Early the next morning, Sun Zhicheng washed up early and left his household.
A few days ago, Sun Zhicheng and several Rogue Cultivator companions had accepted a task to venture deep into the Tianyang Mountain Range and gather Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. To protect their lives, they had gone together to Xinghua Meng Pavilion to purchase some defensive talismans.
They had chosen to buy these defensive talismans from Xinghua Meng Pavilion for two reasons. First, Xinghua Meng Pavilion sold defensive talismans for a few Spirit Stones less than the seven Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families. Second, although Xinghua Meng Pavilion's prices were lower, its quality far surpassed the talismans of bottom-tier families such as the Lin Family and Chen Family.
However, just as they had bought those talismans from Xinghua Meng Pavilion, a stranger approached them. He claimed that, in exchange for returning to Xinghua Meng Pavilion and demanding a refund, he would give them the Lin Family's newly developed "Five Elements Defensive Talisman" for free.
After weighing the matter in their hearts, Sun Zhicheng and the others agreed to the man's proposal.
By returning the Meng Family's defensive talismans, they could not only recover their Spirit Stones, but also receive the Lin Family's new talismans for free. Why not?
Afterward, Sun Zhicheng and the others caused a great commotion inside Xinghua Meng Pavilion.
Now that Sun Zhicheng had Meng family's boy's public verbal promise of three days, which was worth more than the hundred Spirit Stones the stranger had offered him to make trouble at Xinghua Meng Pavilion, he was naturally filled with anticipation.
That was why he had risen at dawn, summoned his Rogue Cultivator companions, and arranged to travel there together.
Sun Zhicheng knew that obtaining those hundred Spirit Stones today would not be easy.
Since the Meng family's boy had delayed for three days, he would surely have thought of some way to obstruct him. There was a strong chance that senior members of the Meng Family would be stationed at Xinghua Meng Pavilion today.
Therefore, to ensure that he could smoothly obtain those hundred Spirit Stones, Sun Zhicheng and the others gathered passersby who enjoyed watching a spectacle as they made their way toward Xinghua Meng Pavilion.
When Sun Zhicheng's group arrived at Xinghua Meng Pavilion, he strode inside, swept his gaze around, and shouted, "I, Sun, have arrived today! Where is that Meng family boy?"
Only then did Meng Haoran slowly walk out from the rear courtyard, smiling. "Fellow Daoist Sun, it has been a long time!"
"Heh, it has only been three days. How is that a long time?"
Sun Zhicheng gave a cold laugh. "Boy, stop trying to muddle through with me. I came today to see how you will fulfill your three-day promise!"
Sun Zhicheng waved back at the people behind him. "Most of these people behind me were witnesses three days ago. Boy, either give me a satisfactory answer today, or give me a hundred Spirit Stones. Do not try to renege on your word!"
Meng Haoran smiled. "Fellow Daoist Sun, how would I dare renege on my word with you? However, I think you will not be taking those hundred Spirit Stones away today, and I will certainly give you a satisfactory answer!"
At those words, Sun Zhicheng's heart abruptly skipped a beat.
He had waited with great difficulty for three days. He had come to Xinghua Meng Pavilion today precisely to take away those hundred Spirit Stones.
Yet after hearing the Meng family boy's words, Sun Zhicheng felt that the other party had everything under control!
"Boy! What do you mean?" Sun Zhicheng asked uneasily.
Meng Haoran replied, "That day, Fellow Daoist Sun used the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman for a test, and its effects successfully surpassed our Meng Family's defensive talismans. Therefore, today, I have brought our Meng Family's newest defensive talisman for Fellow Daoist Sun to inspect!"
Sun Zhicheng frowned and asked with a face full of confusion, "What? A newest defensive talisman?"
After speaking, Meng Haoran retreated several steps, extended his hand, and spread his palm before Sun Zhicheng. Smiling, he said, "To demonstrate the effects of our Meng Family's newest defensive talisman, I ask Fellow Daoist Sun to attack me!"
"This..."
Sun Zhicheng was utterly bewildered.
Meng Haoran called out to the onlookers outside, "Everyone, please bear witness for me once more. Fellow Daoist Sun and I are engaging in battle voluntarily. If anything happens to me, it has nothing to do with Fellow Daoist Sun, and I will not hold him accountable."
After saying that, Meng Haoran turned back toward Sun Zhicheng and asked, "Fellow Daoist Sun, you should be at ease now, correct?"
"Fine! Since you have put it that way, I will not stand on ceremony!"
Sun Zhicheng assumed a stance and shouted sharply, "Boy, I am making my move!"
The instant his words fell, Sun Zhicheng suddenly swung his hand forward, and a Storm Stab instantly appeared before Meng Haoran.
Meng Haoran's body did not move in the slightest. With merely a flick of his finger, a palm-sized talisman suddenly appeared before everyone.
"Spirit Taming Talisman! Break!"
That talisman burst apart with an explosion, revealing a small formation between Meng Haoran and Sun Zhicheng.
The spikes generated by the Storm Stab were all blocked by the Spirit Talisman's small formation!
Not a single one slipped through!
Nor was that small formation damaged in the slightest!
Through the small formation, Sun Zhicheng saw Meng Haoran's faint smile and heard him say softly, "Fellow Daoist Sun, what do you think? This is the newest defensive talisman developed by our Meng Family!"
Sun Zhicheng was astounded by this sight.
In his view, the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman had already been sufficient for protecting himself. He had never expected this Meng Family Spirit Taming Talisman to be even better!
Not only did its defensive area exceed the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman by three inches, its defenses were also incomparably sturdy. The formation showed no damage whatsoever!
"However, even if your Spirit Taming Talisman far surpasses the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman, so what? What I care about is the hundred Spirit Stones you promised!"
Sun Zhicheng instead raised his voice. "Not good enough! I am not satisfied! I want those hundred Spirit Stones!"
Upon hearing this, Meng Haoran was not angered in the slightest. He knew that Sun Zhicheng would definitely shamelessly play rogue with him!
Ignoring him, Meng Haoran turned toward the crowd outside and asked loudly, "Everyone, you have all witnessed firsthand the effects of both our Meng Family's talismans and the Lin Family's talismans. Search your consciences—which family's is better?"
As soon as these words came out, the crowd outside immediately began discussing among themselves.
"Does that even need asking?"
"Of course it is the Meng Family's!"
"Both its defensive strength and its defensive area surpass the Lin Family's! We are not blind!"
After hearing the spectators' words, Meng Haoran looked at Sun Zhicheng again and said, "Fellow Daoist Sun, what do you say?"
Sun Zhicheng turned his head toward his Rogue Cultivator companions beside him. They looked at one another in dismay.
Then Sun Zhicheng hardened his heart and shouted sternly, "I do not care! Whether I am satisfied or not ultimately depends on my own attitude. I am telling you now, boy—I am not satisfied! I insist on returning your Meng Family's talismans!"
Compared to his own dignity, those hundred Spirit Stones seemed far more important!
Meng Haoran had not expected Sun Zhicheng to be shameless to such an extent!
Just as he was about to argue with Sun Zhicheng, Meng Luohai's voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
"Sun Zhicheng, are you certain that you want to return my Meng Family's talismans?"
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