Candied Hawthorn?

Two and a half months passed, and Feng Baiyu finally reached level fifteen.

Feng Baiyu had looked over the geniuses' cultivation progress chart. After reaching level ten, his progress had been no slower than Pope Bibi Dong's. But as his Soul Power gains began to slow, he still felt the pressure mounting.

Two months ago, his grandfather Feng Qingluan had finished his business at the Worship Hall and gone to the sea with Guangling Douluo to search for high-grade Whale Rubber.

Although Feng Baiyu no longer had his grandfather to spar with, his enthusiasm for cultivation hadn't waned.

As for the collateral relatives in his family, none of them dared come looking for trouble.

They knew perfectly well who was in charge at home, and they understood even better who was backing Feng Baiyu. On top of that, the young family head had extraordinary talent and was advancing through cultivation at breakneck speed. Anyone else who dared to kick up a fuss would truly be asking for death.

In the two and a half months since then, not a single member of the family had dared make a snide remark to Feng Baiyu.

Sure enough, only protagonists were oppressed at every turn, with even their relatives sneering at them. In the family of a "villain" like him, everyone always got along, loving one another like family.

Feng Baiyu finished his cultivation for the day, changed his clothes, and headed out of the family grounds.

Feng Baiyu didn't shut himself away at home to cultivate every single day. Every now and then, he went out for a change of scenery. Of course, someone always accompanied him when he left.

As soon as he reached the courtyard, Feng Baiyu called out, "Shui Guan, come take a stroll with me."

"All right, young master." Butler Shui answered with a helpless sigh, but still followed obediently.

Shui Duanliu was the steward of Feng Mansion. His Martial Soul was an Ice Blade, and he had the cultivation of a level seventy-nine Soul Saint.

He had once been a renowned figure in the soul world. More than ten years ago, while obtaining a Soul Ring, he had been harassed by another Soul Beast and happened to be rescued by Feng Baiyu's father.

From then on, Shui Duanliu had treated Feng Baiyu's father as his big brother. After Feng Baiyu's father passed away a few years ago, Butler Shui had willingly become Feng Baiyu's protector.

However, ever since Feng Baiyu learned to speak and found out that he was the family steward, he had started calling him "Shui Guan" to his face.

Calling Butler Shui "Shui Guan" was perfectly reasonable. It was just a pity about the imposing name he'd once had.

Of course, this was a small matter. Shui Duanliu wasn't about to hold a grudge against a child over it.

Feng Baiyu walked along, looking this way and that. He didn't have anywhere in particular in mind; he was just relaxing.

Before long, Feng Baiyu spotted a shop with a sign that read "Candied Hawthorn."

Without hesitation, he walked straight in. A woman in her early thirties greeted him, but there wasn't a single candied hawthorn in sight.

"You sell candied hawthorn here? But there's nothing here." Feng Baiyu asked her, "Did you sell out, or does your Soul Skill produce candied hawthorn?"

"Young Master, my Martial Soul is Candied Hawthorn." The shopkeeper chuckled. "I have two Soul Skills in all. The candied hawthorn they produce tastes good, and First Soul Skill: Strawberry Candied Hawthorn adds five percent to your attack power, while Second Soul Skill: Mandarin Orange Candied Hawthorn adds ten percent to your defense."

"Don't you have hawthorn candied hawthorn?" Feng Baiyu looked a little disappointed, but still said, "Give me one of each."

The shopkeeper didn't hesitate. She used her Soul Skills to produce two skewers of candied hawthorn, then smiled and said, "That'll be two Gold Soul Coins."

Shui Duanliu tossed down three gold coins and took the candied hawthorn from her. He had watched her make it the whole time and hadn't noticed anything wrong.

Feng Baiyu took a bite from each skewer and was surprised by how good they tasted.

As expected of candied hawthorn made by a Soul Skill—it tasted far better than the real thing sold on the street.

"Not bad." Feng Baiyu nodded and headed for the door with Shui Guan.

Just as Feng Baiyu stepped outside, a girl brushed past him. "Auntie Tang, I'm back again."

"Oh, Nana's here?" The shopkeeper saw the girl arrive and smiled. "Back to support my business again?"

"Hmm?"

Feng Baiyu had just walked out, but couldn't help turning to look at the girl.

"Has the young master taken a liking to her?" Shui Duanliu asked with a grin. "Want me to bring her home?"

"Shui Guan, do I look like some spoiled tyrant?" Feng Baiyu looked away and said, "Or do you think she's qualified to become the Feng family's young madam?"

After obtaining his First Soul Ring, Feng Baiyu's eye External Soul Bone had gained an auxiliary skill called Fire Phoenix True Sight.

It was a Soul Skill that let him inspect other people's information. His cultivation wasn't high enough to examine powerful experts, but he had still looked into the information of both the candied hawthorn seller and that girl.

When he was out and about, Feng Baiyu wouldn't dare eat anything without first checking it. The candied hawthorn in his hand had been made by an ordinary food-type Soul Skill. Its effect wasn't strong, but it tasted pretty good.

As for the girl who had just passed him, she was a little older than Feng Baiyu. He hadn't expected her to be Hu Liena, Pope Bibi Dong's disciple.

Hu Liena was about a year younger than Yan, but she already had level nineteen Soul Power. It wouldn't be long before she reached level twenty and obtained her Second Soul Ring.

By now, Bibi Dong should know that I have a way to increase the age of Soul Rings, right? Feng Baiyu thought. She'll probably come knocking soon.

At the very least, she would come to him when Hu Liena was about to obtain her Second Soul Ring.

Then he could extort... No, he could make a fair trade.

Grand Pontiff Qian Daoliu hadn't given him a seventy-thousand-year Spirit Bone because it was worth that much. Feng Qingluan had already done meritorious service for Spirit Hall, and the reward had been increased on top of that before they'd settled on the price.

But Feng Baiyu didn't care about any of that. If Bibi Dong didn't offer something worth enough, he wouldn't agree.

Feng Baiyu ate his candied hawthorn while calculating what else he could get in exchange for this information. He also kept an eye on his surroundings, looking for anything that might catch his eye.

Shui Duanliu followed silently behind Feng Baiyu, the very picture of a faithful steward.

Before long, Feng Baiyu arrived at a place called the Treasure Pavilion.

The Treasure Pavilion was one of the larger shops in Spirit City, and it carried no shortage of strange and unusual things. They said that from time to time, it even put thousand-year Spirit Bones up for sale.

Even so, despite being the sort of place where Spirit Bones were sold, no one would come here looking for trouble.

That was because two Peak Douluos stood behind it.

The Treasure Pavilion was the business of the two Offerings, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo. A powerful Soul Saint was stationed there on a regular basis.

Who in their right mind would pick a fight here?

As Feng Baiyu walked in, a sharp-eyed employee hurried over to greet him. "Young Master Feng, welcome."

Feng Baiyu was the Third Offering's only biological grandson. Among the younger generation in all of Spirit City, only one person outranked him: Qian Renxue, who was publicly said to have died but was actually working undercover.

Those with status and connections in their families had all committed his face to memory. They were afraid some young master might provoke him without thinking and bring trouble down on the whole family.

"I'm just here to have a look around." Feng Baiyu smiled and nodded. "See if anything catches my eye."