Chapter 150: The Grand Magic Shop

The Next Day

When the sky was fully bright, Sang Chu came downstairs, planning to pick some fruits and vegetables. Just then, Sang Jingwen and Yi Ping also came down.

""Little sister, why are you alone?""

""Xiaoxue is in her room. Minli went to check on her. This morning, Liu and I overheard you and Minli talking about wanting to go hunting outside the city. He said he was going to apply for a permit, then left. I'm waiting for him here.""

Sang Jingwen asked, ""Apply for what?""

Sang Chu shrugged. ""Who knows? Forget it. Brother, why don't you go clean up those wild vegetables first? We'll sell them here later.""

As Yi Ping was moving things out, he hesitated and asked in a low voice, ""Are we really going to sell these?""

These things didn’t even exist in the post-apocalyptic world. He was a bit worried about attracting unwanted attention.

Sang Chu replied, ""Yes, we are.""

Sang Jingwen understood what his sister meant, but since there were people around, he could only quietly message Yi Ping: [The more people know, the safer little sister will be. Don’t worry. When you and Minli go outside the city, just be careful.]

[Got it!]

At this point, he suddenly remembered something. ""Sister, I have something to ask you.""

Sang Chu paused her work, looked up with a smile, and said, ""Yi-ge, I’ve been keeping an eye on your matter. The place is already set up in the city, but it needs some fresh magical beast blood as a catalyst. So, when you go out, try to collect as much fresh magical beast blood as possible and bring it back for him.""

""Alright, just wait. When I go out, I’ll bring you a big bucket!""

When Liu heard that Yi Ping was really going hunting outside the city, he gave him a big bag of supplies before he left.

Liu reminded him, ""You’re going hunting with your friend, right? Your brother can go with you, but you must return before sunset. After sunset, the city gates will close, and you won’t be able to get back in!""

Yi Ping replied, ""Of course! I have to bring my sister fresh magical beast blood. Let’s go, let’s go, we need to hurry or we’ll be late.""

Sang Jingwen grabbed the impatient Yi Ping and said helplessly, ""Minli is still preparing. What are you rushing for?""

Then, looking at the group outside the door, he smiled and said, ""You all haven’t had breakfast yet, right? Let’s eat before heading out. Little sister, make a few more dishes.""

""Okay, I’ll get right on it.""

With that, Sang Chu headed to the kitchen. Liu, who had already heard there would be breakfast, couldn’t wait and hurried in, though he still said politely, ""Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness.""

Sang Jingwen replied, ""I should be the one thanking you for your help. Let’s eat together!""

The other mages didn’t understand why Liu was so eager for breakfast. For them, eating was just to fill their stomachs. If they weren’t hungry, they wouldn’t want to eat at all, because the ingredients here were either inedible or tasted terrible. Anything cooked from them was barely edible.

But when the dishes were served, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

""What’s this white stuff? Can you eat it?""

""And this green thing—can you eat that?""

""Your Highness, I’m supposed to go out hunting with you. Don’t tease me!""

Liu shot him a look, and while the others hesitated, he quickly grabbed a spoonful of the sweet and sour tomatoes and stuffed them into his mouth.

The more he ate, the brighter his eyes became. These sugar-tossed tomatoes were so sweet and delicious!

He couldn’t help himself and ate more and more, almost finishing the whole plate. Only then did the other mages finally reach out and take the last piece.

""Liu, you’re too much! How could you hog all the good food for yourself?""

After that, they started trying the other dishes. They had never tasted green vegetables this good before. The ones they had here were either bitter, tough as leather, or had turned into magical creatures and were inedible.

""Your Highness, where did you get these ingredients? Why do they taste so good and have none of that magical creature stench?""

By ""stench,"" he meant the smell of blood from magical creatures. In the world of magic, anything could turn into a magical creature—even a roadside rock. Once injured, they would bleed, and that blood was foul-smelling and disgusting. Normal people couldn’t stand it, let alone eat it.

Sang Chu explained, ""I cultivated these myself. They were grown with magic, so there are no magical creatures mixed in. They’re perfectly edible.""

""No wonder! As expected of someone from a big city—things are just different here. I have to visit Rose City someday!""

Sang Chu smiled, ""You’re welcome anytime.""

