Snatching the Hair Crystal First

One Gold Soul Coin was a considerable sum for ordinary townsfolk.

The loafer was overjoyed. Cupping it in both hands, he thanked Lin Chen again and again, then bowed and withdrew with a broad grin.

Lin Chen wasted no more time and headed toward the city's busiest shopping street.

After weaving through streets and alleys, he soon spotted Suotuo City's most famous luxury building in the distance—the Rose Hotel.

A large crowd had gathered outside the hotel, packed together in layers. Chatter and excited gossip rose from all sides, making the scene especially lively.

At the center of the crowd, two teenage boys faced off, their auras clashing head-on, the air thick with gunpowder.

The blond boy on the left stood tall and carried himself with swagger. Two rings of yellow and purple light slowly lit up around him, their glow dense and heavy, revealing the unmistakable aura of a level thirty-seven Soul Elder. He was Dai Mubai, who had long since established himself in Suotuo City.

The blue-haired boy on the right looked somewhat youthful, but his posture was remarkably straight, his eyes clear and resolute.

Even facing Dai Mubai, whose level far exceeded his own, he showed no fear. Three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—lit up around him in succession, neatly arranged in the standard configuration and particularly striking.

There was no need to think twice. They had to be Tang San and Xiao Wu, newly arrived in Suotuo City.

The classic confrontation had begun right on schedule.

Lin Chen stood at a distant street corner, blending into the edge of the crowd as he quietly watched.

Within seconds, Tang San's clear voice pierced the noise of the crowd and reached him distinctly. "There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters."

Hearing that overused classic line, Lin Chen's lips twitched uncontrollably. He almost laughed.

He silently scoffed at how righteous and high-sounding those words seemed.

Yet Yu Xiaogang, the man who had said them, had spent his entire life trapped at the level twenty-nine bottleneck, unable to break through. His head was stuffed with theories, but his own cultivation was an utter mess.

At the end of the day, wasn't that just self-comfort? While insulting others, wasn't he also cursing himself?

Lin Chen quickly suppressed his smile, only for his expression to stiffen abruptly.

Wait!

Shit, I almost forgot something huge!

I got so caught up watching the show that I completely forgot the most important opportunity!

Tang San and Xiao Wu entering the city didn't just mean the Shrek storyline was starting. More importantly, there was that Millennium Hair Crystal in Flender's General Store!

I almost let Tang San's opportunity slip away while watching the fun!

A wave of frustration swept through Lin Chen. He slapped his forehead, not daring to delay any longer.

He turned to scan the roadside and immediately spotted several loafers squatting by a wall, chatting. He raised a hand and beckoned one over.

The man hurried up at a jog and bowed. "Young master, what can I do for you?"

Lin Chen couldn't be bothered with small talk. He held a gleaming Silver Soul Coin between his fingertips and waved it.

"Tell me exactly where Flender's old junk shop is. Get it right, and this money is yours."

One Silver Soul Coin could feed an ordinary person for several days. The loafer's eyes lit up instantly, and without a moment's thought, he rattled off the precise street and alley, not missing a single detail.

Lin Chen casually tossed him the Silver Soul Coin, turned, and strode away.

Snatch it first! I have to snatch it first!

That Millennium Hair Crystal absolutely cannot fall into Tang San's hands!

Following the loafer's directions, Lin Chen wound through several old alleys and soon reached the right neighborhood.

The shop's wooden door stood ajar, leaving a narrow gap. The interior was dim, carrying the stale smell of dust mixed with a faint trace of Soul Power.

Lin Chen gently pushed the wooden door open and stepped inside.

The shelves were cluttered with old antiques, broken crystals, and discarded fragments of Soul Tools. Dust covered everything, making the place look like a heap of junk no one ever bothered to inspect.

In a rocking chair at the very back of the shop, a middle-aged man in plain cloth clothing lay lazily with his eyes closed, resting as his body swayed gently with the chair.

He looked sluggish and bleary, without the slightest imposing presence. This was Flender, the dean of Shrek Academy.

