CHAPTER 214: STRANGE SHOPKEEPER, IMMORTAL CHARACTERISTICS AGAIN?

The noise came from a stone-gambling stall, where cultivators were clustered eagerly around glittering spirit stones. Each buyer paid dearly for the chance to crack one open, hoping to uncover some hidden treasure within.

The trio sauntered toward it, curiosity piqued.

"Young Master, why not try your luck with these stones? Who knows what treasures await?" the stall owner called out sharply to a young man with striking blue eyes, already holding three sparkling spirit stones.

No one here truly believed the man was middle-aged. Maybe he just enjoyed playing the part, his cosplay-like demeanor made that obvious.

"Luo Shen’s luck is insane! Three treasures for barely 1,000 Sect Points?" one onlooker whispered, awestruck.

"That thousand-year-old spirit water... I’m envious!"

"It’s only slightly precious water," another muttered.

"Tsk, you wouldn’t understand its true value," someone scoffed.

"And he even found a Yang-boosting pill in one stone! Look at your complexion — you clearly lack Yang energy," another added with a grin.

"Courting death!"

"I can’t afford a lawyer to court it."

The crowd erupted into laughter at that jab.

"I bet he cheated somehow," declared a young man exuding the arrogant aura of a lion, his golden hair resembling a mane. Several underlings flanked him, scowling at the scene.

"Woah, his complexion really does look pale," one of the onlookers muttered eyeing the lion like man.

"It’s like his Yang was drained!"

The crowd laughed again.

"Who said that?!" the lion like man roared, fuming.

"Find that person and teach him a lesson," he ordered, and his underlings began interrogating everyone nearby.

"Sir, you’re disturbing my business," the shopkeeper snapped.

"I need a crowd for my gambling! You can’t just ruin it."

"Hmph! I’ll buy your sto—" The lion man’s threat died on his lips. A suffocating pressure descended on him, forcing beads of cold sweat down his mane.

"You little brat! I’m conducting business here, don’t ruin it!" the shopkeeper shouted at first, but then his tone shifted mid-sentence to polite and calm.

"Of course, you may buy as much as you wish!"

"The shopkeeper... he’s the strangest one here," Yu Xuan muttered to Lingluo and Tianmei.

"With that much power, why even run a stone-gambling stall?"

Lingluo asked, eyebrow raised.

"Maybe it’s just a personal hobby," Ming Tianmei suggested, shrugging.

"But something’s definitely going on. My intuition can’t lie to me," Yu Xuan replied.

The onlookers buzzed with chatter, their whispers growing louder.

"Tsk, Mao Ren is truly crazy, provoking the shopkeeper like that," one muttered.

"Don’t you know? Luo Shen and Mao Ren have quite a history," another added.

"Wait... what incident?" a newcomer asked, peering around.

"It happened a while ago," someone replied, smirking.

"Oh, I just emerged from seclusion. Fill me in," the newcomer pressed.

"Keke... Mao Ren was rejected and lost face in front of a junior sister he was courting. Apparently, her favorite color was blue, so she liked Luo Shen instead," someone explained.

The crowd erupted in laughter at the reminder of the past humiliation. Mao Ren’s face flushed red with anger, but when he turned to glare at the speaker, it was a formidable senior brother — he acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

"But... why is the peak master’s disciple her?" a curious voice asked.

"Woah, beauties flock together. All three of them are stunning," another chimed in.

"Wait... one of them is a boy," someone muttered, causing more giggles to ripple through the crowd.

"I guess it’s my time to be a sugar senior sister," another quipped, sending the laughter into a frenzy.

Yu Xuan’s face darkened at the teasing, his patience thinning.

Suddenly, an aura of arrogance exploded across the area — hundreds of times more potent than Mao Ren’s. The crowd instinctively looked towards him, sensing the young master presence.

The young master smirked, and in his hand appeared the "Fan of Sudden Breeze," swirling with red and yellow-bluish hues that radiated formidable power.

"Average people should feel honored to witness me," he declared, his voice dripping with superiority.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the crowd, and a wig flew comically into the air.

Everyone froze and looked towards the source, it was the one who mocked Yu Xuan, then laughter erupted uncontrollably.

The most stunned of all was Lingluo.

"When... when did you get that?!" she exclaimed, eyes wide, staring at the swirling "Fan of Sudden Breeze" in the Yu Xuan’s hand.

Yu Xuan coughed lightly behind the fan, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"You lent this to me while you were asleep."

