Threat

Listening to the faint voice by his ear, Qin Yu's pupils contracted slightly, and his mind wavered.

"You said... you know the Jade Pool Dao Art?"

In his daze, Qin Yu returned to the Library Pavilion of the Tian Qi Sect, to that sunny noon.

Both were beauties, and both had made the same move.

Yet this beauty was not that beauty.

Qin Yu tilted his head slightly and raised his eyes to gaze at Zi Xun'er, whose face was brimming with tenderness. In his daze, the breathtaking face before him completely merged with the face in his memories. For a moment, Qin Yu's gaze turned unfocused, somewhat absent-minded.

Seeing Qin Yu's entranced appearance, Zi Xun'er's smile deepened. Over the years, she had seen such gazes and expressions far too often. Everything was under her control. Then she said softly, "Then, would Fellow Daoist be willing to lend the Gang Yuan Pill Formula to Xun'er for a look?"

"Are you joking, Fellow Daoist?" Qin Yu's voice suddenly rang out. Zi Xun'er froze. When she looked at Qin Yu again, she discovered that his gaze had become utterly clear, with none of its former daze remaining. Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared at him in surprise.

"Enough. Let's speak plainly." Qin Yu brushed aside Zi Xun'er's slender hand and said coldly.

After six years of life-and-death despair, Qin Yu's state of mind had already reached an extremely lofty level. The reason he had been dazed earlier was mainly because he had yet to fully adjust to being reborn, which had made him unable to stop himself from recalling the beauty of his past.

The shy smile on Zi Xun'er's face instantly vanished, and she returned to her previous cold arrogance. She slowly went back to her seat, her frosty phoenix eyes fixed on Qin Yu. She was still suspicious. She had not expected Qin Yu to regain his senses so quickly. With this man's cultivation, how could he possess such composure? Could it be that he did not care for women? Sweeping away the inexplicable thoughts in her heart, Zi Xun'er said indifferently, "Name your price."

This question truly stumped Qin Yu. The Gang Yuan Pill was an obscure pill formula, and even in the past, it had been exceedingly rare. That was why he had been confident that those three words would draw the attention of the Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop. But he really did not know its price. After all, such low-grade pills were useless to him, and he had never bothered to pay them any heed.

However, judging from Zi Xun'er's earlier actions, she should have attached great importance to the Gang Yuan Pill Formula. After pondering for a moment, Qin Yu said, "You know better than I do what this formula is worth, Fellow Daoist. Name a price. So long as it is suitable, that will do."

Qin Yu did not know that tossing the ball back had also troubled Zi Xun'er. She had seen the Gang Yuan Pill in ancient records within her sect. As an alchemist, she had never heard of anyone possessing the Gang Yuan Pill Formula, which was why she had become so excited. Yet its price... she could not gauge it either.

After thinking for a long while, Zi Xun'er's mind raced. Upon noticing Qin Yu's gaze, she smiled charmingly and said, "Fellow Daoist, how about this? The Gang Yuan Pill Formula is a Third-grade Pill Formula. Normally, Third-grade Pill Formulas generally cost one hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones. Your Gang Yuan Pill Formula is uncommon, so I will offer you two hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"

Zi Xun'er was quite confident, because she could tell that Qin Yu himself could not gauge its value. Yet Qin Yu's next words left her somewhat stunned.

"One thousand." Qin Yu spoke without a moment's thought.

"Have you gone mad? One thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones? That is the price of an ordinary Fourth-grade Pill Formula. Do you think this Third-grade Pill Formula can rival a Fourth-grade Pill Formula? Even if this Gang Yuan Pill is uncommon, it is worth no more than three hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones." Zi Xun'er stared at Qin Yu coldly, looking as though she were watching someone daydream in broad daylight.

Qin Yu looked directly at Zi Xun'er without changing expression.

A strange glint flashed through Zi Xun'er's beautiful eyes, and she was inwardly astonished. Since when had such a formidable figure arrived in Tianwu Main City? After her mind spun rapidly, Zi Xun'er said faintly, "Five hundred. If Fellow Daoist is unwilling, then forget it."

"Eight hundred!" Qin Yu said.

"No."

Without another word, Qin Yu stood up and turned to leave. Zi Xun'er bit her red lips with pearly teeth and said, "Seven hundred! Seven hundred at most."

"Deal!" Qin Yu turned around and smiled faintly.

Zi Xun'er froze. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Bring it out."

"Bring paper and brush." Qin Yu said.

Zi Xun'er gave Qin Yu a surprised glance, then waved her right hand. Brush and ink appeared before Qin Yu.

Qin Yu did not hesitate either. He immediately picked up the brush and began writing.

Half an hour later.

Qin Yu pushed the sheet of paper before Zi Xun'er. Zi Xun'er did not inspect it, continuing instead to stare at Qin Yu. "Fellow Daoist, how am I to know whether this pill formula is real or fake?"

"Try it and you will know." Qin Yu said calmly.

Only then did Zi Xun'er pick up the paper. After examining it for a moment, her expression suddenly turned icy. "Fellow Daoist, are you not afraid that I might kill you and seize your goods?"

"You will not." Qin Yu smiled faintly.

"Oh?" Zi Xun'er raised an elegant brow.

"You are a smart person. You should have considered whether I possess more pill formulas. For example... Fourth-grade Pill Formulas?" Qin Yu said. He had never intended to hide it from Zi Xun'er. Her status was extraordinary, and her strength was even more formidable. No matter how much Qin Yu concealed himself, he could not stop Zi Xun'er from setting her sights on him. Since that was the case, he might as well open the skylight and speak plainly. If he could befriend Zi Xun'er, it would be the best possible outcome for his current situation.

Zi Xun'er's pupils shrank sharply. Her status was extraordinary, but she also knew how precious pill formulas were. She had never expected Qin Yu to know Fourth-grade Pill Formulas. Moreover, he gave her the feeling that what this man knew was far more than merely Fourth-grade Pill Formulas.

Just what was this man's background? Could he be the sort to play the pig to eat the tiger?

"All right, the transaction is over. Since you are a pill shop, you should have plenty of medicinal herbs. Help me convert the Spirit Stones into these medicinal herbs and the items I need." As he spoke, Qin Yu picked up the brush again.

A moment later, Zi Xun'er took the paper. After roughly scanning it, she placed it on the table and lightly tapped the tabletop with her right index finger. "May I ask how Fellow Daoist is called?"

"Chen Xing!" Qin Yu said.

"These are all medicinal herbs for tempering the bones. Fellow Daoist Chen should not be very old, should he? Having such composure after just stepping into the Martial Realm First Layer, I wonder which noble family Fellow Daoist comes from. Xun'er is rather curious." Zi Xun'er said faintly, a trace of cold light flashing through the depths of her eyes.

Qin Yu fixed both eyes on Zi Xun'er. As his eyes opened and closed, a sharp gleam burst forth from them, while supreme majesty gathered between his brows.

Zi Xun'er was startled inwardly. She had never expected Qin Yu to possess such bearing. Even the direct descendants of major powers she had seen did not possess such an aura!

"Fellow Daoist, since ancient times, those who play with fire have burned themselves." Qin Yu said sternly.

Zi Xun'er's words had been a probe, while Qin Yu's answer was a warning.

Naturally, Qin Yu had understood the meaning behind Zi Xun'er's words. Beneath that seemingly casual probing lay a measure of threat and warning.

"You are not very old, and your cultivation is only at the Martial Realm First Layer. So long as I learn your background, I need not fear that you will refuse to hand over the pill formulas you know!" That was the true meaning behind Zi Xun'er's words.