“Manager Qian, this martial technique is meant to be a gift for my third sister, Princess Huaiwei. Offering you 1,000 Spirit Stones is already generous. Don’t be so greedy in business, alright?” The young man in luxurious robes had a shameless expression.
“Your Highness the Sixth Prince, this is a mid-grade Heaven-level martial technique. The base cost is 160,000,” Manager Qian said seriously. “Other people bargain for a small amount, but you’re slashing off the entire price. And you tell me not to be greedy? Who’s going to make up for the 159,000 Spirit Stones in loss?”
“Hmph, it’s a martial technique suited only for female cultivators, and it’s expensive. Who else but this prince would even want it? Besides, once this prince sets his eyes on something, no one else dares to touch it. What use is it for you to keep it?”
“Your Highness, that’s not how things work. Even if this martial technique sits in my Haina Pavilion’s warehouse for ten thousand years without a buyer, I still won’t sell it at a loss.”
Though his face bore a merchant’s polite smile, Manager Qian stood firm and refused to yield even a step to the Yan Empire’s royal authority.
The Sixth Prince, Bi Rui, snorted coldly. “Fine then. I’ll take it first and send it to my sister. Just put it on credit. I’ll pay you once I have the Spirit Stones.”
As he spoke, Bi Rui stood up angrily and reached out to grab the martial technique.
Standing at the stairway, Xiao Jing had silently listened for a while.
He hadn’t expected this person to be the Sixth Prince of the Yan Empire, the Crown Prince’s younger brother from the same mother, acting so shamelessly.
Upon hearing it was a technique suitable for female cultivators, Xiao Jing’s eyes lit up.
Then hearing the price and the Heaven-grade classification, he became even more interested.
Seeing the Sixth Prince clearly trying to take it without paying, and Manager Qian not being one to bow to royalty, Xiao Jing made up his mind and said loudly, “A martial technique? Manager, sell it to me!”
Bi Rui froze for a moment, then turned and shouted angrily, “Where did this fool come from? Don’t you see this prince is here? How dare you let other customers come upstairs? Are you trying to shut this store down?”
“Oh? I thought it was someone important. Turns out it’s the useless Princess Yuhe and the Political Hostage from the Liang Empire? You two dare to leave the residence and come here to cause trouble? Do you not know the meaning of death?”
Xiao Jing sneered coldly without responding and walked straight past Bi Rui to stand before the manager.
“Manager, I want this martial technique. It’s 160,000, right? I’ll pay now.”
“Wait!” Bi Rui shouted, “You dare?”
“Why wouldn’t I dare? What danger could there be in buying something?” Xiao Jing waved his sleeve, and 160,000 Spirit Stones instantly appeared on the counter.
Manager Qian nodded and, right in front of Bi Rui, took the Spirit Stones and handed the Heaven-level mid-grade martial technique named “Butterfly Blossom Phantom Palm” to Xiao Jing.
[Congratulations, Host, for securing a great bargain by purchasing a martial technique for your Cultivation Target at an incredible price of 160,000 Spirit Stones.]
[Congratulations, Host, Cultivation acquired.]
[Because the Host is cost-efficient and budget-conscious, an extra 10% Cultivation reward is granted.]
[Congratulations, Host, Cultivation acquired.]
[Current available Cultivation: 200,500]
The delightful system notifications echoed in Xiao Jing’s mind.
Even the system praised him for the great deal!
And he received a 10% bonus Cultivation reward!
Bi Rui was furious. Pointing at Manager Qian, he roared, “When it comes to buying, order matters! I’ve been negotiating with you all morning, and now you sell it to him?”
“We are businessmen. As Your Highness said, we’re driven by profit. This martial technique goes to the highest bidder.” Manager Qian smiled sincerely, but his tone carried obvious mockery. Visit novelping(.)com for the full chapter.
There were words Manager Qian didn’t speak aloud.
You used your identity as the Sixth Prince to sit here and haggle all morning, repeatedly using different tactics, clearly trying to get it for free without paying a single Spirit Stone.
The Prince Consort of the Liang Empire had just come upstairs and immediately paid 160,000 Spirit Stones.
Why wouldn’t I sell it to him?
“Do you believe I can have your Haina Pavilion kicked out of Changtian City today?”
“Of course I believe you.” Manager Qian replied with a calm smile, “But if Haina Pavilion closes all its branches in the Yan Empire, it won’t be a loss for us—it’ll be a loss for the Yan Empire.”
