"Two hundred and seventy million spirit crystals is no small sum. Please wait a moment, guest, I need to make some preparations," the short old man said, then exited through the back door of the shop, leaving Zhang Fan alone inside.
The shopkeeper seemed to trust Zhang Fan completely, not worried about anything in the shop being stolen.
Of course, in this black market, that was practically impossible.
There was only one possibility: that the pile of items displayed openly in his shop were all fakes, worthless, and thus he didn't care.
A full half hour passed before the short old man returned, carrying a cloth bag in his hand.
"Guest, the spirit crystals are all ready. What about the formation disk?" the short old man asked, holding the cloth bag and looking at Zhang Fan.
Zhang Fan casually tossed the three sets of Heaven-grade formation disks he was holding towards the short man. After receiving the disks, the man did not immediately hand the cloth bag in his hand to Zhang Fan.
Zhang Fan was not in a hurry. He stared at the short man with a half-smile, wanting to see what he would do next.
After a second of internal struggle, the short man finally made the most rational decision. He tossed the cloth bag forward, saying with a smile, "Two hundred and seventy million spirit crystals. Please count them, guest."
Zhang Fan probed the cloth bag with his divine sense. It was a storage magical artifact. Inside its space were spirit crystals, exactly two hundred and seventy million.
"You're quite clever. You didn't do anything foolish!"
Zhang Fan said with a smile, glanced at the small wooden door behind the short man, and then turned to leave.
Less than a minute after Zhang Fan left, two burly middle-aged men emerged from behind the door.
"Boss, why didn't you let us make a move just now? That's over twenty million spirit crystals!" one of them asked with a hint of confusion and unwillingness in his eyes.
Young teenagers like Zhang Fan, who looked young and inexperienced, and possessed valuable treasures, were their favorite targets.
However, the two of them didn't understand why their boss hadn't given them the signal to act this time.
The short man shook his head and said, "In our line of work, discernment is crucial if you want to live long."
"We need to be clear about whose goods we can seize and who we can't provoke."
"If we had made a move just now, it's highly likely that all three of us would be dead by now."
...
After resolving the issue of the spirit crystals, Zhang Fan's hanging heart finally settled. He walked along the main street of Wu Ning City. The street was bustling with activity. Zhang Fan realized that he hadn't taken the time to truly appreciate the prosperity of the human world in a long time.
Suddenly, a rich aroma of wine wafted into Zhang Fan's nostrils. Following the scent, Zhang Fan saw a grand, octagonal pavilion, named the Drunken Immortal Tower.
"It's been a while since I've properly sat down to savor good food and wine. I'll relax today," Zhang Fan murmured to himself with a smile, then stepped towards the Drunken Immortal Tower.
Although powerful cultivators did not need to eat and could sustain themselves by absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth, restaurants and inns were still everywhere.
This was because the delicacies made from high-grade ingredients were not simply for satisfying the palate.
Just as Zhang Fan was nearing the entrance of the Drunken Immortal Tower, a commotion suddenly erupted on the street.
"Get out of my way, all of you! You've disturbed my enjoyment of drinking, and this young master won't let you off."
Accompanied by the hurried sound of hooves, a boastful curse echoed through the street.
Zhang Fan glanced sideways and saw three Fiery Horses, their bodies engulfed in raging flames, pulling a dazzling golden carriage, galloping wildly on the wide street.
Standing on the carriage was a young man in golden brocade robes. He wielded his horsewhip recklessly, urging the Fiery Horses onward.
Although the speed was not particularly fast, the three Fiery Horses exuded immense power, clearly being steeds at the Golden Core realm. Wherever they passed, chaos ensued, and pedestrians hurriedly made way.
"It's the second young master of the Wang family! Quickly get out of the way, or you'll die for nothing!"
The three Fiery Horses had an imposing aura; even ordinary cultivators at the Golden Core realm would quickly retreat, not daring to hesitate.
"Is this Wang family very powerful? I think they're just beasts; I could take them down with a single sword! What's there to be afraid of?" a visiting cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core realm said dismissively, not understanding.
"Brother, if you want to continue staying in Wu Ning City, I advise you not to provoke the Wang family." a cultivator kindly warned.
"Because the Patriarch of the Wang family is a peak cultivator of the Third Tribulation Nascent Soul realm."
The cultivator who had been eager to stop the Fiery Horses immediately stiffened and remained silent.
Zhang Fan shook his head, listening to the cultivators' idle chatter. He thought it ridiculous that a disciple from a Third Tribulation Nascent Soul family would dare to be so arrogant, letting his beasts gallop freely within the city.
"Little brother, why do those horses have flames on them?" a crisp voice suddenly sounded beside Zhang Fan.
Zhang Fan looked down and saw a little girl, as exquisite as a porcelain doll, looking up at him. Her eyes were incredibly pure, filled with innocence.
Zhang Fan did not answer her. Seeing that she was standing alone by the street, he asked, "Little one, why are you here by yourself? Where are your parents?"
The little girl extended her soft, plump little hand and pointed across the street, saying, "Father went to buy me a rattle drum. He told me to wait here. He said he'd take me to buy toys, but he wanted to sell them for a higher price, so it wasn't a good deal."
Zhang Fan followed the direction the little girl pointed. Across the street, by a stall, he saw a middle-aged man in rough cloth clothes buying a rattle drum made of animal hide.
After paying, the middle-aged man turned and walked towards the little girl. As if envisioning his child happily playing with the rattle drum, he unconsciously revealed a benevolent smile, momentarily lost in thought.
"Boom!"
A wave of scorching heat washed over him. The middle-aged man finally noticed that three Fiery Horses, their bodies ablaze, were galloping down the street. He wanted to retreat to the side of the street, but... it was too late.
The Fiery Horses were not moving at extreme speed, but they were not something a cultivator who wasn't even at the Condensing Core realm could dodge.
Under the lash of the whip, the Fiery Horses showed no sign of stopping and directly collided with the middle-aged man.
With immense force, the middle-aged man was sent flying dozens of meters away and then crashed heavily onto the street slabs.
Instantly, scarlet blood splattered through the air, and the crisp sound of bone cracking was heard. By the time he fell to the ground, he had no breath left. Blood flowed onto the street, dyeing the rattle drum in his hand, making it appear so glaring.
"Daddy!"
The little girl's rosy, chubby face, which moments before had been brimming with innocent smiles, froze as she witnessed her father's instant death before her eyes. Then, she rushed towards her father without a second thought.
...