Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Volume 2 - Chapter 16

What to expect:A long epic progression fantasy with south asian/indian cultivation elements. Lots of action, strong worldbuilding, and a planned story. People die, but no excessive grimdark content. No murderhobo MC. No edgy or whiny or anti-hero MC. No pacifist MC.Cute canine companion

In a world ravaged by fiend beasts and spatial rifts, humans fight back using “”Soul Contracts”” to tame these creatures, turning them into protective spirit animals. Amidst this chaos, Zhou Mu, born with inadequate soul intensity and physical prowess, struggles to become an esteemed Animal Whisperer.With only a low-tier grass snake as his spirit animal and limited chances to pass the Whisperer’s test, Zhou Mu’s future looks bleak. However, an unexpected twist comes with the discovery of a mysterious system that allows him to trade personal attributes for power. As he navigates this new potential, Zhou Mu faces the challenge of overcoming his limitations and rising to power in a world where strength determines one’s fate.

After traveling to the Tivat continent, Lin Mo became a jar merchant, and since then he has embarked on a journey of selling jars.

Lin Mo: “Let’s open a jar. Whether it’s the Eye of God or the magic weapon, you can buy everything you need. You may earn blood, but I will never lose!”

Ningguang: “As long as you sell unlimited quantities, I am willing to give you all the money, and people can also give it to you!”

Hu Tao: “Golden Emperor Fen Tianyan? Or only ranked fourth on the Yihuo list? I can’t imagine the Yihuo in front of me.”

Ke Qing: “Sword Twenty-Three? Hey, what kind of terrifying swordsmanship is this!”

Yae Godko: “Touch your tail more, can you sell me an extra jar?”

Ayaka Kamari: “How can this Zanpakutō, Xiu Baixue, be so strong!”

…..

A few years later, everyone in the entire Tivat continent was looking for the jar left by Lin Mo.

- Description from novelbuddy

After his parents died, Alex Roth had a plan: become a wizard. Through hard work, he was accepted into the world’s greatest university of wizardry—but fate had another plan.

On his eighteenth, he is marked as one of his kingdom’s five Heroes, chosen to fight the land’s great enemy. But his brand is 'The Fool', worst of the marks.

Rather than die or serve the other Heroes like Fools in the past, he packs up his little sister, his childhood friend and her cerberus, then flees for the university in hope of refuge, magic and to unravel the truth about his land’s evil.

There’s one small problem: The Mark tries to ruin magic while enhancing skills outside of divinity, combat and spellcraft.…

…that is, unless he can learn to exploit the hell out of it.