First Rule of Prudence: Not My Business, Stand Aloof

Hearing Flender's voice,

Tang San's temper flared at once.

Two Yellow Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet.

Blue Silver Vines grew wildly.

"Old Lamp, have I given you too much face?"

"You've raised the price again and again, from One Hundred Gold Soul Coins to Five Hundred Gold Soul Coins. Are you robbing me?"

Flender glanced at Tang San's two Soul Rings. His expression did not change, but inwardly, he cursed himself for being too greedy and asking for too much.

Still, he kept up appearances well.

"This thing is worth that price. I was merely testing whether you knew its value. I wouldn't want a treasure to be buried in the hands of someone who didn't appreciate it."

"Five Hundred Gold Soul Coins. It won't go any higher."

Flender casually released a trace of Soul Power, easily suppressing Tang San's Soul Power.

"Buy it if you want. Leave if you don't."

"You may not have that much money right now."

"I can take Two Hundred Gold Coins first, and you can slowly pay off the rest. Ten a month will do."

"But the interest is Ten Percent."

Feeling Flender's powerful pressure, Tang San swiftly withdrew his Blue Silver Grass.

The man before him was far, far stronger than Dai Mubai had been. Even if he used Hidden Weapons, he did not have the slightest chance of winning.

"Deal!"

Tang San finally spat out those two words and tossed a Bag of Gold Soul Coins onto the Table before Flender.

Though he had taken on a three-year Crystal Loan, he was willing to go all out for his Hidden Weapons.

Besides, he had reached Level 28 last month.

He would definitely reach Level 30 within a year. Once he reached Level 30, he would receive a monthly subsidy of One Hundred Gold Soul Coins.

[Choice successful. Buy it, but do not tell Tang San. Reward: It may be useful someday in the future.]

Back at the Rose Hotel,

Tang Lin rolled her eyes when she heard the System Voice.

"System, the pie you're selling is really big and round."

Tang Lin simply did not know that Tang San would later visit Flender's Small Shop. Otherwise, she would definitely have given him this crystal and told him she had bought it for one Gold Soul Coin.

"Sister Lin, I don't think this thing is worth even one Gold Soul Coin."

Xiao Wu pouted and shook her head as she looked at the crystal.

"Even a rabbit would shake its head at this thing."

Tang Lin took out a tablecloth from her Storage Ring and wrapped the crystal in it.

Then she clasped both hands around it and squeezed hard.

The Yellow Crystal wrapped in the tablecloth slowly cracked under the immense force until, with a bang, it shattered into fine powder.

"There should be something good inside."

She slowly unfolded the tablecloth.

Aside from crystal dust, there were also many Golden Light Particles the size of rice grains.

"Sister Lin, what is this?"

Xiao Wu picked one up and gently pinched it. It was remarkably elastic.

"Could it be gold? Then we'd have made a small profit."

Tang Lin picked up one particle and tried infusing it with Soul Power.

The golden particle instantly turned into a golden thread more than three inches long.

"So this is the so-called Dragon Whisker Needle?"

She tried pricking herself with it. It truly was sharp, and the stronger the infused Soul Power, the sharper it became.

No wonder it had been able to pierce Zhao Wuji's body in the original story. Of course, the key was that Zhao Wuji had not defended with his full strength.

But the claim that once it entered the human body, its source could not be found was utter nonsense.

As long as Soul Power was infused into it, it would straighten again. How could it not be found?

One only needed to draw it out with Soul Power in the opposite direction.

Somewhat useful, but not much.

Better look forward to the System's big promise.

Early the next morning,

Tang San returned to the Rose Hotel and left Suotuo City with the two girls, heading toward their destination.

Outside the city were vast stretches of farmland, as though they had arrived in the countryside.

There were farmsteads as far as the eye could see, but not a single building that looked like an Academy.

After walking several miles south, the three finally discovered a small village.

The village had around a hundred households, making it even smaller than Holy Soul Village.

A wooden fence surrounded the village, seemingly meant to keep out wild beasts. Quite a few people appeared to be gathered at the entrance, though it was unclear what was going on.

The three quickly approached and saw the situation clearly.

Most of the people here were Youths around their age, and many were accompanied by their parents.

At the village entrance stood a Table without legs, its aged patina making it obvious that it had been around for many years.

A large stone propped it up from below, making it look extremely shabby.

An old man in his sixties sat behind the Table.

Above the wooden archway at the village entrance hung a tattered signboard, with only half of it remaining.

Five simple words were carved on it: Shrek Academy.

An old man dressed plainly sat behind the Table, handling registrations for the long line.

This was Li Yusong.

"No way, it's this rundown?"

Xiao Wu stared at the sight in stunned disbelief.

"What kind of Broken Academy is this? It's not even as big as Nuoding Academy."

"Were we scammed?"

Tang San had been thinking the same thing. He would feel embarrassed even being the Boss at a school like this.

Tang Lin said slowly,

"If an Academy is merely shabby, then there's no need to go in. But if it's shabby to this extreme, we have to go in and see What's going on."

Hearing Tang Lin say that,

Tang San and Xiao Wu both nodded deeply. It made sense!

The three slowly joined the line. The people ahead of them all looked down on the place, but since they were already waiting, they patiently endured.

The line looked long, but registration moved quickly. Only two or three people remained before it was their turn.

"Next!"

Li Yusong called out lazily.

A Youth stepped up to the Table to register.

"The registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins. Just put them in that box."

The Youth's accompanying father hurriedly took out ten Gold Soul Coins and placed them in a box nailed together from several wooden boards nearby.

"Hold out one hand."

The Youth did as instructed and extended his hand before Li Yusong.

Li Yusong pinched his hand twice, then shook his head. "You don't meet the age requirement. You can leave."

Instantly, the Youth and his father were dumbfounded.

The Youth's father said, "Then our registration fee..."

Li Yusong, who had been lazy a moment ago, immediately perked up.

"Once registered, no refunds."

The Youth's father instantly flew into a rage.

"This is clearly a scam!"

"If you don't give us our money back, I won't let this go!"

Li Yusong glanced to the side.

"Mubai, someone wants a refund. Handle it."

A figure suddenly sprang up from the ground nearby.

Three Soul Rings lit up, and the phantom of a White Tiger flickered behind his back.

The pressure of a Soul Elder bore down heavily upon the father and son.

"Won't let it go? Let me hear how you plan not to let it go."

The father and son's expressions changed. Cursing their bad luck, they hurried away, treating those ten Gold Soul Coins as money thrown to the dogs.

Tang Lin frowned slightly, then quickly returned to normal.

First Rule of Prudence: Not My Business, Stand Aloof.