At the sound of the door opening, Flender didn't even bother lifting his eyelids. His hoarse, lazy voice drifted over unhurriedly. "Look around. Take whatever you like. No credit."

Lin Chen said nothing. His gaze swept swiftly over the rows of shelves, locking onto the least conspicuous wooden shelf in a corner.

A translucent white crystal filled with wispy impurities sat quietly in the corner. Dusty and utterly unremarkable, it looked like an ordinary decorative stone.

That's it! The Hair Crystal that would gain a new lease on life in Tang San's hands!

Reassured, Lin Chen walked over and picked up the crystal.

He pretended to weigh it casually in his hand a couple of times, then turned toward Flender and asked evenly, "Boss, how much for this crystal?"

Only then did Flender slowly open his eyes. He glanced casually at the Hair Crystal in Lin Chen's hand and spoke offhandedly, with the easy air of someone fleecing a customer. "One hundred Gold Soul Coins."

Lin Chen laughed in irritation on the spot.

A hundred right off the bat? Does he really skin every stranger alive?

He replied flatly, "Ten Gold Soul Coins."

"What?"

Flender shot upright in his rocking chair, his languid expression vanishing instantly. He stared speechlessly at Lin Chen, caught between laughter and tears.

"Kid, is that bargaining? Forget slashing the price—you're slashing me!"

Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged as he calmly asked, "Then tell me your lowest price."

Flender held up five fingers and declared firmly, "Ninety-five at the very least. Not a coin less."

Without another word, Lin Chen put the Hair Crystal back where it had been and turned toward the door, brisk and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

He knew perfectly well that no one besides Tang San and himself, a transmigrator, understood this lousy stone's value. It might sit in this shop for ten years without finding a buyer. Flender was stuck holding it, unable to sell it.

Sure enough, hearing his footsteps, Flender immediately grew anxious and hurried to stop him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't go! Don't go! No need to rush off, young man. We can negotiate. Give me a serious offer!"

Lin Chen stopped and slowly looked back, his tone firm. "Fifteen at most."

"This crystal is full of impurities and doesn't have the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power. It's just an ordinary decorative stone. Fifteen Gold Soul Coins is already a generous price out of respect for you."

Flender's mouth twitched. After wrestling with himself for several seconds, he gritted his teeth. "Add another five. Twenty! Give me twenty, and you can take it straight away. No more haggling!"

"Fifteen."

Lin Chen refused to budge and said evenly, "Not a coin more. If you're willing to sell, I'll take it. If not, I'll leave. This stone is only gathering dust here anyway."

Flender stared hard at him. Seeing how utterly calm he was, completely immune to his tricks, he sighed inwardly.

He knew this lousy crystal had been sitting there for ages, and no one wanted it. Fifteen Gold Soul Coins wouldn't earn him much, but it was better than leaving it there forever.

After agonizing for a while, Flender could only wave a hand with a pained expression. "Fine, fine! Fifteen it is! Consider it a clearance sale at a loss. Take it!"

The deal was done.

A hidden glimmer of amusement flashed through Lin Chen's eyes, though his face remained impassive. He took out fifteen gleaming Gold Soul Coins, arranged them neatly on the counter, and picked up the Millennium Hair Crystal again.

"Farewell."

With that, he turned and walked straight out of the General Store.

Only after leaving the alley and moving beyond Flender's sight did Lin Chen let out a long, stale breath, his tense shoulders finally relaxing completely.

After making sure no one nearby was paying attention, Lin Chen placed the Hair Crystal in the Soul Tool he kept close to his body, then wiped the fine sweat from his brow with his fingertips.

He had looked relaxed and casual just now, but his nerves had been stretched taut the entire time. He had deliberately acted indifferent, terrified that an old fox like Flender might catch a hint of something.

Lin Chen couldn't help chuckling. "Got it. That's one less hidden weapon for Tang San."

Composing his expression and suppressing all his emotions, he turned and headed toward Spirit Hall Academy at an unhurried pace.