[Item: Space Soul Tool] [Effect: mundane item, contains 0.1 cubic meters of space] [Upgrade result: Space Ring] [Effect: magical artifact, contains 1 cubic meter of space; Soul Skill "Space Mark": can inscribe 1 Space Mark and, when activated, jump to the mark's location] [Upgrade conditions: 1 piece of Ten Refinement void metal, 1 set of Ten-Year Space-type Soul Beast remains]
On his upgrade panel, the upgraded "Space Ring" not only had its internal space increased to one cubic meter, but also came with a Soul Skill. That was what surprised him most, and the moment he saw it, he decided to get the Space Soul Tool no matter the cost.
He couldn't let himself be taken for a sucker, though, so he had haggled over the price.
"This Soul Skill's effect... isn't it just a game's return-to-town skill?!"
After staring at the Soul Skill's effect for a long time, Gu Chen suddenly saw the light. He had thought his greatest gain from this trip was the two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, but now it seemed the Space Soul Tool was his greatest gain.
Leaving everything else aside, the Soul Skill's effect alone was enough to serve as a lifesaving trump card.
Originally,
he had worried that the conflict between him and Tang San, as well as his excessive closeness to Xiao Wu, would make Tang Hao unhappy with him and even cause Tang Hao to make a move against him. But now the pressure had eased considerably. As long as he upgraded the Space Soul Tool, he would have an extraordinary trump card and the confidence to face Tang Hao without fear.
"It's just that the remains of a Ten-Year Space-type Soul Beast..."
Looking at the upgrade conditions, Gu Chen fell into thought. Life-type and Wood-type ones were easy for him to obtain. Blue Silver Grass grew everywhere, and as long as he looked carefully, there was still plenty of Ten-Year Blue Silver Grass. Neither Spirit Hall nor any other faction would waste time clearing out Soul Beasts like these, which posed no threat at all.
That worked in his favor.
But Space-type ones...
"Young master, here are your seventy-five thousand Gold Soul Coins in change."
The shopkeeper's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He had used a red card worth a hundred thousand and received seven black cards worth ten thousand each and five purple cards worth a thousand each. He promptly put them into the Space Soul Tool.
Just then,
he abruptly looked at the Seven Treasure Pavilion's shopkeeper.
"Shopkeeper, do you sell Soul Beast remains here?"
Gu Chen asked.
He had still been fretting over how to get a set of Ten-Year Space-type Soul Beast remains, but the shopkeeper's voice reminded him that, besides buying valuable items, the Seven Treasure Pavilion was also a shop with a diverse range of goods.
Besides Soul Tools, it sold many other things.
"What kind of Soul Beast remains do you need, young master?"
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. Another deal had come his way.
"I want the remains of a Ten-Year Space-type Soul Beast. Any species will do, as long as it has spatial abilities!"
Gu Chen stated his requirements.
"Space-type, any species, and only a Ten-Year Soul Beast? That won't be too difficult, but the price is a little high: one hundred Gold Soul Coins!"
The shopkeeper stroked his chin and named his price.
"That works. When can you get it here?"
Gu Chen took out a purple card and handed it over as he asked.
"Within a week."
The shopkeeper took the purple card and answered.
"Shopkeeper, please give me my change in Gold Soul Coins."
Seeing that the man was about to give him nine yellow cards in change, Gu Chen hurriedly reminded him. He would probably have plenty of expenses coming up, whether for his hotel stay or other odds and ends, so paying directly with Gold Soul Coins would be more convenient.
Besides, the Seven Treasure Pavilion was a major establishment that could make change for any purchase, but at a small shop, let alone a purple card, they might not even be able to break a yellow card worth only a hundred Gold Soul Coins.
By comparison, Gold Soul Coins were much easier to use.
Before long,
he had put nine hundred Gold Soul Coins into the Space Soul Tool. A space of 0.1 cubic meters didn't sound like much, but it was quite roomy. After that, he told the shopkeeper he was a student at Nuoding Academy and asked him to send someone to notify him there when the goods arrived. Then he and Xiao Wu left the Seven Treasure Pavilion.
Everything was just as it had been when they arrived, except for the Space Soul Tool now hanging around his neck.
No.
There were some changes after all.
For one thing, Xiao Wu, who had followed behind him either chattering away like a chatterbox or happily munching like a glutton, was unusually quiet now.
Gu Chen stopped walking.
Thud!
"Ow, my carrots!"
Distracted as she walked, Xiao Wu ran straight into Gu Chen's back and fell hard. Yet the first thing she worried about was her carrots, leaving Gu Chen speechless.
"Xiao Wu, you haven't said a word since we came out. What are you thinking about?"
Being somewhat blunt, Gu Chen naturally asked her outright.
"I, I, I just think that selling Soul Beasts so casually like you do-isn't that a little too cruel to them?"
Xiao Wu opened her mouth and voiced the confusion in her heart.
Hearing that,
Gu Chen fell silent too.
From a human perspective, there was really nothing wrong with it. It was just the weak being prey to the strong, perfectly normal.
But from Xiao Wu's perspective as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast, it certainly wouldn't feel very good. She was a Soul Beast too. Seeing her "own kind" sold as goods like this, she'd be damned if she could feel good about it.
It was just like when Tang San saw humans being auctioned as slaves at an auction house in the original story. Such things were commonplace to nobles who were used to seeing them, but to ordinary people, they were a nightmare that never ended, because the same thing could very well happen to them.
"The weak are prey to the strong. That's the way of the world."
That was the answer Gu Chen gave.
After receiving his answer, Xiao Wu silently picked up the carrots scattered on the ground. Seeing this, Gu Chen said nothing more. No matter how much he said, it would be useless; she had to understand it for herself. At the end of the day, Xiao Wu had seen too little of the world.
The Star Dou Great Forest was cruel, but Xiao Wu had been protected by her mother since childhood, and after growing up, she had her two younger brothers, Da Ming and Er Ming, protecting her. In the end, she was little different from a silly, naive innocent.
It was only because Bibi Dong had killed her mother; otherwise, she would still have been a silly rabbit in the Star Dou Great Forest.
But unfortunately,
transformation did nothing to improve intelligence. On Xiao Wu's face, Gu Chen saw a pair of eyes brimming with a clear, innocent stupidity-"silly rabbit" for short.
After that,
he chose to stay at the hotel closest to Nuoding Academy, and its name was the "Rose Hotel." Gu Chen suspected that this hotel and the Rose Hotel in Suotuo City had the same owner.
But he didn't dwell on it. He took out sixty Gold Soul Coins and paid for a month's stay in two rooms. Now that he had money, he naturally couldn't let himself suffer; of course he had to have the best.
As for why he had also paid for Xiao Wu's room? He would never admit that he coveted the power of the two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts backing her.
After settling their lodging,
Xiao Wu stayed at the hotel to ponder life, while he found a smithy, sought out its owner, and made his request.
"Void metal? That stuff isn't cheap at all! And you're asking for Ten Refinement!"
"One hundred Gold Soul Coins, take it or leave it!"
The smithy owner looked at Gu Chen and quoted a shocking price.
"I accept the price, but how long will it take you?"
Gu Chen, carrying the enormous sum of more than a hundred thousand, made it clear he wasn't short of money.
"Seven days!"
The smithy owner gave his answer.
"Seven days it is. Here's the deposit!"
After paying a thirty-percent deposit and leaving the address of the Rose Hotel, Gu Chen departed.
Back at the hotel, he took a bath, then lay down on the soft bed and drifted off to sleep.
Tonight, he was sure to have a good dream.
But
the arrested and imprisoned Tang San and his master might not.