The moment Luo Chuan's gaze fell upon Phaseless Demon Monk, the monk felt an inexplicable discomfort.
It was an all-too-familiar look—one he himself often cast upon mortals.
Disdain, mixed with indifference.
For a brief moment, Phaseless Demon Monk felt like he was the insignificant one.
Just as he was about to speak, Luo Chuan cut him off.
"Sorry," Luo Chuan said flatly, "we don't give handouts."
Phaseless Demon Monk's expression stiffened, his aura fluctuating chaotically.
Did I hear that correctly?
By the time he processed the words, his eyes had widened in sheer disbelief.
"Handouts?"
"This guy… thinks I'm a beggar?"
Rage flared in Phaseless Demon Monk's heart.
Throughout his infamous existence, even the greatest sects treated him with either fear or respect.
Yet now—
At the entrance of Origin Mall, he was experiencing something completely new.
A treatment that, for the first time, left him speechless.
But looking at his own reflection in the store's glass, Phaseless Demon Monk's realized—
Luo Chuan wasn't exactly wrong.
His complexion was pale, giving him the look of someone suffering from long-term malnutrition.
His robes were in tatters.
He wore no shoes, his feet coated in dust from endless wandering.
An ascetic monk, to the untrained eye.
Of course, any true cultivator would instantly sense his terrifying power the moment he stepped out of a spatial rift.
But Luo Chuan was different.
With the system's buffs, there was no one in this world—not even an Eminence—who could threaten him.
"Confidence makes all the difference."
---
Phaseless Demon Monk took a slow, deep breath, forcibly suppressing his building fury.
In his mind, Luo Chuan had already been classified—
"A mere mortal who doesn't even have spiritual energy. Crushing him is no different from squashing an ant."
Yet just as he was about to dismiss Luo Chuan entirely, his gaze landed on the plaque above the store's entrance.
Origin Mall.
For a brief moment, Phaseless Demon Monk's eyes narrowed.
Then, a sneer spread across his ashen face.
> "Hah. Using the name 'Origin' so carelessly—truly arrogant."
He had cultivated to the Eminence realm, and he understood the weight of that word.
The very concept of 'Origin' carried immense meaning—something far beyond the grasp of ordinary people.
Luo Chuan, however, remained silent, his expression as calm as ever.
Phaseless Demon Monk no longer paid him any attention.
"A mere mortal doesn't deserve my time."
Instead, his gaze swept past Luo Chuan, piercing through the store's interior.
Then—he saw her.
Yao Ziyan.
A glint of sinister delight flickered in his eyes.
"Hiding in a mortal's shop?"
His lips curled into a grin.
"Jie jie jie… Yao Ziyan, did you think you could escape my notice?"
---
Inside the store, Yao Ziyan had been going about her routine—until an invisible chill crept up her spine.
Her instincts screamed at her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Following the unseen pressure, she lifted her gaze—
And locked eyes with Phaseless Demon Monk.
For a split second, the world seemed to freeze.
Then—
Shock and recognition flooded her expression.
Her breathing turned sharper, and her entire demeanor shifted.
Her once-relaxed stance stiffened into high alert.
"No… it can't be."
She suddenly understood why she had felt such deep unease earlier.
The name escaped her lips, almost spat through clenched teeth—
"Phaseless Demon Monk."
The monk's grin widened, his voice laced with eerie amusement.
"I finally found you."
A surge of anger ignited in Yao Ziyan's chest.
She was ready to fight.
Her fingers tightened, her spiritual energy subtly shifting—
Until she saw him.
Outside the store, Luo Chuan stood motionless, watching the scene unfold with an expression of calm detachment.
And just like that—
The anger in her heart vanished without a trace.
"The boss… wouldn't ignore this."
That single thought calmed her more than anything else.
Luo Chuan was still there.
He had seen everything.
And if he wasn't reacting—
It meant there was no reason to worry.
---
At that moment, one of the customers—Gu Yunxi—noticed Yao Ziyan's sudden shift in demeanor.
She frowned, stepping forward with concern.
"Sister Ziyan, is something wrong?"
Hearing her voice, the other customers looked over, their own confusion growing.
"What happened?"
"Why does she look so serious all of a sudden?"
None of them had noticed the monk standing outside.
Not yet.