Chapter 29: The Unscrupulous Merchant

  Looking at the three people with a sheepish expression, Tang Lin's temper was not coming together, but he still couldn't get angry. On someone else's turf, it's better to be more honest.

  "Sister, I don't know how to sell this fifteen-year-old Tianling fruit. We are all first-time outsiders from the mountain gate and we don't quite understand the value of these spiritual herbs!"

  "Oh, in that case, let me introduce you to them. This fifteen-year-old Tianling fruit requires five mid-grade spirit stones per plant, the ten-year-old ones require three blocks, and the five-year-old ones require one block."

  "Sister, do you have thirty-year-old Tianling fruit here?"

  "Thirty years old?"

  As soon as Tang Lin spoke, the woman was taken aback at first, then looked at him with a puzzled expression.

  "It's available, but at this price..."

  "As long as it has a price, I wonder how many spirit stones this thirty-year-old Tianling fruit is worth?"

  "The thirty-year-old Tianling fruit has already exceeded my authority. As a young woman, I have no right to buy or sell it. If the few Taoist friends really want to buy it, please follow me."

  After finishing speaking, the woman led the four brothers upstairs. After exchanging a few words with the guard, she took them to a room and bowed slightly, asking them to wait for a moment before leaving.

  Not long after, an old man pushed the door open. After seeing the cultivation of several people clearly, this old man had a proud expression and a look of disdain on his face, saying:

  "Is it the thirty-year-old Tianling fruit you want?"

  The old man's expression made Tang Lin very uncomfortable, but this also indirectly confirmed Tang Lin's speculation.

  "Senior, we've come specifically for this Tian Ling fruit, please tell us its price."

  Tang Lin was now in an unusual state, the usual arrogance had disappeared, replaced by a smiling face, looking harmless, but actually extremely cunning.

  "Ah, thirty-year-old Tianling fruit, I have a few in the Qiankun Pavilion, but not many, ten top-grade spirit stones for one!"

  As soon as the old man's words came out, except for Tang Lin, the remaining two brothers were shocked and their mouths were wide open. They knew that the thirty-year-old Tianling fruit was valuable, but they didn't think it would be so valuable. Ten pieces of top-grade spirit stone, that's equivalent to one thousand pieces of mid-grade spirit stone! Tang Lin didn't understand these things, but Zhang Dapeng and the others clearly knew what ten pieces of top-grade spirit stone represented.

  It's a little-known fact that in the Tianjian Gate, the amount of spiritual stones is extremely scarce. Even Long Xiaotian can't take out more than a few top-grade spiritual stones. Because of poverty, the Tianjian Gate's mountain-protecting array "Wanjian Guiyuan" has not been used for over a hundred years. The reason is simple: activating this mountain-protecting array requires ten top-grade spiritual stones, which Long Xiaotian does not have. This has also become a laughing stock for the other five sects.

  "Kid, don't waste my time. I can tell you can't afford this Tianling fruit anyway, so just leave."

  The old man was about to leave after finishing speaking, but he was stopped by Tang Lin.

  "Senior, to be honest with you, my fellow disciples and I have come down the mountain this time under our master's orders, to sell spiritual grasses and fruits at your Kunlun Hall. May I ask how much you would pay for a thirty-year-old Heavenly Spirit Fruit?"

  After finishing speaking, Tang Lin took out a Tianling fruit from his storage bag and placed it on the table.

  As soon as the Tian Ling fruit appeared, the old man's expression changed immediately, and he put on a smiling face, saying:

  "Little friend, it turns out you were inquiring about the price. Hehe, rest assured, my Qiankun Pavilion is the largest store in Jiulong City, affiliated with the Temple of Gods and Demons. We have always been fair in our business dealings, with prices that are just and reasonable. Since you want to sell the Tianling Fruit, I am willing to offer eight top-grade spirit stones per piece. However many you have, we'll take them all. What do you think, little friend?"

  As for this old man's appearance, Tang Lin had long been accustomed to it, with the same moral character as those merchants in Xuantian City, but this old man's means were much more ingenious.

  "Senior, let's be straightforward, this price... is probably a bit low, right?"

  At this time, Tang Lin's expression was like a swindler who cheated people out of their money and took advantage of them. Compared to Tang Lin, the old man seemed much more forthright.

  "Little friend, how can you say that? My Qiankun Pavilion sells top-grade spirit stones for 10 pieces, and buys them back at the price of 8 pieces. This is already very fair, and this price is known to everyone. I didn't cheat you, little friend!"

  "Haha, senior, I have 40 pieces of Tianling fruit here, all of which are 30 years old. My master said that your Qiankun Pavilion is fair in doing things, so I came to sell them to you. If you're going to be like this, then we can only look for another place, farewell!"

  After finishing speaking, Tang Lin was about to leave. This wasn't an act; he really wanted to leave. In Tang Lin's view, he had goods in his hands, and they were good ones too. He wouldn't have any trouble selling them wherever he went. The old man in front of him didn't speak the truth, and his heart was too sinister. Doing business with someone like this would be a loss!

  "Hey little friend, slow down, let's have a chat!"

  "Senior, if you don't give me a straight answer, I think there's no need for us to continue discussing this deal."

  Tang Lin didn't stop and still planned to leave.

  "Top-grade Spirit Stone for 90 pieces!"

  "Goodbye, senior!"

  "Ten pieces of silver, ten pieces of silver, what can I do? Even an old man like me is helpless!"

