Mixed Blessing System

Upon arriving in a large area that looked like one shopping mall floor, Lothur and his group came across a small plaza with eight aisles and several stores.

In addition, there were a few stalls in this small plaza with people selling their items, where the movement was relatively moderate for the night in this city.

But this was not a shopping mall like those on Earth, but a place where cultivators went to solve some of their concerns. As such, no people were strolling around, and there was no reason to have more people in such a part of this association.

With that, Jacob did not take long to lead the way to the establishment where he had ordered an item.

Entering such a place, Lothur paid attention to the surroundings that looked like the typical retail store setting, with several copies of the items sold there for customers to examine.

However, none of them was real, but rather the 'shells' of what usually came with formations.

Formations were things that lay between the spiritual and the physical. At first, they did not have their existence in the material world. Still, because of the inscription left by a formation master, it could become something physical and be manipulated by others.

In general, these things were like a processing core engraved on items.

For example, a spatial ring was a special metal alloy produced by blacksmiths, which was needed to ensure its durability and integrity. But what made rings of this kind valuable were formations engraved on such items, which created small folded spaces inside the ring.

But the items in that store were only the 'shells,' as would be the case with the metal alloy that shaped a spatial ring before having inscriptions engraved on it.

And knowing this, Lothur did not waste time looking at those items in an attempt to understand them better.

At most, he was curious to look at the prices of some of the flashier things there.

'Iron-grade defensive formation: 12,000 bronze coins.' He read that on a little plate in front of a dark sphere.

'Iron-grade explosive formation: 8,000 bronze coins.' He noticed the difference between a defensive and an offensive item in the price of that product and this other.

'Seems like items that can save lives are more expensive, huh? It makes sense.'

But as he ran his eyes through the various items there, he suddenly heard Jacob's voice arguing with someone in that place.

"What, my order isn't ready? How can that be? I paid for this shit up front, man!" That young man gestured to the 1-star formation master that he had placed such an order.

"Tsk!"

Hearing the brat in front of him bawling, that tall, strong man, who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, made a tongue sound in displeasure and said. "Unforeseen things happen."

"You ordered a complex Iron-grade formation, but unfortunately, we had an entrance test just a few days ago. What can I do if most of the resources needed for your formation have been sold to amateur formation masters trying to enter our association?"

Seeing that, Elke frowned her eyebrows and looked at Lothur. "I think this guy is trying to deceive Jacob because our client is not from this city."

"Oh?" Lothur continued to look at those two who were only 10 meters away from them while he pretended to keep an eye on the products in the surrounding area.

He then listened. "If you want to wait another two weeks, I will deliver your item then, but..."

The man smiled and said. "If you're in a hurry and are willing to pay a fee for me to solve the problems related to this, I can get your item to you by the end of the night."

"A fee? But I already paid the value of the package!"

"Yes, but that's another thing, kid. Look, I don't have much time to waste. I have a formation similar to the one you ordered, but it's from another customer who was in front of you."

"However, I hear he's sick, so if you're willing to pay a small fee, I'll take the risk of delivering that person's item to you." He said in a slightly lower tone while smiling mysteriously.

"That..."

Seeing how that formation master was tricking Jacob, Lothur finally understood the situation. 'So that's it...'

'This guy is trying to take advantage of Jacob, using the pretext of a problem to charge a fee that shouldn't exist.'

Lothur had seen such a practice happening before, only in a slightly different way. In certain places on Earth, it was not uncommon for vendors to suddenly raise the price of products upon realizing that the customer did not know the area.

And as much as there were distinctions in this situation, he could not help but notice how similar some everyday corruptions could be between this world and Earth.

That way, as that guy smiled in a way that tried to fool young Jacob, Lothur suddenly squeezed the left shoulder of that 4th Transformation person. "Can you tell me a little about this?" He asked as he smiled gently.

However, the grip of his hand said something else, and that formation master quickly noticed this.

"Who are you?" Such a person tried to move away from Lothur. Still, the difference between them was in favor of the handsome man who had a face that could easily irritate men of all kinds.

Elke also approached where Jacob was standing and threatened that individual. "I hope you are telling the truth about not being able to buy Jacob's formation materials. Otherwise, I feel that Mister Storch will not spare you..."

"Mister Storch?" That man's eyes widened in terror upon hearing the last name of the number two of this Formation Masters Association.

'Who is this brat? How does she know the identity of someone so important?' He looked at Elke's high-end clothes and felt his situation was not good.

But as he remembered the pain he was feeling in one of his shoulders, he suddenly realized that Elke's threat was not the greatest of his worries. 'Anyway, this bastard is powerful!'

'What will I do if he decides to act against me?' He feared that Lothur would decide to act later while trying to free himself from that man's grip.

"Lothur, Elke... What's going on?" Jacob finally realized that there was something strange about that man's behavior.

Elke then explained. "Jacob, it doesn't matter if an entrance test for new formation masters happened recently. Such events occur once a month, and this entire institution always prepared itself for such events."

"Then, even if the items needed for your formation are needed at one of those events, the command of this place would surely have measures to maintain local functionality."

"How would they disrupt their associates' work just to give new people a chance to join them? It doesn't make sense!" She said, looking at that youth and then the man with an expression of pain and fear on his face.

"Tsk!"

"Take it in one go, brat!" That fellow finally gave up, tossing a metal cube to Jacob while complaining to Lothur. "Fine. I told the truth, but I'll take that loss this time!"

"But don't ever look for me again!" He then ran from there after feeling Lothur easing his grip.

Seeing that, Lothur smiled as he realized the act of that guy. Still, since there was no reason for him to pursue this matter, he merely continued side by side with his companions.

'That's what we were hired for, eh? His father was probably the one who posted the assignment at the academy. And knowing the profiteers in this city, he didn't just want instructors for his son, but people also capable of escorting this fellow.'

He then asked. "Is that all you wanted, Jacob?"

"Yes..." The young man said with his head down, feeling vulnerable for almost being tricked.

"Well, let's stop by a store so I can buy some items in that place, and then we'll find a place to eat."

"After that, Elke and I will escort you to the location of your carriage. Is that okay with you?" Lothur asked seriously, already preparing to leave that place that had nothing of interest to him at the moment.

"Fine."

After that, they soon left, passing the lower floor of this association, where the store that sold the books and resources that Lothur needed to start his journey with formations was.

...