Chapter 104

"This piece of iron has an extraordinary origin and some connection to martial artists. No matter what method I use, I can't break it. It might even contain a martial artist's treasure, so... ten taels of gold!"

Upon hearing this number, before Xiao Minghuang could even react, the scholar became anxious.

"Grandpa! This is just a rusty piece of iron, and you dare to sell it for ten taels of gold?!"

Before he could finish speaking...

The old man kicked the scholar hard in the leg.

The scholar winced in pain, a look of endurance on his face. He turned back and gave Xiao Minghuang a deep look before limping away.

Xiao Minghuang could tell that the scholar mouthed something to her as he left.

Don't buy it.

Xiao Minghuang ignored this; she wasn't someone who needed a mere ten taels of gold.

However, as a Princess Ziwei, she was certainly not the type to carry ten taels of gold with her at all times.

With this in mind, she decided to go to the nearest county town to borrow some gold from the magistrate.

He then turned to look at the old man and said:

"Yes, but I don't have that much gold on me. You'll have to wait for me for fifteen minutes."

Upon hearing this, the old man at the door responded, saying repeatedly:

"Alright, alright, not just a quarter of an hour, but a whole day is fine too! Sir, please go and collect the money!"

After confirming, Xiao Minghuang turned and headed towards the nearest county town.

After Xiao Minghuang left, the crowd began to discuss the matter.

"As expected of a young lady from a prominent family, she just gave away ten taels of gold like that."

"Old Li is really going to strike it rich now!"

"Old Li... no, Uncle Li! Now that you've made a fortune, don't forget your nephew!"

"Yes, yes, Grandpa, my grandson wants to propose to Miss Wang from the next village. Her family wants two taels of silver as a betrothal gift. You must help my grandson!"

Ten taels of gold fell from the sky and hit him on the head. Old Li was overjoyed and couldn't stop smiling. He agreed to every request from his fellow villagers.

Many people abandoned their stalls and rushed home to share the good news.

Before long, only Old Li remained in the Marketplace.

"These guys, they're pretty fast."

Looking at the deserted Marketplace, Old Li shook his head and sighed. Then, he turned to look at a large tree not far away.

"Grandson, stop hiding. This old man knows you haven't left."

[%~

The scholar emerged from behind the tree.

"Grandpa, that piece of rusty iron of yours isn't worth ten taels of gold at all. You're lying!"

Upon hearing this, Old Li sneered:

"You think someone important would even look at a country bumpkin like you? Don't dream about it!"

124. Fortune changes every thirty years; never underestimate a young person's potential!

These words struck a nerve, and the scholar's face flushed red, leaving him speechless.

"Just stay calm and wait until the old man gets the gold. Then he'll arrange your marriage. With this much gold as a betrothal gift, you'll be good enough for even the daughter of the wealthy Wang family!"

But after seeing the woman who was like a Celestial Person, the scholar felt that Miss Wang, whom he had previously regarded as his dream lover, had now become a vulgar and tasteless woman, and was not worthy of his attention at all.

But he also knew in his heart that there was absolutely no possibility between him and that Celestial Person woman.

Seeing that the scholar remained silent, the old man mumbled something:

"Watch the stall for me for a while. When the important person comes back, sell her the iron lump. I'm going home to tell your parents the news."

After saying that, the old man walked away with his hands behind his back.

Watching the old man's receding figure, the scholar's expression was complicated. He knew that his grandfather had left him one last chance.

The scholar sat on the bamboo mat, gazing absently in the direction the woman had left.

He knew there was no possibility of anything between him and the woman, but it was this sense of powerlessness that was most tormenting.

After a while...

The woman did not appear.

A man in black robes suddenly appeared in front of the stall, as if he had fallen from the sky, startling the scholar.

"Guest, what would you like?"

The scholar asked politely.

The man in black robes completely ignored the scholar, flicked his sleeve and flipped the entire stall over, smashing all sorts of old bottles and jars to the ground, with many ceramics shattering into pieces!

"What... what are you doing!"

The scholar roared, but dared not step forward to stop him. He could feel the men in black robes emanating a threatening aura, like a wild beast that could tear him apart at any moment.

Upon hearing this, the man in black robes paused briefly, then looked up and gave the scholar a cold glance.

This glance sent a shiver down the scholar's spine. He involuntarily swallowed and stepped back.

The man in black robes scanned his surroundings again, the killing intent in his eyes growing stronger.

"Roll!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man in black lowered his head again and continued rummaging through the bottles and jars, soon ruining almost everything.

Seeing this, the scholar felt not only anger but also genuine fear.

