Chapitre 6: Chapter 6: Azure Jade Pendant - The Mysterious Youth
Around them, people chimed in with their opinions.
"It's a pity for this youth. Clearly, he was interested first, and he was about to pay, but this old man stepped in."
"You're courting death! Don't call him an old man; that's Yang Dan Shi, a top-tier second-grade alchemist from the neighboring city. If he wants this Spirit Flame Herb, it's likely to help him break through to a third-grade alchemist."
"It seems this Spirit Flame Herb belongs to Yang Dan Shi. Look at the youth; he's at his limit and can't raise the bid any further. Yet, his calm demeanor is truly commendable."
Su Xing'er listened carefully, taking in all the comments. Then she scanned the surroundings. Surprisingly, the staff from the Chamber of Commerce didn't intervene in the escalating bidding war; they allowed it to continue.
If it were an auction, it would be one thing, but this was a marked price item. Letting them escalate the price like this?
"Enough! The price is fifty thousand, and it will stay fifty thousand. Since this youth had his eyes on it first, the Spirit Flame Herb belongs to him!"
Su Xing'er's words immediately attracted everyone's attention. They saw a young girl, but they didn't underestimate her. After all, her attire was not something an ordinary person could afford, and the two elderly women accompanying her were evidently skilled.
The comment also caught the attention of the staff, and one of them stepped forward. He first looked at Su Xing'er and then noticed the formidable cultivations of the two elderly women beside her. He decided to intervene.
"Miss, this is a matter concerning our Chamber of Commerce. We kindly request that you refrain from interfering," the staff member conveyed with a respectful tone, though a hint of defiance lingered in his voice.
"What if I insist on intervening?" Su Xing'er stared straight at the steward.
The steward felt a bit scared under her gaze, but he maintained his composure. After all, he was a master at the Earth Martial Realm, and he had someone backing him.
"In that case, I'll have to 'ask' the young lady to leave." The steward emphasized the word "ask," and as he spoke, he released the pressure of his early stage Earth Martial Realm cultivation.
However, he was immediately suppressed by the two people behind Su Xing'er. In fact, they went beyond suppression and gave him a taste of his own medicine. The steward ended up coughing up a mouthful of blood.
"You… a Heavenly Martial Realm expert," the steward was shocked, not expecting to have kicked a hornet's nest.
But, Heavenly Martial Realm or not, offending the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce meant death, even for a Heavenly Martial Realm expert.
"Just you wait! The Kyushu Chamber of Commerce won't spare you."
The steward, aware of his powerlessness, could only use the name of the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce to intimidate. After all, a few days ago, the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce from the Hexi Prefecture had aggressively killed a Heavenly Martial Realm expert from the Heaven Sword Sect.
"Is that so?"
Su Xing'er smiled and took out a piece of green jade pendant from her storage ring, dangling it in front of the steward to make him take a good look. The steward became fearful as he saw the green jade pendant and took a few steps back.
"Green… jade pendant," the steward stuttered upon seeing the green jade pendant.
"Please spare me, young lady. This old servant knows his mistake."
The steward knelt on the ground and kowtowed, leaving everyone astonished.
What was that green jade pendant? Why did the steward immediately kneel and beg upon seeing it? And why did he address himself as an old servant?
It seemed this young girl had an impressive background; otherwise, the steward wouldn't be so terrified. His expression of fear was genuine.
Others might not understand, but the steward did.
It was the symbol of the Su family's identity, just like a token of status. The royal jade pendant was worn by legitimate members, while the jade ring was for collateral descendants. By directly provoking a legitimate member, he had really courted death. If he had known, he would have restrained himself.
"You, wait for your punishment!" Su Xing'er glanced at the kneeling steward and spoke with a calm voice.
Afterward, she didn't say much, taking the Flame Spirit Grass and personally handing it over to the young man. The young man didn't react immediately, and it was only after Su Xing'er called twice that he snapped out of his daze and hastily accepted the Flame Spirit Grass.
"Don't forget to pay! It's priced clearly." Su Xing'er looked at the young man, who was two years younger than her, and smiled.
After a glance around, Su Xing'er didn't mind the commotion. Leading the two people with her, she was ready to leave. After all, she had come here just to take a look. Encountering such matters had dampened her mood, and as for whether the steward would run away or not, well, he was under a Life and Death Contract. If he ran, so what? Furthermore, apart from the steward, there were also the offerings sitting in the chamber of commerce, so there was no need to worry.
The young man watched Su Xing'er's departing figure, handed over the payment, and then discreetly retreated. After all, the so-called Yang Dan was a grudge-settling kind of person. Now that he couldn't afford to offend the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce, this poor young man with no power or influence would surely face retaliation.
As expected, as soon as he got home and packed his things, those people caught up to him. Fortunately, Jiang Ce's cultivation wasn't bad. He used a few tricks and managed to escape the city.
In a dilapidated temple outside the city:
Jiang Ce sat by the bonfire, looking at the Flame Spirit Grass in his hand, lost in thought.
"What's wrong, taken a fancy to that girl?" An unkempt old man who looked like a beggar suddenly appeared beside Jiang Ce, opened a gourd of alcohol, and took a sip.
"No." Jiang Ce didn't seem surprised by the old man's appearance. It seemed this wasn't their first encounter.
"I just think it's rare to find someone like that in this profit-driven world." Jiang Ce put the Flame Spirit Grass back into his storage ring, then glanced at the old man.
"Is my father okay?" After hesitating for a while, Jiang Ce finally asked.
The old man hung the gourd back on his waist and let out a sigh.
"The Lord's health is deteriorating, and the underlings are becoming restless. It seems they'll be difficult to suppress in the coming years. The Lord said that if he becomes powerless in the end, you should change your name and live a good life."
The old man finished speaking and disappeared, leaving only Jiang Ce behind, along with the crackling of the burning sparks.
After Su Xing'er arrived at the Hexi Prefecture, only a day was left until the auction began. After entering the auction house, she looked around and, in just a few minutes, saw the plump middle-aged man descending from the upper floor.
The newcomer was naturally Shen Wansan.
"Miss Xing'er." Shen Wansan had already received a message from the family head and promptly welcomed her.
"Who's that woman? She actually makes Manager Shen so respectful?"
"Ah, who knows? Maybe she's someone from a powerful force?"
"You guys don't get it, do you? I just came from the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce in Tianan City." The speaker glanced around before lowering their voice and speaking. "She decided the life and death of the local steward with just a word. He even called her 'miss.' I suspect she's from the influential force behind the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce."
"I see! Thanks for informing me, my friend. I'll treat you to a meal later at Yue Lai Tower."
Su Xing'er handed over her storage ring to Shen Wansan, who received it with both hands and arranged a room for her.
Feeling a bit tired, Su Xing'er went to rest.
Shen Wansan looked inside the storage ring.
Nine Petal Jade Dew Pill, True Martial Pill, Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill, Frost Light Sword, Savage Bull Fist, Vast Sky Technique…
Everything was ready; only the start of the auction was left.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone