A Strange Shop and Its Owner

"My name is Tang San. My martial soul is Blue Silver Grass. This is my younger sister, Xiaowu. Her martial soul is the Soft Bone Rabbit." Tang San pulled Xiaowu, who wanted to rush forward, behind him and introduced them politely.

"Blue Silver Grass? If you're going to apply to Shrek Academy and could face that person head-on just now, then you must be a Soul Grandmaster?" Ning Rongrong looked Tang San over in surprise.

"Yes." Tang San nodded and smiled.

"Blue Silver Grass can be cultivated? And cultivated to the level of a Soul Grandmaster?" Ning Rongrong covered her little mouth in astonishment.

Tang San naturally repeated the Grandmaster's famous principle: "There are no useless martial souls, only useless Spirit Masters."

Upon hearing Tang San's words, the shop owner, who had been lying silently on his rocking chair, suddenly froze before resuming his rocking.

"Are you also applying to Shrek Academy?" Youquan asked.

"Yes, my teacher recommended that I go there," Tang San explained.

"There are no useless martial souls, only useless Spirit Masters?" Ning Rongrong repeated the words. They sounded rather nice, but something about them felt off. "I really am curious about what is special about your Blue Silver Grass."

Xiaoxiao looked at Tang San and Xiaowu with complicated emotions. These were the founder of the Tang Sect, Tang San, and Xiaowu, the ancestors who would lead Shrek to fame across the world. They would also become the future Sea God and Asura God.

After what had happened at the Rose Hotel, the filter of ten-thousand-year legends had faded away, leaving Xiaoxiao with complicated feelings whenever she looked at them.

"Hey, why do you keep staring at my brother?" Seeing Xiaoxiao staring at Tang San with such a complicated gaze, Xiaowu hurriedly stepped in front of Tang San and asked warily.

"It's nothing. I was just curious about his martial soul." Xiaoxiao turned back awkwardly and quickly explained.

Seeing this, Youquan stepped forward and shielded Youquan behind her. "She's only curious about how a Blue Silver Grass martial soul can be cultivated. She doesn't mean anything else. Let me introduce myself. My name is Youquan, and my martial soul is fire."

"My name is Ning Rongrong, and my martial soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda." Though Ning Rongrong was displeased by Xiaowu's attitude, she politely introduced herself as well after seeing Youquan take the initiative.

"Xiaoxiao. My martial soul is the Three-Life Soul Suppressing Cauldron," Xiaoxiao said indifferently.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?" Xiaowu and Tang San exclaimed in shock at the same time.

Tang San continued, "Is it the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? The martial soul known as the number one Support System martial soul in the world?"

Ning Rongrong nodded proudly.

"Since we're all going to apply to Shrek Academy, how about we travel together?" Tang San suggested again.

"In that case, let's meet at the entrance of the Rose Hotel early tomorrow morning," Youquan said.

"Alright." Tang San nodded, and both sides agreed on a time.

"Then please excuse us. We're going shopping too," Youquan said, taking the initiative to end the conversation.

"What's this?" Just as Youquan was about to leave, she suddenly noticed a blood-red crystal casually placed on the nearby counter.

Tang San followed Youquan's gaze and was equally shocked. The two acted at the same time.

Youquan tightly gripped the Blood Jade in her hand and released her Soul Force to examine it closely. She discovered that it truly was the Yellow Spring Blood Essence she needed. This treasure was even rarer than Blood Lotus Essence and was an essential ingredient for refining the advanced version of the advanced Blood Lotus Pill, the Blood Soul Pill.

Tang San, meanwhile, tightly grasped the Dark Yellow Crystal beside it. Only after seeing that Youquan was not interested in the Dark Yellow Crystal in his hand did he relax.

"Boss, how much is this?" Youquan politely asked, waving the Blood Essence in her hand at the man lying in the rocking chair.

"One hundred Gold Soul Coins." A lazy voice rang out.

"Little San, what are you taking that lousy crystal for? That crystal doesn't have even a trace of luster, and it doesn't even have a color attached to it. Amethyst is obviously the most valuable. Why are you buying this piece of junk?" Xiaowu asked excitedly.

Youquan paid no attention to Tang San and Xiaowu. She immediately took out a Purple Gold Card that Xue Qinghe had prepared for her from her Soul Tool. "Boss, charge the card."

Tang San nodded at Xiaowu, signaling for her not to ask yet, then asked the boss, "Boss, I'd like to buy this crystal. How much is it?"

"Where did you get that belt?" Instead of answering about the price, the boss asked about Tang San's belt.

"It was a gift from my teacher," Tang San answered.

"In that case, it's just a broken crystal. You can have it." The boss did not turn around, merely waving his hand.

"Boss, please charge the card." Seeing that the two were practically about to sit down and start chatting, Youquan impatiently tapped the counter with her card.

"I've changed my mind. That red jade costs two hundred Gold Soul Coins." The boss's indistinct voice spoke calmly.

Hearing the boss's words, Ning Rongrong and Xiaoxiao frowned at the same time, both becoming somewhat angry. Even Xiaoxiao, who had remained silent until now, said, "Boss, isn't it somewhat unethical for a merchant to raise the price on the spot?"

"If you're unhappy, you can leave," the boss said in his lazy voice.

"Youquan, do you have enough coins? I can lend you some," Tang San offered.

"No need." Youquan refused directly, raising her brows as she probed, "Are you sure it's two hundred Gold Soul Coins?"

The boss remained unmoved and continued lazily, "I've changed my mind again. Now it's five hundred Gold Soul Coins."

Youquan sneered. "You old fool with no respect for your age. If you want to stand up for your junior, then do it openly. I might even think a little more highly of you. Instead, you're targeting me in such a sneaky way. What a waste of my time."

Youquan put away her Purple Gold Card and turned to Ning Rongrong and Xiaoxiao. "Rongrong, Xiaoxiao, let's go. It's not as if I absolutely have to have this thing."

The signboard who had been lying on the reclining chair sat up from the rocking chair and stared darkly at Youquan's retreating back. "What do you mean by that? Stop right there!"

However, Youquan ignored him and walked straight out of the shop.

Tang San and Xiaowu exchanged glances, not understanding what Youquan meant, but Tang San vaguely felt that her words seemed to be related to him.

Tang San took out a bag of coins from the Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night at his waist and placed it on the counter. "Boss, this is one hundred Gold Soul Coins for the crystal. I cannot accept something I have not earned. Please take it."

After saying that, Tang San pulled Xiaowu away.

Only after everyone had left did the boss shake his head and mutter wistfully to himself, "His disciple actually came to Suotuo City. From what they said, he seems to be going to Shrek Academy as well. Grandmaster, Grandmaster, are you finally going to stop hiding from me this time?"

Then, thinking of Youquan, the boss furrowed his brows before revealing a strange smile. "It seems Shrek Academy has gained quite a few new little monsters today. It's just that those girls have personalities that are far too strange. It looks like they'll need some proper discipline. Even the young miss of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect must obediently listen in our academy."