A Beauty at His Side

Chapter 8: Magic Core

The Storage Ring struck the bluestone ground hard with a crisp clink, then rolled to a stop several paces from Xiao Yuan.

He drew a deep breath and, using the last trace of his strength, hooked his left foot gently around it, sliding the Storage Ring across the bluestone to his feet.

Bending down aggravated his internal injuries. The world spun, and he swayed, nearly falling. He barely steadied himself before reaching down to pick up the Storage Ring and clasp it in his palm.

The ring felt cold against his skin. He briefly probed it with his spiritual sense and found a considerable sum of Gold Coins inside, along with several bottles of low-grade pills. The amount was indeed enough to compensate for the Market District's losses.

"We'll let today's matter end here." Xiao Yuan held the Storage Ring, his voice hoarse.

"But if you dare harass Sister Xun'er again, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

Fury surged through Jia Lie Ao. His chest heaved violently, and another mouthful of bloody froth seeped from the corner of his mouth. Unwilling to stay a moment longer, he barked, "Let's go!"

His two attendants dared not say another word. They hurriedly supported him on either side, pushed through the crowd in a sorry state, and rushed away, leaving droplets of blood across the paving stones.

Only after Jia Lie Ao and his party had disappeared completely around the street corner did Xiao Yuan's taut nerves abruptly relax.

As the strained blood and qi within him eased slightly, a faint, sweet metallic taste rose in his throat. A thin trace of pale-red bloody froth escaped the corner of his mouth, but he promptly raised a hand and wiped it away.

The aftereffects of his earlier outburst were not particularly severe. The medicinal power of the Rejuvenation Pill had already stabilized the injuries to his meridians. All that remained was a trace of aching weakness from overtaxing his blood and qi, along with slight dizziness, neither of which hindered him from standing or walking.

“Where's the Market District steward?”

Xiao Yuan raised his eyes and scanned the surrounding crowd as he spoke in a low voice.

"Here, here! Young Master Xiao Yuan, I'm right here."

A stir passed through the crowd. A moment later, a dark-faced, middle-aged man wearing a short gray cloth robe, his temples touched with frost-white hair, hurriedly pushed his way out with two guards escorting him.

Xiao Yuan frowned slightly. This steward had hidden at the back when the conflict broke out, too afraid to step forward and maintain order. Now that the storm had passed, he certainly emerged quickly enough.

But with his blood and qi depleted, Xiao Yuan had no intention of pursuing the matter. Holding the Storage Ring Jia Lie Ao had dropped earlier, he sank his spiritual sense into it and quickly took stock. He set aside two bags of Gold Coins, then tossed the entire Storage Ring straight to Steward Wu.

“The Gold Coins in this Storage Ring are enough to cover the losses. Tally up the damaged stalls yourself and compensate everyone at the proper price.”

Steward Wu hastily reached out to catch the Storage Ring. It was weighty and cold in his hand. He plastered a smooth smile across his face and nodded repeatedly.

"Of course, of course. You're most generous, Young Master Xiao Yuan. I'll register every loss and make sure every stallholder receives their payment, without a single coin missing."

Hearing this, the many nearby vendors whose stalls had been destroyed finally felt the weight lift from their hearts. They cast grateful looks at Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan waved a hand lightly, unwilling to linger any longer. His depleted blood and qi still troubled him faintly, and his face remained somewhat pale.

"I'll leave this to you. I won't stay any longer. If there are any discrepancies in the accounts, you can come find me at the Xiao Clan later."

With that, he paid Steward Wu no further attention.

Seeing that the fighting was over, the surrounding onlookers gradually dispersed amid exclamations and discussion. Everyone tidied their stalls, restoring the Market District's bustle.

Xiao Xun'er walked briskly to his side, surprise in her eyes. She had never expected that, after such a fierce battle, the person before her would be standing there as though nothing had happened after only a brief recovery.

Despite her amazement, she asked softly, "Are you really all right? Should you rest for a while first?"

Xiao Yuan shook his head slightly, suppressing the negligible discomfort within him. His hoarse voice regained its calm:

"I'm fine. I only overexerted myself a little. It's nothing serious."

He was not lying. Most of his internal injuries had already been nearly healed by the Rejuvenation Pill he had taken earlier and the unidentified power within his body.

All that remained was weakness from repeatedly overtaxing himself. Once he returned to the Xiao Clan, he would only need to recuperate quietly.

But returning now was naturally out of the question. He had come to the Market District in the first place to buy resources for his subsequent cultivation.

With his main objective still unfinished, he certainly could not turn back halfway.

Xiao Yuan raised a hand and carefully tucked the newly acquired Storage Ring into his robes, a faint glimmer passing through his eyes.

Through this battle, he had successfully reached the peak of One-Star Dou Zhe, leaving him just one step from Two-Star Dou Zhe. Along with advancing his cultivation, he had also thoroughly grasped the explosive might of his own dual thunder-fire attribute.

Yet the stronger he became, the more cultivation resources he needed. With his current wealth, if he bought resources in bulk, he would probably burn through it all in less than two days.

"Let's go. We'll head back to the shop and pick up the medicinal herbs we bought earlier first."

Xiao Yuan spoke softly, a barely perceptible weakness beneath his calm tone.

Xiao Xun'er nodded gently at his words. Her bright eyes settled on his still-upright profile, and a measure of disbelief lingered in her heart.

"Young Master Xiao Yuan, all the medicinal herbs you requested are ready."

The Medicine Shop's shopkeeper emerged from the shop with a fawning smile plastered across his face. As he spoke, he handed Xiao Yuan a heavy paper-wrapped parcel.

After witnessing that earth-shaking battle at the street corner, his impression of Xiao Yuan had been completely overturned.

Previously, he had only regarded Xiao Yuan as the Xiao Clan's newly risen young genius, someone with a resounding reputation whose actual fighting strength he had never seen for himself. But the sight of Xiao Yuan brutally overwhelming and severely injuring Jia Lie Ao had utterly reshaped his understanding.

A mere One-Star Dou Zhe had unleashed such terrifying Thunderfire combat power, crushing an opponent of the same rank until he had no strength to fight back. Such talent and strength placed him among the very best of Wutan City's younger generation.

Now, facing Xiao Yuan, his attitude was so respectful that it bordered on humility. He could not have been more courteous.

“Young Master Xiao Yuan, everything was prepared exactly as you instructed. Three stalks of Blue-Pattern Grass, two Burst Flame Flowers, and ten portions of Qi-Concentrating Grass.”

The shopkeeper bowed as he offered the parcel of herbs, his smile eager.

“The three stalks of Blue-Pattern Grass cost 450 Gold Coins, the two Burst Flame Flowers cost 500 Gold Coins, and the Qi-Concentrating Grass costs eighty Gold Coins per portion.”

“The total for all the medicinal herbs is 1,750 Gold Coins. With a discount, you need only pay 1,700.”

"Please check them and see whether anything is missing in quantity or quality."

Xiao Yuan reached out and accepted the heavy parcel. It felt slightly cool in his hand, and wisps of delicate medicinal fragrance drifted through the paper wrapping.

Although he was still weak from depleting his blood and qi during the battle, and his face was somewhat pale, he stood as straight as ever. His expression was calm and composed, showing none of the disarray of someone who had just fought a battle to the death.

His fingertips brushed lightly over the paper parcel as he briefly swept his spiritual sense over the herbs to inspect their quality.

The Blue-Pattern Grass had plump roots and stems, with clearly defined markings; the Burst Flame Flowers were scarlet and brimming with fiery energy; the Qi-Concentrating Grass was fresh and intact, without a single spoiled portion.