The Swindler

"What do you mean, whether I'm willing or not? If you won't buy it, I'll find myself another buyer. You think you get to decide?"

Xu Yi said carelessly.

Xu Yi didn't know how Jiang Shaohuan had obtained the iron essence through underhanded means, but he did know that no one would willingly let the world know they possessed a rare treasure—especially when their strength didn't match the treasure.

So he was certain Jiang Shaohuan would never want the iron essence in his purse to appear before the world.

As it happened, he'd attended a most unusual auction that morning. Now he could use it to scare Jiang Shaohuan.

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

Jiang Shaohuan finally couldn't hold out any longer. He simply couldn't afford to take the risk.

The fish had taken the bait. Xu Yi was delighted inside, but his expression darkened. "Nine hundred gold. Not a single coin less!"

Jiang Shaohuan's thick brows shot up. "I've never heard of anyone bargaining like this—you raise the price instead of lowering it! Don't push me too far!"

Xu Yi's face turned cold. "Say one more word and I'll raise it again. Take it or leave it. If you piss me off, I'll sell it to Linglong Pavilion. I don't care if I get only a single copper coin for it. Don't you dare fail to appreciate what's offered."

After countless flame wars on internet forums in his previous life, playing the scoundrel was a minor skill.

Jiang Shaohuan felt that if he stayed here any longer, his head would burst from all the blood rushing to it. Without another word, he turned and walked out.

He searched the dozens of black-armored guards he'd brought, one by one, then added the stack of gold notes he had on him. He barely scraped together nine hundred gold, then staggered toward the roofless side room.

Compared to the swaggering, larger-than-life way he'd arrived, Hall Master Jiang now couldn't stop wondering: Had he brought dozens of guards along just so they could pool their money for him now?

"Here!"

Looking utterly dejected, Hall Master Jiang came in and slammed a stack of gold notes onto the stool beside Xu Yi.

They said money could open a blind man's eyes and make a cripple stand up. Xu Yi, who'd been acting like a boneless creature for quite some time, sprang to his feet. His eyes shone like copper bells as he stared at the thick stack of notes and counted them carefully.

After giving the stack a sharp snap, Xu Yi slipped it into his waist pouch and headed for the door.

Jiang Shaohuan stepped sideways and blocked him.

Xu Yi raised an eyebrow. "Afraid I'll run off? I can't exactly carry that nice thing around with me."

Jiang Shaohuan snorted and moved aside.

Xu Yi left. Before long, he strode back in with a striking fan in his hand. He swaggered over, swinging it as he walked, then snapped it shut and held it out to Jiang Shaohuan.

"I'm not hot. Let's get this over with!"

Jiang Shaohuan glared at him, eyebrows raised in fury.

Xu Yi looked surprised. "What's wrong with you? Didn't you want this fan? I went and got it, and now you're acting all high and mighty!"

"What? Say that again?"

Jiang Shaohuan's face turned as dark as charcoal. His whole body tensed like a drawn bow, like a bomb with its fuse lit, ready to explode at any moment.

Xu Yi remained unruffled. "This fan obviously came from your dead son. I thought it looked quite extraordinary, with its gilded designs and phoenixes, so I took it. It's just a pretty trinket to me. I was going to sell it anyway, and since you showed up willing to pay a high price, of course I'd sell it to you. What, now that I've brought it over, you want to go back on your word?"

"Shameless! Bastard! Liar! Scoundrel..."

Jiang Shaohuan glared at Xu Yi, his mouth spewing filth like a dung-spraying machine.

Xu Yi didn't get angry or impatient. He simply sat back down, crossed one leg over the other, and settled in as though standing to watch the show would only make his back ache.

After venting for a while, Jiang Shaohuan finally stopped. He fixed Xu Yi with a venomous stare. "You're a known figure in the martial world now. You break your word, and just see how you'll show your face afterward!"

"What do you mean, breaking my word? Old Jiang, are you still dreaming? From beginning to end, I only talked about that thing. You never made it clear what you wanted. I thought you wanted to buy this fan and take it home as a keepsake of your grief. Now I've brought it to you. Even if it isn't what you had in mind, that's your fault. How can you blame me?"

Jiang Shaohuan was speechless!

When it came to glibness or cunning, how could he possibly match Xu Yi? Their clash was like a card game between two gamblers. Xu Yi was sharp enough to guess Jiang's hand, yet Jiang Shaohuan had still gone ahead with the game. The result was inevitable: he'd lost everything down to his underwear, and could only swallow his bitter medicine in silence.

"Fuck your mother! I shouldn't have bothered with this bullshit. I'll spell it out for you: hand over the iron essence, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened. If you don't know what's good for you, I'll make sure you have money but no life to spend it. The Black Dragon Hall has plenty of experts and plenty of money. It can hire any kind of expert. You think you can withstand a few rounds in the ring?"

Jiang Shaohuan finally exploded.

Xu Yi gave him a cold look and sneered. "Jiang, you've gotten so caught up in your act that you've lost the plot. If you were a delicate beauty, I might humor you and keep playing along. But have you looked at yourself? And how long do you expect that person hiding by the wall outside to stay there? I don't have time to waste with you."

Jiang Shaohuan's face changed. He stared at Xu Yi as if he'd seen a ghost, with only one thought in his mind: How did he know?

"You there by the wall, you've been crouching long enough. Come in, have some tea, and take a rest," Xu Yi suddenly called out.

His powerful Soul Power was Xu Yi's greatest support and treasure. It was the source of his abilities, and in the future, when he faced the heroes of the world, he might well have to rely on it.

His powerful Soul Power gave Xu Yi more than just mental fortitude and outstanding recovery. It also granted him keen perception.

From the moment Jiang Shaohuan and his black-armored guards entered, Xu Yi had sensed someone standing outside. The person had come with the group but had never entered.

His extortion had already succeeded, and Xu Yi couldn't be bothered to waste words with Jiang Shaohuan. He was eager to reveal Jiang's trump card.

As soon as he called out, footsteps sounded. A moment later, a middle-aged man in blue robes and a broad sash, with gray gauze covering his head, entered. He glanced awkwardly at Jiang Shaohuan, coughed, then said to Xu Yi, "I am Chen Bing, Deputy Head Official of the Fiscal and Tax Bureau's Arbitration Division. I have come to inform you of the arbitration proceedings. Gao Pan, deputy hall master of the Black Dragon Hall's Baima Branch Hall, has challenged you. The arbitration is set for tomorrow at noon. You must either accept the challenge or leave Guang'an City before midnight tonight. Otherwise, you will violate the city's laws and become an enemy of Guang'an Prefecture."

"I accept the challenge!"

Xu Yi gave Jiang Shaohuan an amused look. "Hall Master Jiang, didn't you just say you'd let me off if I handed over that thing?"

Jiang Shaohuan's old face flushed red. He had no answer. Nothing was more embarrassing than having a lie exposed to his face, even by an enemy.

Just moments ago, he'd confidently told Xu Yi that if he handed over the iron essence, they could wipe the slate clean.

And yet, outside the door, the Deputy Head Official of the Arbitration Division had been hiding there for some time, waiting to announce the challenge.

If he'd managed to trick Xu Yi, that would have been one thing. But not only had he failed to fool him, he'd also been swindled out of nine hundred gold. He'd tried to steal a chicken and ended up losing his rice, disgracing himself beyond belief.

"Go to hell! Wash your head and wait to die!"

Jiang Shaohuan stuck out his neck and cursed, then turned and left. He was determined: if he could get the iron essence, he would; if not, Xu Yi would make the perfect scapegoat for the robbery.