Huang Xiaolong decided to exchange one thousand top saint grade spirit stones because he didnât want to stand out, but he still attracted the attention of the masters present in the hall...
âIâll take these one thousand top saint grade spirit stones!â While the shop employee was still stupefied looking at the pile of top saint grade spirit stones, a voice broke the silence.
Huang Xiaolong and everyone in the hall turned to look at the voiceâs owner and a young man clad in a black robes walked out from the crowd.
What attracted Huang Xiaolongâs attention was the fire phoenix emblem on the chest of that young manâs black robe.
Someone from the Vermilion Bird Institute!
Moreover, only elite disciples of the institute wore black-colored robes.
No one present noticed the glimmer in the depth of Huang Xiaolongâs eyes when he saw the black-robed young man.
The Vermilion Bird Instituteâs elite disciple, Cheng Huaiâan, walked up without a glance at the shop employee, speaking directly to Huang Xiaolong, âThese thousand top saint grade spirit stones, I want them. Iâll give you three hundred thousand for each, total three hundred million.â His tone condescending, not negotiating, but ordering, as if giving Huang Xiaolong three hundred thousand for each top saint grade spirit stone was doing Huang Xiaolong a great favor.
Finished speaking, Cheng Huaiâan didnât wait for Huang Xiaolongâs answer, his hand reached out to collect the one thousand spirit stones. As for the three hundred million that he spoke of, they were nowhere to be seen.
Apparently, this guy was trying to get a windfall with an empty hand...
However, before Cheng Huaiâanâs hand touched the pile of one thousand top saint grade spirit stones, a light flashed and every stone returned to Huang Xiaolongâs Asura Ring.
Cheng Huaiâan was stunned.
âExcuse me,â Huang Xiaolong said, his expression aloof, My one thousand top saint grade spirit stones will only be exchanged with this shop.â
Surprisingly, Cheng Huaiâan wasnât angered by Huang Xiaolongâs words, laughing instead, âI say, kiddo, it seems you donât know who I am. Things that I, Cheng Huaiâan, want, which shop in the Vermilion Bird City dares to compete with me? You insist to exchange in this shop, but does this shop dare to exchange with you?â He turned to the shop staff, ordering: âGo call your Supervisor!â
Very soon, a supervisor-looking middle-aged man came running out until he was in front of Cheng Huaiâan, flustered and frightened as he guaranteed that the shop wouldnât accept any exchange transactions with Huang Xiaolong.
Watching the supervisorâs terrified expression, Cheng Huaiâan nodded with satisfaction, then turned to mock Huang Xiaolong, âSee? So, do you still want to exchange with this shop? Hehe, would you like to try other shops in Vermilion Bird City?â
Huang Xiaolong remained unperturbed, âIf no shops in Vermilion Bird City are willing to exchange, Iâll go to other cities.â
Cheng Huaiâan?
Although Huang Xiaolong didnât know this Cheng Huaiâanâs background, he could vaguely guess.
The Cheng Family was one of five of Vermilion Birdâs hegemony forces, rivaling the Vermilion Bird Institute.
Furthermore, Cheng Huaiâan wasnât just an ordinary elite disciple of the institute, otherwise he wouldnât behave in such imperious manner in Vermilion Bird City.
Hearing Huang Xiaolong say that heâd go exchange in other cities, Cheng Huaiâan eyes narrowed dangerously, this was the first time someone dared to defy him.
âKiddo, think of the consequences of your actions.â Cheng Huaiâan sneered, âTrading with me can still get you 300 million. If you exit Vermilion Bird City, forget 300 million, you wouldnât even get one Zhuque coin! Who knows, you might even lose your little life!â Cheng Huaiâan stared piercingly at Huang Xiaolong, his eyes thick with murderous light.
Huang Xiaolong ignored Cheng Huaiâan words and walked out of the shop. He subsequently tried several other shops in Vermilion Bird City, but when he failed to exchange in these shops, he put on an exasperated face, unwillingly heading toward the cityâs exit to go another city.
When Cheng Huaiâan received the report from his subordinate, a cold sneer spread over his face, âKiddo, you chose this, so donât blame me.â He headed toward the city gates as he said this, chasing behind Huang Xiaolong.
Though confident of his background, Cheng Huaiâan dared not really kill inside Vermilion Bird City. However, outside of Vermilion Bird City was a different story.
