Chapter 93: Some are Fools, Some are Wise

Chang Jizi shot a look at Xu Can, who, being no fool, understood immediately. Their attempt to strong-arm the price back down had clearly left a bad impression on Xu Yu. The extra hundred stones was a small price to pay to buy back some goodwill.

Their master’s anger had terrified Yan Dong. He still thought they were angry at him for failing to haggle the price down. He glared venomously at Qin Haoxuan’s group, blaming them for his failure, and obediently shut his mouth.

The onlookers were stunned by the turn of events. They had assumed the two powerful disciples would easily bully the newcomers, but instead, they had raised the price by another hundred stones. Had spirit stones become worthless overnight?

The two of them pooled their resources, producing fifteen low-grade, second-tier spirit stones, the equivalent of fifteen hundred third-tier stones. When Chang Jizi handed them to Xu Yu, she smiled and thanked him.

Qin Haoxuan understood the reason for their sudden change in attitude, but the innocent Xu Yu did not. She handed over the six packets of powder, and the two senior disciples each took three. Chang Jizi, now in possession of the treasure, looked as if he wished he could sprout extra legs to run back to the Jade Bamboo Hall even faster.

Just as he was about to leave, Xu Yu called out, “Senior Brother Chang Jizi, are you a disciple of the Jade Bamboo Hall?”

Ordinarily, he would have ignored anyone who tried to stop him now, but this was different. She was an Unsurpassed Purple Seed, and he had just made a poor impression on her. This was a chance to mend fences. “Yes,” he said politely. “My master is the Hall Master of the Jade Bamboo Hall, Perfected Man Bìzhú.”

“Oh, wonderful. I’d like to ask if you have any Meridian Protecting Powder. I wish to purchase two packets.”

Chang Jizi was taken aback. He didn’t have any of that high-grade item on hand. But for an Unsurpassed Purple Seed to ask him for a favor was a golden opportunity. “I don’t have any now,” he said, “but if Junior Sister Xu needs it, I can refine some for you. And I’ll give it to you at cost. The market price is one thousand third-tier stones per packet, but for you, I’ll sell you two packets for fifteen hundred. How does that sound?”

That price was for an item that was virtually impossible to buy on the market. Xu Yu was deeply grateful and bowed slightly. “Then I will have to trouble you, Senior Brother!”

“It’s no trouble at all,” he said with a smile. “In the future, if you need any pills, just ask. As long as I can refine it, I’ll give it to you at cost.” Xu Yu just smiled and nodded. It was clear he had figured out who she was. The title of “Purple Seed” was proving to be very useful indeed.

Behind her, Luo Jinhua finally understood. The whole point of selling the powder was to buy Meridian Protecting Powder. But she was still confused. At her current level, why would Xu Yu need such a thing?

After Chang Jizi left, the crowd dispersed. As they headed back to the carriage station, no one noticed the venomous glare Yan Dong was directing at their backs. He racked his brain, trying to think of a way to vent his anger. Seeing them take a quiet, deserted path, a thought flashed in his mind. This is a heaven-sent opportunity! The fifteen second-tier spirit stones Xu Yu was carrying were the equivalent of fifteen hundred third-tier stones. If he could get his hands on that, his own cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds. He would no longer have to be a groveling lackey.

Consumed by greed, he failed to even notice that Luo Jinhua was still with them. If he had known that a Twentieth-Leaf expert and one of the three Unsurpassed Purple Seeds were in the group, he wouldn’t have dared to try anything. But in his mind, anyone who would associate with a sickly consumptive from the Nature Hall and two new disciples couldn’t be anyone important. He was a Twelfth-Leaf cultivator; he could easily handle the four of them.

It was early spring, but the sky grew dark quickly. Because of the market’s layout, there were two paths to the carriage station. The main road was longer but lined with shops and stalls, and it was currently packed with treasure-hunters.

In a hurry to get back, they chose the quieter, more deserted side path. It was paved with flagstones and lit every hundred meters by lanterns that glowed with a dim yellow light, powered by simple spirit-gathering arrays.

The sight made Qin Haoxuan marvel again at the ingenuity of the cultivation world. The peace and the promise of the fifteen second-tier stones in their possession made for a pleasant journey.

