System: Replicating The Heavens-Chapter 500: Ch : PLM (14): Fritz and Alicia’s Sacrifices

Alex called Elryn a heartless shopkeeper because he finally understood the true design of the Boundless Shop.

The single Boundless Coin charged per day for accommodation was not generosity; it was actually bait. A price so cheap that no one would hesitate to stay; as long as someone remained inside the Boundless Shop, they would feel safe, comfortable, and tempted. Time did not pass outside; cultivation could be improved drastically here, dangers could be avoided, and even death could be reversed as long as people could pay the price. For anyone burdened by enemies, curses, limits, and many other situations that have no solution in the outside world, staying here would feel like the most reasonable choice.

But the moment one tried to do anything meaningful, such as buying treasures, trying to increase their strength, strengthening the soul like Alex wanted to do, changing fate, the true cost revealed itself. Every real solution inside the Boundless Shop carried an absurdly high price. The longer one stayed here, the more reliant they would become on the shop, and the more they would be forced to trade away pieces of themselves to afford what they needed.

Accommodation was cheap precisely so people would stay. And once they stayed, they would eventually have no choice but to pay the real price.

That was why Alex felt a chill in his heart.

Elryn wasn't heartless because he overcharged; he was heartless because he understood desperation perfectly. Most importantly, he had built his shop by relying on this desperation.

After the discussion about the Boundless Token ended, Alex hesitated for a moment before asking another question.

"Elryn, is it possible that the same situation happens again? I mean, the Boundless Token senses my emotions or desperation and comes to me on its own, like before?"

Elryn shook his head, saying plainly, "That will not happen. Once a person walks through the door opened by a Boundless Token, they are marked by it. After that, there will never be a second encounter of that kind. The token will not choose you again."

Alex let out a quiet sigh. He had already expected that answer, so there was no disappointment on his face. Instead, his expression quickly steadied.

"That's fine," he said. "I already know what I need to do."

He turned toward Fritz and Alicia. His gaze turned serious. "Before anything else, I must strengthen my soul. I don't have enough Boundless Coins, not even close. I need your help. If you're willing, exchange some of your treasures for Boundless Coins. Once I get rid of the Loren's Curse, I'll repay everything, no matter the cost."

Fritz and Alicia looked at each other. Without saying a single word, both of them summoned their auxiliary systems.

Alex watched in silence as faint fluctuations of energy spread through the air. Moments later, his brows furrowed sharply. He suddenly felt Fritz's aura collapse.

"Fritz!" Alex turned toward him instantly.

Fritz staggered slightly, then steadied himself with a bitter smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Alex could clearly sense it. Fritz, who had been on the verge of entering the Three Stages of Saint Tribulation, had fallen drastically. His cultivation plummeted, dropping directly to the level of a Spirit Martial God.

Fritz exhaled slowly. "I sold almost everything. Weapons, herbs, my special physique, my comprehension of dao, martial skills, and even part of my cultivation." Fritz glanced at his auxiliary system and then said again, "In the end, this is all I could gather."

In the next second, a transfer notification appeared before Alex's eyes. Alex watched as the auxiliary system reflected 200,000 Boundless Coins in his account.

Alex clenched his fists. He truly didn't expect Fritz to actually willingly say his comprehension of the Dao, which is very necessary for a person to stay in the True Divinity Stage and enter the Sainthood. Most importantly, he even sold his special physique and a part of his cultivation. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Alex wanted to say something, but before he could speak, the number of Boundless Coins in his account blurred briefly before changing to 700,000 Boundless Coins.

Obviously, another 500,000 Boundless Coins had just been transferred, and it was Alicia who had sent them.

Alex turned sharply toward Alicia.

"Alicia—"

But his voice stopped midway, and Alicia's body actually started fading.

"No," Alex said hoarsely, stepping forward.

Alicia looked at him, her expression gentle and unwavering. Her form grew more transparent by the second. Very soon, her physical body vanished completely, leaving behind only her soul, floating quietly before them.

Elryn watched the scene silently without showing a single emotion on his face. His expression was unreadable.

Alex stood there in complete silence, watching Alicia slowly turn into her soul form. His mind went blank, and his heart violently trembled. Guilt, anger, gratitude, and helplessness crashed into him all at once in that instant. His fists clenched until his nails dug into his palms, yet he felt no pain.

Watching Fritz cripple himself and Alicia lose her physical body because of him felt like a blade slowly carving into his soul. For the first time, Alex felt that the weight of the Loren's Curse was unbearable. After all, this curse had forced others to make big sacrifices for his sake.

"This... What have you done, Alicia?"

Alex asked with a pained expression, looking directly into Alicia's eyes. His emotions were tangled and overwhelming. He had never expected Fritz to sacrifice so much for him, nor had he imagined that Alicia would give up everything, leaving behind only her soul, just to exchange Boundless Coins so he could strengthen his soul to the limit of the Profound Immortal stage and carry out what he intended to do.

'This foolish girl, she doesn't even know what I intend to do, yet she chose to take such an extreme action.'

"Alex, don't worry. I can still exist in soul form for a very long time. Moreover, I didn't act without thinking." As she said, Alicia looked around her and continued speaking, "Look at where we are. We are inside the Boundless Shop, where anything can be bought. As long as you solve the Loren's Curse, all you need to do is look for treasures to exchange for Boundless Coins and help me reconstruct my body."

It can be said that Alicia had truly placed too much trust in Alex, so much trust that it made Alex's heart ache.