CHAPTER 455: FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE, THE OLD DRUNKARD’S INTENTIONS

To dodge the pursuit of the woman in black, Yun Xiao indeed appeared a bit travel-worn, and since he always preferred wearing plain clothes, he naturally looked like a country bumpkin.

The stall owner not only resembled Gong Qizhen, the Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion, in demeanor, but also in shrewdness. Although most of the items on display were fakes, he convinced himself that they were valuable treasures.

How could a seemingly impoverished country lad have the money to buy these "Treasures and Rarities"? Such a poor boy does not even have the right to take a glance.

"Hehe, doesn’t the owner display these items for people to see?"

Yun Xiao was not offended; he was aware of the merchant’s snobbery. Only if you become a favored customer would they probably treat you with respect.

"Looking is fine, but don’t touch with your hands, if you damage anything you won’t be able to afford it!"

With that, the stall owner didn’t drive him away but glanced at Yun Xiao, speaking in a way that showed he didn’t believe this young man could afford these "treasures."

"Owner, how much for this stone?"

Indeed, Yun Xiao did not touch those "treasures" but pointed at a stone of irregular shape and inquired. This question immediately caught the stall owner’s attention.

"Could this kid actually be a big spender?"

The stall owner mused, his expression softening somewhat. With a quick glance around, he replied, "My friend, you truly have an eye for quality. This ’Dragon Seeking Divine Stone’ you ask about is the most precious item at this stall."

As he finished speaking, the stall owner swept his gaze from left to right, as if fearful of eavesdroppers, and in a lowered voice said, "Legend has it that this Dragon Seeking Divine Stone can guide one to a real Divine Dragon, how precious is that?"

Seeing a look of surprise on Yun Xiao’s face, the stall owner’s expression changed once more, as he sighed and said, "Alas, the Dragon Seeking Divine Stone is shrouded in mystery, only the fated ones mentioned in legends can sense its unique aura. I wonder, my friend, if you could be that fated one?"

It seemed the stall owner had rehearsed this spiel many times; he recited it flawlessly, particularly the last bit, which was filled with temptation, making one unable to resist trying to find out if they were the "fated one" of legend.

"Dragon Seeking Divine Stone?"

Upon hearing this name, Yun Xiao nearly grimaced. With his discernment, he could clearly see it was just an ordinary stone; it was so brittle he wouldn’t even deign to use it as a hammer.

But somehow, this ordinary stone had been peddled by the stall owner as a "Dragon Seeking Divine Stone"—the man’s audacity was indeed enormous.

In the Nine Dragons Continent, it was said that in ancient times, anyone possessing one of the nine dragons would be placed above the multitude, while one who obtained all nine would rule as the supreme lord of the continent!

That saying was familiar not only to the mightiest beings in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud but also to every child just starting their Cultivation on the Hidden Dragon Continent.

On the continent, anything even remotely associated with the word "dragon" was a rarity, coveted by countless Cultivation Strong People to the point where they would risk their lives for it, sparing no expense.

Just imagine, if this stone before them was truly the "Dragon Seeking Divine Stone" as the stall owner had claimed, even those fated to possess it would probably see countless cultivators willing to pay sky-high prices, just for a chance to test their own destiny.

But almost no one visited this stall, perhaps because nobody believed in the stall owner’s bluff. With such a Dragon Seeking Divine Stone, would one not hide it away for fear of its discovery, rather than openly sell it in this market?

It seemed the stall owner was intent on fooling whoever he could, given that eight or nine out of ten items at his stall were fakes unworthy of being showcased—a typical example of a business that didn’t need to open for three years but could feed off one trade for the next three.

"Hey, I see that you have an exceptional build, young man. Maybe you truly are the fated one. Should you find the Divine Dragon, this Hidden Dragon Continent might not even have room for you!"

The stall owner kept vigorously boasting about the Dragon Seeking Divine Stone, unaware that the gaze of the youth before him had already shifted to another spot, where a seemingly ordinary grass emitted a special aura.

Indeed, this grass was Yun Xiao’s real objective!

"Mixed Element Grass!"

Led by the guidance of the Golden Snake Worm, right when Yun Xiao arrived at the stall, he spotted the only genuine item there: Mixed Element Grass. Its aura felt similar to the Mixed Element Qi found within a Ling Wan, and there seemed to be an unknown connection between them.

Of course, while Yun Xiao recognized the Mixed Element Grass, the stall owner likely did not, and might have considered it yet another "treasure" to tout to every passerby.

Now, though Yun Xiao was financially comfortable, that did not mean he was a foolish spender. After witnessing the demeanor of the Treasure Pavilion Master, he knew that displaying eagerness for any item in front of such a vendor would ultimately result in a hefty price.

