The Phantom

If Lei Dong had dared to make such a scene before the Ancestor summoned and rewarded him, Zhao Baiwan would have slapped him across the face long ago. But now he didn't dare. He could only force a smile, putting on the amiable air of a businessman who believed harmony brought prosperity. "Junior Brother Lei, this is a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding my ass." Lei Dong acted impulsively, furious with embarrassment as he tried to punch him. "Do you know how long it took me to get two Spirit Ghosts? That damn Soul Nurturing Pagoda you sold me killed one of them." He shouted so loudly that several senior and junior brothers passing nearby were just about to come over and watch.

"Misunderstanding, it really is a misunderstanding." Zhao Baiwan hurriedly tried to soothe him with a beaming smile. "How could anything I sell be faulty? You must have made a mistake when using it, Junior Brother. A mistake." As he spoke, he kept winking at Lei Dong, his voice turning somewhat ingratiating. "Junior Brother Lei, don't make a scene. We can work this out, we can work this out. Let's go inside and talk." Inwardly, he could only smile bitterly. This time, he feared he'd really tried to steal a chicken and ended up losing the rice. He'd thought this junior brother, who had no backing and only decent talent, would be easy to fool, and that he could get one over on him without consequence. He hadn't expected him to win the Ancestor's favor and receive over a hundred Spirit Stones and a Middle Grade Magic Artifact as a reward. Few could enjoy such honors, apart from the Ancestor's Personal Disciples.

Zhao Baiwan truly didn't dare offend Lei Dong now. It was one thing if Lei Dong went around shouting that his business was no good. But if he brought out the Ghost Slave or the Ancestor, Zhao Baiwan wouldn't have enough lives to pay for it.

Lei Dong knew when to quit while he was ahead. He gave a cold snort, his face livid, then let Zhao Baiwan pull him inside, as if reluctantly giving in.

"Junior Brother, your senior brother was in the wrong. Why don't you return the Soul Nurturing Pagoda, and I'll refund you ten times its price in Spirit Stones?" After much coaxing, Zhao Baiwan finally got Lei Dong to sit down. His chubby face quivered as he spoke, his heart aching.

"Ten times the price?" Lei Dong's face darkened with anger. He stood up and cursed, "Zhao Baiwan, do you take me for a fool? The Spirit Ghost that died was worth far more than that. Maybe I should go find the Ghost Slave and let him judge the matter."

"Calm down, Junior Brother, calm down." It took considerable effort for Zhao Baiwan to persuade Lei Dong to sit down again. Gritting his teeth, he said with a pained expression, "Fine, I'll compensate you. How much do you think I should pay?"

Only then did Lei Dong's expression ease a little. He glanced at Zhao Baiwan and snorted. "I was going to make you pay ten times as much, but since you seem sincere enough, let's call it thirty Spirit Stones. Then we'll consider the matter settled."

"Thirty Spirit Stones!?" Zhao Baiwan sprang to his feet, his face pale with grief and indignation. "That's impossible! Where am I supposed to find thirty Spirit Stones to pay you?"

"Stop crying poverty to me." Lei Dong gave a dismissive snort. "You've been in business for years. I hear your fortune is already worth over ten thousand. How could you not afford a mere thirty Spirit Stones? If you won't pay, then..."

"Fine, thirty it is." Zhao Baiwan felt as though a dull knife were carving into his heart. The pain was excruciating. He'd tried to pocket a tiny advantage and preserve a merchant's so-called dignity, only to suffer a much greater loss in the end. Afraid that Lei Dong might get even greedier, he quickly counted out thirty Spirit Stones, though each one hurt.

Lei Dong took the Spirit Stones and put them away. Only then did his expression return to normal. Smiling, he said, "Since that's settled, let's put the matter behind us for good. Senior Brother Zhao, actually, I came here with another business proposition."

"Business?" Zhao Baiwan had once been delighted at the mere mention of it, but now he shuddered. His voice trembled. "What sort of business?"

"Your junior brother would like to buy a Low Grade Flying Magic Item. I presume you have one in stock?" Lei Dong stretched, then added, "Of course, this will be a fair transaction. I certainly won't make you take a loss."

Zhao Baiwan felt much more at ease when he heard that. He thought to himself that although this junior brother had a brutal way of driving a bargain, he still knew to leave a little room for others. Otherwise, if Lei Dong really went too far, Zhao Baiwan would have to bite off a chunk of him, even if it meant risking punishment from the Ancestor. His spirits lifted a little. "A Low Grade Flying Magic Item? I have one. What price range are you looking for?"

