A Heartless Merchant Like Him Belonged on a Lamppost

"Right. Then it's settled. Press your thumbprint here."

As he spoke, a golden contract appeared before Yao Lao.

Yao Lao examined it with his Soul Power. Finding nothing suspicious, he pressed his thumbprint onto it.

Knock, knock, knock!

Urgent knocking suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention toward the courtyard gate.

Lu Chuan put away the golden contract and turned toward the gate.

"Xiao Yan, get the door."

"On it."

Xiao Yan hurried over and pulled the gate open. Xiao Zhan stood outside, his face grave.

Surprised, Xiao Yan asked, "Father? What brings you here?"

Seeing Xiao Yan at the door, Xiao Zhan relaxed slightly.

He glanced into the courtyard and asked in a low voice:

"Yan'er, why are you here? What caused that huge disturbance just now? Has some powerful expert come to the Xiao Family?"

Xiao Yan quickly waved a hand to reassure him. "Don't worry, Father. That was just a phenomenon caused by Xun'er awakening her Martial Soul."

"Martial Soul?"

Xiao Zhan frowned, baffled. In all his years, he had never heard of a Martial Soul.

Xiao Yan stood beside him and patiently explained everything from the beginning.

Xiao Zhan stared at him in disbelief. A merchant from another world? The Douluo Continent? Martial Souls?

His heart pounded as he listened to these unheard-of things.

Has Yan'er lost his mind after his cultivation went awry? Or has some villain deceived him and muddled his thoughts?!

His face darkened. "Yan'er, are you sure you aren't joking with your father?"

Seeing that his father did not believe him, Xiao Yan could only look helpless. More explanation would do no good.

With a thought and a wave of his hand, his Emberfire Martial Soul appeared in his palm. A scorching wave of heat washed over them.

"Look, Father. This is the Martial Soul I awakened. It's called Emberfire, and I can cultivate again!"

At the sight of Emberfire dancing in Xiao Yan's palm, Xiao Zhan froze.

He stared at the flame, his pupils contracting sharply. Every trace of doubt vanished from his face, replaced by shock and overwhelming joy.

Three whole years!

He had watched his son's cultivation decline day after day, watched him fall from genius to the laughingstock of the city and sink into misery. As his father, Xiao Zhan had suffered and seethed more than anyone, yet he could do nothing.

But now his son could cultivate again!

Xiao Zhan reached out cautiously toward the flame. He felt Dou Qi flowing from it and the searing heat against his hand. It was real—undeniably real.

The battle-hardened patriarch of Wutan City stood there with reddened eyes, his face alight with disbelief and excitement. Even his hands trembled.

"The heavens have shown mercy... The heavens have shown mercy! The Xiao Family's genius has returned!"

"Don't worry, Father. I'll become strong! I'll make everyone who looked down on me look up to me!"

Xiao Yan closed his hand, extinguishing the Emberfire in his palm. Resolve blazed in his eyes.

He remembered every humiliation of the past three years: the city's mockery, the contempt of his peers, the whispers behind his back. He had endured it all.

Above all, he remembered everything his father had borne in silence.

Though the clan elders had pressured Xiao Zhan time and again, he had gritted his teeth and ensured Xiao Yan had enough cultivation resources. He had protected his son against the pressure of the entire clan without a single word of complaint.

Today, Xiao Yan had regained his ability to cultivate and gained the Martial Soul cultivation system as another path forward.

All that restraint, all those grievances—they had been worth it!

Seeing the confidence and fierce determination he had never seen in his son's eyes before, Xiao Zhan's chest heaved and his eyes turned red.

He clapped Xiao Yan heavily on the shoulder. His hand still shook, and his voice was hoarse with emotion. "Good! Good! That's a son of the Xiao Family!"

Xiao Zhan drew a deep breath, suppressed his surging emotions, and strode into the courtyard.

With a solemn expression, he bowed deeply to Lu Chuan.

"Thank you for helping my son escape his suffering and find his path of cultivation again, sir! From this day forward, the entire Xiao Family stands ready to serve you."

Lu Chuan nodded slightly. With Yao Lao's help, the Xiao Family could be considered Wutan City's foremost clan.

With the Xiao Family established here, gathering resources and handling affairs in the future would be far easier.

Besides, the Xiao Family possessed quite a few local Dou Techniques. They might rank near the bottom on the Dou Qi Continent, but they covered a wide range.

On the Douluo Continent, each one could be treasured as a family heirloom. There was no reason to pass them up.

With that in mind, Lu Chuan looked at Xiao Zhan, who was still bowing before him, and spoke evenly:

"Patriarch Xiao, let's make a deal. I can help everyone in the Xiao Family awaken a Martial Soul.

"In return, you'll give me all the clan's Dou Techniques. One Yellow Rank Dou Technique will pay for one awakening; one Black Rank Dou Technique will pay for five."

Xiao Zhan jolted, his eyes widening in disbelief.

He had assumed Xun'er had paid an enormous price to help Yan'er awaken his Martial Soul.

He had never imagined the rest of the Xiao Family could awaken theirs for the price of a few Dou Techniques!

Yan'er had just told him how real the benefits of a Martial Soul were, and how much greater they would grow over time.

If every younger member of the Xiao Family awakened a Martial Soul, then within a few years, who in Wutan City—or even the Jia Ma Empire—could hold the Xiao Family back?

He suppressed his surging elation and hurriedly bowed with clasped hands.

"Thank you for your help, sir! I'll bring you every Dou Technique in the Dou Technique Pavilion. I only ask that you take the trouble to awaken the Martial Souls of my Xiao Family's children!"

"Mm. Sign the contract, then bring them over."

Without hesitation, Xiao Zhan pressed his broad, rough hand onto the contract.

"Sir, I'll return to make preparations and bring you all the Yellow Rank Dou Techniques from the Dou Technique Pavilion shortly.

"Yan'er, see to our guest properly. Don't neglect him!"

With that, he bowed respectfully, turned, and strode away.

In excellent spirits, Lu Chuan sat on a stone stool and reached for his tea.

Xiao Yan got there first and picked up the teapot to pour for him. Yao Lao, who had just floated out of the Naji, could only shake his head at the sight of Xiao Yan fawning over Lu Chuan.

Xun'er, who had heard Lu Chuan's terms for awakening the Xiao Family's Martial Souls, felt somewhat aggrieved. She could not help asking:

"Senior, why did it cost Cousin Xiao Yan only some Second-Rank Pills and Second-Rank Pill Recipes to awaken his, while the rest of the Xiao Family need only pay one Yellow Rank Dou Technique each?

"But for Xun'er, it was Heaven Rank and Earth Rank Cultivation Methods? Did Xun'er do something to upset you?"

Lu Chuan wagged his index finger as though the answer were obvious.

"No, no. It's simply because you're rich, and you really can give me the Cultivation Methods I asked for.

"If it were the Xiao Family, selling every last one of them wouldn't raise enough for even a Low Earth Rank Cultivation Method.

"As for Xiao Yan, I happened to need Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid."

Xun'er opened her mouth but could find no answer. She stood there, lips pressed together, silently fuming.

Senior Lu Chuan really is a heartless merchant. He doesn't even try to hide how he charges people according to what they can afford.

Besides, it's not Xun'er's fault she has money...