Chapter 65: Ancient Formula

Soon, a whole table of dishes was laid out, brimming with food.

The fragrant aroma made it clear the dishes tasted good, especially the specially brewed fruit juice pairing, which added a unique flavor.

Especially the rare chickens that can only be raised locally, roasted in the oven, which tasted exceptionally good.

Tie Li brushed his sleeve aside and tore off a large chicken leg.

He put it in his mouth, took two bites, and the juices ran down the corners of his mouth.

"Ah, you little thief, stealing my bracelet."

A petite figure rushed to Tie Li's front, raising a hand to snatch the bracelet on his arm.

Bracelet?

Tie Li's first thought was his Storage Bracelet; seeing someone daring to snatch his belongings, he immediately stepped back a few paces.

At that moment, a tall man stepped in front of her, seemingly to shield Tie Li.

"What do you mean?"

Tie Li's expression changed slightly; he was already ready for battle.

A few guesses flashed through his mind, and he cursed his own carelessness; the Storage Bracelet had a shady origin, yet he had exposed it in front of everyone.

"You stole my iron flower bracelet, and you still have the nerve to ask me what I mean? Da Niu, go teach that thief a lesson."

Iron flower bracelet?

Tie Li recalled it was a bracelet bought at the underground market, shaped with a flower, but he valued its hundred‑forge craftsmanship.

Moreover, it was cheap, so Tie Li bought it.

He usually wore it, thinking that if an emergency arose, it might come in handy; after all, the hundred‑forge hammering guaranteed its quality.

"I bought this; I didn't steal it," Tie Li said.

"Nonsense, this bracelet was stolen; how could I possibly have sold it to you?"

Hearing that, Tie Li felt speechless, glanced at the huge object on her chest, which indeed confirmed the remark.

"The thief stole your bracelet, of course they'd try to sell it, but it just so happened I bought it."

"Is that so?" she said, pausing, and glanced at Da Niu beside her.

"Perhaps," Da Niu nodded, thinking Tie Li's words made more sense, because he needed to ponder to grasp the meaning, unlike the lady who spoke so plainly.

"Fine, then name a price and I'll buy it back."

"This is mine; I won't sell it."

"Fine, you just want to monopolize my bracelet; don't blame us for being rude. Da Niu, go teach him."

Seeing the lady fuming, Da Niu prepared to act, intending to teach the young man in front and snatch the bracelet back.

"Hoo"

A massive wave of soul power surged around Da Niu.

Two yellows, three purples!

He turned out to be a Five Ring Soul King, and his Soul Ring configuration was excellent.

The Fifth Soul Ring was even nine thousand years old.

Tie Li hadn't expected such a tough opponent, but fortunately the other had no murderous intent.

Reluctantly, Tie Li made a heartfelt decision.

"I'll return it to you."

Losing out over a bracelet seemed a bit unworthy.

"Heh, I'm not unreasonable; these ten Gold Soul Coins are compensation for you."

She took back the iron flower bracelet, turned around, and tossed a lotus money pouch.

"Chi Ru, what's going on with you?"

Tie Li recognized the voice; looking up, it was the woman he had met at the Soul Battle arena.

Ning Ning had been looking for Chi Ru and happened to see Tie Li here as well.

"What are you doing here too?" Ning Ning said with some delight.

"Eating," Tie Li replied, unwilling to mention his recent loss, and brushed it off with a meal.

Seeing the nearly finished banquet table, Tie Li planned to leave.

"Wait a moment first."

"What's up?"

Ning Ning hesitated briefly, then took an ancient, plain book from her bosom; Tie Li took it, feeling the lingering warmth.

It recorded some ancient formulas for refining the body with spirit materials; Tie Li flipped through casually, his gaze fixed.

Ice‑fire alchemy for a golden body.

Seeming to notice Tie Li's change of expression, Ning Ning suddenly took the book back.

Tie Li forced an awkward smile, failing to conceal his emotional shift, which she spotted.

"My terms remain the same: if you team up with me, once I earn enough Gold Soul Coins, I'll give it to you."

"Sister Ning, why are you looking for him? He doesn't look that great," Chi Ru said, showing surprise.

Both were students of the Feiya Advanced Soul Master Academy, getting along well daily, which allowed them to meet privately.

Because of this, Chi Ru knew Ning Ning's standing in the academy; her proud figure and looks, coupled with excellent talent, made her a coveted target among the academy's many Soul Masters.

Yet her cold temperament seemed to make her uninterested in the academy's students.

"You need money so much, I can buy your book," Tie Li thought, deciding on a more direct approach: since she needed money, he'd simply purchase it.

At present, he could still be described as affluent.

"No way, you know how many male students in the academy are eager to stay with Sister Ning?" Chi Ru was even more surprised by Tie Li's decision; she didn't doubt Ning Ning's charm, which was universally acknowledged in the academy.

"Three thousand Gold Soul Coins." Ning Ning was not modest either, quoting an astonishing price.

Although she has money, she is reluctant to part with three thousand Gold Soul Coins.

"…If it's a Team Duel, is earning a total of three thousand Gold Soul Coins enough?"

"Eight thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Tie Li silently did the math in his mind: five consecutive wins yield one hundred Gold Soul Coins per victory; ten consecutive wins would be two hundred Gold Soul Coins.

One Soul Battle per day requires over forty days, and it must be a winning streak without interruption.

"Fine." Tie Li thought for a moment and agreed to her.

If it weren't for a Five Ring Soul King nearby, Tie Li would have just seized it and then given her a compensation of one thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Chi Ru reserved a private room at the restaurant, brought the two of them inside, and prepared to have a proper talk.

During the idle chat, Tie Li learned about Ning Ning's background.

The branch of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect has impure bloodlines, and no Soul Master in the branch has yet produced a sect martial soul.

In Ning Ning's generation, things improved slightly; she awakened an equally powerful auxiliary martial soul, the Ruyi Tower.

Its auxiliary effect cannot compare to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tower, but it lacks that tower's restrictions; if one's talent is high enough and resources ample, there is a chance to challenge a titled Douluo.

When becoming a titled Douluo, the Ruyi Tower's auxiliary effect may not be inferior to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tower's Soul Saint.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Sect has many branches; Ning Ning's line is just one of them, and within this huge base, branch descendants find it hard to stand out.

Take Ning Ning's current predicament as an example—can you believe that, bearing the name of a branch descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, she actually lacks money?

(End of chapter)