"Brother Xiao Bai!"
Early that morning, Ling’er pushed open the door to Mu Bai's room, waking him.
"You little rascal, don't you know to knock before entering someone else's room?"
"I'll let you come into my room without knocking too. How about that?"
After just a few days apart, Ling’er had grown so quick-tongued. She reminded Mu Bai of Xiao Lan from the Peony Pavilion, and he muttered inwardly, Do all girls become this bold as they grow up?
When Mu Bai did not answer, Ling’er stepped forward and linked her arm through his. "Let's go to the tribal market. I wanted to go yesterday and came looking for you, but you weren't here."
"A stroll would be nice, but after this, you'll have to concentrate on preparing for the tournament."
Mu Bai straightened his clothes and finished washing up.
"Come on, let's ask Hai Chen to come too!"
The spring breeze was gentle, the flowers vivid and the willows yellow. The three walked along the tribal market's bluestone paving, lingering among the various roadside stalls. An endless stream of people bustled along the lively street.
"Look, is this hairpin pretty?"
Clearly, even girls who cultivated had no immunity to pretty ornaments.
"What a discerning eye you have, miss! This was carved from thousand-year cold jade marrow and paired with a Dao Sea Coiled Pearl. Luxurious yet elegant, dignified yet lively, it perfectly suits your beauty, which makes fish sink and geese fall, and your bearing, like a lotus rising from the water..."
Before Mu Bai or Hai Chen could comment, the stallholder's words poured forth like a rushing river. Mu Bai looked at Hai Chen, Hai Chen looked at Ling’er, and Ling’er looked back at Mu Bai. The three exchanged glances.
"Then let's buy it. How much, shopkeeper?"
Unable to bear the awkwardness, Hai Chen asked the price for Ling’er outright.
"I'll give you a first-sale price for good luck. Just three Soul Crystals..."
"Three Soul Crystals?"
Ling’er and Hai Chen clearly could not believe their ears. In all their lives, they had never even seen three Soul Crystals in total.
"Ahem, there's a Myriad Treasures Pavilion up ahead. Let's take a look inside."
With that suggestion, Mu Bai took hold of the other two and walked away.
"Wait, two Soul Crystals! Hey, don't go! How about one Soul Crystal...?"
Mu Bai led the two away without looking back.
"Hmph, you won't even part with one Soul Crystal, and you're going to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion? Don't go making spectacles of yourselves!" the stallholder said bitterly. "What a waste of my breath!"
"Brother Xiao Bai, are we really going to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion? Won't things cost even more there...?"
"It's fine. We might as well have a look!"
With that, Mu Bai took Ling’er into the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. As luck would have it, enemies met on a narrow road: Tao Hang was there too, looking more striking and graceful than ever. He accompanied a pretty young girl as they browsed an ornament rack, both their faces wreathed in smiles.
At the sight of Tao Hang, Hai Chen's expression changed at once, and he tightened his grip on his spear.
"Oh, aren't these the people from the Haibei Tribe? Have you washed your trousers clean?" Tao Hang gave the three a contemptuous glance, then turned back with a fawning smile. "Sister Meng’er, let me introduce them. These are the Haibei tribespeople who fell out of the sky yesterday. They wet their trousers before the tournament even began..."
The girl called Meng’er held back her laughter and looked at Mu Bai and his companions with bright, sparkling eyes.
Hearing Tao Hang insult them again, Hai Chen immediately stepped forward, Soul Power surging out. Mu Bai hurried forward and caught him. "Don't be rash."
"This is the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. All fighting is forbidden. If you have that much energy, why not pick something out for this pretty young lady...?"
Tao Hang watched the three with a mocking smile, certain these country bumpkins had seen nothing of the world. He was waiting to see what fools they would make of themselves upon hearing the prices.
"Oh, I was indeed planning to buy a hairpin for my sister Ling’er. Do you have any recommendations, Young Master Tao?" Seeing through Tao Hang's intentions, Mu Bai strolled forward. "Miss, might you be willing to part with the one in your hand?"
"Quite the bold words! This is Miss Wu Meng, daughter of Elder Wu of the White Wolf Tribe. What would you think if I told you the hairpin in her hand was worth fifty Soul Crystals?"
"I'd buy it."
"But I'll offer sixty Soul Crystals for it."
"Eighty!"
"One hundred!"
"Very well, it's yours!" Mu Bai smiled slyly. "A hundred crystals for a beauty, Young Master Tao. You have my admiration!"
Not expecting such a move from Mu Bai, Tao Hang's handsome face twitched.
"I should have known you had no Soul Crystals at all and could only spout wild boasts..."
"Is that so?" Mu Bai walked straight forward and took a Green Snow Holding Fragrance Hairpin from the ornament rack. "Green as spring water, with a touch of rose, just like sister Ling’er at this youthful age, about to blossom in all her splendor."
Gathering up her dark hair, Mu Bai carefully slid the hairpin into place.
"Shopkeeper, here are three hundred Soul Crystals. Please accept them."
Even before stepping forward to challenge Tao Hang, Mu Bai had used his powerful Divine Sense to gain a general understanding of the many ornaments before him. This hairpin was made of ice-soul jadeite. When its wearer suffered an illusion attack, it could preserve an unbroken thread of clarity.
Everyone present was stunned by Mu Bai's seamless series of actions. Even the young woman beside Tao Hang, the daughter of Wu Yuan, an elder of the White Wolf Tribe, was shaken by such lavish generosity.
"That's three hundred Soul Crystals..."
The shopkeeper of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, meanwhile, was beaming. "Young master, you've been looking at that Fortune Like the Dao Sea, Longevity-Offering Hairpin in Miss Wu's hand for quite some time now. Shall I wrap it up for you?"
Having profited from Mu Bai, the shopkeeper naturally knew how to read the situation. Whatever the hairpin had originally been called did not matter; the words "longevity-offering" were perfectly chosen.
"I don't want it anymore. Young Master Tao, buy it for your Clan Patriarch to show your filial respect!"
With that, Wu Meng thrust the hairpin back into Tao Hang's hand. As she raised her head, she glanced at Mu Bai, then walked straight out.
"Sister Meng’er, wait for me! Let's look at something else..."
Hastily putting the hairpin back, Tao Hang followed her out with a face full of smiles. Before leaving, he did not forget to turn back and glare hatefully at Mu Bai.
"Haha, look at that pathetic coward..."
Seeing Tao Hang in such a sorry state, Hai Chen burst out laughing.
"Brother Xiao Bai, I don't want this hairpin!"
Ling’er hurriedly removed the hairpin and tried to hand it back to the shopkeeper of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, but Mu Bai reached out to stop her.
"Our Ling’er has grown up too. This is a gift from your big brother." Mu Bai took the hairpin and gently placed it back in her hair. "No taking it off. Listen to your brother."
"Mu Bai, I want one too..."
"You can have a hammer!"
The three left the Myriad Treasures Pavilion laughing and joking, leaving their bright laughter echoing behind them.
"I still need to buy some medicinal herbs and beast materials. Are you coming?"
"Of course! It's still early!"
The three explored the entire sprawling tribal market, buying nearly all the medicinal herbs and beast materials Mu Bai had been unable to stop thinking about. With fifty Soul Crystals still on him, Mu Bai bought Hai Chen a dagger Soul Weapon so he would not have to wander about with a spear over his shoulder every day. It really did spoil the scenery.
Only at sunset did the three head back toward their lodgings. Their light footsteps fell on the bluestone paving. All were at a young and carefree age, and their laughter continued all the way back.
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