After eating and drinking their fill, Lu Minli and Yi Ping left the city with the other mages, while Sang Chu and Sang Jingwen busied themselves with preparations for opening the shop.

Liu was a little worried and asked, ""Aren’t you worried about your brother?""

Sang Chu replied, ""My brother is very capable, and besides, he’s with you and the other mages. I believe he’ll return safely!""

Liu found her expression a bit odd, but her reasoning was sound. With so many people, and with Sang Chu under his watchful eye, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Just then, he saw Sang Chu take out a large quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables from her storage ring and arrange them at the entrance, leaving him dumbfounded.

""Your Highness, you’re going to sell fruits and vegetables?""

""Yes, do you want to buy some?""

Liu hesitated, but since Sang Chu had grown them herself, they should be safe to eat, right?

There were fruits and vegetables in the magic city, but they were all inedible.

Sang Chu cut up apples, grapefruits, grapes, and other fruits, washed them, and placed them in the tasting area. ""These are for tasting. Liu, you can try them. If you don’t like them, you don’t have to buy.""

""Taste?""

Liu slowly walked over. The cut fruit gave off a sweet fragrance, with not a hint of that usual stench.

He swallowed hard, then finally gritted his teeth and tried a grape.

Wow!

""This is delicious! So sweet! Sang Chu, how did you grow these? Give me some—no, I want all of them!""

Looking at the bunches of grapes, Liu was afraid someone else would buy them first.

Sang Chu smiled, ""Liu, even though we’re close, these took a lot of effort to grow.""

She leaned in and whispered, ""Although these aren’t as helpful for cultivation as spirit flowers, they’re just as hard to grow. So I might have to charge a bit more.""

""No problem, Sang Chu, just name your price. How much for a bunch of grapes?""

""One crystal coin per bunch.""

Liu’s smile froze for a moment, but after thinking about how rare these were, he agreed. ""Alright, I’ll take all the grapes you have. And those, and those—pack them all up for me!"""

"Here is a fluent, natural English translation of your provided Chinese text:

---

**Chapter 151: The Great Magic—The Spirit, Xi Rui**

**Chapter 151: The Great Magic—The Spirit, Xi Rui**

**Wilderness**

Staring at the group of C-class monsters who had lost their senses and were now standing around dumbly, Lu Min L and Yi P exchanged bewildered glances.

Lu Min L had originally planned to deal with them one by one, but he hadn’t expected Sang Chu’s spirit to be so formidable!

The spirit, Xi Rui, didn’t like men getting close, so she kept a deliberate distance from Lu Min L. In her hand, she held a crystal bow, her delicate and beautiful face covered with a layer of frost. “Hurry up,” she said coldly, “the master wants you to change quickly. You need to move fast!”

Her tone was flat and emotionless. Lu Min L nodded, and together with Yi P, they quickly slipped a magic ring onto one of the unconscious men, took off his original clothes, and dressed him in Lu Min L’s own clothes and cloak.

Yi P asked, “Min L, now that we’re done, how am I supposed to lure those monsters away? I can’t just get bitten to death in front of the other C-class mages, can I?”

Lu Min L replied, “Don’t worry. I’ll put on his clothes and pretend to be his apprentice.”

“Alright then!”

Xi Rui glanced at the man lying on the ground and said coldly, “Leave this to me. You two get ready to move!”

Lu Min L shot her a look, his brows furrowing slightly. “Xi Rui, I don’t care what you’re planning, but you can’t interfere with me. I must leave the Black Rose City within three days, no matter what.”

Xi Rui snapped her fingers. Lu Min L added, “You’ve already taken a huge risk by coming here. If you keep hesitating, Sang Chu won’t be able to cover for you much longer. I hope you understand—you want to die, that’s your business, but don’t drag me down with you. Sang Chu brought you out here, don’t you get what she means?”

She didn’t reply, only pressed her finger to her lips.

A sharp whistle sounded.

Suddenly, a group of strange wild spirits appeared, leaping nimbly on their feet.

A vine shot down from above, and Xi Rui leapt onto it. At the same moment, the C-class monsters she had frozen with her magic snapped out of their daze.

