A Jade Attracts Trouble

"Hahaha! You, a piece of trash, can afford fifty Body Tempering Pills? Qin Hao, have you gone mad with delusions?"

"Exactly! You think Body Tempering Pills grow like cabbages?"

Chen Jiang and Chen Linshan froze for a moment, then clutched their stomachs and burst into wild laughter, as though they had heard the greatest joke in the world.

Many onlookers turned mocking gazes on Qin Hao.

A graceful young man strolled over. His features bore some resemblance to Liu Ruoxue's. With a faint smile, he said, "Qin Hao, I know finding out you have a grade-one Martial Soul hit you hard. But if you must dream, do it at night. Spouting dream-talk in broad daylight has disgraced the entire Qin family."

"If you can afford fifty Body Tempering Pills, I'll write my name backward!"

Qin Hao glanced at the young man, a chill flashing through his eyes.

The young man was Liu Ruojie, Liu Ruoxue's younger brother.

Several Liu disciples stood behind Liu Ruojie, all watching Qin Hao with mocking expressions.

"Is that so? Then remember to write your name backward from now on."

Qin Hao took out ten banknotes, each worth ten thousand taels, and laid them casually on the counter.

Liu Ruojie's face darkened at Qin Hao's words. Then he saw the ten banknotes, and his eyes went wide.

"What? A hundred thousand taels in banknotes!"

"Hiss! That trash Qin Hao actually has a hundred thousand taels!"

"Body Tempering Pills cost two thousand taels each. Fifty pills come to exactly a hundred thousand! That piece of trash really can afford them!"

Gasps swept through the hall.

Shock filled everyone's faces, but the next moment, greed crept into their eyes.

Chen Jiang and Chen Linshan stared with bulging eyes and quickened breaths, wishing they could snatch the ten banknotes from Qin Hao's hands then and there.

Their monthly allowances amounted to only a few dozen taels, or a hundred at most.

Who knew how many years it would take them to save a hundred thousand?

"Impossible! Qin Hao, you're trash with a grade-one Martial Soul. The Qin family would never give you that much silver to buy pills. You must have stolen it. Yes, you definitely stole it!" Liu Ruojie's cheek twitched as though someone had slapped him hard.

Qin Hao shot Liu Ruojie a cold smile and could not be bothered with him. Instead, he set the bundle he was carrying on the counter. "Convert these into Body Tempering Pills for me too."

The bundle contained Monster Materials.

Many martial artists went into the Ink Forest Mountains to hunt monsters for their materials, which they sold for pills to aid their cultivation.

Qin Hao could not be sure fifty Body Tempering Pills would be enough to advance his Martial Soul to grade three. To be safe, he decided to sell the Monster Materials as well.

The young saleswoman paused. "Certainly, sir. Please wait a moment."

A short while later, she hurried back with a wooden box, excitement written all over her face. Her commission on such a large sale would be considerable.

"Sir, there are fifty-eight Body Tempering Pills in total."

"Your materials are worth five Body Tempering Pills. Together with the fifty you're purchasing, that makes fifty-five."

The young woman continued, "Because this is such a large transaction, the Treasure Pavilion is giving you three extra Body Tempering Pills. May you win your first match in the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament and fight your way to first place!"

Another wave of gasps swept through the hall.

Not only Chen Jiang and Chen Shanlin's group, but even many high-level Body Tempering Realm martial artists who had come to trade made no effort to hide their greed.

"Thank you for the good wishes." Qin Hao smiled.

"Take care, sir," the young woman said sweetly, bowing.

Qin Hao nodded, picked up the wooden box, and headed out of the Treasure Pavilion.

Swish...

Every gaze followed Qin Hao's steps.

"Where did that piece of trash get so much money to buy Body Tempering Pills?"

"My monthly allowance is less than a hundred taels. Even if I scrimped and saved for a whole year, I couldn't buy one Body Tempering Pill. Qin Hao, that garbage, just bought fifty-eight at once."

Bitterness dripped from Chen Jiang and Chen Shanlin's voices. The two exchanged a glance, and ruthlessness flashed in their eyes.

No sooner had Qin Hao left the Treasure Pavilion's first floor than Chen Jiang, Chen Shanlin, and the others followed him out.

The Treasure Pavilion wielded immense power and protected its customers well. They dared not make a move inside, but once Qin Hao was outside, the Treasure Pavilion would not interfere.

"Qin Hao, you piece of trash, stop right there!"

Qin Hao had just stepped out of the Treasure Pavilion when a furious shout rang out. Chen Jiang was already yelling before he had even made it through the door.

Chen Jiang, Chen Shanlin, Liu Ruojie, and several Liu disciples rushed out and swiftly surrounded Qin Hao from every direction.

Qin Hao looked at them with a half smile. "What's this? Are you planning to rob me in broad daylight?"

"Pah! Trash, with your measly grade-one Martial Soul, you'll never enter the Myriad Phenomena Hall, no matter how many Body Tempering Pills you take!"

Chen Jiang glared at him viciously. "You'd be better off giving us those fifty-eight pills. Once I enter the Myriad Phenomena Hall, I might even toss you a few spoiled pills as a reward!"

Chen Shanlin barked, "Hand over the pills, now!"

"Chen Jiang, Chen Linshan, both of you shut up! Those pills belong to me, Liu Ruojie. Qin Hao, you had the gall to injure Liu Feng, a disciple of the Liu family. Give me those fifty-eight Body Tempering Pills, and I'll spare your life!"

With several Liu disciples at his back, Liu Ruojie threatened him in an icy voice. "Otherwise, when Liu Kuang emerges from seclusion, he'll make you wish you could live and beg to die!"

Chen Jiang flew into a rage. "Liu Ruojie, are you determined to go against me?"

Liu Ruojie sneered. "And if I am?"

"Fine! Liu Ruojie, I'll remember what happened today!"

Chen Jiang turned on Qin Hao. "Give me the pills, and I'll keep you safe. Forget Liu Ruojie—even if Liu Kuang came, he wouldn't be able to hurt you!"

Qin Hao laughed. The two of them traded threats as though he was bound to hand over his Body Tempering Pills. He smiled faintly. "Are you really so sure you can take them from me?"

"You ungrateful piece of trash! You're asking for a beating!"

Afraid Liu Ruojie would make the first move and seize the pills, Chen Jiang drove a fist straight at Qin Hao's face without hesitation.

By then, the street was packed three layers deep inside and out. Many passing martial artists watched the scene and shook their heads, though jealousy and greed gleamed in their eyes.

"Possessing treasure invites disaster! Qin Hao, that piece of trash, really bought fifty-eight Body Tempering Pills and made such a show of it. If they don't rob him, who would they rob?"

"Qin Hao's in for it now. With Chen Jiang and Liu Ruojie blocking his way, he'll lose a layer of skin even if he survives!"

The crowd was still talking when Qin Hao threw a punch of his own, meeting Chen Jiang's fist head-on.

Crack!

At the sharp sound, Chen Jiang's savage expression drained to a deathly pallor, then twisted in agony.

"Ah! My hand! My hand's broken!" Chen Jiang howled.

Before Chen Jiang could cry out again, Qin Hao kicked him to the ground and planted a foot on his chest. Looking down at him, Qin Hao sneered. "I've never understood who gave you the nerve to rob me. Well? Do you still want my Body Tempering Pills?"