The moment Qin Jiuxiao heard this, he understood what the guy was up to.
But they had already planned to go to Shrek Academy, so getting a crystal for free was killing two birds with one stone.
Suddenly, Qin Jiuxiao sensed someone approaching.
He had meant to haggle a little longer, but immediately changed his tune and slung an arm around Flender's shoulder.
"Uncle Flender, you're absolutely right. We're family—no need to stand on ceremony."
"I'll take this crystal, and wherever you say we should go, we'll follow you."
Flender should have been happy to hear that, but something about it just didn't sit right with him.
It was the same feeling he got whenever he was about to lose money.
So he instinctively glanced at the crystal in Qin Jiuxiao's arms. Could it be something valuable?
No, impossible. He'd picked it up from a street stall on a whim. What could something that cost only a few Copper Soul Coins possibly be worth?
That thought comforted him somewhat.
The next moment, a figure appeared outside the shop.
"Qin Jiuxiao!!!"
"How is it you!!!"
When the figure saw who was inside the shop, he cried out in shock.
There was a trace of barely concealed fear in his voice.
Everyone turned to look.
Tang San was dressed in rags. His clothes and pants were riddled with holes, and he was filthy and disheveled. His already unimpressive frame had grown even thinner, and a sour smell wafted from him.
His eyes were sunken, and the dark circles beneath them stood out starkly.
Who knew how long it had been since he'd eaten his fill or gotten a good night's sleep?
"So it's you, Little Sanzi."
"It's only been two days. How'd you end up looking like a beggar?"
"I don't recall any beggars in Suotuo City under the Qin Family's rule."
The other girls took a couple of steps back in disgust, putting some distance between themselves and Tang San.
It wasn't just that they already had a bad impression of him. Tang San really did stink.
Tang San clenched his fists. Nothing was more humiliating than letting your enemy see you down on your luck.
And for the past few days, it was as if bad luck had been clinging to him.
He'd fallen into the river while fishing, run into a thief while collecting Gold Soul Coins, and even woken up one morning in the territory of a Joyous Ape.
He'd been so scared that he fled dozens of miles through the night, nearly running his legs off.
Qin Jiuxiao fanned the air in front of his nose, squeezed in beside Xiao Wu, and put an arm around her. After taking a couple of deep breaths, he looked satisfied.
"Xiao Wu's still so soft and sweet-smelling. I feel alive again."
At his words, Xiao Wu's cheeks flushed.
Seeing the Xiao Wu he'd thought of day and night give Qin Jiuxiao such a shy look made Tang San feel as if someone had torn his heart apart.
"Xiao Wu, how can you be so close to another man!"
"Don't you recognize me? I'm your dearest Third Brother!"
There was still a glimmer of hope in Tang San's heart. He hoped Qin Jiuxiao had deceived Xiao Wu and that she would come around.
But Tang Hao's attack that day had long since shattered the rose-colored image she'd had of Tang San and his father.
"Of course I recognize you—the Tang San who deceived me for all those years!"
"I'll never forget it, even when I'm dead!"
Xiao Wu gritted her teeth, her voice filled with murderous intent.
Tang San's heart ached terribly. He reached out toward Xiao Wu, as if he could bring her back just by stretching out his hand.
But Xiao Wu only took two steps back, looking at him with utter disgust.
"Young man, the smell coming off you is seriously hurting my shop's business."
"Based on today's sales, you owe me..."
Flender clapped a hand over his nose and rapidly worked his abacus, a shrewd merchant's gleam in his eyes.
"Two hundred Gold Soul Coins!"
"Because of you, my shop has lost two hundred Gold Soul Coins today. Are you paying right now, or in installments?"
Tang San's eyes widened. He looked down at his foot, which hadn't even crossed the shop's threshold, and felt cold with rage.
This was outrageous. He hadn't even stepped inside!
How could he owe two hundred Gold Soul Coins?
How could there be such a shameless merchant in the world?
Suppressing his anger, he said, "Boss, I haven't even entered your shop."
Flender pushed up his glasses, completely unruffled.
"Young man, you may not have come in, but your smell has!"
"Judging by how quickly the stench spreads, anyone within a hundred meters of my little shop counts as having entered it."
What kind of twisted logic was that? A hundred-meter auto-targeting system?
But soon, his gaze fell on the crystal in Qin Jiuxiao's hand.
Tang San's pupils contracted.
That was a Plate Crystal for making Dragon Whisker Needles—and the finest kind, a Hair Crystal.
With it, he could make the Dragon Whisker Needles, one of the Tang Sect Hidden Weapons, which could pierce even protective qi.
If he used it against Qin Jiuxiao...
Tang San's eyes lit up, but he quickly hid his smile.
"Boss, I want that crystal!"
He pointed at the crystal in Qin Jiuxiao's hand as he spoke to Flender.
Flender turned to look, but before he could say anything, Qin Jiuxiao laughed.
"Sorry, Little Sanzi. I already bought this crystal."
"You're too late."
Tang San's expression instantly darkened.
He'd used up all his steel needles, and if he wanted to deal with Qin Jiuxiao now, he needed to make stronger hidden weapons.
He absolutely couldn't let this Plate Crystal go.
"Qin Jiuxiao, you have no use for that thing. Why not give it to someone who can actually use it?"
He really felt as if Qin Jiuxiao were his nemesis.
Whenever he ran into him, everything went wrong.
"Why can't I take it home and use it to weigh down the toilet?"
"When I'm in a good mood, I'll even use Gold Soul Coins to prop up a table leg."
Qin Jiuxiao toyed with the crystal, looking at Tang San with a teasing grin.
But then his eyes shifted, and he came up with a new plan.
"Little Sanzi, don't say I never gave you a chance."
"Two thousand Gold Soul Coins, and I'll sell it to you."
"Or you could offer some martial arts manuals or something. I'm interested in those kinds of rare books too. If you have any, you can trade them."
Qin Jiuxiao wanted to see if he could get Tang San to hand over his Mysterious Heaven Skill and Tang Sect techniques.
If he could get them, he could let Zhu Zhuqing and the others learn them.
Tang San hesitated. He didn't have that many Gold Soul Coins right now, but he did have some Tang Sect techniques, along with a few copies he'd written out.
He wondered whether he should trade them.
Seeing that Tang San hadn't refused outright and was instead thinking it over, Flender understood.
"What? This worthless crystal is worth two thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
He clutched his chest and staggered back two steps, feeling as if the lump in his chest had stopped for a moment.
How long would it take him to earn two thousand Gold Soul Coins?
Flender looked up at Qin Jiuxiao. Seeing his faintly amused expression, he knew the little fox had fooled him.
"Damn, watching someone else make money hurts more than losing money."
"Especially when they're making it off me."
Tang San finally agreed.
"Fine. Leave it here for now, and I'll come back for it later."
"I have to go report to Shrek Academy first, so don't you dare lose it!"
Tang San ground his teeth.
At the mention of Shrek Academy, Flender shot to his feet.
He eyed Tang San with suspicion. The boy was a mess, but his 29th-level Soul Power was respectable.
Flender perked right up. His eyes shifted, and he broke into a wide grin.
"You all want to go to Shrek Academy? Well, what a coincidence!"
"I know people there. I can pull some strings for you and get you past the first few tests without taking them, straight to the final trial."
"All you have to do is pay twenty Gold Soul Coins each, and I'll take care of everything."
"Heh heh heh, how does that sound?"
Before you continue