The Price Goes Up

When he heard the other man say that, Yu Xiaogang immediately panicked.

Was he really going to hunt just any Hundred-Year Soul Beast?

After all that trouble and all that money spent, he couldn't accept this as the final result.

After all, he had already turned down help from the sect's Soul Hunting Squad, and he had run out of money.

His father seemed to be in seclusion this time to break through a bottleneck.

Someone at the Title Douluo realm could spend several months in seclusion, and breaking through a bottleneck took even longer.

By the time his father came out, who knew how long it would be?

Was he supposed to wait another six months?

It had taken him so much effort to reach his current level, and now he could finally obtain a Soul Ring.

Yu Xiaogang had been eager for this for a long time.

But he didn't want to settle for just any Hundred-Year Soul Ring.

"Captain, what would it take for us to go hunt Soul Beasts in the area where the Sub-Dragons live?"

After hesitating, Yu Xiaogang still wasn't willing to give up. He turned to the Soul Hunting Squad's captain and asked.

"They're my brothers. I really don't know how to ask them to risk their lives by taking them there."

"If you want me to convince my brothers, it's not impossible."

"The price goes up!"

After going around in a big circle, the Soul Hunting Squad's captain finally stated what he really wanted.

They could go hunt in a dangerous place, sure—but he'd have to pay more.

"This..."

Hearing that he had to pay more again, Yu Xiaogang could no longer keep his cool.

Over the past few days in Thunder Canyon, these people kept getting money out of him at every turn.

Under all kinds of pretexts and in all kinds of ways.

At first, he had thought this Soul Hunting Squad was different from the others.

Now he saw they were all birds of a feather.

They just wanted to fleece him.

The problem was, in his current situation, he really didn't dare say much.

After all, he needed their help both to stay safe and to hunt for a Soul Ring.

But he truly wasn't willing to accept this.

He had already spent several thousand Gold Soul Coins, and still hadn't gotten his First Soul Ring.

No matter how slow-witted Yu Xiaogang was, by now he could tell something was wrong.

"Captain, can't you help me out?"

"I really don't have any money left."

"My father is the sect master. Just treat this money as a debt, and I'll pay you back as soon as we return to the sect."

Yu Xiaogang lowered himself and looked at the Soul Hunting Squad's captain with a pleading tone.

"Xiaogang, I want to help you, but your big brother here really can't do anything."

"People like us live with our heads on the line. We could lose our lives tomorrow."

"We risk our lives to earn money just so our families can have a better life, don't we?"

"You're the sect master's son. Of course we know that, and we trust your word. Your big brother here wouldn't mind doing it alone, but my brothers won't work unless they see the money."

"What do you expect me to do? I'm helpless too."

"Don't say I'm not looking out for you. How about this? I'll take you to hunt in a dangerous area, but there's one thing I can't promise: your safety."

"If we run into a powerful Soul Beast and I can protect you, then of course I'll do my best. But if I can't even protect myself, I'll leave without hesitation."

"If you agree, I'll have my brothers leave first."

The Soul Hunting Squad's captain looked at Yu Xiaogang with an earnest expression as he spoke.

In short, if he didn't have money, he couldn't expect them to help.

"This..."

Yu Xiaogang was torn.

Naturally, he wasn't willing to leave just like that.

If he returned to the sect with his tail between his legs, who knew what kind of mockery and insults he'd have to endure?

Besides, he had already spent so much money. He had gotten nothing for it, and he couldn't accept going back like this.

But he really didn't dare enter the depths of Thunder Canyon without any assurance that he'd be safe.

"I don't have any Gold Soul Coins left, but I still have two batches of medicinal baths provided by the sect. Could they count as payment?"

Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth and took two batches of medicinal bath supplies out of his Storage Soul Tool.

These were the cultivation resources he had saved up.

They were also among the few things he had left that were worth anything.

He had let these people extort everything else with all kinds of reasons and excuses.

He could see it now: this Soul Hunting Squad was no group of good people. Each one of them was a gluttonous monster that swallowed people whole.

If he wanted them to help him hunt Soul Beasts, he had to pay.

Right now, Yu Xiaogang only wanted to finish the Soul Hunting as soon as possible and get out of there.

If he stayed with these people any longer, he was afraid he wouldn't even have the clothes on his back.

They weren't robbing him outright, but they were fleecing him in every way they could.

And he didn't dare refuse.

In his current situation, they could make up any excuse they liked and leave him behind. He really wouldn't be able to get out alive.

For Yu Xiaogang, neither outcome was something he could bear.

"Two batches of medicinal baths are worth something, sure, but there are too many of us to divide just two batches among everyone."

The captain took the medicinal baths, handed them to the others behind him, then looked at Yu Xiaogang with a beaming smile.

His meaning was crystal clear: not enough, pay more.

And judging from the way things were going, if Yu Xiaogang didn't pay more, they wouldn't even give back the two batches of medicinal baths.

"I... I really don't have any money left."

For a moment, Yu Xiaogang was so anxious he nearly cried.

When all was said and done, he was only a twelve-year-old child.

He had never been through anything like this.

"Little Master Xiaogang, how can you say that?"

"Your father is the sect master. Anything he gives you would be something we could never obtain in our entire lives."

"We risked our lives to take you Soul Hunting, and helped you research and investigate all kinds of Soul Beasts. We only charged you a reasonable fee, so why are you crying?"

"If outsiders see this, they'll think we're bullying you."

"If you hadn't spent all that time researching Soul Beasts at the start, the Soul Hunting would've been over long ago. We even risked our lives to help you get a Soul Beast with Sub-Dragon attributes."

"Have you ever heard of anyone spending five or six days hunting their first Soul Ring?"

"What, do you think your time matters, but the time of ordinary disciples like us doesn't?"

"If that's what you think, then I believe we can call our deal off right here."

The captain looked at Yu Xiaogang, who wore an utterly innocent expression.

Judging by the looks of it, he really was going to walk away on the spot.

At that moment, Yu Xiaogang felt so wronged he could have killed someone.

What was all this supposed to mean?

Everything these people said was true, but hadn't they been the ones to guide him and introduce the Soul Beasts in the first place?

How was he supposed to know that service cost extra?

And judging by the situation now, it was clear they were ready to fall out with him at the slightest disagreement and leave him right there in the Soul Beast Forest.

With his strength, how could he possibly make it out?