He knew perfectly well that the man in front of him could kill him with ease, as easily as stepping on an ant, if he wanted to.

Finally, the man in black robes found a piece of iron covered in red rust among the pile of broken porcelain shards, and a look of joy immediately appeared on his face.

"Master, is this it?"

"Um."

After confirming, the man in black robes reached out to put the iron block into his sleeve.

"Wait!"

At this point, the scholar could no longer bear it. He knew that the girl had reserved this iron block for ten taels of gold, and he couldn't let the man in black take it away just like that.

Upon hearing the sound, the man in black stopped what he was doing.

He turned his head, his sinister gaze fixed on the scholar.

Sensing that venomous gaze, the scholar involuntarily took a step back, but still resolutely said:

"You can't take it; the iron block has already been reserved by a young lady!"

Upon hearing this, the man in black robes frowned slightly, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes.

"Girl?"

At the same time, he quickly asked himself:

"Master, could this woman who reserved the iron block be the one who seized the opportunities from the previous two encounters?"

"It's quite possible."

The old man didn't finish his sentence, and continued:

"We will wait here. If it really is that person, I will help you capture her and reclaim your opportunity."

Upon hearing this, the man in black robes was overjoyed. The thought of regaining the opportunity that had been taken from him made him want to laugh out loud.

"This disciple thanks Master!"

After devising the plan, the man in black robes reached out to put the iron block into his sleeve.

But at that moment...

A blur of motion swept in, accompanied by a sharp sound as it cut through the air, and in an instant, it arrived in front of the man in black robes, blowing the iron block away with a single blow.

The man in black robes was caught off guard by this turn of events and stood frozen in place for a moment.

But in the next moment, he realized what was happening.

"It's her! This woman must have stolen my opportunity!"

The man in black robes looked closely and saw a woman dressed in a light red dress, with a graceful figure, elegant and refined, noble and otherworldly.

Especially her eyes, deep as the starry sky, shimmering with a faint golden light, like stars, boundless and vast, unforgettable at first glance, as if one would be drawn into them and unable to extricate oneself.

However, the woman's appearance was merely delicate, seemingly incongruous with such an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

Who are you?

Inside the ring, the old man reminded him:

"This woman is rather strange; I can't see through her at all. You must be careful."

The woman who suddenly appeared was none other than Xiao Minghuang, who had returned after withdrawing the money.

"And who are you? Why are you here?"

After speaking, Xiao Minghuang ignored the black-robed man's reaction, and with a flick of her sleeve, a pile of gold flew out and landed in the scholar's arms.

"Here are ten taels of gold. Take them and leave quickly!"

Seeing Xiao Minghuang produce ten taels of gold as if by magic, the scholar realized that the woman before him was not, as they had thought, a young lady who had run away from a prominent family.

He should be a young martial artist from some sect.

"Miss, be careful..."

The scholar whispered a reminder, then turned and fled with the gold in his arms.

The man in black robes ignored the scholar's departure; to him, the scholar was nothing more than an ant.

His eyes flickered, and he asked:

"I suppose you've already visited two places before coming here, haven't you?"

Upon hearing the question, Xiao Minghuang replied calmly:

"So what if it is, and so what if it isn't?"

Upon hearing this, the man in black robes curled into a mocking smile, and he sneered:

"The stone tablet at the bottom of the lake, the golden book in the cave—those were my opportunities, but you beat me to them. Do you know what price you'll have to pay?!"

Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly, pondering, "Who is this person? How does he know that I have already obtained two opportunities today? And he even insists that she intercepted them?"

While pondering, she brought up the system panel.

[Name: Xiao Yan]

[Realm: Spring Gushing Third Layer]

[Destiny/Fate: Transmigrator (Metal), Child of Destiny (Metal)]

A remnant soul from another realm, Cuckoo Occupies Magpie's Nest, is reborn.

Misfortune can turn into good fortune; in times of crisis, opportunities always arise, but opportunities may also bring crisis.

Upon seeing the panel, Xiao Minghuang's pupils constricted slightly, and he was startled.

This person is actually the First Prince!

"No wonder!"

Xiao Minghuang raised her eyes and gave the First Prince a deep look, immediately becoming fully alert.

Seeing the speed at which the First Prince broke through, she couldn't help but feel a little fortunate that she had arrived in time to stop First Prince.

Otherwise, if the First Prince obtains the opportunity, it will be troublesome.

In just one day, the First Prince actually broke through from the Spring Gushing First Layer to the third level. He truly deserves to be called Destined Transmigrator!