It didnât take long for Cheng Huaiâan to catch up to Huang Xiaolong, grinning coldly as he watched Huang Xiaolongâs figure slightly up ahead.
Noticing that Huang Xiaolong was truly heading to the nearby city, Cheng Huaiâan smirked. In a blur, he appeared right in front of Huang Xiaolong.
Cheng Huaiâan stood with his arms folded across his chest, chuckling with malice, âKiddo, didnât I warn you? If you leave Vermilion Bird City, not only will you not get 300 million for those spirit stones, you might even lose your little life. Now, are you taking out those one thousand top saint grade spirit stones yourself, or do you want me to do it?â
Huang Xiaolong watched Cheng Huaiâan, suddenly flashing a smile full of bloodlust, âYour status in Vermilion Bird Institute is very high, right?â
Cheng Huaiâan was stumped for a moment, failing to understand why Huang Xiaolong would ask if he had a high status.
âCorrect.â Not thinking too much about Huang Xiaolongâs question, his manner complacent, âNot only am I the grandson of the Cheng Familyâs Great Grand Elder, Iâm also Vermilion Bird Institute Grand Elder Wudeâs personal disciple. My Master Wude is in charge of the Vermilion Bird Instituteâs Punishment Hall, even the Institute Principal has to mind his manners in front of my Master.â
Huang Xiaolong nodded, âIâm glad.â He had decided to use this elite discipleâs identity as a disguise. Another reason was that elite disciples were less eye-catching than an Elder or a Grand Elder. Moreover, elite disciples need not take tasks and leave the institute, giving Huang Xiaolong ample time to stay inside the Vermilion Bird Institute.
The problem was, an ordinary elite disciple was not authorized to enter the inner section of the library, whereas for the information about the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire, more likely than not, would be in the inner section.
Therefore, an elite disciple with Cheng Huanâan status was ideal.
As Cheng Huaiâan grew increasingly confused, Huang Xiaolongâs hands waved outwards. Almost unnoticeable golden lights glimmered in the airspace as golden silkworm threads spread out, locking the surrounding space and creating a barrier from the outside world.
This was an ancient divine artifact, the God Restricting Golden Silkthread Rope. It fell into Huang Xiaolongâs hands after the Azure Dragon Instituteâs Grand Elder Li Qingming died.
At this moment, Huang Xiaolongâs peak late-Ninth Order God Realm aura was fully released.
Cheng Huaiâan was terrified as his pupils dilated looking at Huang Xiaolong; this man was not a late-Third Order God Realm?!
âYou, who are you?! What do you want?â Forcing himself to calm down, Cheng Huaiâan demanded in false bravado.
Huang Xiaolong was too lazy to entertain Cheng Huaiâanâs nonsense. A powerful suction force from his hands pulled Cheng Huaiâan toward him, then he scoured Cheng Huaiâan soul.
A short while later, the soul-scouring ended and a palm strike exterminated Cheng Huaiâanâs soul. In the next second, Huang Xiaolongâs features, height, and body shape transformed into Cheng Huaiâanâs. An exact copy.
Huang Xiaolong then changed into Cheng Huaiâanâs elite disciple robe before retrieving the God Restricting Golden Silkthread Rope and flying in the direction of the Vermilion Bird Institute.
When he stepped into the Vermilion Bird City once more, everything was calm and peaceful. Huang Xiaolong no longer needed to exchange any Zhuque coins.
As the Cheng Family Great Grand Elderâs grandson, as well as Vermilion Bird Institute Grand Elder Wudeâs personal disciple, Cheng Huaiâanâs spatial ring did not lack Zhuque coins.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
After taking a round the Cheng Familyâs estate, Huang Xiaolong finally made his way to the Vermilion Bird Cityâs transmission array, paid the fees, and was transferred inside the Vermilion Bird Instituteâs grounds.
âThis is the Vermilion Bird Institute?â Stepping out from the transmission array, Huang Xiaolong thought to himself.
In the large square up ahead was a giant statue of a fire phoenix.
Huang Xiaolong leaped into the air. Following the memory from Cheng Huaiâan, he flew toward the mountain where his dwelling place was located. As for the Vermilion Bird Institute, he could visit it in a day or two. Even if he wanted to hurry, there were things that couldnât be rushed.
It took him twenty years of research before he could pinpoint the Black Tortoise Divine Fireâs location.
The time he was going to spend here would not be short.