Swindler, Do You Know What You're Saying?

The air froze.

Ning Rongrong's pupils contracted sharply.

"Swindler, do you know what you're saying?"

Ning Rongrong's voice was not loud, but every word seemed laced with shards of ice.

The gentle, dignified facade she had carefully maintained shattered completely the instant those words fell. In its place was a chilling coldness even she herself had not noticed.

Turning the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

To others, those seven words might have been nothing more than empty boasting. But to Ning Rongrong, they were her father Ning Fengzhi's lifelong obsession—the ultimate pursuit for which generations of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Masters had pressed onward for over a thousand years, unwavering even unto death. It was an obsession carved into her bones from the day she awakened innate rank-nine soul power at the age of six.

Something the entire sect had failed to achieve for a thousand years.

Yet this roadside fortune-teller had casually mentioned it in such an offhand tone.

As though he were merely saying the weather was nice today.

Ning Rongrong narrowed her eyes at Yang Xing. She always squinted when angry, but those eyes were still outrageously beautiful, like two crescent moons covered in frost.

Yang Xing silently gave himself a thumbs-up.

Beautiful. Really beautiful.

This adorably fierce look was far more pleasing to the eye than that fake gentle demeanor from earlier.

As expected of a beauty certified by the system. Even when she was angry, she was a delight to behold.

This disciple-taking business was a few steps closer to being secured.

But outwardly, he did not move in the slightest.

The palm-leaf fan in his hand continued to sway lazily. He still leaned against the back of his chair, his eyelids slightly raised, his gaze on Ning Rongrong carrying an almost indulgent calm.

"Of course I know what I'm saying."

His tone was certain. After a brief pause, he tilted his head toward Ning Rongrong with a faint, inscrutable smile.

"Or is it that Miss Ning Rongrong cannot understand what I am saying?"

Ning Rongrong's expression darkened further in that instant.

She did not speak immediately.

The air fell silent for three seconds.

Yang Xing keenly caught the dangerous signal in that silence. He knew Ning Rongrong was likely wavering between two options.

One, continue speaking with him.

Two, call the guards hidden nearby and have him dealt with directly.

He had to gamble that she would choose the first.

Take a gamble, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle.

Yang Xing maintained his outward composure, but inwardly he was taut as a bowstring. Fortunately, after acting for ten years, both his shamelessness and his acting skills had long surpassed human limits.

Ning Rongrong looked him over again and again.

Her gaze seemed to scrape across his face inch by inch, full of scrutiny and calculation.

In the end—

She spoke.

"Do you know what will happen if you use that to deceive me?"

Ning Rongrong's voice had regained its calm, but that calm was more chilling than anger.

"If you take back those words now, I'll assume you aren't in your right mind and won't hold it against you."

She paused.

"But if you insist on using this matter to deceive me—"

The young girl tilted her head and gave him a very sweet smile.

"I guarantee that throughout the Heaven Dou Empire, there will be no path for you to ascend to the heavens or descend into the earth."

After hearing that, Yang Xing hardened his heart.

He only had ten days left in this life. In ten days, he would either become a Titled Douluo, or the system would run away and send him back to continue being trash. Either way, it was a dead end. What did he have to fear from a threat?

So he laughed.

Not that unfathomable smile from before. He suddenly threw back his head and burst into loud laughter.

His laughter echoed before the stall, drawing sidelong glances from several passersby.

Ning Rongrong was bewildered by his sudden laughter, her delicate brows twisting into a tight knot.

Once Yang Xing had laughed enough, he lowered his head and looked at Ning Rongrong, his tone carrying both helplessness and amusement.

"Miss Ning Rongrong, have you misunderstood something?"

He waved a hand.

"I only mentioned that I know how to turn the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda as casual proof of my abilities."

He raised a finger and waved it before her.

"That is not included in the service covered by your one Gold Soul Coin."

Ning Rongrong froze.

Yang Xing continued in an airy tone, "Whether you care if it's true or false has nothing to do with me. Rest assured—"

He stood and began putting away the sign that read "Unerringly Omniscient."

"Either way, I won't tell you."

Ning Rongrong's expression changed instantly.

"You—"

The word "you" left her lips, but the rest caught in her throat.

Yang Xing gave her no chance to continue. He briskly began dismantling his stall as he spoke, "The service for one Gold Soul Coin has already been completed, Miss Ning. I have reached my quota of readings for the day, so I'm closing up."

He did not look back.

"Take care, Miss Ning."

Ning Rongrong stood where she was, her expression changing four times in three seconds.

Astonishment, anger, reluctance, hesitation.

She watched helplessly as Yang Xing, with his back to her, stuffed the things on the table into his bundle one by one.

Once Yang Xing had turned away, he deliberately slowed every movement to one-third its usual pace.

He folded the cloth leisurely and put away the brush leisurely.

A thin layer of sweat seeped into his palms.

He was gambling.

In his plan, the lowest-risk, highest-reward outcome was for Ning Rongrong to become interested in the matter and continue questioning him.

If Ning Rongrong turned and left now, he would certainly have another chance to hook her later, but there would be far too many variables.

At most, within a day or two, every word spoken here today would reach Ning Fengzhi's ears thousands of miles away.

By then, the ones coming for him might no longer be this cute yet fierce little girl, but Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, or even Ning Fengzhi himself.

Then he really would have to reincarnate and start over.

Call me back. Hurry.

Yang Xing silently urged.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three—

"Stop."

Ning Rongrong's voice came from behind him.

Something exploded in Yang Xing's heart—

It's secured!

But his physical reaction was flawless. His movement paused slightly, as though he were surprised, before he slowly turned around.

The right amount of confusion hung on his face.

"Hm? Does Miss Ning need something else?"

He blinked.

"Do you think my service just now was insufficient?"

Ning Rongrong looked at Yang Xing's expression, one that clearly knew exactly what was happening while pretending otherwise, and her teeth itched so badly she could have ground sparks from them.

She seriously suspected he was doing it on purpose.

But she endured it.

Because several scenes flashed uncontrollably through her mind...

That old farmer really had found the Gold Soul Coin. That old man's wife really was pregnant. This person really had rattled off all her information in one breath. He even knew the secret that she wanted to become an attack-type Soul Master, something she had never told outsiders.

What if...

What if it was true?

What if he really knew how to turn the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?

That "what if" was like a thorn lodged in her heart, impossible to pull out.

Ning Rongrong gritted her teeth.

Smack.

The little golden silk pouch was slapped onto the table for the second time.

"The method to turn the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda." She stared into Yang Xing's eyes. "How many Soul Coins?"

Yang Xing was already doing several somersaults of joy in his heart.

But his face revealed a troubled look.

He shook his head, his tone as breezy as ever, though carrying a trace of helplessness.

"Miss Ning, this question cannot be solved with Gold Soul Coins."