The Price of an Exchange, and Dai Mubai Came Following the Scent

Zhao Linchuan picked up a shrimp, chewed it slowly, swallowed, then took another sip of soup and unhurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth.

He set down his napkin, looked at Zhu Zhuqing, and said calmly:

"Though this may not sound pleasant, you do not have anything of equal value to offer in exchange."

"Some things are too precious. So precious that even if you gave everything you had, you still could not obtain them."

"Besides, even if I were willing to trade, what do you have that you could possibly offer?"

At those words, Zhu Zhuqing's gaze immediately dimmed.

Yes...

Other than some Gold Soul Coins in her Soul Tool and her own life, she truly had nothing left.

No family, no background, no patron, no capital great enough to move him.

She was merely an abandoned daughter who had fled her family, with the Star Luo Empire's endless pursuit order behind her.

"Zhuqing was presumptuous..."

Zhu Zhuqing said softly, her eyes lowering as her eyelashes trembled slightly.

Just as she was about to let the matter go, pick up her bowl and chopsticks, and pretend nothing had happened—

"How about this? I have a proposal." Zhao Linchuan slowly added, "Sell yourself to me."

"Offer everything you have—your body, your soul, your past, your future—all of it to me."

"In return, I will give you the power to break free from your shackles."

As his words fell, five Soul Rings—yellow, purple, black, black, black—slowly emerged around Zhao Linchuan.

They rotated quietly, releasing no aura whatsoever.

Yet their colors and arrangement alone were enough to leave any Soul Master who understood the Soul Ring system utterly dumbfounded. Hundred-year, thousand-year! Ten-thousand-year! Ten-thousand-year! Ten-thousand-year!

Although Zhao Linchuan had restrained himself as much as possible, the faint trace of Soul Power that leaked out still made Zhu Zhuqing's face turn pale, multiplying the pressure upon her.

It felt as though an invisible giant hand had pressed down from above, weighing heavily on her shoulders, tightening her breathing, even slowing her heartbeat by half a beat.

It was not as if she had never seen powerful experts before. The Star Luo Empire had no shortage of high-level Soul Masters—Soul Emperors, Soul Sages, Soul Douluos. She had seen them all.

But she had never felt such suffocating oppression from someone her own age.

"A th-thousand-year second ring... a t-ten... ten-thousand-year third ring!"

Zhu Zhuqing stammered, staring at the sight before her in disbelief.

"H-how was this achieved...?"

The light of those five Soul Rings reflected in her pupils, as if tearing a crack through her understanding of the world.

"Eat first."

With a thought from Zhao Linchuan, the five Soul Rings vanished instantly.

"I'll give you time to think it over. Once you have thought it through, come give me your answer."

After saying that, Zhao Linchuan lowered his head and resumed eating.

Xiao Wu glanced at Zhao Linchuan, then at Zhu Zhuqing. Her mouth opened and closed, but in the end, she said nothing. She picked up her chopsticks as well and quietly began to eat.

Zhu Zhuqing sat where she was without moving.

Her gaze rested on the bowl of lotus root soup on the table, which had already grown somewhat cold. The fine sheen of oil on the surface reflected in her eyes, yet she saw none of it.

The only thing turning over and over in her mind was the color of those five Soul Rings.

Yellow, purple, black, black, black. Was she really not dreaming?

Afternoon.

Outside Suotuo City, the blazing sun scorched the earth.

Though it was already late August, Suotuo City remained unbearably hot. Even the cicadas chirped listlessly, each call dragging longer than the last.

The small woods outside the city were somewhat cooler.

Beside a stream, beneath an ancient tree thick with lush branches and leaves.

In his right palm, Zhao Linchuan held the low-quality crystal he had bought that morning.

"Watch carefully."

As his words fell, a bluish-green Soul light surged from his palm, like a clear spring bubbling from its source, wrapping around his entire hand and the crystal within it.

Then, he secretly exerted force with his palm. A faint, crisp crack sounded.

The Crystal Plate instantly shattered into powder, sifting down through the gaps between his fingers.

The slender needle-like objects originally contained inside the Crystal Plate fell free the instant it broke apart. One by one, they curled up, forming tiny golden beads.

Zhao Linchuan raised his hand and blew away the powder in his palm. The golden beads remained behind, glinting with fine golden light beneath the sun like crushed gold.

He pinched one of them between his fingers, held it up before Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, and explained:

"This is called a Dragon Whisker Needle. Once Soul Power is injected into it, it becomes as thin as a strand of hair, yet incomparably hard. It can pierce through most protective Soul Power."

"It poses an immense threat to Soul Masters who rely on defensive Soul Skills."

"Normally, even a Soul Sage, if caught off guard..."

Before he could finish, another voice interrupted him.

"Say, friend—"

Zhao Linchuan and the other two turned toward the sound, only to see a blond young man walking down a narrow forest path, an alluring young woman tucked beneath his arm.

The woman wore heavy makeup and a low-cut red short dress. Its neckline plunged so deeply that it revealed a large expanse of her chest and fair shoulders. Her entire body was nearly draped over Dai Mubai.

Dai Mubai strode closer. His gaze swept over Zhao Linchuan once, then stuck to Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, unable to move away again.

His eyes roamed greedily over the two girls, first lingering for a long time on Xiao Wu's long, straight legs.

Those legs glowed white beneath the sunlight, their lines taut and smooth like two freshly peeled bamboo shoots.

Then his gaze traveled upward, passing over Xiao Wu's slender waist before finally settling on the two magnificent peaks before Zhu Zhuqing's chest. His pupils widened slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

He had originally come to this little forest for some wild fun. He had grown tired of playing around in Suotuo City lately and wanted a change of scenery, a different taste.

But who would have thought he would run into two such beauties?

One was pure and lively, the other cold and voluptuous. Standing together, they were practically a two-person feast Heaven had prepared specifically for him!

He extended a hand, plastered what he believed was a charming smile onto his face, and said brightly:

"Friend, my name is Dai Mubai. I handle all matters, and people call me Young Master Dai. I am a three-ring food-type Soul Elder."

"What do you say? Shall we be friends?"

Dai Mubai's words were rather interesting. He had especially emphasized that he was a "three-ring food-type Soul Elder," as if afraid others would not know just how high his talent was and how strong he was.

Still, reaching level thirty-four at his age did indeed make him a genius—at least, that was what he believed.

"I don't want to be friends with a coward."

Zhao Linchuan said coldly, not even sparing Dai Mubai a glance.

"Who are you calling a coward?!"