Made a Profit!

"Huh?!"

"Pfft, hahaha!"

As Meng Yiran finished speaking, laughter erupted all around.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun, especially, doubled over with laughter. "I'm dying! How old are you, girl? You actually think a little kid would fall for an old woman like you?"

"His Martial Soul is so special that no one's ever heard of anything like it. If he's going to marry someone, it'll surely be a heaven-sent beauty or a princess of the royal family. Why would he marry you?"

"..."

Hearing that, Chao Tianxiang's expression darkened. Soul Power burst from her as she glared coldly at Oscar and Ma Hongjun.

If Zhao Wuji hadn't stepped forward and raised a barrier of Soul Power to block the attack, Oscar and the others would probably have spat blood on the spot.

The atmosphere in the clearing turned cold once more.

"Ahem."

Lin Fan chuckled. "Miss Meng is breathtakingly beautiful. If she were willing to marry me, I certainly wouldn't refuse. But... you'll have to pay for this Soul Ring!"

"How much?"

Meng Yiran asked at once, shooting Ma Hongjun and Oscar a fierce glare before turning to Lin Fan with gratitude in her eyes.

In truth, she'd understood as soon as she finished speaking that Lin Fan was asking for some other benefit. If he'd really had feelings for her, he wouldn't have sold her the Soul Ring—he would've simply given it to her.

Knowing Lin Fan wasn't interested in her, yet had been willing to smooth things over when she was being mocked, she couldn't help feeling grateful.

"Hold on!"

Chao Tianxiang suddenly spoke. "So far, all we have is your word. How can we be sure the Soul Ring will work as you say once she absorbs it?"

"If you want to sell it, fine. But my granddaughter must absorb it first. We'll discuss the matter once we've confirmed its effects."

At that, Lin Fan glanced at Lin Qingfeng. When his adoptive father nodded, Lin Fan knew he could handle Chao Tianxiang, so he immediately agreed.

"Go!"

With a soft call, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Soul Ring drifted toward Meng Yiran, and she grew visibly excited.

She'd thought she was going to miss her chance, but now she could still have it!

Taking a deep breath, Meng Yiran suppressed her excitement and summoned her Serpent Cane Martial Soul with a wave of her hand.

Buzz—

In an instant, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Soul Ring floated over the Serpent Cane. Soul Power surged, and Meng Yiran's face twisted with pain.

Chao Tianxiang paid no attention to anyone else, keeping her eyes fixed on Meng Yiran like a torch.

She was absorbing the Soul Ring!

Seeing this, Zhao Wuji gave Oscar a meaningful glance, signaling him to start absorbing his Soul Ring as well.

Though there were plenty of people in the clearing, it fell silent.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the others all studied Lin Fan with curiosity.

They couldn't help it. Lin Fan's awakened Martial Soul was too strange!

They'd never heard of a Martial Soul that could store Soul Rings, let alone let other people absorb them!

What was more, Lin Fan looked so young, yet his Soul Power was already impressive. That left them astonished too.

The stars wheeled overhead, and time slipped by.

After an unknown length of time, Soul Power churned within Meng Yiran as the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Soul Ring flowed into her Serpent Cane.

She sprang to her feet, her face flushed with excitement. "I... I'm completely healed!"

"My body feels lighter, too. The Soul Ring even has this effect?"

Seeing how thrilled Meng Yiran was, the tension left Chao Tianxiang's face, replaced by a smile. She knew her granddaughter had gained a great deal this time.

"My good granddaughter, what Soul Skill came with the Soul Ring?"

"Instant Shadow Slash!"

Meng Yiran said excitedly, "It lets me briefly gain the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's speed, letting me shoot forward in an instant and strike my target."

Apparently, words weren't enough. Meng Yiran looked around, then suddenly swung her Serpent Cane. Her third Soul Ring flashed.

Whoosh—

In the blink of an eye, Meng Yiran seemed to fly forward, vanishing from everyone's sight.

Bang—

A sharp crack rang out. Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a thick tree topple to the ground, cleaved by her Serpent Cane.

"What speed! What power!"

Even Chao Tianxiang and Zhao Wuji, both Soul Saints, looked astonished.

Zhao Wuji furrowed his brow and glanced back at Oscar, who was still absorbing his Soul Ring. For some reason, he felt a little regretful.

If Tang San lost and Oscar got the chance to buy and absorb this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, wouldn't that have been better?

Nothing else aside, the difference between the two Phoenix-tail Crested Serpents was already clear from the speed at which their Soul Rings were absorbed.

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Chao Tianxiang was thrilled. After giving Lin Fan a careful look, she turned to Lin Qingfeng and smiled. "You're fortunate to have such a fine son. Talent like his is truly rare."

"This Soul Ring has greatly improved my granddaughter, and the Soul Skill is excellent too. Name your price."

Letting Lin Fan name any price was the highest praise she could give.

It meant that whatever he asked, it would be worth it!

Lin Fan thought for a moment. His memories were a little hazy, but Soul Bones seemed to sell for around several hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

This was only a thousand-year Soul Ring, after all, and not especially rare. He estimated it would sell for a few tens of thousands of Soul Coins.

"Let's call it a friendly price: fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Lin Fan smiled. "If Miss Meng needs a fourth Soul Ring in the future, you can come to me again. Whatever kind you need, I'll find a way to catch one for you."

"Really?"

Hearing that, Meng Yiran's face lit up.

"Fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins?"

Chao Tianxiang was surprised. She'd thought Lin Fan would name an exorbitant price, but it wasn't unreasonable at all.

In fact, it was quite cheap.

"Not a bad young man."

Chao Tianxiang took a blue card from her waist and said calmly, "There are seventy thousand Gold Soul Coins on this card. You can redeem them at any auction house or bank in the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Senior, I only want fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Lin Fan understood perfectly well that business depended on keeping one's word.

Fifty thousand meant fifty thousand. Even if she offered more, he wouldn't take it.

And if she offered less, that was even more out of the question!

"The other twenty thousand aren't for the Soul Ring."

Chao Tianxiang shook her head with a smile. "Absorbing an ordinary Soul Ring is extremely painful, and you can only recover gradually after succeeding. But your Soul Ring healed all of my granddaughter's injuries."

"That money is for healing her injuries. And then there's the matter of making a friend."

"If my granddaughter needs another Soul Ring in the future, I'll have to trouble you, young friend."

"..."

Since the extra money wasn't payment for the Soul Ring but for other services, Lin Fan didn't refuse. He accepted the card with a beaming smile.

"Um... what's your name?"

Meng Yiran looked at Lin Fan, her heart suddenly beating faster, and asked, "Will we get to meet again?"

"Hahaha, if you want to buy a Soul Ring, just come to the Lin Clan in Starry Sky City."

Lin Qingfeng answered for him, then turned to Lin Fan with a smile. "Fan'er, shall we go?"

"Sure!"

Just as Lin Fan and Lin Qingfeng were about to leave, Zhao Wuji suddenly called out, "Please wait, you two!"