Paimon the Penny-Pincher

Zhongli was not a Soul Master. To him, a Soul Bone was no different from an antique—something to collect.

Old antiques were steeped in stories.

Old Soul Bones were much the same.

"I knew you wouldn't get it wrong!"

Paimon planted her hands on her hips and spoke with a smug little look.

Zhongli might misjudge other things, but when it came to stones...

He was the King of the Rocks, the Vago Rock Emperor!

In that regard, Paimon trusted Zhongli completely.

"If we sell this Soul Bone, how many Gold Soul Coins could we get?"

Paimon the penny-pincher came out in full force. Golden light filled her eyes as she rubbed her little hands together, her face bright with anticipation.

Zhongli's eye twitched. He glanced at the little one, momentarily speechless.

They were not short of Gold Soul Coins. Why would they sell it?

Even if he had none, he would not casually sell an "antique."

"If this stone is left unopened, it may give rise to a new life in a few hundred or a thousand years."

"Life is priceless. Why go so far for a Soul Bone we have no use for?"

"We might witness a stone giving birth to life. Would that not mean more than selling it?"

Zhongli rubbed Paimon's head and spoke gently.

Paimon looked confused. She felt that Zhongli made a great deal of sense, yet something about it seemed wrong.

Had they bought this stone just so it could give birth to life?

And then what?

They would not earn a thing!

But she could not refute Zhongli. As he had said, the stone might give rise to a new life in a few hundred or a thousand years...

The birth of life was nobler than any material pleasure.

Paimon nodded thoughtfully. They were not short of money anyway, so they could leave it alone for now.

The stone: "..."

You're still planning to do something with me, aren't you?

The mention of Soul Bones made Zhongli glance at Paimon and think of his collection.

Even without counting this stone, he already had several Soul Bones in it.

Three of them were Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones.

A Hundred Thousand Year Sky Azure Bull Python Left Arm Soul Bone.

A Hundred Thousand Year Titan Giant Ape Right Arm Soul Bone.

A Hundred Thousand Year Blue Silver Emperor right leg Soul Bone.

The last one was the "compensation" Tang Hao had offered!

Only a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone was equal in value to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast. That was why he had offered it.

Besides those three Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, there was a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone Ning Fengzhi had given him.

Any one of those Soul Bones could stir up all of Douluo Continent!

To Zhongli, though, they were simply worthy additions to his collection.

"Then let's keep it for now. If it can't give birth to life later, we'll sell it!"

Zhongli: "..."

Little Paimon was clever indeed. She had quite a head for business.

Come to think of it, Zhongli was also known as the God of Commerce.

Time passed. In the blink of an eye, it was the next day.

At first light, two figures came limping down a street in Heaven Dou City.

In the faint light, their faces were pale, but both wore smiles as they looked back on the night.

"F-Fatty, I never thought you'd have that much stamina!"

"B-Boss Dai, y-you weren't bad yourself!"

The two were Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai, who had left the academy yesterday to have some fun.

Supporting each other, they stumbled along. Neither could hide his smile. They had enjoyed themselves.

Dai Mubai might have fled the Star Luo Empire, but he was hardly short of money.

On top of that, he could collect a monthly stipend of a hundred Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall. Money was no concern.

Last night, he and Ma Hongjun had booked out the place for the whole night. Their epic battle had not ended until dawn.

For Ma Hongjun, that level of exertion was nothing. His Martial Soul left him brimming with energy, dozens of times more than an ordinary person.

If he did not release his Evil Fire, he might explode and die.

Last night's session should keep him going for at least a month.

"Heaven Dou City really is something. It costs more, but the service is much better than in Suotuo City."

"Back then, Bule and I even got into a fight over a woman..."

Suotuo City was also a major city, and an important one at that. But beside Heaven Dou City, it was a little witch meeting a great witch. There was no comparison.

"As long as you're willing to spend Gold Soul Coins, isn't this much more fun than dealing with that cold woman?"

Pain flashed through Dai Mubai's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

As though he truly were happy.

You're not truly happy. Your smile is only your...

"Boss Dai, if you ask me, you should give up on Zhu Zhuqing sooner rather than later. She's just not right for you."

"She's cold as ice all day. You're not happy, and neither is she."

"Aren't Xiao Hong, Xiao Lu, and Xiao Lan more tempting?"

"Or Wang Gang... Bah. Anyway, Fatty here thinks you'll never be truly happy with Zhu Zhuqing."

"Ever since she came to Shrek Academy, you've changed completely. You're like a dog!"

Ma Hongjun paid no attention to Dai Mubai's expression. He only said these things because they were brothers. He would not have bothered with an outsider.

Honest advice grated on the ears but helped one walk the right path. His words had come out before he thought them through, and they sounded awful, but he truly meant well by Dai Mubai.

"I'm like a dog?"

Dai Mubai's eyes went wide as he stared at Ma Hongjun in disbelief.

"Yeah. You spend all day circling Zhu Zhuqing, but she won't even toss you a hard bone to gnaw on."

Dai Mubai fell into thought. Now that he considered it, Ma Hongjun seemed to be right.

When Zhu Zhuqing arrived, he had realized he had done wrong and felt terribly guilty toward her. He had stopped seeing all the women from before.

He had changed so much, yet Zhu Zhuqing remained unmoved. It made him furious.

A man away from home played along with the occasion. What was wrong with a little fooling around?

Had he, Dai Mubai, done something wrong?

Even if he had, he had changed!

But Zhu Zhuqing would not let it go!

Worse still, she had gone to a hotel with that man!

The mere thought made Dai Mubai's scalp prickle. He felt sick all over.

"Zhu Zhuqing..."

"Fatty, you're right. I need to go back to how I was before. Zhu Zhuqing can go to hell!"

Dai Mubai suddenly raised his voice, looking as if he had finally figured it out.

What else could he do? Fight Zhongli to the death?

"That's the spirit, Boss Dai!"

Ma Hongjun patted Dai Mubai's shoulder, looking gratified.

"Just act like she doesn't exist. You'll be as happy as you used to be!"

"Right!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Nothing more needed saying.

"Is Hongjun leading Mu Bai astray?"

Around a corner not far away, a bespectacled middle-aged man murmured, "Probably not... right?"