Jaune decided the best location for his new branch shop would be Floating Cloud City, the central hub for trade in this region of the God World.
He needed property quickly, and the perfect spot was currently owned by the Xia Clan.
Xia Hongyi, the patriarch of the Xia Clan and Xia Qingyue's father, had already heard the sensational news from the Xiao Clan.
Word traveled fast when a mythical Sky Profound Realm youth healed the cripple, repaired his meridians, and displayed unfathomable wealth.
When Jaune approached Xia Hongyi about the purchase, the patriarch was immediately eager to curry favor.
He offered an immense discount on the centrally located property, barely asking for any compensation.
Normally, he would have given it to Jaune for free, but Jaune had sternly refused the offer.
"I only do fair business, Patriarch Xia. I will pay a reasonable price for the land and the building,"
Jaune insisted.
"He is such a good person. Not like any other cultivator I've met,"
Xia Hongyi thought, shaking his head in bewildered respect.
As a gesture of goodwill—and to make the transaction feel "fair"—Jaune then presented Xia Hongyi with a small, discreet bundle containing five bottles of Remedy Potion and five bottles of High Potion.
Xia Hongyi, being a merchant and not a cultivator, didn't fully realize the profound value of these vials.
He simply thought they were exotic, high-end medicinal elixir.
He hurried to his trade establishment and called in the cultivators he hired to oversee the store's operations and authenticate treasures.
"T—This, Master, where have you got all of these? They are very precious!"
One of the hired cultivators gasped, clutching a vial of the Remedy Potion as if it were spun gold.
Xia Hongyi was taken aback by the reaction.
"They are just a small gift from Young Master Jaune Arc for the land purchase. What is their true value?"
The cultivator swallowed hard.
"Master, the value of just each of these elixirs is equal to our whole year's profit! They contain energies capable of curing any poison and instantly restoring Profound Energy!"
"That much!"
Xia Hongyi's face went pale.
He immediately wanted to run to Jaune and give the potions back, terrified of owing such a debt to such a powerful being.
"Please don't do that, Master,"
His staff stopped him.
"If you do that, it is the same as disrespecting him! He gifted them with sincerity."
"T—Then what should I do?"
Xia Hongyi stammered, his mind racing.
"That is simple. He wants to open his branch shop here. We can just help him promote it. We can dedicate our resources to ensuring his shop succeeds. That is the best way to repay a favor to a powerful figure!"
Xia Hongyi nodded firmly.
"That's right, we should do that. We will help Young Master Jaune with everything we've got!"
While Xia Hongyi was panicking and mobilizing his clan's resources to repay the favor, two silent listeners stood nearby.
Xia Qingyue, the genius bride, and her kind-hearted younger brother, Xia Yuanba.
Xia Qingyue, a young woman who focused solely on cultivation and achieving the impossible, rarely cared for the trivialities of business or wealth.
But she had been explicitly warned by her Master, Chu Yueli: Do not, under any circumstances, offend Young Master Jaune Arc. He is the future of our sect.
The name Jaune Arc had piqued her interest.
Not because of his wealth or power, but because of his origin.
Her Master had alluded to the unique, non-local nature of his energy.
'Golden Lightning... a cultivation technique far beyond the Immortal Palace...'
Xia Qingyue mused, her beautiful eyes holding a sharp, analytical light.
'Maybe… Just maybe he knows about where the Realm of Gods is.'