Ethan arrived before a massive blue painted four floor pagoda, located at the corner of the state capital city.
He had changed out of his commoner's robes and was wearing a more expensive looking and stylish beige robe he had bought for a couple of gold coins on his way here.
Making his way up the small steps that led to the pagoda entrance - he noticed two cultivators patrolling the entrance as guards, and a lot of cultivators going in and out of the pagoda entrance.
Using the system's 'identify' on the guards, Ethan surprisingly discovered both the guards to be at the mid and late stages of the Qi gathering realms.
Undeterred - Ethan continued on his way to the pagoda - thinking, they had to be at least capable enough to become guards and that other staff members in the pagoda would for sure be much weaker than them, unbeknownst to Ethan, as he observed the guards, a pair of curious eyes were also observing him.
As Ethan made his way up the steps towards the entrance of the pagoda - cultivators going in and out, kept glancing towards his direction, while some whispered amongst themselves, some simply stared and moved on.
His looks were so unique that he gave the impression to all who saw him that he was probably a young master from a prominent family in the capital.
Ethan had on his expensive looking beige robes, with his silver hair, tied and held stylishly with a golden hair pin.
His hands folded behind him, with an air of superiority, head straight and searing blue eyes that squinted slightly as they observed all around him.
He walked with a poise befitting a young master of an affluent and powerful family - he couldn't afford to be questioned or looked down upon by anyone.
Ethan had learnt important lessons as an adult from his previous life - one was to dress as you want to be addressed - and another was the importance of confidence and showing that you belong in whatever place you find yourself.
If he were to go in dressed as a commoner, he would be immediately stopped at the entrance - and if he were to go in, not looking confident - he would probably be treated as a child or questioned on his reasons for being there, so he planned to control the atmosphere, rather than let the atmosphere control him.
And unsurprisingly, the patrolling guards made way for him, as he strolled in, head high and nose pointing to the ceiling, like he was entering his own father's establishment.
Stepping into the first floor of the pagoda, the scents of various herbs assaulted Ethan's senses - looking around, there were multiple cabinets on both sides of the hall that went all the way to the back.
On each cabinet on the left, were herbs in display containers and their names labelled on, and on each cabinet on the right, were pill bottles of all kinds, with their names labelled on.
The floor of the hall was made of an unfamiliar fancy and polished wooded material, same as the walls - with a stylish staircase right in the middle of the hall, that led up to the second floor, with different ornamental arrangement at various angles.
Inside the hall, had even more cultivators than the outside, and since the hall was so large, the cultivators were spread about, shopping for herbs and pills, with different staff attendants moving about and assisting these cultivators.
At the center of the large hall, was a desk and a chair, and a gorgeous beauty, looking to be in her twenties was seated behind it, right behind the stairs that led up to the second floor, as she attended to cultivators that had queries.
Ethan, standing at the entrance, with both hands folded behind his back, head held high, in a young arrogant master fashion, as he cast his gaze around the hall, until his gaze fell upon the receptionist behind the desk, she looked to be in the perfect position for the first step of his plan.
He quickly ran his 'identify' on the short brown haired receptionist - but his face immediately contorted into a frown.
He moved his gaze from the receptionist, to one of the many attendants in the hall and also used 'identify' - but the frown on his face only deepened.
He then continued to cast his gaze around the hall, as his frown progressively got more ugly.
The people and attendants in the first floor hall, seeing this young master, frowning deeply, as he looked around the hall, thought he must be dissatisfied with the quality of goods he was seeing.
And one of the senior attendants, a mature lady who looked to be in her thirties, cautiously stepped forward as she wore her most professional smile :
"Hello, young master, are the goods not to your liking ? "
Ethan observed the lady briefly and cast his gaze away to continue observing the other attendants.
The senior attendant seeing this, immediately lost her smile, and a large vein started bulging on the top of her head as she thought in her mind:
'These spoiled young brats, thinking since they have powerful families, they can act however they want. How I wish I could smack that arrogant look on his face right now! '
Min Jingyi took a deep breath, steadied herself and returned to her glowing smile - she's been doing this job for so many years now, and occasionally, difficult customers would come in like this, maybe not this young - but she had learnt to control her emotions and she also knows if she secures customers from such rich background, the commission she would get from sales would be a lot.
"Young master, why don't you try the goods in the back ? , I can show you all the best of the best of the pills and herbs here"
"but if you are interested in only the exclusive products, I can arrange for a vip spot on our next auction event"
Ethan heaved a heavy sigh, as he wore a resigned look on his face, he muttered under his breathe:
"Why are they all so freaking strong ?!!!"
Ethan's plan was simple, come in, get some goods, and using his arrogance as a young master, specifically request one of the attendants to personally deliver what he purchases to where he was currently staying.
Then he would use his technique on that person, get all the information he can from them and continue, controlling more people.
But the weakest person out of all the attendants here, was at the early qi gathering realm, and the strongest, which was the receptionist with the short brown hair, was at the peak foundation establishment realm.
