“Reporting!”
“To the Imperial Son! First Elder Fengxi of the Divine Maiden Sect has attempted to break the ‘soul-controlling curse’ laid upon her by the Empress. The curse is showing signs of loosening!”
“Fengxi’s aura is faintly recovering!”
“Reporting to the Imperial Son! The Thirteen Guards of Star-Moon Palace are secretly plotting to seduce the Imperial Son and use that to break the soul-controlling curse and flee the immortal sect!”
“Imperial Son, Fengxi’s attempt to break the curse has failed. She is willing to offer her natal dharma treasure in exchange for being released!”
“Imperial Son, Fengxi has escaped!”
“Fengxi has been recaptured…”
“……”
Over the past few days, the men assigned to monitor the situation had sent a constant stream of reports.
Jiang Wuhen, however, had little interest in these ‘important’ updates and paid them no mind.
“What is wrong with you lot? Can’t you tell what counts as important news?”
“Scram, scram, scram! Stop pestering me with this garbage all day!”
Jiang Wuhen said impatiently.
Until—
“Imperial Son, early this morning, Xiao Chen left the courtyard where he’s being held, exited the sect, and headed for the spirit cultivator market in Heavenly One Immortal City.”
“He holds the privileges you granted him, so the disciples guarding him didn’t dare stop him. They could only follow along…”
The instant these words reached him, Jiang Wuhen’s expression sharpened.
“Holy crap! Such an important message, and you’re only telling me now!”
The moment the words left his mouth, spirit origin erupted within Jiang Wuhen. His entire body shot out of the hall like an arrow loosed from its bowstring.
…
Heavenly One Immortal City was the largest city in the Eastern Divine Immortal Domain.
Though called an “immortal city,” its scale rivaled that of an entire nation.
It was where the Heavenly One Immortal Sect had its headquarters, and the city lord was served by the immortal sect’s own first elder.
The spirit cultivator market, meanwhile, was a marketplace within Heavenly One Immortal City established specifically for cultivators.
Cultivation methods, martial skills, divine abilities, treasure arts, weapons, dharma treasures, spirit pets, opportunities and fortunes…
Anything remotely related to cultivation could be found in the spirit cultivator market.
Though the Heavenly One Immortal Sect had its own “Treasure Pavilion” within its grounds, the items there came at steep prices and left no room for bargain-hunting.
As a result, many sect disciples preferred to make purchases at the spirit cultivator market instead.
Of course, most who went there hoping for a lucky find ended up walking away with duds.
Yet no one could deny that in the motley tangle of the spirit cultivator market, great opportunities lurked.
This Xiao Chen is the Son of Fortune. He could pick up a random rock off the ground and it might turn out to be an ancient relic.
How could I possibly pass up a prime opportunity to fleece him!
Jiang Wuhen thought to himself.
Following the leads from his informants, Jiang Wuhen quickly located Xiao Chen.
At the moment, Xiao Chen was haggling with a stall owner in front of an unremarkable street stall.
“Tsk, Senior, this jade hairpin is indeed crafted from ‘azure spirit jade’ and has calming properties when worn. But three hundred spirit crystals is highway robbery.”
“I’d like to buy it for my fiancée, sure, but you can’t see that I’m from out of town and decide to fleece me blind.”
“Make it cheaper. Two hundred and fifty spirit crystals and I’ll take it!”
Xiao Chen examined an exquisite jade hairpin, his haggling demeanor somewhat mercantile.
The stall owner frowned at this.
“Young brother, I can tell you have an eye for goods. How could you say something so ignorant?”
“This jade hairpin was made by the master ‘Dugu Yue’ herself. Charging you three hundred spirit crystals is already selling at a loss.”
“If you think it’s too expensive, put it down. Good goods don’t need to beg for buyers.”
The stall owner reached out to take it back.
Seeing this, Xiao Chen hastily clutched the hairpin and grinned. “Senior, don’t be hasty. I didn’t say I wasn’t buying.”
“How about this. This jade hairpin, plus that broken little pagoda, for three hundred spirit crystals total. Deal!”
Xiao Chen said, picking up a battered little bronze pagoda from an inconspicuous corner.
The stall owner raised an eyebrow.
