A reasonable price?

Yu Yan and that youth were totally stunned and their jaws dropped to the ground!

There was actually an idiot who would pay fifty thousand copper coins to buy a single leaf. This guy was truly an ignoramus!

The youth found it hard to close his jaw, and saliva dribbled from one corner of his mouth. He was overjoyed, for he had found an easy target today. He hurriedly said, “Young master, you truly have discerning eyes. Your perception is like a burning torch – how admirable! In truth, the actual value of this leaf definitely exceeds… One hundred thousand copper coins. If you sell it off, you’ll earn a clean profit of tens of thousands of copper coins. How impressive and admirable! Master, shall I wrap this up for you?”

Ning Xiaochuan said, “There’s no rush. First, tell me where you got this leaf, and I’ll immediately hand over fifty thousand copper coins to you.”

Naturally, this leaf was not worth fifty thousand copper coins, but it was not an ordinary leaf either.

This was a leaf from a Blood-toad Wood!

Blood-toad Wood is a type of Mystical Wood that was used in medicine.

Although its value was not as high as gold-grained rosewood, it was still very expensive.

An ounce of Blood-toad Wood could be sold for around an ounce of gold coins.

This meant that Blood-toad Wood was worth as much as gold coins.

There was a legend that frequently circulated in the Yulan Empire: a martial artist once found a branch of Blood-toad Wood, and after selling it, became one of the richest people in the empire.

Blood-toad Wood was so rare that it was extremely hard to recognize. Most martial artists, even if they encountered a Blood-toad Wood, might just brush past this Mystical Wood without recognizing its value.

Only Heart-nourishing Masters, who were familiar with Mystical Medicine and Mystical Woods, would be able to notice the Blood-toad Wood’s exceptionality through their keen perception.

Ning Xiaochuan had seen a picture of Blood-toad Wood, along with detailed records regarding this wood, in the Encyclopedia of Mystical Woods from the Marquis’s Residence. Therefore, he was able to recognize from a single glance this leaf of a Blood-toad Wood that was laid out in the stall. Mystical Wood did not refer to a particular type of wood. Rather, it was a classification of all the precious, marvelous woods.

The price of Mystical Wood was higher than gold coins or Magnetite.

The Encyclopedia of Mystical Woods recorded forty-seven types of Mystical Woods. Amongst these, there were some whose value was even higher than the gold-grained rosewood.

The Blood-toad Wood, according to the Encyclopedia of Mystical Woods, was considered a lower-ranking Mystical Wood.

Of course, the forty-seven types of Mystical Wood listed in the Encyclopedia of Mystical Woods was not comprehensive. There were many other Mystical Woods that were not recorded, still to be discovered by later generations.

A Blood-toad Wood leaf was right in front of Ning Xiaochuan. Naturally, he was rather excited. If he could actually find a Blood-toad Tree, he would become extremely wealthy overnight. He might even collect enough money to free Yu Ningsheng.

Nonetheless, Ning Xiaochuan kept his expression calm. He made Yu Yan take out five hundred silver coins and place it before the youth. “Stall owner, as long as you tell me where you got this leaf from, these five hundred silver coins are yours.”

The five hundred silver coins were placed on the ground by Ning Xiaochuan. They glittered with a dazzling light. The surrounding stall owners looked over, their eyes filled with greed, and they could not stop swallowing their saliva.

The youth was doing the same thing.

He had run his stall here since he was eight, brazenly swindling people. Although there were times he succeeded, the most he had earned in a single con was eight thousand copper coins. At that time, he was so excited he could not sleep for a few days.

This time, it was fifty thousand copper coins!

“I… I… I’m not selling it!” The youth finally resisted the temptation to sell.

This was not a joke. There was actually someone who would buy this leaf for fifty thousand copper coins, which indicated that the origins of this leaf were not simple. Perhaps fifty thousand copper coins was merely a drop in the ocean compared to the true value of the leaf.

Sell?

Only a fool would sell it.

Ning Xiaochuan was not surprised in the slightest and simply smiled. “Fine. A transaction would require both of us to be on board. Since you’re not willing, let’s forget it.”

Before the wide-eyed stare of the youth, Ning Xiaochuan swept up the five hundred silver coins and started to leave the stall.

The youth saw that Ning Xiaochuan acted so breezily with no urge to stay on, and his heart dropped with a loud thud. He started to regret his choice, for that was fifty thousand copper coins!

In the end, the youth did not chase after Ning Xiaochuan. Instead, he rolled up his straw mat, gripped the leaf in his hand, and left the street without stopping to rest. He ran all the way to Xuanye Emporium, looking for the shopkeeper to ascertain the value of this leaf.

…

Ning Xiaochuan brought Yu Yan to a gorgeous restaurant in the Southern Mountain Cluster. They sat on the second floor, next to a window, ready to have their lunch.

The building of this restaurant had a classic look. They often received martial artists from all over the country, many of whom were young talents who wished to make a name for themselves in the Imperial City.

The topic that was most often discussed passionately was the Heavenly Emperor Academy.

The Heavenly Emperor Academy only accepted students once every five years. Naturally, it was a goal for many countless geniuses. Once they gained entry into the Heavenly Emperor Academy, they would truly have made it. Becoming a practitioner whose name was known throughout the world was simply a matter of time.

These were genius talents who harbored such ambitions!

