Grandmaster's Bargain

Grandmaster was extremely excited when he first learned that Soul Ring Year Limits could be increased artificially.

However, Tang San's explanation afterward left him just as disappointed as he had been excited before.

Tang San's explanation was Hu Jiu's exact words: "A person's time is limited. If you have time to cultivate your Soul Ring, why not use it to increase your cultivation instead? Once your cultivation improves, wouldn't it be better to hunt for a higher-level Soul Ring sooner?"

Those words brought Grandmaster to a sudden realization. It was true—raising Soul Ring Year Limits was useless for ordinary Soul Masters. Ordinary Soul Masters already had limited talent, and even if they knew Soul Ring Year Limits could be increased, it would not help them, because they simply did not have enough time.

Therefore, this discovery only applied to geniuses, such as the people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, because they possessed Heart Separation Control.

Unfortunately, Grandmaster was also a man of principle. Hu Jiu had discovered that Soul Rings could be improved, and without his permission, Grandmaster would not reveal it. He had already sworn to that when Tang San told him about the matter.

Of course, those were merely Grandmaster's thoughts. They were not the main reason he had summoned Hu Jiu today.

"Hu Jiu, I'll be frank. I invited you here today for another reason. Little San said that your Carrot could double the effectiveness of cultivation. I want to buy some Carrots from you."

This was the real reason he had summoned Hu Jiu.

His Innate Soul Power was only half a level. For most of his life, he had tried everything he could to break through Level 30, but had failed. It had already become an obsession.

That was precisely why he ignored people with low Innate Soul Power levels, such as Hu Jiu...

After learning about the effects of Hu Jiu's First Soul Ring from Tang San, another thought had occurred to him.

He could rely on the effects of Hu Jiu's Carrots to break through his own level.

"Grandmaster, there's no problem with buying my Carrots. You may not know this, but my Carrots have actually always been for sale. However, those Carrots can only increase cultivation effectiveness by ten percent, and I sell them for one Gold Soul Coin each."

Grandmaster's words had surprised Hu Jiu at first, but after thinking about it briefly, he understood Grandmaster's purpose.

Using this to break through his bottleneck... that could work!

However, if he did not take this opportunity to extort a fortune, he would not be Hu Jiu.

In any case, giving Grandmaster the chance to buy Carrots already counted as repaying the favor from back then. From this point on, business was business. No favors.

"So what do you mean?" Grandmaster looked at Hu Jiu calmly. Since he had already decided to buy them, he was prepared to pay a high price. After all, the effects of Hu Jiu's Soul Skill were already comparable to those of Heavenly Material Earthly Treasures—and these were Heavenly Material Earthly Treasures that could be produced in batches. As long as the price was not too outrageous, he could accept it.

"You're Little San's teacher, so I can't charge you too much. How about ten Gold Soul Coins per Carrot?" Hu Jiu said with a smile.

"Ten?" Grandmaster pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. "That price is very reasonable. No problem. Give me ten to start with."

Ten Gold Soul Coins per Carrot was precisely the limit of what he was willing to pay. It was not that Hu Jiu's Carrots could not command a higher price, but that he did not have that much money.

If the people from the great powers learned about the effects of Hu Jiu's Carrots, then forget ten Gold Soul Coins each—even a hundred Gold Soul Coins each would have people scrambling to buy them.

Of course, the more likely outcome would be that they imprisoned him and turned him into a cultivation tool that could be exploited without limit.

"Grandmaster, ten probably won't be enough. One Carrot only lasts for an hour. Ten won't even last a whole day, so the effect won't be that great." Looking at the money pouch placed in front of him, Hu Jiu did not reach out to take it. He had a feeling that he might gain something unexpected today.

Grandmaster looked up at the smiling youth in front of him and asked with a frown, "What do you want?"

"I can provide Grandmaster with enough Carrots for a year of cultivation." Hu Jiu raised one finger. "The condition is simple too. I want a Self-Created Soul Skill that will be useful to me."

That was right. This was what Hu Jiu truly wanted. He had not forgotten that Grandmaster came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. As one of the Upper Three Sects, how could it possibly lack a Soul Skill worth offering?

"So you want to learn a Soul Skill! Do you know how precious Self-Created Soul Skills are in this world? Do you think you can exchange for one so simply with nothing but your Carrots?" Grandmaster looked at Hu Jiu indifferently, a faint trace of disgust flashing through his heart. He felt that Hu Jiu was becoming too greedy.

How precious were Self-Created Soul Skills? Some valuable Soul Skills could completely support a fairly large family with just one of them. Yet Hu Jiu wanted to exchange for one with a few Carrots. What an appetite!

"Ah! Are they really that precious? I've already created two, and I didn't find them particularly difficult. If you don't believe me, ask Little San." Hu Jiu spread his hands innocently. It seemed he had still made things too simple in his mind. The people of this world were even more miserly with their treasures than he had imagined.

"You!" Grandmaster was nearly choked speechless by Hu Jiu's words.

"Just tell me whether you're selling one or not. If you want a Soul Skill, there's absolutely no possibility."

"Selling, of course I'm selling. Why wouldn't I? There's no reason to turn down business that comes to your door." Hu Jiu extended both hands, producing ten Carrots in no time.

After lining them up on the table, he casually picked up the money pouch and stuffed it into his pocket without even counting it.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave, Grandmaster. I hope we'll have another opportunity to work together." Hu Jiu smiled faintly, rose, and said this.

"Wait!" Just as Hu Jiu was about to leave, Grandmaster raised a hand to stop him.

"What is it? Do you still need something, Grandmaster?" Hu Jiu asked curiously.

"Well..." Grandmaster hesitated. After a moment of silence, he still could not hold back and asked, "Can you tell me why your Soul Ring can improve so quickly?"

Curiosity was human nature. Hu Jiu had raised a Ten-Year Soul Ring to a Thousand-Year Soul Ring in just over a year. No one would believe there was no secret behind it.

Moreover, Grandmaster was an expert with abundant theoretical knowledge. Hu Jiu's method of increasing his Soul Ring Year Limit made Grandmaster's heart itch unbearably, as if it were being scratched by Cat Claws.

"Nothing to say!"

Hu Jiu's expression turned cold. He had seen shameless people before, but he had never seen anyone this shameless.

When I offered to exchange Soul Skills with you, you refused. And now you want to pry into my secrets? Are you looking to die?

The AFK Panel was his absolute taboo. Whoever tried to touch it, he would kill.

So what if it was Grandmaster? He would kill him all the same.

At that moment, Hu Jiu grew wary. One could never be too careful when guarding against others. No matter what kind of person Grandmaster was, he still had to take precautions.

It seemed he would have to work harder for a while from now on.

After leaving Grandmaster's residence, Hu Jiu heightened his five senses and sensed Grandmaster's residence from afar. At that moment, every one of Grandmaster's movements was under his surveillance, all of them captured by his senses.