“Hey now, young friend, that pagoda is a treasure. You’ll need to add another fifty spirit crystals…”
Jiang Wuhen watched this scene from afar, laughing inwardly.
This was the Son of Fortune’s go-to routine: deliberately haggle over some worthless trinket to create the illusion of being an ignorant fool with more money than sense.
Let the stall owner think he’d gotten the better of the deal, then casually pick up the real treasure and walk off with it as a freebie.
As a rule, this trick never failed for the Son of Fortune.
This time, however, Jiang Wuhen had caught him in the act.
Meanwhile, Xiao Chen, putting on the acting chops of a best-in-class film star as he ‘grudgingly’ haggled, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
The next moment—
“Well now, Brother Xiao, what a coincidence!”
Jiang Wuhen’s voice rang out.
That familiar voice made Xiao Chen’s entire body flinch.
The stall owner immediately dropped to his knees and prostrated himself.
“Imperial Son!”
Jiang Wuhen waved his hand.
“No need for formality, Senior. I’m just here to browse the spirit cultivator market myself.”
“The Imperial Son does this old man too much honor…”
The stall owner stammered, thoroughly terrified.
Jiang Wuhen helped him up with an easy smile.
“This Brother Xiao here is a friend of mine. Did he happen to take a fancy to one of your treasures?”
At these words, the stall owner’s face visibly stiffened.
“S-so this young brother… this young master is a friend of the Imperial Son! This old man was blind! This jade hairpin… and this little pagoda, they’re all worthless trinkets. No charge at all. Consider them a small tribute to the young master!”
The stall owner said hastily.
Honestly, anyone with half a clue could see that selling this jade hairpin for thirty spirit crystals was already overpriced.
Three hundred?
That was daylight robbery aimed at fools.
As for the broken pagoda, the old man had simply picked it up off the roadside. In his eyes, it wasn’t worth a single spirit crystal.
And Xiao Chen knew all of this perfectly well.
At that moment, he studied Jiang Wuhen, his face full of confusion.
Is he… helping me?
Just as he was puzzling it over, Jiang Wuhen clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. “If funds are tight, Brother Xiao, all you had to do was say so. Between brothers, I can lend you some spirit crystals. Interest at the standard rate of nine out, thirteen back.”
Xiao Chen’s mouth twitched involuntarily.
Good heavens. Nine out, thirteen back? That’s straight-up loan sharking!
“N-no need…”
Xiao Chen said awkwardly.
“Between brothers, you’re too polite.”
“Just now, I heard you say you were buying this jade hairpin for your fiancée?”
“As the saying goes, a friend’s wife… don’t hold back… ahem. Since Brother Xiao is short on funds, let me buy this jade hairpin for you. Consider it a token of regard from an older brother to his future sister-in-law.”
With that, he turned to the stall owner and swept his hand out grandly.
“I’ll take everything on this stall. Name your price.”
At these words, the stall owner was dumbfounded.
“If the Imperial Son fancies anything, just… just take it all. To receive the Imperial Son’s patronage is this old man’s good fortune…”
The stall owner said, his expression strained.
Jiang Wuhen’s eyes narrowed.
“What kind of man do you take me for? I, Jiang Wuhen, am renowned for loving the common folk as my own children. You won’t name a price? Fine. I’ll do it for you.”
“Three thousand spirit crystals for everything on your stall. Pack it all up, every last piece, and deliver it to the Heavenly One Immortal Sect.”
“Someone will pay you the spirit crystals when you arrive.”
As he spoke, Jiang Wuhen took the little pagoda from Xiao Chen’s hands and casually tossed it back onto the stall.
Then he patted the jade hairpin in Xiao Chen’s hand.
“This one is my gift to Brother Xiao.”
Jiang Wuhen smiled.
[Ding dong. The host has sniped the Son of Fortune’s opportunity. Reward: ten thousand villain points!]
Mm, now that felt good.
As for Xiao Chen…
He could only watch helplessly as the stall owner bundled up the little pagoda and a pile of junk, then tottered off toward the Heavenly One Immortal Sect on trembling legs.
Lowering his gaze to the jade hairpin in his hand, he fell into deep thought.
