The Liar

"Whether it works out or not, if you refuse to buy, I'll find a buyer myself. You can't stop me!"

Xu Yi said nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, Xu Yi was unaware of Jiang Shaohuan's illicit methods for obtaining the Iron Essence. However, he knew that when one possessed a rare treasure, it was best to keep it quiet, especially if one's strength didn't match the treasure's value.

Therefore, he deduced that Jiang Shaohuan would absolutely not want the Iron Essence in his money pouch to appear before the public.

Coincidentally, he had just experienced a rather unique auction that morning, and he decided to use that as leverage to scare Jiang.

"Five hundred gold, I'll buy it for five hundred gold!"

Jiang Shaohuan finally couldn't hold back. He couldn't afford to gamble any further.

The fish had taken the bait. Xu Yi was delighted inwardly, but his expression turned furious. "Nine hundred gold, not a single coin less!"

Jiang Shaohuan furrowed his brows and said angrily, "Who negotiates like this? Instead of lowering the price, you're raising it! Don't push your luck too far!"

Xu Yi's face darkened. "Say one more word, and I'll raise the price again. Take it or leave it. If I get really annoyed, I'll sell it to Linglong Pavilion, even for a single coin, I won't care. Don't you dare be ungrateful."

Having experienced countless online flame wars in his past life, being a scoundrel was just a minor skill.

Jiang Shaohuan felt that if he stayed there any longer, his brain would surely explode from blood pressure. Without another word, he turned and left.

He had his dozens of black-clad guards search themselves one by one, and along with a stack of gold notes he had on him, he barely managed to scrape together nine hundred gold. He staggered towards the side room that seemed to swallow him whole.

Compared to the imposing demeanor he had upon arrival, Hall Master Jiang's mind was racing, wondering if he had brought dozens of guards just to help him gather money at this moment.

"Here!"

The dispirited Hall Master Jiang entered and threw a stack of gold notes onto a stool beside Xu Yi.

As the saying goes, a blind man's eyes open at the sight of money, and a cripple stands up for it. Xu Yi, who had been feigning helplessness for a while, suddenly stood up, his eyes like copper bells, staring intently at the thick stack of gold notes as he counted them one by one.

With a rustle, Xu Yi forcefully fanned the stack of gold notes, then casually stuffed them into his money pouch and strode towards the exit.

Jiang Shaohuan stepped aside, blocking his path.

Xu Yi raised his sword-like eyebrows. "Still afraid I'll run off? With something that good, you think I'd carry it around with me?"

Jiang Shaohuan snorted coldly and moved aside.

Xu Yi exited, and not long after, he strode back in, holding an imposing fan. He swayed it casually, and as he approached, with a flick, he closed the fan and offered it to Jiang Shaohuan.

"I'm not hot. Just get to the point!"

Jiang Shaohuan's eyes widened in anger.

Xu Yi feigned surprise. "What's wrong with you? Didn't you want this fan? I brought it here, and now you're being difficult!"

"What? Say that again?"

Jiang Shaohuan's face turned as black as charcoal, his entire body tensed like a drawn bowstring, like a bomb with its fuse lit, ready to explode at any moment.

Xu Yi remained calm and collected, saying coldly, "This fan was clearly obtained from your deceased son. I saw its exquisite gold-plated phoenix patterns and casually took it. This thing is just for show to me. I was planning to sell it off, but since you're here and willing to pay a high price, I'll naturally sell it to you. What, I've brought the item, and now you want to go back on your word?"

"Shameless, scoundrel, liar, rogue..."

Jiang Shaohuan stared fiercely at Xu Yi, his mouth spewing insults like a machine, a torrent of vulgar words pouring out.

Xu Yi was neither hurried nor angry. He simply sat back down in his chair, crossed his legs, adopting the stance of someone who would rather watch a play than endure a sore back.

After venting for a moment, Jiang Shaohuan stopped speaking and stared sinisterly at Xu Yi. "Now that you, Yi, are a notable figure in the martial world, if you go back on your word, how will you face people when this gets out?"

