Feng Qingran’s eyes flickered thoughtfully. If she bought all these jade slips, she might just be able to piece together the complete Nine Heavens Mystic Fire.
After going through every single jade slip, she met Hu Yunxiang’s shrewd gaze and abandoned the idea of buying them all outright.
“Third Senior Sister, take a look at this technique—it seems like it might suit you quite well.” Feng Qingran handed a manual to Qin Hanyan, giving her a subtle wink at the same time.
Qin Hanyan was briefly taken aback, but still accepted the manual and committed its contents to memory.
How did Little Junior Sister know she had a photographic memory?
She hadn’t even told Ning Shiyue about that secret.
Feng Qingran paid no mind to Qin Hanyan’s questioning look and proceeded to hand her several more manuals in succession.
This behavior, however, caught Hu Yunxiang’s attention.
Just as Feng Qingran reached for the seventh jade slip, Hu Yunxiang stopped her. “Miss, if you’re genuinely interested in buying, you can just name your price. There’s no need to go over each one so many times, is there?”
“Can’t I inspect the goods before buying?” Feng Qingran asked in her clear voice.
“Of course you can, but you’ve already looked through all these slips once—why go through them again?” Hu Yunxiang’s eyes gleamed with cunning.
Feng Qingran gestured at the items on his stall. “Then I’ll take everything here. How many spirit stones?”
Hu Yunxiang was stunned for a moment, then asked in surprise, “Miss, you really want to buy all of them?”
“That’s right,” Feng Qingran confirmed.
Hu Yunxiang immediately whipped out an abacus and after a rapid series of clicks and clacks—
He broke into a beaming smile. “Customer, since you’re buying in bulk, I’ll give you a discount. For everything here, just give me ten billion top-grade spirit stones.”
“Done. Third Senior Sister, pack it all up.” Feng Qingran agreed without hesitation.
Baili Wenyue and Ning Shiyue exchanged a glance. So Little Junior Sister was the real big spender here, huh?
Hu Yunxiang was utterly shocked, his hands trembling as he gripped the abacus. He knew he’d undersold himself.
“Wait! Customer, what I meant by ‘everything here’ was just this side.” Hu Yunxiang divided the manuals into two piles and pointed at one of them.
He had initially planned to ask for just enough to buy his freedom, but since Feng Qingran was being so generous, he figured he’d squeeze out a little more—enough for a formation disk too.
Feng Qingran’s gaze turned cold. “Then how much for both piles combined?”
Hu Yunxiang thought for a moment and said, “For everything together, I’ll give it to you for twenty billion.”
“You’re absolutely insatiable! How many of these manuals are even genuine, and you know it. Twenty billion—you’ve got some nerve asking for that!” Ning Shiyue’s voice rang like silver bells, her normally lively eyes sharpening with accusation.
“Miss, that’s just how business works in the black market. If you want to buy, buy; if not, you’re free to leave,” Hu Yunxiang said dismissively.
He’d finally run into a wealthy mark, and there was no way he was letting her slip away so easily.
Feng Qingran shook her head at Ning Shiyue, then turned back to Hu Yunxiang. “I’ll give you at most twelve billion. Take it or leave it.”
“Now, customer, that’s far too low. How about we meet in the middle—eighteen billion?” Hu Yunxiang’s face was all smiles.
“Twelve billion,” Feng Qingran said firmly.
Hu Yunxiang tried to haggle higher, but Feng Qingran simply turned to leave.
“Hey! Don’t go—fine, twelve billion it is. I’ll sell to you.” Hu Yunxiang quickly called out. If he let her walk away, he’d probably never get another chance at twelve billion in his lifetime.
Feng Qingran turned back and asked first, “This is a voluntary transaction. I’m not forcing you.”
“Not forcing!” Hu Yunxiang confirmed.
There was a rule in the black market: within an hour of a deal being struck, if either the merchant or the buyer felt they had been coerced or misled during the transaction, they could appeal to the black market enforcers for justice. That was why everyone selling in the black market made a point of asking for voluntary consent—just in case the other party tried to back out.
Feng Qingran pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Hu Yunxiang.
Hu Yunxiang looked at what was written on it and felt a chill run down his spine. He had been completely outmaneuvered by Feng Qingran.
The paper detailed every step of the transaction, down to the last word.
“Customer, have we met somewhere before?” Hu Yunxiang forced down his unease and studied Feng Qingran’s face. Something about her felt vaguely familiar.
Feng Qingran’s eyes were bright and radiant, her gaze sweeping with confidence, her bearing refined and noble.
She didn’t answer his question. Instead, she said crisply, “Our transaction involves a large sum, so I need you to sign this before I can feel comfortable handing over the spirit stones.”
Hu Yunxiang looked down and carefully read through the paper again. Finding nothing amiss, he pressed his thumbprint onto it.
After all, once he had the spirit stones, he could buy his freedom and leave this place behind.
The remaining two billion top-grade spirit stones would be more than enough for him to live like a king across the entire Huoling Prefecture!
Feng Qingran tucked the paper away and transferred the spirit stones to Hu Yunxiang. “Third Senior Sister, would you mind holding onto these for me for now?”
Without hesitation, Qin Hanyan raised her delicate hand, and with a graceful wave, all the jade slips vanished from the stall.
By now, Hu Yunxiang had long since disappeared.
“Little Junior Sister, you’re full of surprises! You dropped a hundred billion top-grade spirit stones without even batting an eye!” Baili Wenyue gave her a thumbs up.
Resting his chin on his hand, he wondered—had Little Junior Sister, like him, discovered a spirit mineral vein somewhere?
Curious, he asked, “Little Junior Sister, your token space wouldn’t happen to be packed full of spirit stones, would it?”
The token’s space wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small either. Holding two stacks of jade slips was no problem at all.
