Looking at the points on the system panel, now missing a zero, Lin Feng nearly fell apart on the spot.
"Where did my points go?"
Lin Feng roared furiously in his mind.
"Where did all my points go?"
They'd shrunk from 6,100 straight down to 610. The hell, that was ten times less!
Just moments ago, he'd been happily thinking he'd finally met a big spender, only to get screwed over by his own system in the blink of an eye.
"System, you can't just deduct points whenever you feel like it! Can't we talk this out? How about you only take half?"
Lin Feng haggled with the system in his mind, nothing like the inscrutable air he put on in front of Chrysanthemum Douluo.
The system's reply, however, was merciless.
[No! And it's not just the points from this time that were reduced. If any more low-quality leeks break the rules in the future, the system will dock the noob host's points the same way.] [So the noob host must do everything possible to make sure this doesn't happen.]
The system's voice was full of disdain.
At that, Lin Feng's heart ached terribly!
If he'd known there'd be a points deduction, he would've made sure to intimidate Chrysanthemum Douluo right from the start.
Lin Feng wailed inwardly. It felt like he'd worked hard to save up ten thousand yuan, ready to go out and enjoy himself for once, only to lose nine thousand before he'd even started.
Anyone would be upset if that happened to them.
Perhaps sensing Lin Feng's despondency, the system considerately offered a few words of comfort.
[This incident may not be entirely a bad thing.] [Think about it, noob host. By intimidating this low-quality leek, you've made sure future leeks won't dare break the rules. You've solved the problem once and for all.]
Hearing the system put it that way made Lin Feng feel just a tiny bit better.
Even so, he'd decided that since he was in a bad mood, Chrysanthemum Douluo wasn't going to have a good night either!
Since most of his points had been deducted, he'd make that chrysanthemum taste the pain of losing something only to have it returned!
At the thought, a mischievous smile curled Lin Feng's lips.
He slowly raised his right hand and tapped the air with his index finger, his expression so impassive it was impossible to read.
"You're in luck. You've won the grand prize."
"The grand prize?!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes widened, and a flush instantly spread across his purplish, swollen face.
The grand prize!
Hu Liena and the others had only eaten a bowl of Clear Broth Noodles and still managed to increase their Soul Power. After spending more than sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins, how precious would his grand prize be?
"It's an Immortal Herb called the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum."
At the name, Chrysanthemum Douluo froze for a moment. Then his whole body went rigid.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?
Once he understood, Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes widened even further.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum! An Immortal Herb with the same origin as his Martial Soul!
To anyone else, it might have been just a precious medicinal herb. But to Chrysanthemum Douluo, it was a heaven-sent fortune, destined for him!
Could this Immortal Herb really be in the hands of this senior? Chrysanthemum Douluo stared fixedly at Lin Feng, his heart pounding.
"Senior, you mean...the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum? You have one?"
His voice trembled with disbelieving excitement.
It was an Immortal Herb, after all! He'd searched across the continent for years, yet never found a trace of it.
If he could truly obtain this herb, his strength would surely rise to a whole new level!
Lin Feng gave a casual nod. A flash of light appeared in his right hand, and a peculiar golden chrysanthemum materialized in his palm.
It looked exactly like the Martial Soul Chrysanthemum Douluo usually summoned. Wasn't this the very Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum he'd dreamed of obtaining?
"This...this really is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum!"
The moment he saw it, Chrysanthemum Douluo trembled with excitement.
His hands reached out of their own accord, wanting to touch the Immortal Herb he'd longed for.
Watching Chrysanthemum Douluo lose all composure left Hu Liena and the other two speechless with shock.
Usually, Chrysanthemum Douluo might have been flamboyant, but as a Titled Douluo, he still had an imposing presence.
Now, though, he was like a child who'd gotten his favorite toy. If his belly hadn't still been so full, he might have started dancing on the spot!
"Elder Ju, is that Immortal Herb very precious?" Yan asked softly.
"Precious?" Chrysanthemum Douluo answered Yan, but his feverish gaze remained glued to the herb in Lin Feng's hand.
"Yan, do you know what this means?"
"If I can refine this Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, not only will I break through the bottleneck that's held me back for years, but my Martial Soul will evolve as well!"
"Level ninety-six! Ninety-seven! I might even reach level ninety-nine!"
Hu Liena and the other two all sucked in a sharp breath.
Level ninety-nine!
They said that only the Grand Elder, Qian Daoliu, had reached that level in all of Spirit Hall!
But Lin Feng merely waved a hand, stopping Chrysanthemum Douluo's gesture.
What are you thanking me for? There's no way you're getting the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum today. If you do, I'll write my own name backward!
Then he controlled the herb, letting it slowly drift toward Chrysanthemum Douluo.
As the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum floated toward him, Chrysanthemum Douluo trembled from head to toe with excitement.
He carefully reached out both hands, afraid that a careless touch might damage the priceless treasure.
Closer, closer!
Chrysanthemum Douluo could even feel the gentle energy radiating from the herb.
But just as his fingertips were about to touch it, something unexpected happened!
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum suddenly seemed to be yanked away by some force. With a whoosh, it flew straight back into Lin Feng's hand!
"What?!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo stared at his empty hands, utterly dumbfounded.
"Senior, what...what's going on?"
His voice was unmistakably anxious and confused.
He'd just been told he'd won the grand prize. Why had Lin Feng taken the herb back in the blink of an eye?
He looked up to see Lin Feng leisurely turning the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum over in his hand.
"Senior! What are you..." Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice was on the verge of tears.
Lin Feng shot him a glance, a teasing smile curling his lips.
"You still have the nerve to ask?"
His voice was as languid as ever, but the mockery in it made Chrysanthemum Douluo's heart skip a beat.
"By the rules, since you ate here and entered the draw, this Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum should indeed have been your reward."
Hope rekindled in Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes.
But in the next second, Lin Feng changed tack.
"But!"
Those two words drenched Chrysanthemum Douluo in icy water.
"First, you tried to eat without paying. That already broke the most basic rule of my shop."
Lin Feng slowly ticked off Chrysanthemum Douluo's "offenses," the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum dancing between his fingers.
"Then, even though I warned you not to order too much in case you wasted food, you refused to listen."
"Finally, you did finish the food, but would you call that enjoying a meal?"
Lin Feng's gaze turned cold.
"That was a cow chewing a peony! A wanton waste of a precious delicacy!"
"What did you think the dishes I carefully prepared were? Pig slop?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo was left reeling. He opened his mouth to argue, only to realize he had nothing to say.
"So..." Lin Feng lifted the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum to his face and gave it a light sniff.
"I'm very dissatisfied with your performance."
"This reward is confiscated."
As he spoke, Lin Feng clenched his right hand, and the golden Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum vanished without a trace.