Lei Dong quickly calculated how many Spirit Stones he had. He'd spent a small fortune on the Mind Focusing Pill, but over this period he'd earned almost all of it back by occasionally gathering assorted Yin herbs and Yin mushrooms. With the thirty Spirit Stones Zhao Baiwan had just paid him, he had around one hundred and seventy in total.

After thinking it over, Lei Dong said, "I want a Flying Magic Tool worth around three hundred Spirit Stones."

"One worth three hundred?" Zhao Baiwan's spirits soared. It had been quite some time since he'd seen a transaction this large. He found Lei Dong much more agreeable now. Three hundred Spirit Stones—that was a fortune. Grinning so broadly his eyes narrowed, Zhao Baiwan hurried to his feet. "Please wait here, Junior Brother. I'll be right back."

Before long, Zhao Baiwan emerged carrying a box with great care. He set it on the table, looking rather pleased with himself. "This Phantom Flying Sword is a real treasure. Though it's only a Low Grade Magic Artifact, its speed is no slower than that of an ordinary Middle Grade Flying Magic Tool. At full speed, it can travel a thousand li in an hour. I've never been willing to sell it. If I didn't feel such a connection with you, Junior Brother, and owe you a favor, I'd never have brought it out." He really was rather proud of it. In truth, he hadn't bought the Flying Sword; years ago, he had seized it from a severely wounded high-level Qi Refining Stage Rogue Cultivator. Though it had cost him several dozen Spirit Stones to erase the previous owner's Mind Power imprint, that was well worth it compared to the sword's value.

Lei Dong picked up the Phantom Flying Sword without showing his thoughts. Its entire body was ink-black, and its hilt was shaped like a skull, lifelike and sinister. The blade curved slightly, giving it an excellent streamlined shape. When he ran his hand over it, he could feel its cool, heavy material. He channeled a little Profound Yin True Qi into it, and the entire sword glimmered with a deep green light so dark it was almost black.

Seeing Lei Dong bring out the dark glow, Zhao Baiwan said with a beaming smile, "You've probably noticed, Junior Brother: when this Flying Sword is activated, its Escape Light is a deep, dark green. That's nothing special during the day, but when you fly at night, it's harder for people to spot you. In effect, it helps conceal your whereabouts."

Lei Dong gave a noncommittal "Oh" and said nothing. Instead, he asked, "Since you've listed so many advantages, why not tell me about its drawbacks?" Lei Dong already knew the answer. If the Flying Sword were really as good as Zhao Baiwan claimed, it would have been classified as a Middle Grade Flying Magic Tool, not a Low Grade one.

Zhao Baiwan's smile froze. In the past, he could certainly have fobbed this junior brother off with a few smooth words. But now, he wouldn't dare if you gave him a dozen chances. The corners of his mouth twitched as he gave a dry, cackling laugh. "You certainly have a good eye, Junior Brother. A very good eye. This Flying Sword's only weakness is that it consumes far too much. An ordinary Middle Grade Flying Magic Tool of similar speed only needs one Spirit Stone to travel a thousand li. This sword needs two. Even if you use True Qi instead of Spirit Stones, it consumes twice as much as other Flying Swords with the same performance. With your current cultivation, Junior Brother, you'd have used up almost all your True Qi after flying about a hundred li." Knowing this junior brother wouldn't be easy to fool—and no longer daring to try—Zhao Baiwan could only tell him its weakness honestly.

So it really did have a fatal flaw. Lei Dong sighed inwardly. Spirit Stones were precious resources that everyone needed. Ordinary Qi Refining Stage disciples treasured every single one, wishing they could split each Stone in half just to make it last. Who would be willing to use a Flying Sword that devoured Spirit Stones? But that was precisely why it had fallen into Lei Dong's hands. Otherwise, someone else would have bought it long ago.

Yet even Lei Dong, who had the Soul Devouring Pagoda in his possession, couldn't help wincing at the thought of the enormous Spirit Stone cost. The marketplace was more than eight thousand li away. A round trip on the Phantom Flying Sword would consume around thirty-two Spirit Stones. But he didn't want to miss this rare Flying Sword, which offered both speed and concealment. A Flying Magic Tool that used a normal amount of resources while providing both advantages would surely cost far more than he could afford. Even if he had the Spirit Stones to buy one, a small-time merchant like Zhao Baiwan wouldn't have a Flying Magic Tool of that caliber.

Lei Dong drew in a sharp breath. "It consumes twice as many Spirit Stones when flying? Senior Brother Zhao, do you take me for a lamb to be fleeced?" Inwardly, he was thinking that he had to get his hands on it. Greater speed meant a better chance of escaping, which made him safer. Concealment at night added another layer of protection on top of that speed. As for the extra Spirit Stones, so be it. After all, he had the Soul Devouring Pagoda. Safety came first—above all else.