Xu Yi said, "What do you mean 'going back on your word'? Old Jiang, are you still dreaming? From beginning to end, I've only talked about 'that thing,' and you never clarified what you actually wanted. I thought you wanted to buy this fan to reminisce about your son. Now that I've brought the fan, even if it's not what you had in mind, you can only blame yourself. How can you blame me?"

Jiang Shaohuan was speechless!

In terms of eloquence and wit, he was no match for Xu Yi. Their confrontation was like a card game. Xu Yi's mind was exceptionally sharp; he had even guessed Jiang Shaohuan's hidden cards. Yet, Jiang Shaohuan had resolutely proceeded with the gamble. The outcome was inevitable: not only did he lose everything, but he was also left speechless, suffering in silence.

"Damn it, I shouldn't have tried to play nice with you. I'll be blunt: hand over the Iron Essence, and I'll pretend none of this happened. If you refuse, I'll make sure you have money but no life to spend it. Black Dragon Hall has plenty of experts, and plenty of money. We can hire any kind of expert you can imagine. Are you confident you can withstand a few rounds of challenges?"

Jiang Shaohuan finally exploded.

Xu Yi coldly glanced at him and scoffed, "Jiang, I think you're too engrossed in your act. If you were a delicate beauty, I might indulge you further. But look at yourself, don't you know what you look like? That person hiding by the wall outside, how long do you plan to keep him there? I don't have time to waste with you."

Jiang Shaohuan's expression changed drastically. He stared at Xu Yi as if he had seen a ghost, with only one thought remaining: How did he know?

"You by the corner, you've been squatting long enough. Come in for some tea and a rest," Xu Yi suddenly shouted outside.

His powerful soul force was Xu Yi's greatest reliance and trump card. This skill was derived from it, and in the future, when competing with heroes across the land, he might have to rely on it.

The powerful soul force not only gave Xu Yi resilient mental strength and excellent recovery abilities but also a powerful perception.

Ever since Jiang Shaohuan and the black-clad guards entered, Xu Yi had sensed someone standing outside, who had followed them but never entered.

The extortion had been successful, and Xu Yi was too lazy to waste more words with Jiang Shaohuan. Naturally, he was eager to reveal Jiang's hidden cards.

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps could be heard. Soon, a middle-aged man in green robes with a sash, his head covered by a gray veil, entered. He glanced awkwardly at Jiang Shaohuan, coughed, and said to Xu Yi, "I am Chen Bing, Deputy Head of the Public Decision Section of the Treasury Department. I am here to inform you of a public decision. Gao Pan, the Deputy Hall Master of the Baima Branch Hall of the Black Dragon Hall, has challenged you. The public decision day is tomorrow at noon. You must either accept the challenge or leave Guang'an City before midnight tonight, otherwise, you will violate the city regulations of Guang'an City and become a public enemy of Guang'an Prefecture."

"I accept the challenge!"

Xu Yi said playfully, looking at Jiang Shaohuan. "Hall Master Jiang, didn't you just say that if I handed over that... thing, you'd let me off the hook?"

Jiang Shaohuan's old face turned red, and he was speechless. Nothing was more embarrassing than having a lie exposed in front of someone, even an enemy.

Just moments ago, he had boasted to Xu Yi that if he handed over the Iron Essence, all would be forgiven.

But outside, the Deputy Head of the Public Decision Section had been waiting for a long time, ready to declare the challenge.

If he had managed to trick Xu Yi, it would have been one thing. But not only did he fail to trick him, he also lost nine hundred gold. He failed to steal the chicken and ended up losing the rice, a complete disgrace.

"Go to hell! Wash your head and wait for death!"

Jiang Shaohuan gritted his teeth, cursed angrily, and turned to leave, his heart filled with malice. If he could get the Iron Essence, fine. If not, this 'Yi' fellow would be the perfect scapegoat for his crime.