“Master, why did you offer fifty thousand copper coins for a single leaf? Why did that youth suddenly refuse to sell? Why didn’t you try to change his mind after that?” On their way here, Yu Yan had wanted to ask these questions, but she only asked them now.

She had never thought of herself as someone stupid. At least, when she was in Guanyu Tower, she had picked up the four arts¹ very quickly. Moreover, her skills far surpassed most of the hostesses.

However, after spending time with Ning Xiaochuan, she constantly felt that her own brain was inadequate and that she had become rather slow-witted. She could not seem to fathom the thoughts of this young master who was only a few years older than her.

Ning Xiaochuan asked Yu Yan to sit down. At first, she was unwilling, for it did not make sense for a maidservant to share a table with her master. Nonetheless, after Ning Xiaochuan gave the command, she finally took her seat in fear and trepidation. Still, she dared not look up.

Ning Xiaochuan lifted the window frame of the restaurant and glanced at the street below. With a mild smile, he said, “You’ll see soon enough.”

…

Below the restaurant.

The youth who was poorly dressed came out from Xuanye Emporium in a hurry. He seemed panicked as he seized passersby to ask them about Ning Xiaochuan’s whereabouts.

Someone pointed him in the direction of the restaurant, after which he raced in at top speed.

“F*ck me, the shopkeeper at Xuanye Emporium said that this leaf isn’t a Mystical Medicine, so it’s definitely not a Mystical Medicine. Oh, regret! I should have sold this leaf to that rich fool. Now I don’t know if he’ll still want to buy it.” The youth was rather repentant. He was so sick with regret that it was as if his wife had run away with someone else.

With burning desperation, he rushed into the restaurant, looking all around for Ning Xiaochuan’s figure.

What the youth did not know was that, when he dashed out of Xuanye Emporium, the shopkeeper had come out as well and stared ominously at his departing figure. The shopkeeper then gestured with one hand, and a tough, stocky martial artist came over.

“Follow him!” The shopkeeper of Xuanye Emporium said softly into the ear of the martial artist, then walked into Xuanye Emporium once more.

Naturally, all this was witnessed by Ning Xiaochuan, who was sitting on the second floor. He only shook his head and chuckled. “Greedy people are indeed everywhere.”

Yu Yan looked out of the window too, asking curiously, “Master, who are you talking about?”

Ning Xiaochuan stared at the wine cup on the table and smiled wordlessly.

“Thump thump!”

A series of footsteps!

“O great sir! O master! I’ve finally found you.” The youth came rushing up, panting heavily and threw himself down beside the table.

Of course, Ning Xiaochuan had watched him coming up. Now, Ning Xiaochuan picked up the wine cup and took a small sip, pretending to be astonished. “Stall owner, you’re looking for me?”

The youth nodded vigorously, then took out the Blood-toad Wood leaf and gingerly placed it on the table. With a cautious expression, he asked, “Now, may I still sell this marvelous leaf to you?”

Ning Xiaochuan laughed. “So why didn’t you want to sell it just now?”

The youth solemnly replied, “The timing was not right. Naturally, with a huge sale like this, we must pick an auspicious time. I sought out Three-finger Lin at the bazaar’s entrance for a reading, and it turns out now is an auspicious time. After this period, we’d have to wait one year. O honorable sir! Buy it quickly! If you don’t, you’ll miss the auspicious date.”

The youth stared at Ning Xiaochuan impatiently, deeply afraid that Ning Xiaochuan had figured things out and would refuse to buy.

Ning Xiaochuan remained sitting serenely. After a pause, he smiled, “Brother, how do I address you?”

The youth was burning with anxiety, and said curtly, “My name isn’t a good one. Good sir, don’t ask about that. Let’s settle our transaction before we exchange our names, alright?”

Ning Xiaochuan replied, “In that case, sit down and have some wine. Let’s talk business then.”

The youth steeled himself and said, “Very well! On account of the auspicious date, I’ll sell this for only thirty thousand copper coins. Will that do?”

Ning Xiaochuan cast a swift glance at the leaf on the table, and said, “The price isn’t the issue here.”

The youth was in actual agony as he clenched his jaw. “Ten thousand copper coins then!” After that, he knelt to the ground with eyes brimming with tears. “Good sir! I swear to the heavens, this leaf is worth at least… A hundred thousand copper coins. If it weren’t for my chronically ill grandfather at home, I wouldn’t sell it to you at the low price of ten thousand copper coins. I’m in urgent need of money, and only wish to use it to quickly treat my grandfather’s illness!”

Previously, when he went to Xuanye Emporium’s shopkeeper for an appraisal of the leaf, the shopkeeper had told him that it was worth eighty copper coins at most.

If he could sell it for ten thousand copper coins, he would still profit handsomely.

This was what the youth was thinking.

This youth was full of nonsense. Of course, Ning Xiaochuan did not believe a single word. Still, he said, “Very well! I’ll buy this leaf, but you have to tell me where you got it. If you can take me there, I’ll buy this leaf at its original price. What do you think?”

The eyes of the youth lit up. “What was the original price?”

“Fifty thousand copper coins!” Ning Xiaochuan stretched out five fingers.

The youth had thought that selling it for ten thousand copper coins was already a lucky stroke, but he never expected that this rich idiot was still willing to buy it for fifty thousand copper coins!

My goodness, this was a rich idiot, an absolutely wealthy ignoramus!