Conflict Over the Pills

Suotuo City!

"About ten days remained before Shrek Academy began admissions. According to the original story, Shrek Academy was dirt poor."

"I'd better buy some pills for cultivation myself! Luckily, the dean was generous and gave me twenty Spirit-Gathering Pills and fifty thousand Gold Coins. Otherwise, I'd be so broke my pockets would rattle!"

"I'll check the price of Spirit-Gathering Pills. If they cost more than the system's, I'll buy them from the system!"

The thought of the system made Yang Que grit his teeth. Its pills were absurdly expensive. A single low-grade Yellow Tier Spirit-Gathering Pill cost ten Gold Soul Coins—equivalent to a thousand Gold Coins! It was highway robbery, and the system even had the nerve to claim, "System-made products are guaranteed to be premium!"

Yang Que could not even be bothered to complain.

It was his first time in Suoer City. After wandering around and asking for directions, he finally reached a trading house called the Myriad Treasures Tower.

At the entrance, Yang Que saw two guards. He sensed their Soul Power fluctuations and was stunned. Two Soul Elders working as doormen? The tower's strength and resources were frightening!

Most shops and trading houses employed either ordinary people without Soul Power or Soul Masters at best. Yet the Myriad Treasures Tower had two Soul Elders guarding its doors. It was clearly no ordinary establishment!

Yang Que stepped forward to enter.

"Stop! Show your Gold Coin card!" one guard barked.

Yang Que blinked. "Gold Coin card?"

"That's right! Judging by the look of you, this must be your first time in a big city?" The guard looked him up and down.

Yang Que smiled. "Yes. I came to apply to the Intermediate Soul Master Academy."

"Oh?" The guard's eyes darted. Anyone qualified to apply there was a promising talent. I can't offend a genius and lose this job!

Hearing that Yang Que was applying to the Intermediate Soul Master Academy, the guard's expression changed at once. He greeted him with a smile. "You see, young friend, the Myriad Treasures Tower has a rule: we only serve customers carrying at least ten thousand Gold Coins!"

"Oh? You have a rule like that? Isn't the tower's owner afraid of losing a lot of business?" Yang Que asked curiously.

"The Myriad Treasures Tower is the largest trading house in Suoer City. We wouldn't have this rule if it cost us business! Our customers are all wealthy or influential. Poor people aren't qualified to enter," the guard explained patiently.

"Oh! Interesting!" Yang Que smiled.

With a thought, a small pouch of Gold Soul Coins appeared in Yang Que's hand.

"Take a look." Yang Que casually tossed it to the guard.

The guard checked its contents.

"Heh, then I hope you enjoy shopping here, young friend!" The guard tossed the pouch back and cupped his hands.

Once inside the Myriad Treasures Tower, Yang Que was stunned again. Its furnishings were lavish! The entire ground-floor hall gleamed with gold and splendor, and the tower stood nine stories tall. Who knew how much it had cost to build?

"Having money really is nice," Yang Que murmured.

Yang Que walked up to a counter.

A female attendant approached. She had a graceful figure and a fair, oval face.

"Honored customer, what would you like to buy?" she asked with a slight bow and a warm smile.

That alone showed that the Myriad Treasures Tower lived up to its reputation. Even its attendants were exceptionally well trained.

Yang Que smiled. "What's your name?"

"You can call me Xiao Xue, sir," she replied.

"All right, Xiao Xue. Tell me the prices of Yellow Tier and Black Tier Spirit-Gathering Pills," Yang Que said.

"Certainly, sir! A low-grade Yellow Tier Spirit-Gathering Pill costs eight hundred Gold Coins, a mid-grade one costs two thousand, and a high-grade one costs five thousand!"

"A low-grade Black Tier pill costs eight thousand Gold Coins, a mid-grade one costs twenty thousand, and a high-grade one costs fifty thousand," Xiao Xue replied with a smile.

Whoa. All my Gold Coins would only buy one high-grade Black Tier Spirit-Gathering Pill? That's brutal! Still, it's cheaper than the system. That system really is a bottomless pit!

"All right, Xiao Xue. Get me eight high-grade Yellow Tier Spirit-Gathering Pills." Yang Que tossed her a pouch containing forty thousand Gold Coins.

"Certainly, sir! I'll prepare them now. Please wait a moment!" Xiao Xue happily took the money and hurried behind the counter. Forty thousand Gold Coins was no small sum. She would earn a commission of forty Gold Coins from this sale alone. For an ordinary family, one Gold Coin was enough to live on for a month!

"Your pills, sir!" Xiao Xue handed them over.

Yang Que smiled, nodded, and took the pills. He was about to leave when—

An unwelcome voice rang out.

"Kid, I saw you buy eight high-grade Yellow Tier Spirit-Gathering Pills. Why not offer them to me? I'll make sure you can swagger through Suoer City however you like!" A heavily bearded, middle-aged man strode toward Yang Que.

"It's Wang Dahu, captain of the Black Tiger Mercenary Group, again! He's bullied men and women in this city for years, and his mercenaries do nothing but murder, loot, and pillage. Now he's picking on this young fellow!"

"Tell me about it. But he has powerful connections, and he's a Soul Ancestor. Who'd dare touch him?"