At the same time, the vines swept down from the sky, instantly grabbing the “Yi P” and “Lu Min L” lying on the ground and whisking them away!

“L, look!”

“Spirits? It’s spirits! After them!”

“L, that guy from Rose City got caught too!”

“Forget him, just catch the spirits first!”

At the sight of the spirits, the group went wild, completely ignoring Yi P and Lu Min L sneaking away behind them.

Behind them, a vine swept by. Yi P was about to act, but Lu Min L grabbed him, and together they let the vine’s force drag them away.

“L, what about Xiao Mu?”

Lu Min L took a step, glanced back, gritted his teeth. “Forget him, just find the spirits. As long as I can bring the spirits back to the Witch Academy, I’ll be rich!”

“But Xiao Mu…”

“Too many people will only get in the way, let’s go!”

After shaking off the others, the vines set them down. Yi P stared in the direction Xi Rui had gone, his expression troubled. “Min L, what do you think that spirit is really trying to do?”

“I’m afraid she’s been bullied for years. Otherwise, why would Ah Chu suddenly tell me to take her along?”

“Isn’t this too risky? What if she kills everyone?”

Lu Min L sighed helplessly. “Don’t worry. As long as I can get out of this mess, I can talk my way out of anything. Since Ah Chu let her out, she must have a plan. Let’s find a place to hide first.”

Yi P looked at the vines and the spirits, all of whom seemed to obey Xi Rui’s every command, and asked in confusion, “She’s so powerful, so how did she get captured all those years ago?”

Lu Min L suddenly froze. “Crap, why didn’t I think of that? Quick, I need to catch up with those spirits!”

With that, he hurried off. If it weren’t for the risk of exposing his identity, he would have rushed after them even faster.

Yi P’s mind was a blank. He didn’t even know what strange thing he’d said to make Lu Min L react so wildly. He chased after him. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m afraid she never intended to escape. Otherwise, with her power, she wouldn’t have been captured so easily back then!”

“No way! Wasn’t that her enemy? Doesn’t she want revenge?”

Lu Min L suddenly grabbed Yi P’s hand and, using a spell that could sense everyone running across the land, explained, “She does, but there must be something I don’t know. Let’s find her first. I’m worried she’ll do something crazy.”

“Oh, okay!”

Yi P always trusted Lu Min L’s judgment. He and Sang Jingwen both had sharp minds—unlike himself. If things weren’t spelled out, he’d never guess what these smart people were thinking!

---

Inside a mountain cave, amidst piles of debris, Old Ge had been stripped of his limbs and lay in a pool of blood.

A spirit’s vine was stuffed in his mouth, sucking out his magic.

“Ahhh—!”

His screams were heart-wrenching. Old Ge stared at the familiar cave before him, realizing this was the place from his nightmares.

“So you didn’t forget this place.”

Xi Rui gathered her magic, drew her bow, and a white, jade-like arrow glowed in the darkness.

*Whoosh—*

The arrow pierced his thigh. Old Ge’s face twisted in pain, but he still forced a smile. “No matter what, you’re mine. Whether it’s love or hate, I’ve left a mark on your heart.”

*Whoosh—*

The second arrow struck his knee. This time, Old Ge couldn’t help but scream, but it was barely a whimper.

Old Ge gasped, “Xi Rui, you’re so beautiful. Even in death, you’re mesmerizing.”

Xi Rui ignored him, nocked another arrow, and aimed at his eyes, her voice icy cold. “Your eyes are as disgusting as ever.”

“Hahaha, you’re wrong. This is the first time you’ve spoken to me like this.”

Xi Rui walked up to him, her chest heaving with emotion, but the hatred in her eyes was cold and unwavering.

A thorny vine appeared before her. Xi Rui picked it up and whipped it hard across Old Ge’s body, not holding back at all.

“And it will be the last time. You used all sorts of despicable tricks to get your way. My father and brother died because of you. You probably never expected this: when a spirit dies, their body turns to dust, but their will remains in these vines. I didn’t bury them; I kept them here, just for today. I want my father and brother to cut the flesh from your bones, piece by piece, as a sacrifice to finally quench the hatred in my heart!”

She looked over at the C-class monsters about to catch up. “As for those who bullied me, I won’t let a single one of them go!”

---"