In this world, although there were nine empires, many powerful sects and forces didn’t care about the faces of royalty.
That was because many top cultivators had no interest in mundane affairs—they only focused on cultivation and ascension.
If judged purely by Realm and strength, many of them were qualified to establish their own empires!
Haina Pavilion’s branches spanned all nine empires across the continent. Clearly, powerful figures stood behind them—perhaps even stronger than the Emperor of Yan Empire himself.
In terms of personal strength alone, Manager Qian was also at a higher Realm than Bi Rui!
Bi Rui was silenced by Manager Qian’s words.
His face turned red with rage.
Then he turned his anger toward Xiao Jing.
If Xiao Jing hadn’t interfered and ruined things, he would’ve already snatched the “Butterfly Blossom Phantom Palm”!
“You, a mere Political Hostage from a weak empire, dare to publicly provoke this prince the moment you set foot in the Yan Empire? Tired of living?”
Xiao Jing replied in mock surprise, “I just wanted to buy a few techniques for Princess Yuhe. Isn’t she your sister too? I’m buying something for your sister—how exactly is that provoking you?”
“…”
Bi Rui was speechless and snapped angrily, “Flashing a pile of Spirit Stones in front of this prince to show off? You’re a low-ranked illegitimate son of the Xiao family from the Liang Empire. Where did you get so many Spirit Stones?”
“You certainly care about everything, Sixth Prince,” Xiao Jing mocked coldly. “But you—born of the Empress, well-liked by everyone—can’t even produce over 100,000 Spirit Stones? So stingy, and yet you have the nerve to mock the Liang Empire for being poor?”
“You…!” Bi Rui’s eyes turned bloodshot with fury, and a fiery energy surged through them.
“Dare to snatch the martial technique I want? I’ll cripple you!”
Bi Rui was at the late stage of the Steel Body Realm.
Xiao Jing was currently at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
There was still a gap in strength.
But Xiao Jing calmly stared at Bi Rui and slowly warned, “All this… over a martial technique worth 160,000 Spirit Stones? That’s beneath my dignity. If we fight today, the one getting crippled might be you.”
Bi Rui froze.
Then he yelled again, “If you have the guts, stop concealing your Realm!”
Manager Qian immediately stepped in front of Bi Rui and tried to dissuade him, “Your Highness, please don’t act impulsively. Third Prince Xiao has cultivated in the Ultimate Dao Sect for many years.”
“Do you know what kind of place the Ultimate Dao Sect is? It’s the second-ranked sect on the continent!”
“His master is the Peak Master of Dragonspine Peak—an unfathomably powerful figure capable of destroying ten cities with a single palm!”
“Would the personal disciple of Peak Master Wu be weak?”
“If Third Prince Xiao truly injures you today, how will everyone handle the aftermath?”
“Think about it—would that look good for anyone?”
“Besides, this Haina Pavilion is in a busy area. Downstairs, there are dozens—if not hundreds—of customers passing by.”
“If Third Prince Xiao strikes and even a sliver of that power affects ordinary people on the street, the consequences could be catastrophic!”
Manager Qian used his knowledge and experience to try his best to calm things down.
He seemed genuinely afraid Xiao Jing would cripple Bi Rui on the spot—or destroy the Haina Pavilion altogether.
Xiao Jing was dumbfounded.
He hadn’t expected Manager Qian to know so much—that his master was Wu Qingfeng from the Liang Empire?
He also hadn’t realized that the Ultimate Dao Sect’s name carried such weight?
And that Wu Qingfeng’s name was so intimidating?
Just hearing it made people back off?
Bi Rui, listening to Manager Qian’s long-winded reasoning, was indeed shaken.
His fists clenched, his eyes blazing with fury, but he didn’t move a single step.
What if… Xiao Jing really was stronger than him?
What if he had a powerful weapon or artifact?
Wouldn’t he be humiliated on the spot?
With those thoughts, Bi Rui changed his tone immediately.
“Fine. This prince is magnanimous. I won’t lower myself to your level today!”
“I’ll go find my third sister and tell her that the martial technique she wanted was stolen by you!”
“Tonight, there’s a banquet at the palace. When we meet in front of Mother, we’ll settle this again!”
Grinding his teeth, he threw down those words, then left with his two attendants.
Only Xiao Jing, Mu Lanchu, Manager Qian, and the shop assistant remained on the third floor.