The onlookers heard that and suddenly understood. One by one, they burst into mocking laughter again.
They had known he couldn't possibly be that lucky. How could a nobody at the sixth level of the Bright Realm possibly inscribe the lowest-grade Green Jade Slate?
As the beautiful clerk had said, he must have used some trick to make it look like he'd succeeded.
Smack!
Suddenly, Lu Zhao moved and slapped the beautiful clerk hard across the face.
Clutching the Green Jade Slate, his whole body trembling, he barked, "Shut your mouth!"
The beautiful clerk cried out, covering her face as she sat stunned on the ground. Why had the Pavilion Master hit her?
The onlookers were stunned too. Had Pavilion Master Lu gone mad with rage over the Green Jade Slate and started attacking people indiscriminately?
The next moment, Lu Zhao rushed up to Sikong Jing, his lips trembling as he said, "Young hero, how much are you planning to sell this Green Jade Slate for? I'd like to consider buying it personally and see if I can afford it."
At those words, the whole crowd was dumbfounded.
What was Pavilion Master Lu talking about? He was asking whether he could afford it? And he wanted to buy it personally.
Why?
Even if he were buying it personally, as the branch pavilion master of the Heaven Martial Pavilion in Yunye City, how could he possibly be unable to afford it?
But no one knew how excited Lu Zhao was. The martial technique recorded on the Green Jade Slate was indeed only Yellow Grade High Tier. That alone had already shocked him, but the slate also contained... Martial Intent!
What was Martial Intent?
It was an unfathomable power, an awe-inspiring presence possessed only by the strong.
Martial Intent inscribed onto a Green Jade Slate, Green Jade Paper, or even a Green Jade Tube could greatly aid other martial artists. Its value was immeasurable!
Most crucially, anyone capable of inscribing Martial Intent had to have broken through to the Heaven Realm and reached the fearsome Five Transcendent Realms.
By now, the way Lu Zhao looked at Sikong Jing had changed. The young man before him was no sixth-level Bright Realm martial artist at all. He was a Transcendent powerhouse, disguising his aura and deliberately playing the fool to catch a tiger off guard.
No wonder he hadn't feared Chu Bo. No wonder he'd succeeded on his first try.
Damn it, had he offended him with what he'd said earlier?
Lu Zhao's thoughts reeled. As he stared at Sikong Jing, his heart pounded faster and faster, and he feared the man might slap him across the face at any moment.
But Sikong Jing was surprised. The martial technique he'd inscribed was only Yellow Grade High Tier—not impressive enough to make a branch pavilion master this excited... But when his gaze fell on the Green Jade Slate, a flash of understanding crossed his eyes.
So he'd accidentally inscribed Martial Intent.
Though Sikong Jing was cultivating anew, he'd only lost his most basic true qi. Everything else, including his Martial Intent, remained.
After a moment's thought, Sikong Jing replied, "Just use the highest price the Heaven Martial Pavilion sets for Yellow Grade High Tier."
Martial Intent had been an unexpected bonus. Sikong Jing hadn't thought he'd still be able to inscribe it after starting over.
But he couldn't afford to reveal too much right now.
"What did you say?" Lu Zhao's eyes widened in disbelief.
A Green Jade Slate containing Martial Intent, sold at the ordinary price for a Yellow Grade High Tier martial technique? Was this a windfall from the heavens?
"What? You don't want it?" Sikong Jing asked, narrowing his eyes.
Lu Zhao gaped for a moment. He couldn't let the opportunity slip by, so he nodded like a pecking chick. "Of course I want it, but this..."
Before he could finish, Sikong Jing leaned in close to his ear and said coldly, "Some things are better left unasked, lest you bring death upon yourself. What's inside the Green Jade Slate is purely because I didn't control myself properly."
After saying this, Sikong Jing stepped back and added, "By the way, give me a hundred Iron Crystal Plates too. I don't like owing people money."
Turning around, he looked at Chu Bo, who was still kneeling in the street, unable to move...
Before Sikong Jing could speak, Chu Bo pleaded weakly, "Quick, hurry and tell me what the bet was. I can't take this anymore."
While Sikong Jing and Lu Zhao were making their deal, the agony in Chu Bo's knees had tortured him to the brink of death. Now all he wanted was to fulfill the bet—but he'd forgotten what Sikong Jing had told him to say.
Hearing this, Sikong Jing's lips curled slightly. "Say it three times: Su Yuexi is the most beautiful woman in the world."
Without hesitation, Chu Bo shouted it three times, staring at Sikong Jing with eyes nearly bulging from their sockets. "Quick, quick, make it stop! I promise I won't retaliate against you."
Sikong Jing only smiled and replied, "Wait a little longer. You still owe me a hundred Copper Crystal Plates."
The three Green Jade Slates had been paid for by Chu Bo. Sikong Jing had to pay him back.
"You don't have to pay me back! I'm begging you, don't pay me back!"
Chu Bo was on the verge of tears. Why had he ever thought to mess with someone?
By then, Lu Zhao had also come to his senses. He hurriedly ordered someone to bring a hundred Gold Crystal Coins and a hundred Copper Crystal Plates.
After taking them, Sikong Jing casually tossed the Copper Crystal Plates to Chu Bo, then lightly kicked him twice to end his agony. But Chu Bo didn't get up. He simply collapsed face-first onto the ground and fainted.
Sikong Jing naturally paid him no mind. Holding the money and two blank Green Jade Slates, he left without a backward glance.
He had the money. Now he could go back and share the good news with Su Yuexi.
As everyone watched Sikong Jing leave, silence fell in front of the Heaven Martial Pavilion. The next moment, the beautiful clerk shrieked, "Young Master Chu!"
She rushed over. After checking that Chu Bo had only fainted, she turned to Lu Zhao and said, "Pavilion Master, Young Master Chu's pain is gone. You don't have to worry about his legs being crippled anymore. Hurry and capture that fool!"
At her words, the onlookers exchanged glances.
Their gazes suddenly shifted back to Lu Zhao. Had Pavilion Master Lu agreed to all that fool's demands and even given him money not because the Green Jade Slate he'd inscribed was impressive, but because he'd feared Chu Bo's legs would be crippled?
It had to be. Even Young Master Chu had begged just now!
"Pavilion Master, should we take action?" one of the Heaven Martial Pavilion's guards asked, a cold glint in his eyes.
Based on what they knew, they still believed the lowest-grade Green Jade Slate couldn't possibly contain anything worth a hundred Gold Crystal Coins.
Unless its creator was a Transcendent martial artist who had broken through to the Heaven Realm—but that man had clearly been only at the sixth level of the Bright Realm.
Lu Zhao's mouth twitched. Then he fell silent again.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it either. Remembering Sikong Jing's final warning, Lu Zhao said gravely, "No. Take Young Master Chu back to the Chu Family. They'll handle this themselves."
After saying that, he couldn't help thinking maliciously: if the Chu Family dared to retaliate, they'd be finished.
"Exactly! The Chu Family will surely chop that fool into a thousand pieces," the beautiful clerk said, nodding emphatically.
But Chu Bo's servant asked angrily, "Who the hell was that bastard, and where does he live?"
Before they could retaliate, they needed to find out who the man was.
The whole crowd exchanged glances once more. Even Lu Zhao couldn't help slapping his thigh. He'd actually forgotten to ask the young hero's name.
"I know! He's the son-in-law of the Su Mansion!"
Suddenly, one of the onlookers shouted. When the others looked at him in confusion, he explained, "Did you all forget the bet he just made Young Master Chu shout out loud? Su Yuexi is the most beautiful woman in the world."
Before you continue