Therefore, Yun Xiao did not show any interest in the Mixed Element Grass. Instead, he pointed to another inconspicuous stone, never expecting that this randomly picked rock would actually turn out to be the storied "Dragon Seeking Divine Stone."

"Boss, how much for this Dragon Seeking Divine Stone?"

Yun Xiao’s gaze quickly returned from the Mixed Element Grass, and then he opened his mouth to ask. Seeing him inquire about the price, the owner’s eyes gleamed with crazed joy, silently thinking that this fellow must be a naive country bumpkin who had never seen the world—a real fool with too much money.

With concealed delight in his heart, the vendor’s face remained impassive, and his voice lowered once again as he said: "I see that little brother is truly eager to buy, and you might very well be the destined person for it. So, how about this—I’ll sell it to you for... oh, no—two hundred thousand Gold Coins!"

Originally, the vendor had intended to state the price of one hundred thousand Gold Coins, but at the last moment, he changed his mind and doubled it, revealing the darkness of his heart.

"Tsk, tsk, a piece of worthless stone is actually priced at twice the cost of an Advanced Spiritual Rank herb. This guy sure has guts to name such a price!"

Upon hearing the price, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but sigh internally, yet nothing of his thoughts showed on his face. Under the vendor’s expectant gaze, Yun Xiao slowly nodded.

"Um, two hundred thousand Gold Coins, that’s not expensive!"

At this moment, Yun Xiao looked exactly like a naive country tycoon who had never been exposed to the world, possessing a fortune and never bargaining when shopping. To encounter such a person is pure bliss.

"Ah-ha, little brother really knows his stuff, so are you taking this Dragon Seeking Divine Stone then?"

Unconsciously, the vendor’s way of addressing Yun Xiao had become more respectful, but for a moment, he felt a tinge of regret—why hadn’t he claimed the Dragon Seeking Divine Stone to be worth twice as much?

"Of course, how can I let go of such a treasure? But..."

Yun Xiao seemed dissatisfied that the vendor even asked such a question. After affirming his intent, his tone suddenly shifted, pointing casually at the stand, "I find this flower and this little plant quite nice, just give them to me as a freebie!"

What Yun Xiao was pointing at included the Mixed Element Grass, and to make it less obvious, he added a delicate and dripping red flower.

"This..."

It had to be said that the vendor was indeed shrewd; even though he did not understand the true value of the plants, he had no intention of simply giving them away as extras.

"Brother, there’s nothing ordinary on my stall. Just this flower is worth a hundred thousand Gold Coins, and this grass..."

The vendor was ranting, trying to concoct an extraordinary identity for the red flower and the grass when he was interrupted before he could finish.

"There must be at least one freebie included; otherwise, I won’t take the Dragon Seeking Divine Stone!"

Yun Xiao’s face showed extreme dissatisfaction, giving off the impression of a wealthy yet tightfisted country tycoon—a type of person who can be extremely stubborn and impossible to convince.

At his words, the vendor’s eyelid twitched, instantly discarding the idea of further haggling. He knew that these plants were not of any great value, and it would be a grave loss if he let the two hundred thousand Gold Coins slip through his fingers over these worthless items.

"Little brother, you really know how to do business!"

The vendor’s face was woefully sorrowful, as if he had suffered a great loss. He then pointed at the small grass and said: "Alright, I’ll give you this little plant as a freebie, but you mustn’t covet anything else!"

It seemed the vendor had made some decisiveness in his heart; the red flower obviously was more eye-catching than the grass. If he were to meet another big spender, perhaps the red flower would have a better chance of fetching a high price.

What the vendor did not see, however, was the fleeting gleam in the eyes of the young man in plain clothes when he made his offer—this was precisely the result Yun Xiao wanted.

Thud!

Yun Xiao reached for his waist and a heavy purse landed on the stall with a loud sound.

"Two hundred thousand Gold Coins!"

Seeing the purse, the vendor’s eyes lit up. This was the biggest deal he had made in months, and he couldn’t contain his ecstasy as he reached out and grabbed the money bag.

"Little brother, this Dragon Seeking Divine Stone—and that Treasure Grass—are yours now!"

Seemingly afraid that Yun Xiao would change his mind, the vendor was the one who became anxious. After he finished speaking, Yun Xiao, without as much as one glance at the so-called "Dragon Seeking Divine Stone," immediately reached out for the Mixed Element Grass.

"Wait a moment!"

However, just as Yun Xiao was about to touch the Mixed Element Grass, an eager shout came from behind him, making him shudder and hasten his movement.