the men fall into love with their jobs!
Trilok and Noland, of course, had their entire week busy with customers flooding their stores in the rush hour. Kol had never been happier. She ran from the store after rush hour to the port and matched the products with the stock and gave pointers to Jeli, Vayu, and Ron.
Her chubby face hurt whenever she smiled now!
As Trilok returned to his store, he saw Kol sitting idly on the stool with a pair of sunglasses herself.
"Did you clean the kitchen?" Trilok inquired and Kol's dazed gaze, her imagination of riches, gathered and focused to reality. An excruciating reality where Trilok sultrily took his sunglasses off, his eyes glaring at her naughty bits coldly as if he was going to teach her a 'lesson' and her 'place.' To stop herself from feeling overwhelmed by a giant bonus that would come towards her using a giant bone—
Before her thoughts reached a full circle, Trilok shouted, "Chop! Chop! No time for dillydallying!"
Kol left quickly, her thighs almost giving out.
Trilok's store was filled with Poor Man's Health but Spirit Trace Oil would always be used up. After all, he would sell a minimum of 72 of these vials every other day! This is what he wanted! Quantity!
[Name: Trilok
Age: 19
Spirit Vein: Blue (Upgrade Requirement: 500,000)
Cultivation: Spiritual Enhancer— 1 (Upgrade Requirement: 25,000)
Spirit Points: 573,516
Technique: Sea God's Essence (Earth-Legendary)(Special Traits: Heart of Sea— 2, Ruler of Ocean: 2)(Upgrade Requirement: 2,000,000)
]
Using a vial of Spirit Trace Oil every day himself for the past week, by Cultivation alone, Trilok had acquired 3360 spirit points. Of course, it wasn't much at all. But compared to acquiring 1 spirit point after a single revolution of cultivation technique, the difference grew more apparent.
But that wasn't all.
He had earned over 500,000 coins in a week! Of course, his profits were much lower, but he had surpassed his initial savings by a huge margin.
Still, unwilling to keep the 'dead' coins around him, Trilok began purchasing more materials and started to research into a new potion he could still remember.
However, now, it was more than apparent why an alchemist would want an assistant.
Trilok felt a little stretched out.
"Hey, Kol! Whatever happened to Fang?" Trilok inquired with a shout.
"Boss, Fang was eaten alive by a tortoise in the ocean."
Trilok sighed again.
To cope up with the mess, Noland and Trilok decided to adopt another orphan who had the necessary talent to be an alchemist. Noland was more enthusiastic about the idea.
Refinement of pills exhausted more mental health than potioneering and even if Noland hid it with thicker clothes, he was starting to feel the pressure of the high number of orders to be fulfilled.
With Ron in the accounting department and only available during the morning, the need for an assistant for Noland was much higher than Trilok.
"Boss, I think you really should save some money and purchase those gorgeous slaves... hehe, male ones please!" Kol snickered while cleaning the dishes.
"I don't trust slavery... raising an orphan with care and fear is the best... I can return to my golden parenting days where I would smack Vayu whenever I wanted to!"
Trilok still didn't dismiss the ideas of slaves.
Humans, of course, wouldn't allow human slaves. But it is said that in the Trade Ships, there are various discreet corners that sell slaves of other species. Without any need for such a product, Trilok, of course, did not ever look for such sections himself but Kol stated that she once found a slave corner in a trade ship. It was filled with humanoid, but clearly different species.
Even the educational scrolls of the community hold little about the species other than humans but...
'Other species have set of specific talents, unlike humans. There may be a species out there with a talent for alchemy!'
Trilok considered the possibility.
And, if he really owned a slave, he could, in fact, start using his cheat to upgrade the said slaves. After all, they would belong to him. This would completely reduce the capital and nurturing needed to create a team of elite fishers!
"It's a pity. Noland really took a shine at Fang," Trilok sighed.
"Boss, there's something I want your opinion on," Kol finally returned from the kitchen. She had hidden away her pair of sunglasses and looked extremely serious.
Pulling a spare wooden stool, she sat near Trilok and spoke up with a hesitant expression.
"Would it be alright if I start Cultivating my body, too? I have checked the numbers. With my current earning, I can support my spiritual cultivation. But Boss, let's be honest. Both, you and I, have barely adequate talent in spiritual cultivation. But the cultivation of the body is more dependent on materials and investment. It is a personal venture."
Trilok's thoughts slowed down for a moment. Throwing away the thoughts of the dead boy, he considered Kol's words deeply.
As strange as their relationship may be, Kol was the most valued person in Trilok's life after Vayu. She had strange tendencies. She was lazy at times. She was slightly fat. She was shameless in her bodily needs. But she was also Trilok's first teacher. She was a tolerant woman who silently pledged her loyalty to Trilok. She may not be too kind or a virtuous individual but in reality, who even is?
