Chapter 334: Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole

Atop the golden imperial carriage sat Hua Tianxiong, whom Qin Ming had once encountered on Qilin Island.

The other party's signature corpulent figure and mercenary style of conduct left a rather deep impression on him.

Gazing at this man, Qin Ming's eyes flickered constantly as a sudden idea arose in his heart.

This person's status and position, along with his barely adequate cultivation base, coupled with the backing of the Li Fire Palace, made him the perfect candidate to manipulate as a puppet.

"As for the user of the Black Talisman, it will be you."

Hua Tianxiong, serving as the president of the Thousand Mechanisms Merchant Guild, appearing within the Spirit Ruin Market, was likely here for the upcoming Five Elements Mountain Trading Fair.

Thinking of this, Qin Ming had already formed a plan in his heart.

Half a day later.

Qin Ming once again arrived at the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion located in the center of the market, activated his True Demon Illusion, and pretended to be a rogue cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm coming to sell rare spiritual materials.

Wei Hong, the Shopkeeper of the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, seeing a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator arriving to trade, hurried out to personally receive him.

Inside a room on the second floor.

"Does this Daoist friend require something?"

Wei Hong asked with a face full of obsequious smiles, his attitude differing greatly from how he had treated Qin Ming during his first visit.

With an expressionless face, Qin Ming said indifferently, "I wish to sell a treasure obtained from a secret realm; its grade is slightly high. Can you make the decision?"

"Naturally, I can make the decision; Daoist friend, please rest assured." Hearing that good goods had been delivered to his door, Shopkeeper Wei's eyes lit up as he hurriedly replied.

Qin Ming smiled faintly, casually raised his hand and waved, and an item instantly appeared on the table.

"Th-this is..."

Shopkeeper Wei stared at the gray soul pill before his eyes with astonishment; the aura emanating from it had already surpassed the second tier.

Merely the aura swirling around it had clearly reached the third-tier level, perhaps even higher. "Forgive my poor eyesight; it is difficult to determine the value of this object immediately. Please, Daoist friend, rest for a moment while I report to the Guild President, my lord, and invite him to make the final judgment for you."

Shopkeeper Wei had just boasted, only to be proven wrong moments later, and he spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression.

Qin Ming nodded, unconcerned.

This soul pill belonged to the Golden Toad Laozu of the late third tier; given the other party's cultivation realm, it was normal for him not to recognize it.

Shopkeeper Wei arrived before a luxurious private room on the seventh floor, gently knocked on the door, and respectfully reported:

"Reporting to the Guild President, my lord, a cultivator has just arrived to sell a treasure. This humble one is uncertain and requests your presence to make a judgment."

"Come in."

A lazy voice came from inside the room.

Shopkeeper Wei entered upon hearing the command, but the scene inside made his face flush and his heart race.

He saw their Guild President, my lord Hua Tianxiong, his corpulent body embracing two female cultivators in revealing attire on either side, very comfortably eating fruit.

"Spit it out quickly." Hua Tianxiong glanced impatiently at Shopkeeper Wei.

Shopkeeper Wei's body trembled, and he hurried forward to recount the events of earlier in detail.

Upon hearing this, Hua Tianxiong shoved the two glamorous female cultivators away, his expression changing as he involuntarily furrowed his brows.

"Judging by what you say, that is indeed quite interesting."

"If my prediction is correct, that gray bead should be a soul pill left behind by a Core Formation ghost entity."

"In that case, the value is significant."

"We might even stumble upon a huge bargain; take me over to have a look."

"If it truly is so, I shall credit you with a great merit!"

Hua Tianxiong immediately revealed a hint of anticipation.

Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Wei was also extremely excited, never expecting that business had just opened for the day yet they had already encountered a prosperous start.

A moment later.

Qin Ming was drinking tea when he saw Shopkeeper Wei enter the room leading Hua Tianxiong.

At the first sight of Hua Tianxiong, he feigned panic and confusion, stepping forward to bow and say, "Greetings, Senior Hua!"