Since he could currently only put body strengthening realm cultivators under his control - that entire plan has to be put on hold, till his strength at least steps into the core integration realm.
Good news was, it won't be that long, and he could remain in the state capital, make a new plan and dig up what useful information he could
Ethan was about to turn and make his way out as his gaze fell on the lady who had been talking to him for a while now .
She had long black hair and was wearing a simple pink kimono, much like all the other attendants, but her eyes looked wiser, more calculative - she looked like she's seen a lot.
Ethan pulled identify on her again and chose to observe more -
[Name: Min Jingyi ]
[Age : 183]
[Cultivation Realm: Qi Gathering (peak)]
[Physique: none ]
[Spirit root: water(earth)]
[Comprehension : mortal]
[Talents : sales (Grandmaster)
negotiation (Grandmaster),
Information Gathering (Grandmaster)
]
[Cultivation Scripture: xuanyin Qi Gathering technique (low grade )
]
[Techniques:
Flowing mirrage sword art(major success)
Convergent gale (minor success)
]
Ethan took a quick glance at her status window, and was hooked on her third talent - out of every sales representative present in this hall, only she had one at such a high level.
'you will be my first employee' Ethan noted in his mind, as he cast an accommodating smile to the lady who was already fuming in her mind at being ignored by a young brat, before speaking:
"Never mind all that, your little store is below par, and can never truly satisfy the needs of this young master" Ethan voiced aloud, as he raised his nose and chin high up, leaned backwards, shooting out his belly, with his hands still folded behind his back.
People present just scoffed silently at his arrogance, while Jingyi was almost about to lose her cool before Ethan continued:
"but…"
"I guess I could use one of your services" Ethan said as his eyes remained slightly closed, like everything happening around him was beneath his notice.
Hearing this, Jingyi started rejoicing in her mind, because she was sure to make it big on this sale - simply judging by the arrogance of this young master, he's family must be one of the top families in the imperial city, only those privileged imperial sons, can be this arrogant and superior.
"Young master, of course, anything at all!! - I am at your service! " Jingyi stated with a broad smile on her face as she looked at Ethan expectantly.
"Very good - I heard your information Gathering is top notch "
"Yes young master, the best on the continent," Jingyi proclaimed proudly.
"Good, now I want some detailed information about basic current events in the state and kingdom and on some particular individuals"
"Of course young master - we will sign you up for our information service, you only need to pay just ten imperial coins for starters"
"uhhun.. and ? " Ethan responded with a straight face, like that amount was nothing to him, while he was already coming up with ways to escape the pagoda without exposing himself as a fraud.
"Yes young master, and you will be taken to the fourth floor of the pagoda, where you can make your request for various information to be gathered for you.
The prices for the information you just requested on the basic situation of the state and kingdom would probably cost only about a hundred to two hundred imperial coins.
While gathering information on specific individuals would cost from around a thousand imperial coins upward"
"hmmm …. interesting" hummed Ethan.
"Why is it so cheap ?!" Ethan voiced aloud, while he was cursing their entire lineage in his mind.
'You money grubbing demons - why not go and rob people instead?'
" Sorry young master, we are indeed too cheap, our services were simply designed to be most accommodating to all" Jingyi was about jumping in her mind in happiness.
'wow, I have indeed landed a shark - definitely an imperial son, how good is my luck today !! hehehe!"
People present in the hall, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, were already gossiping amongst themselves, about who this imperial son might be, and from which family in the imperial capital, he was from.
"Whats your name ?" Ethan asked even though he already knows, preparing for a way to make his exit gracefully.
"Min Jingyi, young master!" Jingyi responded with gusto.
"Good, Jingyi, I will be coming back here with attendants very soon, go in the back and arrange all the most exotic herbs and pills - don't bother about their prices, i'll also be visiting the fourth floor" Ethan spoke with authority, as he turned, waved his flowing beige robe with his right hand, brought his hands back together and folded behind his back, nose and jaw pointed to the skies, as he steadily made for the exit.
"At once, young master, only the best of the best will be brought out !!! " Jingyi voiced aloud behind Ethan as she bowed deeply.
….
Ethan came out of the pagoda, and immediately exhaled a long breathe he did not know he had been holding all the while inside, as he muttered under his breathe:
"The world of the rich is definitely not simple, ten imperial coins?, one thousand imperial coins ? ! "
Ethan sighed as he placed his hands on the gold pouch on his waist, feeling his remaining six hundred and seventy gold coins.
"Am not sure even my family could afford that amount, even if they were to sell all their assets"
"Cultivation is definitely for the wealthy, luckily I have a system" Ethan murmured as he continued walking in the direction of the inn he was staying at.
SWOOSH!
Ethan felt something or someone brush past him, and he saw a young boy, about four to five years old, sprinting at full speed ahead of him.
Then he moved his right hand to the now empty location where his gold pouch should have been-
"Oh no! you don't!" Ethan bellowed as he threw away all his pretend dignity as a young master, and raised after the young thief.