"Why the sudden thought?" Trilok inquired seriously. If Kol is considering the thought of getting stronger then it might not just appear without any cause.
"There... have been rumors," Kol whispered. She continued to look at her knees.
"Three ships ahead in our path, a community named Hen Reserve, was attacked by a fleet of pirates. This pirate fleet did not attack the ships forward and behind the Hen Reserve Community. In fact, it is being said that the Pirate Fleet has somehow barricaded the path. Quite a number of members in Hen Reserve Community died but the ship was allowed to pass after a lot of their resources were plundered."
Trilok took a deep breath.
"This is information... what is the rumor about?" Trilok inquired.
"The majority of the death occurred from ages 18 to 30. Men and women. All of these had cultivation lower than the level 6 of a spiritual enhancer. It is said that the leader of the Pirate Fleet practices dark arts and consumed those who fit the category I just mentioned," Kol gulped.
"Who brought the information and who began the rumor?" Trilok continued.
"The information was brought by a messenger last night. He left to warn the other communities behind us in the same path. Meanwhile, Chief has sent out a messenger for the Ark. The said 'rumor' is part of the information given by the messenger but the Chief categorized it as a rumor."
"So... by starting Body Cultivation, you want to invest in resources quickly and reach the uncommon physique?" Trilok inquired.
"If possible, then rare physique," Kol gave an ugly smile, "But we both know that it's impossible."
"Hey, how far away is the barricade?"
"It will take us three months to reach there. Since we cannot diverge from the path, we will either need support from the Ark, or the Chief will be facing them alone."
"Tch, a community was easily destroyed. What I don't understand is three things."
"If the Pirate Fleet was truly strong, unruly, and demonic, why didn't it strike a month ago and loot the trade ship which will reach us in a month."
"If that portion of the ocean is barricaded, which messenger came to inform us? It cannot be from the Hen Reserve Community. They need all their men now more than ever. And if another community witnessed the act, to so clearly claim that the Pirate Captain uses demonic arts, why didn't the said community help—"
"Ah, Boss! You really need to hear everything. The messenger was from the Hen Reserve Community specially sent out by the Pirates. They strangely wanted to inform everybody about their existence."
"Well... this raises more questions," Trilok grumbled.
"Alright... we really could use a body cultivation technique now that we have the ability to buy more resources. And soon, the trade ship will have more stuff we can purchase."
Kol nodded her head.
"We'll take Vayu with us tomorrow morning. Right now, you should go and assist him.
---
Sitting alone on the lower floor, Trilok felt quite carefree. After the evening's rush hour, he had gained profits once again.
In reality, Trilok had only spent his personal savings on the experimentation of more potions. He, just like Noland, had managed to create a cycle of funds where he wouldn't need to worry about the number of vials of oils demanded by Roa's men.
In the past week, most of Roa's men had achieved a breakthrough. Their cultivation had only stacked up slowly and their experience was potent and plentiful. So, after a few continuous uses of Spirit Trace Oil, they managed a breakthrough.
Trilok always scanned the chief every morning when he came for his drunk buster medicine. Sadly, he hadn't broken through even now.
Thinking about how Roa, Jolly, and Jeli cultivated both paths, Trilok felt that he shouldn't shy away from the pain that comes with the art of the Cultivation of flesh and bones.
In fact, he could upgrade his cultivation technique, too.
Looking at his screen, Trilok raised upgraded his spiritual veins the first. He had managed to collect 500,000 in a week and felt he would earn close to the same amount the next week, too. So, he could afford to broaden his foundation by upgrading his spiritual vein.
*Weng*
A similar force burst into his body. Nobody had ever seen their spiritual veins but they could measure its quality by a vein testing orb. It would reveal the color of one's vein with its glow.
Right now, Trilok's body felt a strange pressure close to his chest. He felt suffocated and couldn't help but gasp for air. This was quite different from when he had upgraded his veins from green to blue.
The pressure continued to build up as if trying to crush Trilok from within. It was hard.
Until.
*Tak*
A strange popping sound echoed and Trilok gasped for his breath loudly.
[Name: Trilok
Age: 19
Spirit Vein: Purple (Upgrade Requirement: 5,000,000)
Cultivation: Spiritual Enhancer— 1 (Upgrade Requirement: 25,000)
Spirit Points: 73,516
Technique: Sea God's Essence (Earth-Legendary)(Special Traits: Heart of Sea— 2, Ruler of Ocean: 2)(Upgrade Requirement: 2,000,000)
]
'No time to stop now.'
'Upgrade!'
Trilok looked at his Cultivation level and began upgrading.