As the current Child of Fate, Huo Yuhao still came away with something, despite having many of his opportunities snatched away.
Thanks to the importance Shrek placed on him, he received a VIP card and used his one free purchase to obtain a body-strengthening pill, whose effects were only slightly inferior to ten-thousand-year whale glue.
As for Wang Dong, she had thought that giving up the soul bone would let her leave with Li Lezi, only for him to excuse himself to clear his head and wander off somewhere. Sulking, she gave up on strolling through the streets and left in a hurry once Huo Yuhao finished shopping.
The wager ended in a draw. Dai Huabin did not send assassins after them as he had in the original story, and the two returned safely to their dormitory.
Meanwhile, Xiao Zi waited until Wang Dong had left before returning to the exhibition area to continue browsing-and hunting for bargains.
He had bought up a whole string of valuable items, including whale rubber, pills, and soul bones, but the others had not been idle either. Everyone was snapping things up like mad. The displays were growing sparse, and the fair was about to close.
Xiao Zi reached into his Sea of Consciousness and asked, "Xiao Xue, is there anything else we need?"
Qian Renxue thought for a moment. "When we go to the Far North, how will you compete with the others? Unless something unexpected happens, we'll have to face at least one Level 9 Soul Engineer."
That was indeed a major problem. Since the Douluo Three Kingdoms generally neglected soul guidance technology, no comparable soul tools were sold on the open market. Black-market prices were exorbitant, and besides, someone with the strength of a Soul Elder could not power high-tier weapons.
Xiao Zi considered it. "I have a feeling I'll enter Swallowed Star again after reaching level thirty. Once I complete the mission and return, I'll have enough strength to contend with a Level 9 Soul Engineer."
Qian Renxue nodded. "Then there's another problem. We're going there to seize an overlooked opportunity. Given the Snow Empress's hatred of humans, how will you convince her you're different from that Level 9 Soul Engineer and make her willingly sacrifice herself?"
This time, Xiao Zi fell silent for a long while before speaking. "That's what worries me too. The Snow Empress failed to condense yin-yang dual soul cores, then had her transformation interrupted by that Level 9 Soul Engineer. Unless she finds something to anchor herself to, her soul will scatter into oblivion. With my current strength, brute force won't work. I can only try my best to win her over through virtue..."
An idea flashed through Qian Renxue's mind. "If the Snow Empress really is weakened, could we help her recover with medicine and earn her gratitude and trust?"
Xiao Zi nodded. "Good idea. No day is better than today-let's pick out some medicinal herbs here at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion!"
The two began carefully searching through the exhibition area, picking through the offerings.
Perhaps because closing time was approaching, the staff were preparing to pack up and had not put out any new products.
Xiao Zi acted immediately, heading to the counter to ask about ice-attribute herbs-the older, the better.
The staff member thought for a moment. "We do have herbs of that kind, but we're about to close for the day. Our honored guest can come back next time."
By next time, even the daylilies would have gone cold. Xiao Zi could not possibly agree and began arguing with the staff member on the spot.
Just as he was about to give up, the crisp click of high heels rang out. A fiery-red figure came into view, her features as lovely as a painting, her bearing spirited and valiant. The moment she appeared, she became the center of attention.
Upon seeing her, Qian Renxue gave a soft chuckle. "Your savior is here~" Then she sank back into the Sea of Consciousness.
Unlike his attitude toward Wang Dong, Xiao Zi put on an entirely different face, becoming exceedingly attentive. "Senior Ma, what brings you here?"
Ma Xiaotao smiled at him, then turned an exceptionally sharp gaze on the staff member. "The Treasure Gathering Pavilion hasn't closed yet. Guests attending the fair are entitled to purchase anything, am I right?"
Everything had its counter. Faced with the Dean's personal disciple, the staff member dared not act presumptuously. They immediately retrieved the ice-attribute herbs from the treasury, compiled a catalog in descending order, and personally brought it over for them to choose from.
With time running short, Xiao Zi dispensed with the courtesies. He picked up the catalog and browsed through it, searching for what he wanted.
Finally, an ice-blue lotus caught his eye. After checking its age and effects, Xiao Zi settled on it...
A ten-thousand-year snow lotus.
When the staff member brought out the actual herb, its leaf veins shone with the translucent hue of ice crystals, and a biting aura of frost and snow continuously spilled from it. Even away from the Far North, its chill could not be ignored.
Its unusual attribute and rare effects made many people shy away. Even within the academy, only ice-attribute soul masters would stop to consider it, using it to enhance the power of their ice element. In a sense, it attracted even less interest than that black piece of ten-thousand-year whale glue.
Its price, however, was the exact opposite-an astonishing five million gold soul coins!
Buying the Golden Radiance Right Arm Bone had already emptied nearly half his reserves, so Xiao Zi could not help feeling the pinch.
"I'll buy this ten-thousand-year snow lotus for him!" Ma Xiaotao's voice was not loud, but her words rang out with the crisp certainty of jade striking stone.
Caught off guard, Xiao Zi instinctively tried to refuse. "Senior..."
Ma Xiaotao cut him off. "Every core disciple of the Inner Court gets one chance each year to select a treasure for free. Leaving my allowance unused would only waste it. Besides, I told you before-you're mine now. There's no need to stand on ceremony!"
The chill Qian Renxue kept radiating within his Sea of Consciousness left Xiao Zi feeling not the pleasure of being kept, but as though thorns were digging into his back. Knowing Ma Xiaotao's temperament, refusing would probably have the opposite effect. Besides, his purse really was running thin, so he accepted her kindness.
"Thank you, Senior!"
In any case, Yan Shaozhe had offered him nothing. He would treat these five million gold soul coins as payment for resolving the evil fire.
With this ten-thousand-year snow lotus, he also had a little more confidence in persuading the Snow Empress. She had used a hundred-thousand-year snow lotus as a catalyst to reshape her body, only to be unexpectedly interrupted by a Level 9 Soul Engineer.
Though the effects of a ten-thousand-year snow lotus could not compare with those of a hundred-thousand-year one, keeping her consciousness from dispersing and her energy from leaking away would be no problem. Discussing cooperation afterward would be easier too.
After putting away the final item, his trip to the Treasure Appraisal Fair came to a satisfying end. He had thought he would merely browse casually, yet he had ended up buying so much. Without exaggeration, he was even more formidable at shopping sprees than the girls!
Ma Xiaotao was curious too. "Junior, what are you going to use all these things for? And that Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone cost nine million five hundred thousand gold soul coins. Does the Duke's Mansion have that much money? Don't tell me you borrowed it from them?"
Faced with this string of questions, Xiao Zi gave a half-true explanation. "Before the Duke's Mansion took me in, I wandered around and had a few unusual encounters. That's how I saved up this money, but there wasn't much left after buying the left arm bone. There are a lot of painful memories involved. Could you keep it secret for me, Senior?"
Ever since they had spent time together in the secret chamber, the underlying code of the Douluo World had subtly influenced Ma Xiaotao, gradually drawing her toward a certain someone. Her master Yan Shaozhe's standing plummeted, and he was on the verge of being kicked out of the picture.
Hearing his words, she felt nothing but heartache for him, automatically overlooking the many suspicious details behind them. For instance, what sort of unusual encounters could have earned him nine million five hundred thousand gold soul coins, as well as two purple soul rings beyond the normal age limit?
Afterward, Xiao Zi did not return to the dormitory with Dai Huabin. Instead, Ma Xiaotao took him back to the secret chamber and soothed him tenderly, embracing him with the ample, all-accommodating bosom of an understanding older sister, while also dealing with her accumulated evil fire.