  "Heh heh, senior, if you'd said that earlier, we wouldn't have had to leave. One top-grade spirit stone for 10 bucks, it's a deal!"

  After finishing, Tang Lin walked back with a sly smile on his face. Seeing Tang Lin's appearance, the old man had a painful expression and thought to himself: "Whose kid is this? He's so good at doing business. If I had known earlier, I would have told him that one spiritual stone costs five blocks. Indeed, you can't judge a person by their appearance."

  "Senior, my fellow disciples and I have come for another matter, which is to purchase elixirs. I know that the Qiankun Pavilion is the largest store in Jiulong City, and high-quality elixirs are certainly not scarce here. If the price is reasonable, we will make our purchases from you!"

  "Haha, young friend, you've hit the nail on the head! The elixirs in my Qiankun Pavilion are all top-notch, and as for the price, please don't worry, it's absolutely fair. If I tried to cheat you, that would be impossible to hide from your eyes."

  "This is great, senior. This time we've come, the quantity of dan medicine needed is extremely large, and the quality must be high. Please introduce a few options, junior will select from them."

  "Alright! I'll introduce a few to you, young friend. In the Qiankun Pavilion, elixirs are divided into three levels. The first level is for those below the Golden Elixir stage, used to enhance cultivation and training. This elixir is called 'Tianyuan Dan'. Ten mid-grade spirit stones can exchange for one pellet. Don't underestimate this elixir, its effects are a hundred times better than the Tianling Dan sold on the market. The spiritual energy contained within is gentle and pure, suitable for those below the Golden Elixir stage to consume."

  "This second stage is a special elixir for Golden Elixir practitioners, called 'Duó Líng Dān'. Twenty pieces of medium-grade spiritual stone are required. The third stage is for advanced practitioners in the Yuan Ying period, and it's called 'Péi Yuán Dān', which requires one piece of high-grade spiritual stone. Which one do you need, little friend?"

  "Senior, we need the first kind, Tianyuan Dan five hundred pills, I wonder if there are so many?"

  "Five hundred? Indeed not a small number. Alright, young friend can take a look around my Qiankun Pavilion, I'll go out and coordinate for a bit, an hour later these five hundred Tianyuan Dan will definitely be handed over to you."

  "Alright! I'll wait here then and take a look at the treasure of this Qiankun Pavilion."

  "Someone come and take these few honored guests to the third floor to rest, treat them well, don't be slow!"

  The woman who had previously pushed open the door led Tang Lin and others to the third floor, at this time her eyes looking towards Tang Lin and others were also increasingly surprised.

  The third floor of the Kunlun Pavilion is not a place where anyone can go, it's a symbol of status. Those who can enter the third floor are all top-notch figures in the southern ten-character state. And today, these four young men, who are only in the Qi Refining stage, have also received such treatment.

  The things placed on the third floor are truly top-notch, with the lowest being at least three-stage treasure artifacts, on the same level as Lu Hu's Frost Sword.

  "Damn it, you're really a shrewd businessman! I was scared out of my wits earlier. That old man's cultivation is at least in the Golden Elixir stage, and you dare to haggle with him? I'm truly impressed!"

  "Yes indeed! I'm also sweating, you're too awesome, young master!"

  "Brother Tang is indeed no ordinary person, I admire him with all my heart."

  Looking at the silly appearance of the three people, Tang Lin said with a bad temper:

  "You three are really embarrassing, look at the silly way you were staring just now, directly gazing at someone's big breasts, just keep looking, and you're even drooling, my face is being shamed by you guys!"

  "Junior brother, I didn't participate in their affair, and as for that woman, I didn't even take a glance at her!"

  "Fart, you're not even as good as those two. Young master asked you, did you really used to be a monk before entering the Tianjian Gate? Looking at how sticky you are with that woman, it's really impossible to associate you with being a monk. Luckily you entered the Tianjian Gate, otherwise this world would have had one more flower monk!"

  "Who knew, you're usually so down-to-earth, but it turns out you're actually a wild and crazy type! I, Dapeng, was completely deceived by your innocent appearance, fooled by this sly monk! What a sin, what a sin!"

  After finishing speaking, he surprisingly clasped his hands together and started muttering in a pretentious manner.

  "I was just casually chatting with her, didn't do anything indecent, unlike you two who are staring at people's breasts on purpose. Didn't Tang Shidi say that? You not only stare at people's big breasts but also drool, speaking of being embarrassing, the two of you are even worse!"

  Xiaoyao cited reason and evidence to argue, speaking with sound reasoning, for a time actually rendering Zhang Dapeng and Zhang Dabiao speechless, momentarily stunned into silence.

  "You three are not good people, I'm a bit regretful to know you two now. Being with you two, my 'money' road is all gloomy!"

  "Rub, just you're good, I just reacted, how did you know we were looking at big breasts? You rascal, if you didn't look, how would you know someone's breasts are big? You still looked, pretending to be a good person!"

  "Damn it, do you think I want to watch that? Those women are swaying back and forth right in front of me, can't even avoid them. What's the point? Are you asking me to stare at them like you guys?"

  The four of you are taking turns speaking, pinching each other, and pouring dirty water on each other's foreheads. The language is vicious, with all sorts of foul words coming out one after another. Even the normally honest and straightforward Xiao Yao is now full of curses when he speaks. This is what the disciples of Tianjian Gate are like - "talents" from a den of thieves!