"Hehehe! Qin Xiao You need not stand on ceremony." Hua Tianxiong found Qin Ming's attitude pleasing and waved his hand for him to sit.

"I heard that Qin Xiao You has a good item to sell, so I came specifically to take a look."

Qin Ming immediately took out the soul pill and presented it.

The next moment.

When Hua Tianxiong took the soul pill, he nearly dropped his jaw in shock.

'It is actually a late third-tier soul pill!' Hua Tianxiong was widely experienced, having managed business for most of his life; what kind of treasure had he not seen?

Yet at this moment, when Hua Tianxiong saw this soul pill, turbulent waves still surged within his heart.

Even so, as a black-hearted merchant, he maintained his expression very well.

Hua Tianxiong put on an act, carefully observing the soul pill for a long time before opening his mouth to ask:

"I will take this item; I wonder how much Qin Xiao You intends to sell it for? Name your price freely."

"Qin Xiao You does not seem to be a local; I wonder which sect or school you hail from?"

Then he turned his head and shouted at Shopkeeper Wei, "Why haven't you quickly changed to a pot of fine spiritual tea for Qin Xiao You? How do you handle affairs?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Wei broke out in a cold sweat and immediately ordered someone to serve a pot of second-tier spiritual tea.

"Several fellow Daoist friends have already died for this bead; this junior intends to exchange it for a Core Formation spiritual object, or mid-grade spiritual stones of equivalent value." Qin Ming said, feigning a nervous demeanor.

"This junior is merely a rogue cultivator and has not joined any sect."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Hua Tianxiong's face instantly stiffened.

"Qin Xiao You! Although this item is somewhat precious, it is not worth that price..."

"How about I give you two bottles of pills to enhance and consolidate your cultivation, plus three thousand mid-grade spiritual stones?"

"Then I am afraid this junior cannot agree; I will go ask elsewhere."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't go! If I add two thousand spirit stones, will that work?"

"This junior only wants items for forming a Jin Dan."

Hua Tianxiong: "."

After half an incense stick's time, the two parties still hadn't agreed on a price and parted on bad terms.

Qin Ming pretended to be in a great hurry and quickly left the Spirit Ruin Market.

Left alone in the room, the atmosphere between the two men grew somewhat stifling.

"What should we do, Guild Master? That kid is impervious to reason," Shopkeeper Wei asked with a guilty conscience.

Hua Tianxiong was in a rage, and he dared not provoke him further.

"Damn it! How can a cooked duck still fly away?"

"How can something I, Hua Tianxiong, have set my sights on slip away so easily?" Hua Tianxiong's gaze turned sinister as he cursed viciously, slapping the table before him into powder.

Boom! Immediately afterward, his figure vanished in an instant; he unleashed his Jin Dan-stage divine sense and chased in the direction Qin Ming had departed.

"Go notify the Jin Dan elders of our pavilion; I will go first."

Receiving the order, Shopkeeper Wei hurriedly gathered manpower and followed.

A thousand li outside the Spirit Ruin Market.

Qin Ming's figure sped through the sky; he occasionally looked back, a puzzled expression appearing on his face.

He slowed his flight speed.

"This shouldn't be happening! Did the fishing attempt fail?"

"Why hasn't that Hua Tianxiong caught up yet?"

"Could it be that I flew too fast?"

"He is a prominent early-stage Jin Dan cultivator; surely it wouldn't be like this?"

Just as Qin Ming was thinking this, suddenly his powerful divine sense detected a figure rushing urgently toward him.

Feigning panic, he flew toward a nearby mountain range.

"Still trying to run?"

"Hahaha!"

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

Swish! A purple rainbow flashed and vanished, blocking Qin Ming's path and revealing Hua Tianxiong's pot-bellied figure.

"Hand over the Soul Pill obediently this instant, and this master might spare your life."

"However, the price must now be cut in half."

Qin Ming's expression remained calm; he curled the corner of his mouth and chuckled lightly, "Oh? Is that so?"

Boom! Following this, a mid-stage Jin Dan spiritual pressure was suddenly released! (End of Chapter)