Nothing to Do? Keep Me Company for a Chat~

Thousand-Year Whale Glue.

Jiang Nannan's thoughts were interrupted by Jiang Hao's voice.

The shop had Thousand-Year Whale Glue, but it was expensive. Each high-quality piece cost between 50,000 and 100,000 Gold Soul Coins, while larger pieces cost more than 100,000. If this sale went through, she would earn at least 5,000 Gold Soul Coins in commission—three months' wages at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

"Please wait a moment. I'll take you there." A rare smile appeared on Jiang Nannan's face.

In the days since she had started at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, she had earned little commission. Aside from cleaning, she mostly served customers the other sales assistants wouldn't bother with.

After nearly half a month, she had made less than 20 Gold Soul Coins in commission. But if this sale went through, she would earn more than she had in all those days combined.

As she spoke, Jiang Nannan stepped ahead and led Jiang Hao deeper into the shop.

There, pieces of Whale Rubber sat on separate displays, each marked with a price. They were pale gold too, but murkier than the ones at the front. Some even showed threads of gold running through them.

These pieces were far better than the thin, watery-looking ones up front.

"This one's good. Fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins." Jiang Hao crouched before the counter and studied a piece of Whale Rubber about the size of two fists pressed together. Golden veins filled its interior.

Ever since he had entered the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, a faint golden light had flickered in his eyes.

It was Owl Beans's Soul Skill, "Weakness Analysis." It was also a great help in judging the value of items.

This piece held ten percent more energy than the other pieces of Whale Rubber at the same price.

It wasn't much, but it meant he could get something better for the same money.

"This one's good. Wrap it up for me." Jiang Hao tapped the glass counter, stood, and moved on to the next piece.

Jiang Nannan immediately called over the attendant in charge of the display to take the piece away for packing. Delighted, she trotted after Jiang Hao.

As he sifted through piece after piece of Whale Rubber with his eyes, Jiang Hao did the sums in his head. I'll use one Ten-Thousand-Year piece myself. For the Martial Souls I need to develop first, Flame Bro needs one, and I should get Banner Bro two good pieces. The other Soul Masters don't need any for now. I can buy more once I've talked to Tower Bro and Ice Sword Bro and gotten the money.

With his mind made up, Jiang Hao picked out two more pieces at around 60,000 Gold Soul Coins each. Both were among the best in their price range.

Behind him, Jiang Nannan's excitement reached a fever pitch. She was almost panting. Sixty-five thousand, sixty-eight thousand... That's about a hundred and thirty thousand. Add fifty thousand and it's a hundred and eighty thousand! Eighteen thousand in commission! She would have to work at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion for more than a year to earn that much.

The way she looked at Jiang Hao changed. He was young and talented, yet still worked hard at cultivation. Even with money to spend, he didn't waste it; he put it all into cultivation materials. People like that were rare. In all her time working here, she hadn't met another.

Meanwhile, the sales assistants across the shop were gnashing their teeth with envy.

"Jiaojiao, with that much Whale Rubber, her commission must be astronomical."

"Hmph. Just wait. One look at that pauper tells me he doesn't have that kind of money. Let's see what they do then. Make sure you mock her good and hard. That'll teach her to let those dubious customers in here to cause trouble." Annoyance flashed across Jiaojiao's face, but there was even more gloating contempt in her eyes.

If he had gone straight for the Whale Rubber and bought one Hundred-Year piece, she might have believed it. But three or four pieces of Thousand-Year Whale Glue at once? She couldn't believe the boy had that kind of money. She knew Whale Rubber sales better than anyone. Even the wealthy old merchants in Shrek only bought pieces aged a few hundred to around a thousand years, never spending more than 30,000 Gold Soul Coins. And they wouldn't be back for another ten days or half a month. Let's see how they get out of this.

On the other side, Jiang Hao scanned every counter. At last, he found what he had come for in an inconspicuous corner: a grayish-brown piece of Whale Rubber the size of a soccer ball.

Golden light flickered in Jiang Hao's eyes as he examined it closely. Yet even with his Martial Soul's ability, all he could make out was a blackened shell of rubber with nothing inside.

Still, Jiang Hao was certain this was the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue whose surface had weathered away.

After all, there couldn't be a second one just like it. If it was here, this had to be the piece.

And it was only natural that he couldn't see through it. Back then, it had taken the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's sensitivity to energy to discover its secret. Jiang Hao didn't think he could match the perception of a million-year Soul Beast of the Mental Attribute.

Perhaps that was why the Whale Rubber had sat here all this time without some great expert taking it away.

Those capable of recognizing it would never come across it, while those who did lacked the ability to see what it was. What a shame. No wonder Huo Yuhao got to pick up this little "cheat." This time, though, the treasure is mine.

Jiang Hao pointed at the blackened piece of Whale Rubber and asked Jiang Nannan, "Why isn't this one marked with a price? How much is it?"

Hearing him call her, Jiang Nannan came over. A faint, sweet fragrance drifted past Jiang Hao's nose. She seemed much less conscious of the distance between them now and stood very close, perhaps without noticing how intimate it felt.

Glancing at the Whale Rubber on the display, Jiang Nannan said, "The Treasure Appraisal Grandmaster who was here before told me this piece has weathered away. It has no medicinal effect left.

"Even if you melted it down again, it probably wouldn't do anything for cultivation.

"That's why no one has bought it, and it's been sitting here ever since. If you're buying Whale Rubber for cultivation, the pieces you picked earlier are all excellent. This one won't help you, so I'd advise you not to bother with it."

Jiang Nannan gave him an honest answer.

No medicinal effect? Not a chance. There's Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue inside. They just don't know what they're looking at. Jiang Hao asked, "Then how much are you selling it for?"

"Ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, and it's yours."

Before Jiang Nannan could answer, a familiar voice came from the second floor.

Jiang Hao looked up sharply. Through the scattered sunlight, an old woman in green descended the stairs, leaning on a cane. She smiled at him. "Here to buy Whale Rubber? Is it for cultivation, or something else? Young people should learn moderation. Don't eat too much of it."

Lin Huiqun looked Jiang Hao up and down. In her eyes, a Body Martial Soul with full innate Soul Power was well worth nurturing.

A worthless piece of Whale Rubber—discarded stock, no less—was perfect for winning him over.

She might have gone a little too far before, but he was still young. There was plenty of time to win him over. What schemes could a child his age have? Give him something, and he would take your side.

"Well, if it isn't Elder Lin. I'm surprised to see you here!" Jiang Hao greeted her politely.

Lin Huiqun came down and tapped her cane against the floor. "Is there anything else you want to buy? If not, come sit with this old woman for a while."

She pointed toward the customer seating area. The sales assistants who had been gossiping there had long since vanished.

"All right, I'd be happy to chat." Jiang Hao smiled knowingly, though he couldn't help grumbling to himself, So you're willing to talk to me now. Never saw that before...