After the shop assistant left, Qin Xiao began wandering around the store, looking here and there.
“Master.”
Yun Man hesitated, wanting to speak.
“What’s wrong, disciple? Do you need to exchange some too? Right, I almost forgot about you. You said earlier that you spent all your silver, didn’t you? Don’t worry. I’ll exchange ten thousand Spirit Stones for you as well.”
Seeing Yun Man’s expression, Qin Xiao spoke quickly.
His disciple needed Spirit Stones for cultivation, so naturally she wouldn’t be willing to exchange them for silver. But as her master, he couldn’t be stingy.
“Master, that’s not what I mean. You’re exchanging too much! What are you buying that needs ten thousand Spirit Stones’ worth of silver? Do you know how much money that is?”
Yun Man said, somewhat at a loss for words.
“Of course I know. I may be unable to cultivate, but I’m not illiterate. At one to a thousand, ten thousand Spirit Stones is ten million taels of silver.”
Qin Xiao replied, somewhat puzzled.
Even if one tael of silver equaled one yuan, that was only ten million. With his current status, was ten million really that much?
“One tael of silver can be exchanged for a thousand Copper Coins. One Copper Coin can buy a steamed bun. A meal costs only a few dozen Copper Coins. And you want to exchange for ten million taels of silver?”
Yun Man couldn’t understand it. Her master was a mortal—how could he not know what things cost in the mortal world?
“What? Copper Coins are worth less than silver? Then why aren’t they on that exchange chart on the wall?”
Qin Xiao had considered that. As far as he knew, copper coins were worth less than silver. But the shop’s exchange chart listed none, so he had dismissed the idea. Perhaps silver was the smallest unit in this world, if even an exchange shop had nothing smaller.
“Master, this shop exchanges Spirit Stones. It serves cultivators. Why would it offer Copper Coin exchanges? You only find those at ordinary banks.”
Yun Man continued her explanation.
“I see. If a Copper Coin is worth one yuan, ten million taels of silver would be ten billion yuan? Well… that’s not bad. I can accept that.”
Qin Xiao pondered for a moment, then decided he could accept it. After all, he was one of Tianyuan Sect’s Peak Masters. Having ten billion in mortal wealth was normal. More importantly, he’d already spoken. The assistant had gone to fetch the manager. If he reduced the amount now, wouldn’t that be embarrassing? Besides, he didn’t lack Spirit Stones anyway. It didn’t matter.
“It’s an honor to welcome you both to my Immortal Dao Exchange Shop. My name is Zheng Kaiming, the manager. Forgive me for not greeting you sooner.”
Just as Qin Xiao was still mulling things over, a middle-aged man emerged from the back hall.
The moment Zheng Kaiming appeared, Yun Man sensed his aura.
“No need for pleasantries. Did you bring the silver?”
Qin Xiao had no desire to exchange courtesies. He still needed to go shopping, and then attend the auction in the afternoon. Time was precious.
“Honored immortal, I’m very sorry. We’ve never had an order this large, and our stock is limited. I’ve already sent a voice transmission asking someone to bring Banknotes. Please wait a moment. They’ll be here soon.”
When Zheng Kaiming heard that someone wanted to exchange ten thousand Spirit Stones for silver, he was also startled. Generally, those who came to exchange were cultivators, but they exchanged dozens or hundreds at most. Who exchanged ten thousand at once?
So he’d quickly contacted the young miss. She happened to be in Tianyuan City presiding over the auction this time. Such a large transaction would let him complete half a year’s quota ahead of schedule.
“A shop this big doesn’t even have ten million taels of silver?”
Qin Xiao was doubtful. Had the sight of his wealth tempted them to call someone in to rob him?
“Honored immortal, the timing is unfortunate. We settled our accounts yesterday and sent everything in. Normally, we would have enough.”
Zheng Kaiming could do nothing about it. Of all days, they had handed in their accounts yesterday, leaving too little silver in stock.
“Fine, I’ll wait a bit. But if no one comes, I won’t exchange it for now.”
Qin Xiao reckoned he would be safe enough in Tianyuan City. Once outside, he would go straight back to the sect, so he wasn’t worried about robbery. Rob a member of Tianyuan Sect on its own territory? Even the most reckless person wouldn’t dare.
Sure enough, before long, someone arrived. The one leading them was a woman.
Seeing the newcomer, Yun Man quickly produced a veil to cover her face.
Qin Xiao naturally observed these actions, but he said nothing.
“Which Fellow Daoist needs to exchange ten thousand Spirit Stones for silver?”
Upon entering, the woman at the front immediately questioned Zheng Kaiming.
Qin Xiao took an instant dislike to her. She was haughty and treated everyone as beneath her. Did being pretty give her the right to do whatever she wanted?
“Young Miss, it’s this Immortal.”
Zheng Kaiming respectfully indicated Qin Xiao.
“Him? Merely an ordinary person without any cultivation. Manager Zheng, do you know the consequences of toying with me?”
Ling Ruoxue glanced at Qin Xiao and grew a little angry. There was still so much to do at the auction house. How dared Manager Zheng fool around with her now?
Zheng Kaiming began to panic and hurried to explain.
“I should think you wouldn’t dare. Boy, I’ve brought the Banknotes. Where are the Spirit Stones? Try making a fool of me, and I’ll show you how serious the consequences are.”
Ling Ruoxue still looked arrogantly at Qin Xiao. After all, in her eyes, Qin Xiao was merely a mortal. If not for the Spirit Stone exchange, someone like this probably wouldn’t speak a single word to her in his entire lifetime.
“Disciple, what’s her cultivation level?”
Qin Xiao wanted to explode at her, but first he asked about her cultivation. It would be embarrassing to lose his temper, only to find he couldn’t beat her.
“Early Golden Core, Master.”
Yun Man said softly.
“Good, then.”
Once he knew her cultivation was lower than his disciple’s, Qin Xiao had no intention of holding back his anger.
“You stuck-up tigress, who do you think you are? I came to exchange Spirit Stones. That makes me a customer. Is this how you treat your customers? Keep doing business this way and you’ll go bankrupt sooner or later!”
Qin Xiao vented all his accumulated anger in one breath.
The entire shop immediately fell silent. Not a single person dared to speak.
Yun Man rubbed her forehead helplessly. Had her master gone mad?
No one else had expected anyone to dare curse at the young miss.
Ling Ruoxue was stunned. All her life, everyone had soothed her and doted on her. No one had even spoken harshly to her. Now she had been cursed at outright—and called a tigress!
“What’s wrong? You know you’re in the wrong and have nothing to say? That’s better. If you run a business, act like it. Who’s that scowl for? Me?”
Since no one answered, Qin Xiao eased up a little. He’d come to exchange Spirit Stones, and had to put up with her scowl? How was that fair?
Everyone stared at Qin Xiao as though he were an idiot. Inwardly, they gave him a thumbs-up, but worried that he might not leave the shop in one piece.
Coming to her senses, Ling Ruoxue flew into a rage. She drew her sword to kill Qin Xiao.
“Disciple, to the rescue!”
Qin Xiao had thought his scolding had brought her to her senses. She had only short-circuited; now she was finally reacting. He hurriedly called for help.
Just as Ling Ruoxue’s sword was about to stab Qin Xiao, Yun Man knocked it flying with a stroke of her own sword.