The mercenary saw that Han Chen remained unmoved, but rather than feeling awkward, he became even more enthusiastic.
"Hehe, if you like it, young master, I'll take a little loss. Five hundred! This magic core wasn't easy to get. My brothers suffered quite a few injuries over it, too. Five hundred is a real bargain."
Hearing this, Han Chen glanced at him and tossed the magic core onto the ground.
"Do I look like a fool to you? Five hundred would be enough to buy everything on your stall."
With that, Han Chen turned to leave.
The mercenary immediately grew anxious. He had finally found a customer; he couldn't let the sale fall through.
He hurried after Han Chen, his voice taking on a pleading tone.
"Wait, wait, don't go, young master! You name a price, I'll counter it, and we'll have ourselves a deal."
Having achieved his aim, Han Chen's lips curved slightly as he looked at the mercenary.
"Four hundred. I'll take everything on your stall."
The mercenary was startled and hurriedly waved his hands.
"Now, listen to what you're saying! Who does business like that? I have to make a living, too. Forget everything on the stall-four hundred wouldn't even cover the cost of the magic core. Five hundred. How about five hundred?"
"Five hundred? That junk on your stall is worth a hundred gold coins? I'll add fifty, at most."
The mercenary looked troubled by Han Chen's words, but then he remembered that there was nothing particularly valuable on his stall.
The magic core had been sitting there for so long, too. If he missed this chance, who knew when he would sell it? He might as well recover some of his losses.
"All... all right. You look like a decent fellow, young master. Let's call it making a friend."
Once the mercenary agreed, Han Chen smiled and tossed him a bag of gold coins.
The mercenary beamed at the coins inside and cheerfully went to pack everything up.
Standing there, however, Han Chen felt the sting of parting with his money. He hadn't had many gold coins to begin with, and all of them had come from the system's prize draws. Buying that little courtyard had eaten up more than half. After paying for the iron fragment, he was practically so poor that his empty pockets could ring.
"Boss, how much for this magic core?"
Just then, a voice came from beside Han Chen. Hearing the somewhat familiar voice, he instinctively raised an eyebrow and turned.
"Xiao Yan?"
The newcomers were none other than Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er.
Xiao Yan wore black brocade robes, with the demure Xiao Xun'er beside him, the two holding hands.
"Brother Han? What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to leave with Nalan Yanran?"
Xiao Yan was surprised to see Han Chen as well. Surely they should all have left once the engagement was broken off.
Xiao Xun'er, meanwhile, narrowed her eyes slightly at Han Chen. Golden flames seemed to flash within them, though no one knew what she was thinking.
At Xiao Yan's question, Han Chen rubbed his nose. He hadn't expected such a coincidence.
"I'm just an ordinary disciple. My cultivation talent is too poor, so I intend to leave the sect and admire the Jia Ma Empire's magnificent mountains and rivers while I still have time.
I only traveled with Young Sect Master Nalan because we were heading the same way. As for being her younger brother, I merely made that up because I couldn't bear to see both sides embarrassed. I hope you won't hold it against me, Brother Xiao."
Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er gave faint nods, though neither believed a word of it.
"Teacher..."
"Yes, I know him. Be careful. I can sense that he's grown stronger again. He's far from ordinary."
Yao Lao's words deepened Xiao Yan's wariness. From his first glimpse of Han Chen, he had known the boy was no ordinary person. A fourteen-year-old who could stay composed under pressure and hide his thoughts so deeply was remarkable.
"I see. By the way, Brother Han, are you here to buy something?"
"Yes. A magic core caught my eye, so I bought it."
Just then, the mercenary finished packing everything and handed it over.
"Young master, I've packed up everything you wanted."
They all looked at the bundle of miscellaneous goods in the mercenary's hands. Xiao Xun'er paid it little attention, but Xiao Yan's gaze changed.
Knowing that Yao Lao had made his move, Han Chen swept the bundle away with a wave of his hand and smiled at the pair.
"Enjoy your shopping. I won't interrupt you."
Xiao Yan stared fixedly at the Ring of Holding on Han Chen's hand, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
Xiao Xun'er noticed Xiao Yan's unusual behavior. Within seconds, she realized that the bundle must have contained something he needed. Her eyes shifted, and she smiled at Han Chen.
"Brother Han Chen, your Ring of Holding is quite distinctive. Did some girl give it to you?"
Xiao Yan caught on as well and followed Xiao Xun'er's lead, hoping to secure another chance.
"Yes, purple Storage Rings are certainly rare. By the way, Brother Han, what exactly did you buy?"
Han Chen raised an eyebrow and moved his hand behind his back.
"Nothing much. Just a magic core."
"Oh? I happen to need a magic core, too. I've searched several streets already. Could you let me take a look at yours, Brother Han? If it's suitable, it would save me more searching. The price would certainly be fai-"
"Well, well, well, who do we have here? Isn't this the renowned Young Master Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan? What, have you fallen so low that you're picking through a street stall with some pauper?"
Just as Xiao Yan tried to seize the opportunity to make Han Chen take the bundle out again, a voice dripping with mockery came from nearby.
All three turned toward the voice. Several burly men approached in a cluster, surrounded them, and cut them off from everyone outside.
Behind the men, a youth in brocade robes swaggered into the circle.
The youth was quite handsome, but a trace of frivolity clung stubbornly to his features.
Han Chen raised an eyebrow at the newcomer. Wasn't this Jia Lie Ao, the young master of the Jia Lie Family?
Jia Lie Ao stopped before the three and first glanced at the unfamiliar Han Chen, wondering who he was and why he was so close to the Xiao Clan's key figures.
He then swept an indifferent glance over Xiao Yan before resting his gaze on Xiao Xun'er. A flash of admiration crossed his eyes, and his tone was utterly frivolous.
"You must be Miss Xun'er? You certainly live up to your reputation."
At Jia Lie Ao's words, Xiao Xun'er's delicate brows knitted slightly, and she stepped back to hide behind Xiao Yan.
Seeing this, Jia Lie Ao laughed even more brazenly, then turned to Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan, I heard someone broke off your engagement? Tsk, tsk, how pitiful. A young master of the mighty Xiao Clan, thrown away like a dog that lost its home."
Xiao Yan clenched his fists at Jia Lie Ao's words. Although the Nalan Family and the Xiao Clan had publicly explained that the separation was mutual,
hostile families like Jia Lie Ao's preferred to twist the story and use it to attack Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan.
"Jia Lie Ao, watch your filthy mouth."
Standing to one side as the two argued, Han Chen found it dull and edged backward, intending to slip away.
He had no intention of standing up for Xiao Yan. Though he didn't want to make an enemy of him, with his current strength, keeping himself out of trouble came first.
After all, Jia Lie Ao was only a minor character who would be reduced to less than dust later on. There was no need to stick his neck out just to earn some goodwill.
Besides, Xiao Yan had clearly tried to stop him because Yao Lao, inside him, had discovered the Suction Palm within the black iron fragment. If he didn't run now, when would he?
"Hey, brat! Did I say you could leave?"
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