"I hear his older brother is a steward at the City Lord's Mansion! Looks like the young fellow will have to pay to avoid trouble. What a shame."

Hearing the whispers around him, Wang Dahu felt no shame. If anything, he seemed to enjoy them.

He looked smugly at Yang Que. "Well, kid? You heard them. A Soul Saint holds down the City Lord's Mansion, you know. With me protecting you, you can pretty much do as you please in Suoer City!"

Yang Que gave him the look one might give a child who knew no better, then slowly said two words: "You idiot."

Everyone froze.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"Some people really are asking for it. I called you an idiot. Didn't you understand?"

There was no mistaking it now. Attendants and customers alike stared at Yang Que as though he were a dead man.

"That kid's finished! Offending Wang Dahu in Suoer City is a terrible idea!"

"Exactly. Wang Dahu is notoriously petty!"

"Fine, fine! Kid, you'd better never leave the Myriad Treasures Tower. Once you come out, I'll make you regret being born!" Wang Dahu glared at Yang Que viciously.

"Heh. Moron." Yang Que smiled with contempt.

"Kid, I'll be waiting outside!" Wang Dahu was so furious that veins bulged on his forehead.

After Wang Dahu left, Xiao Xue approached Yang Que. "Sir, Wang Dahu is dangerous. Please leave through our back door!"

Yang Que looked at her in surprise. Everyone else avoided him like a tiger and stared at him as though he were already dead. Xiao Xue alone had come to warn him.

"Oh? The Myriad Treasures Tower has a back door customers can use? Letting someone through it can't be easy for you."

"That's right! Each attendant at the Myriad Treasures Tower gets one chance a year to let a customer leave through the back door. You're a valued customer. I can't let anything happen to you!" Xiao Xue said sincerely.

"Heh, there's no need! A mere Wang Dahu isn't enough to frighten me!" Yang Que said with a smile.

"Oh, Xiao Xue, why waste your one chance on someone so arrogant?" A beautiful, mature woman walked over and spoke to her.

"Sister Qin, it's fine. This customer spent forty thousand Gold Soul Coins with me!" Xiao Xue replied.

"Just forty thousand Gold Soul Coins, and you're willing to do this for him? Use that chance wisely, and you might never have to worry about food or shelter again!" Sister Qin said, disappointed in her judgment.

"Oh, Sister Qin, I've made up my mind!" Xiao Xue said with a pout.

"That won't be necessary, Miss Xiao Xue. As I said, Wang Dahu is nothing to worry about," Yang Que said.

"But..." Xiao Xue looked worried.

"No buts. Let him go out the front door! Then you won't waste your chance. Perhaps this gentleman is very strong, hmm?" Sister Qin added.

Yang Que smiled and paid them no more mind. He headed for the exit.

Outside, Yang Que saw a crowd gathered in front of the Myriad Treasures Tower.

"Well, well, kid! I thought you wouldn't dare come out! Get on your knees, knock your head against the ground a few times, and hand over those pills. Then I'll let bygones be bygones!" Wang Dahu declared with his nose in the air.

"Heh. You think you can make me?" Yang Que replied, utterly unconcerned.

"Hmph. If you won't drink the toast, you'll drink the penalty wine. Don't blame me for what happens next!" Wang Dahu released his Martial Soul.

It was a toad! Four Soul Rings slowly rose beneath his feet: white, yellow, yellow, and purple.

Watching Wang Dahu release his Martial Soul, Yang Que slowly shook his head. That's it? And he thought he could come looking for trouble with me? He must be tired of living!

Wang Dahu charged, activating his first Soul Skill: Water Frog Devour!

Before he could unleash it, a deathly pale sword flash swept across his arm.

Thud!

A hand fell to the floor.

"Aaagh! You cut off my arm! You're finished! You're finished!" Wang Dahu clutched his right shoulder and rolled on the ground, howling in pain.

"Heh. That was your first warning. Come after me again, and my next stroke will take your head!" Yang Que planted a foot on him and looked down.

"Did you hear me?" With those words, Yang Que unleashed his Blood Fiend Aura.

Wang Dahu was instantly cowed. "Y-yes, sir! I was wrong! I won't dare do it again, sir!"

"Heh." Yang Que removed his foot and left calmly, disappearing down the street.

"What a strong young man! Wang Dahu kicked an iron plate this time!"

"He's so strong. Could he be here to apply to the Intermediate Soul Master Academy?"

"Maybe! Wang Dahu has lost face completely this time..."

The whispers around him made Wang Dachui's face flush red. "Damn that brat! If I find out who he is, I'll have my brother slaughter his whole family!"

After leaving, Yang Que arrived at a hotel.

The Rose Hotel!

"Oh? I ended up at this hotel. If I remember right, this is where Tang San and Dai Mubai clashed in the original story. Given the timing, it probably hasn't happened yet!"

"That guy is also my Zhu Zhuqing's fiancé, it seems. I'll teach him a lesson first, then let the original story play out!" Yang Que rubbed his chin, grinning wickedly.

He entered the Rose Hotel and booked a top-tier White Rose room.

Now all he had to do was wait for the story to unfold...