"You're not buying?"
Hearing the girl withdraw her offer, Yunchuan was genuinely surprised. He'd expected the princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to be much more headstrong at this age. Maybe he'd mistaken her identity? Wasn't this Ning Rongrong?
"What's wrong, you're shocked that I let it go?" Ning Rongrong glanced at the boy's surprised expression and couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"It's true, I'm surprised." Yunchuan nodded without pretense. Then, curiosity written all over his face, he leaned a little closer. "May I ask your name, miss?"
The two were standing so near their faces were almost touching, close enough to catch each other's breath. Normally, Ning Rongrong would have gotten annoyed at having her space invaded—but looking into those pure, deep black eyes on an ordinary boy's face, her heart inexplicably started pounding faster, and a subtle blush crept into her cheeks.
That strange, unfamiliar feeling left her flustered and off-balance. She hastily turned away, heading toward the door as she spoke: "…My name is Ning Rongrong."
'So it really is her—the proud little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan,' Yunchuan watched her elegant figure disappear down the street, murmuring to himself, 'The novel really didn't do justice. One's true personality doesn't fit into a few one-liners. You really have to see people with your own eyes.'
After she left, Yunchuan turned back, holding the pouch of coins. "Since she dropped out, I expect the crystal is mine now?"
Flender, seeing his big-spending prospect leave, grumbled but lazily flopped back in his chair. "You don't have enough."
Yunchuan frowned. "There's a hundred gold soul coins here—just like before."
Flender didn't even open his eyes, mumbling in a slippery tone, "That was the price earlier. Now my crystal costs two hundred gold soul coins."
Yunchuan's frown deepened. At this point, he recalled even more details from the original series—he knew this guy liked to gouge whichever customer he had.
"Two hundred coins? Are you sure you won't change it again?" Yunchuan's voice went cold, an edge settling in.
Flender's eyes gleamed at the hint of negotiation. But he kept up his lazy act. "Fine, five hundred gold soul coins. Pay up and you can have it. Otherwise, hit the road."
Yunchuan narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He quietly stowed his coin pouch, then pulled out a fresh one, heavier and larger—exactly five hundred gold soul coins inside. If Flender stopped now, he'd let it go. But if he kept pushing…
"Five hundred coins," Yunchuan placed the bag on the table, "I'll take the crystal."
But Flender was greedy to the core.
"You misheard. It's two thousand gold soul coins!" he sneered, tripling the price in a heartbeat.
Yunchuan's footsteps halted. He looked back and fixed Flender with a quietly icy glare. "There's a saying about merchants and honesty. You alter the price three times over—don't you think that's too much?"
"The price is what I say. Buy or get out!" Flender snorted, confident that two thousand was the maximum squeeze he could get out of this deal. He wasn't worried about consequences.
Yunchuan's lips curled in a cold smile.
He'd never felt this annoyed reading the book—but facing this scam artist in person? Infuriating.
He strode toward the crystal, snatched it up and tucked it into his soul tool, then started to walk out without another word.
"Hey! You haven't paid for it!" Flender shot up from his chair, pouncing at Yunchuan with talon-like hands.
Yunchuan felt the wind of that attack behind him. Without looking, he sidestepped lightly and dodged.
"So you think you can snatch and run just because you're a soul master?" Flender sneered.
With a rush of soul force, a pair of massive brown-and-yellow wings unfurled from Flender's back, gleaming like steel blades. Two yellow, two purple, and three black soul rings lit up around him—seven in total, glowing brilliantly.
"Young man, anyone who'll pay five hundred coins for a crystal that looks this plain must know its true worth far exceeds two thousand. Charging you isn't unfair at all." Flender mocked, his tone sharp and practiced—clearly he'd played this trick more than once.
"This would go to the court or Spirit Hall, and you wouldn't win a thing. Courts on the continent always favor high-rank soul masters and nobles."
Flender sized up Yunchuan, guessing he was at best a Soul Elder or maybe a Soul Ancestor. As a Soul Saint, Flender knew he had all the official advantages. On Douluo Continent, "might makes right"—the strong make the rules.
But Yunchuan didn't bat an eyelid. His face filled with undisguised irritation and scorn.
"You could've just named two thousand up front. But pulling this shameless stuff again and again? You're a Soul Saint, yet you're dragging down the name for everyone else!"
He finished—and a shockwave rippled through the shop.
Seven deep black soul rings floated up around him, ring after ring, filling the air with overwhelming pressure. The shelves rattled, soul tools flickered erratically, and the building vibrated faintly.
Soul power rank: seventy-nine. All seven rings were ten-thousand-year grade. His spiritual force wasn't lesser than a Titled Douluo.
The press of Yunchuan's soul power almost stunned Flender into fainting.
Staring at those rings, Flender felt an icy chill run down his spine.
"Seven ten-thousand-year rings?! What monster is this?!"
He nearly collapsed, all earlier arrogance vanishing, and replaced with a sheepish, ingratiating grin.
"A misunderstanding! Just a misunderstanding! Didn't expect little brother here was also a Soul Saint—my old eyes must be failing. Of course you can take the crystal, take anything you want, all free—I beg forgiveness."
"If apology could settle things, why have a magistrate at all?" Yunchuan sneered.
"So, what do you want—?" Flender murmured.
"Simple." Yunchuan's body sparked with crackling blue lightning, arcs slithering across his skin, gathering until he became a figure clad in electric light—Thunder Body.
"All I want now…"
"…is to beat you up good!"
BOOM!
The shop shook violently.
From outside, passersby would have heard surges of thunder, bursts of lightning, Flender's muffled cries, and wooden furniture crashing.
Bang! Bang! Crack! Crash!
The shop's façade vibrated for some time.
Finally, a youth in white strode out, black hair flowing, looking utterly refreshed and satisfied as if he'd just left a spa.
Inside, the shop was a mess.
Furniture smashed, soul tools scattered, even the walls lined with cracks. In the center, a huge pit in the floor, and Flender lay inside—hair singed, face black and blue, clothing half-charred, looking more pig than man.
Yunchuan didn't kill him—he liked the character in the original and didn't see the need. A beating was enough.
Besides, he was in a good mood after securing the crystal—suspected to be pivotal for his next breakthrough.
He glanced back at the ruined shop, then headed off.
'First priority: find a good inn, settle in, and figure out exactly what this crystal can do.'
(End of Chapter)