"This is worth eighteen Low-grade Spirit Stones, more than a Low-grade Dharma Artifact Flying Sword."
The burly man's smile gradually faded as he glanced at Zhao Huaian.
He even urged him impatiently, "Listen, Junior Brother, are you buying or not? You've been asking about this and that. The price is right there, and it won't come down much."
"I just couldn't help getting interested, Senior Brother. I really like every item on your stall, so I wanted to see if there might be a discount."
Zhao Huaian chuckled.
Then he pointed at the Silver Needles in the Wooden Box and asked, "What about this box of Silver Needles? There seem to be quite a lot. How much are they?"
"These are an expensive set of Middle-grade Combination Dharma Artifacts, whose combined power rivals that of an Upper-grade Dharma Artifact."
The burly man's face was full of displeasure as he said impatiently, "An ordinary set of Middle-grade Combination Dharma Artifacts goes for around one hundred to two hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones on the market. Do you even have that many Spirit Stones, kid? Why are you asking if you can't afford them?"
"What if I genuinely want to buy them?" Zhao Huaian continued with a smile, despite the burly man's displeased expression.
The burly man glanced at Zhao Huaian, thinking he was just a young man bragging.
He gave a disdainful snort and said, "If you can really afford them, I'll sell them to you for the lowest market price: one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones."
"What if you throw in this Low-grade Dharma Artifact Flying Sword?" Zhao Huaian asked, grinning as he tested the waters.
"Fine. If you can come up with one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, we can talk!"
The burly man had run out of patience. He stared coldly at Zhao Huaian and said, "If you can't pay, hurry up and leave. Don't stand here blocking my business."
"Senior Brother, you're generous!"
Zhao Huaian gave him a thumbs-up and took one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones from the Storage Bag in his robes.
The one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones landed on the stall with a crisp clatter.
The burly man stared at them, stunned, his eyes full of disbelief.
"Senior Brother won't go back on his word, will you..." Zhao Huaian asked, smiling at him.
Greenwood Market had patrols from the guard squad. All transactions there were fair and public, and both stall owners and customers were afforded a degree of protection.
So, relying on the fact that he was in Greenwood Market, Zhao Huaian felt a little bolder, even though the burly man's cultivation was much higher than his own.
Hearing Zhao Huaian's teasing words, the burly man's expression darkened.
But he was an honest man and had never intended to cheat Zhao Huaian or drive him away.
He could only sigh deeply and look at Zhao Huaian with a pained expression. "Take this box of Combination Dharma Artifact Silver Needles for one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones. I'll take a loss on it, but I really can't throw in this Low-grade Dharma Artifact Flying Sword. If I did, the combined loss would wipe out everything I've earned from setting up my stall these past few days."
"Slow and steady wins the race. Senior Brother is an honest man, so I won't make things difficult for you. I'll give you some face and buy the Flying Sword at its original price!"
Knowing he'd gotten a great deal, Zhao Huaian laughed heartily and took out another eighteen Low-grade Spirit Stones.
Although every transaction in Greenwood Market was guaranteed and protected by the guard squad, he and the burly man had only made a verbal agreement; no Spirit Stones had actually changed hands yet.
So, the burly man could have reneged on everything they'd discussed if he'd been unscrupulous.
But the burly man had kept his word and agreed to sell him the box of Combination Dharma Artifact Silver Needles for one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones.
Under the circumstances, Zhao Huaian naturally wasn't going to make things difficult for a cultivator whose cultivation far surpassed his own just to save a dozen or so Low-grade Spirit Stones.
"Good. You're a straightforward man too, Junior Brother. Then it's a deal!"
Seeing Zhao Huaian take out another eighteen Low-grade Spirit Stones, the burly man's face brightened with a smile.
He quickly packed up the Low-grade Dharma Artifact Flying Sword and the set of Middle-grade Combination Dharma Artifact Silver Needles, then handed them to Zhao Huaian. "My name is Shi Datie, and I'm with the Artifact Refining Hall. If you need to buy any other Dharma Artifacts in the future, come find me. I'll only charge you a little for my trouble, and I'll definitely sell them for less than the market price."
"Senior Brother is an honest man. I'll be back next time!" Zhao Huaian said with a smile and a nod, feeling more warmly toward Shi Datie.
After putting away the two Dharma Artifacts, Zhao Huaian cautiously looked around. Once he saw that no one was paying attention to him, he continued browsing from stall to stall.
Now that he knew Lin Zihao, a Qi Refining Layer Six cultivator, wanted to deal with him, Zhao Huaian had to buy plenty of things to improve his strength and protect his life.
He had to make sure he could turn the tables and eliminate the threat for good when Lin Zihao came after him.
He wandered from stall to stall.
Before long, Zhao Huaian left Greenwood Market, satisfied.
By the time he left, there was a Formation Disk in his Storage Bag.
It was a First-grade Upper-rank Soul Bewildering Array. Zhao Huaian had spent more than sixty Low-grade Spirit Stones on it.
A First-grade Upper-rank Soul Bewildering Array could be deployed instantly, trapping cultivators below Qi Refining Layer Eight for the time it took an incense stick to burn.
Furthermore, a cultivator trapped inside the Soul Bewildering Array would suffer a certain decline in overall strength.
However, since the Soul Bewildering Array was attached to the Formation Disk, it could only be used three times at most.
After the third use, the Formation Disk would crumble to dust.
But that was enough.
As Zhao Huaian saw it, spending more than sixty Low-grade Spirit Stones for three chances to save his life and weaken an enemy was well worth it.
With all his preparations made and his haul in hand, Zhao Huaian swaggered out of Greenwood Sect and headed for the nearest mission site.
A Small Boat shot through the boundless waters like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Two days later, the Small Boat pulled up beside a desolate little island.
Zhao Huaian leaped off the boat.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he raised his head slightly and squinted at the sky.
In the distance, a figure stood on a Flying Sword, speeding toward him.
"Just as I thought!"
"As I expected, you weren't going to let this opportunity slip by..."
"But since you've come... you can stay here..."
Watching the figure draw closer, Zhao Huaian shook his head. Behind his back, his hands clenched the First-grade Upper-rank Soul Bewildering Array Formation Disk tightly.
In only a few breaths, the figure swiftly descended from the sky.
The newcomer was none other than Lin Zihao.
"Junior Brother Zhao, I've had quite a time chasing you these past two days. What, is this your mission site?"
Landing nearby, Lin Zihao looked at Zhao Huaian's calm expression and sneered.
Zhao Huaian shook his head and sighed. "This isn't my mission site, but it is a fine place to bury your bones."
Before you continue