But there are always flies that delight in ruining a happy moment.

Yan Dong came running up the path and blocked their way. A greedy light shone in his eyes as he stared at the pouch of spirit stones at Xu Yu’s waist. “I seem to have lost fifteen second-tier spirit stones in the market today,” he sneered. “And I suspect you stole them.” In the dim light, he failed to see the Hundred Flowers Hall insignia on Luo Jinhua’s robe.

“Hands up,” he said, his voice turning slimy as his lecherous gaze fell upon Luo Jinhua. “I’m going to have to search you.”

Qin Haoxuan, whose vision was excellent, found the situation absurdly funny. “Senior Sister Luo,” he said with a laugh, “his realm is higher than ours. We can’t handle him. He’s all yours.”

Luo Jinhua was already seething with rage at the man’s pervert gaze. Without a word, she formed a hand seal, and a watermelon-sized fireball shot from her palms. “Flame Burst Art!”

The instant she attacked, the powerful spiritual fluctuation filled Yan Dong with a regret so profound it turned his guts to water.

They say a woman’s strength is inversely proportional to the size of her chest! How can this woman be so powerful? From her attack, he could tell she was at least at the Twentieth-Leaf Realm.

At such close range, he had no time to run or cast a spell of his own. The fireball struck him and exploded. If Pu Hanzhong hadn’t quickly thrown up a Spirit Energy Shield to protect the others, they would have been burned by the blast.

Yan Dong lay on the ground, his back a bloody mess, screaming like a slaughtered pig. The only reason he was alive was because it had been a basic-level spell.

“Next time you want to rob someone,” Luo Jinhua said with a contemptuous snort, “remember to open your eyes first.”

As they walked away, Yan Dong, gritting his teeth against the pain, swore an oath. “Qin Haoxuan, you just wait! I’ll have you drawn and quartered for this!” In his twisted mind, he had already transferred all the blame. He knew he could never get revenge on the powerful Luo Jinhua, so he decided that Qin Haoxuan had goaded her into attacking.

The next day, news that they had sold Qi-Circulating Powder at Yixiantian for fifteen second-tier spirit stones sent the Spirit Field Valley into an uproar. The rumor that it was Xu Yu who had refined it made many of the Uncolored Seed disciples lament their fate.

“Oh, cruel heavens! Why are you so biased towards the Purple Seeds? They’re already faster than us, have a higher status, and now even their powder is better than our pills!” If they had known that it was actually an Uncolored Seed who had made it, their jealousy would have known no bounds.

Luo Jinhua was all smiles. “Junior Sister Xu,” she said, “I’ve been in the sect for over ten years, and my net income is only a hundred or so stones a year. You’ve earned more in one day than I have in all that time! I used to be so proud of reaching the Twentieth-Leaf Realm, but compared to you, I’m just ashamed.”

She was joking, of course. Though she was an ice queen to outsiders, she treated Xu Yu like a younger sister.

“Alright,” she said, her smile fading. “We wasted the whole day. We need to make up for the lost time tonight.”

Qin Haoxuan nodded. He knew the pressure on Xu Yu was immense. He had to refine one of the super-pills for her as soon as possible.

“Wait, Brother Haoxuan,” Xu Yu said, “you should keep these spirit stones.” She knew that while she had gotten the credit, the powder was the fruit of his labor.

Luo Jinhua watched, confused, as Xu Yu tried to hand over the pouch. Qin Haoxuan saw her confusion and laughed inwardly at Xu Yu’s needless worry. Did she really think he was someone who cared about fame?

“You keep them, Little Sister Yu,” he said with a wink. “You’re a Purple Seed. No one would dare rob you. But if I, a mere Uncolored Seed, were to carry around that much wealth, I’d just be asking for trouble.”

His humor made her giggle. She gave him a look that said, “Your secret is safe with me.”

“Now go on,” he said. “You’ve wasted enough time today. Any longer, and your senior sister here is going to get angry with me.”

Xu Yu giggled again and affectionately linked her arm with Luo Jinhua’s. “Let’s go, Senior Sister.”

(End of Chapter)