"Okk," Lingluo said, blinking, deciding not to question it further. She assumed she really had lent it to him and simply forgotten.

Ming Tianmei let out a quiet silent laugh, shaking her head at the scene.

"Now, are you purchasing more, Young Master?" the shopkeeper asked Luo Shen.

Luo Shen looked at him casually.

"Of course. Someone divined for me that I’d have five times the good luck today. I’ve only used three so far, haha."

Mao Ren’s face twisted in anger as the shopkeeper ignored him entirely, focusing all attention on Luo Shen.

Fuming, he stormed toward the stones and randomly grabbed ten of them.

"I’ll buy these," he said.

As if sensing a challenge, Luo Shen moved closer, scrutinizing the stones with careful, deliberate attention. His blue eyes flicked over each one, as if trying to calculate probabilities and possibilities, showing that his luck was backed by skill, not chance.

Of course, it merely appeared that way.

Inside Luo Shen’s head, a faint voice echoed.

’Pick that blue stone.’

Luo Shen paused for a moment, then calmly plucked a particular blue-hued spirit stone from the pile.

"Cut this stone," he said coolly to the shopkeeper, his tone carrying absolute confidence.

"If any of your stone’s value surpasses mine, I will give you double the sect points."

Mao Ren sneered, clenching his fists.

"Hmph! We’ll see who loses!"

Yu Xuan’s eyes narrowed. For a fleeting instant, he had felt something, an odd ripple, a fluctuation clinging to Luo Shen.

His golden eyes shimmered as he activated [Immortal’s Gaze].

’Strange...’ he thought, his gaze piercing deeper.

Yet he found nothing wrong with him. So he activated his trait [Soul Vision], and an invisible light flickered across his sight.

A stabbing ache lanced through his eyes. He quickly shut them.

’Again...?’

What he had seen was shocking: another soul, faint and tattered — nestled within Luo Shen’s own. Its presence carried a trace he was far too familiar.

It had Immortal characteristics, and appeared slightly like the Devouring Demon.

’No... not whole. Injured and weak,’ Yu Xuan thought.

Lingluo and Tianmei exchanged glances at his strange reaction, but neither asked questions.

"Things just got interesting," Yu Xuan said lightly, masking his his face behind the hand fan.

He let his gaze fall over the pile of stones once more. With his [Immortal’s Gaze] piercing them it was easy to identify a treasure, he reached out and casually picked up a jet-black stone that others had ignored.

"Let me join in as well," Yu Xuan declared, fanning himself with nonchalance.

The shopkeeper’s grin widened unnaturally, his eyes flashing with amusement for reasons only he seemed to understand.

"Very well," the shopkeeper said.

"Young Master Luo, pay me four hundred sect points. Golden boy, ten thousand sect points — for disturbing my mental peace. And this super young master..." he turned to Yu Xuan, smirking, "...ten points. That black stone looks useless."

A ripple of laughter passed through the crowd.

Mao Ren’s expression twisted as if he had swallowed filth.

But pride forced his hand, if he backed out now, his face would be lost forever.

Grinding his teeth, he reluctantly transfered the full ten thousand sect points for his ten stones. Luo Shen and Yu Xuan also made their payments without fuss.

With the wagers settled, the shopkeeper leisurely retrieved a stone-cutting knife. The crowd leaned forward, their anticipation sharp enough to cut the air.

"Whose stones should I start with?" he asked, his grin widening.

"Start with Mao Ren’s," Luo Shen said smoothly, his confidence unwavering.

"I doubt he’ll mind."

"Hmph! I always come first," Mao Ren snapped coldly, his pride forcing him to agree.

"Then let’s begin," the shopkeeper said, raising the knife. The blade shimmered faintly as it descended, and the first cut into Mao Ren’s stones echoed like a drumbeat across the stall.

The crowd held its breath.

"...The first is a dud," the shopkeeper announced casually.

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

"Haha, your luck is as fake as your hair dye," Luo Shen mocked, pointing at Mao Ren’s golden locks.

"Boss, let’s gang up on him!" one of Mao Ren’s underlings muttered.

"Yeah, he’s going too far!" another agreed.

"Shut up! It’s only the first stone," Mao Ren growled, though his clenched jaw betrayed his frustration.

The second stone cracked. Empty. The third useless rubble. The fourth still nothing.

The crowd jeered louder.

"Tsk, ten thousand sect points for nothing!"

"Senior Brother Mao, you’re making the shopkeeper rich."

"At least don’t waste the stone’s spiritual energy..."

Mao Ren’s expression darkened, his fists trembling.