Faced with the crowd's interrogation, Ningguang knew that staying silent would only breed more rumors. It was better to be frank—selectively frank.
She would mention one item—something important but not critical—and dismiss the rest as junk.
The Devil Fruit was too complex to explain, and few would believe it anyway.
As for the Economics textbook, that was absolutely off-limits.
That book was the key to Liyue's future economy. She needed to implement its theories before anyone else could get their hands on a copy. She had to secure her first-mover advantage.
So, Ningguang chose the Eternal Youth Pill.
It was the perfect distraction.
Valuable? Yes. But compared to the Economics book, it was merely a luxury item. She could use the dazzle of eternal youth to hide the true strategic threat of the knowledge she had gained.
At the same time, revealing that "eternal youth" could be bought from a jar would cause a sensation, serving as free advertising for the shop—a favor to the owner.
And she was right.
The moment Ningguang finished explaining the pill's effect, a collective gasp sucked the air out of the street.
Every pair of eyes widened in shock, staring disbelievingly at the small pill in her hand.
Eternal Youth.
It was a concept that defied reality.
Who in this world could remain young forever? Aside from the gods, no one.
Yet now, she was saying that swallowing a single pill could freeze one's beauty in time? That a man could stay handsome and a woman could stay radiant forever?
Everyone aged. Even powerful Vision holders eventually withered.
But this pill promised to stop the clock.
For the women in the crowd, the allure was catastrophic. They cared about their appearance far more than the men.
"Holy sh*t! An Eternal Youth Pill? Seriously? You eat it and stay young forever? That's insane!"
"It has to be real. Lady Ningguang said it herself! I can't believe such a thing exists."
"First Zhang pulls a Vision, now Lady Ningguang pulls an Eternal Youth Pill... what kind of shop is this? It's terrifying!"
"Maybe the shopkeeper has already taken one? But still, one hundred thousand Mora for a jar... that's pretty steep for us common folk."
"Steep? Are you kidding me? Did you not see what she pulled? A Vision! An Eternal Youth Pill! Which one of those can you buy for a hundred thousand? Forget a hundred thousand—people would kill to pay ten million for those!"
"True, but surely not every jar has stuff like that. It's luck-based. Can you guarantee you'll win? For the rich, a hundred thousand is pocket change. For us, it's a year's savings. One month of hard labor only gets you a few thousand Mora."
"Yeah, but ordinary people can save up and gamble once! If you win, you're set for life! And Lady Ningguang said there's a purchase limit, so the rich can't just buy everything!"
"Exactly! Whether it's a Vision or that pill, pulling one is a massive win. I can't wait to go in there and crack a jar!"
"I want to open one too, but I'm broke! I just bought a house and have a mortgage... Argh! I shouldn't have bought that house! I should have used the money for jars!"
...
The crowd stared at the pill in Ningguang's hand with burning desire. Then, their gazes shifted to the shop, their eyes blazing with greed.
Many had only one thought: Open a jar!
If not for Ningguang and the Millelith standing there, they would have stampeded into the shop instantly.
Seeing the feverish look in their eyes, Ningguang spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "Although the jars contain treasures, the majority of them contain items that are, compared to your hard-earned Mora, of little value. I hope you will not be blinded by the thrill. You must control your desires."
The jar shop was dangerous. It was addictive. Even she had felt the urge to buy everything.
For these ordinary people, it was pure gambling.
Items like the Senzu Bean or Explosive Tags might be valuable in theory, but to a commoner living a peaceful life in Liyue Harbor, they were useless compared to the ten thousand Mora it cost to buy them.
Hearing her warning, many of the overheated onlookers felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on their heads.
They snapped out of their trance.
Right. Who said they would win?
If they lost, their money was gone.
Who could guarantee a good pull?
Many who had been ready to rush in suddenly hesitated. The excitement cooled.
For them, one hundred thousand Mora was a fortune.
If they pulled junk, it was money down the drain.
It was exactly like gambling—easy to get hooked, easy to lose everything.
Seeing the crowd calm down, Ningguang breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn't want to see families ruined because of these jars.
Strictly speaking, this was more addictive than a casino. A normal bet might be a few thousand. This started at a hundred thousand.
"She's right. A hundred thousand is not cheap for us. If we get something useless, we're screwed."
"I was going to use my savings, but... maybe I'll pass. If I don't get anything, it's a huge loss."
"I'll just stick to being a normal person. These things aren't meant for us."
"We can watch others open them. Maybe when I have spare cash, I'll try one. Lady Ningguang spent five hundred thousand to get those items. For us, five hundred thousand is a gamble we can't afford."
"Exactly. Thank you, Lady Ningguang. If she hadn't spoken up, I might have done something stupid."
...
One by one, the madness faded from their eyes.
Many looked at Ningguang with gratitude.
If not for her, they would have lost their heads.
For ordinary people, gambling against the wealthy was a game they couldn't win.