…… If this had happened before Lei Dong was summoned and rewarded by the Ancestor, Zhao Baiwan would have slapped him across the face long ago. But now, he dared not, forcing a smile onto his face, adopting the genial demeanor of a businessman focused on mutual profit: "Junior Brother Lei, this is a misunderstanding, truly a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding my foot," Lei Dong spat, acting impulsively and angrily, ready to strike him. "Do you have any idea how much time I spent acquiring those two Spirit Ghosts? That piece of junk Soul Nurturing Tower you sold actually killed one of mine." His voice boomed so loudly that several passing senior brothers stopped in their tracks, preparing to gather and watch the spectacle.

"Misunderstanding, it's truly a misunderstanding," Zhao Baiwan hurriedly wheedled, chuckling nervously. "How could anything I sell be flawed? It must have been Junior Brother’s accidental mishandling, accidental mishandling." As he spoke, he kept winking conspiratorially at Lei Dong, sounding rather subservient: "Junior Brother Lei, don't shout so loud. We can discuss this calmly, very calmly. Let's go inside to talk." In his heart, however, he bitterly acknowledged that this time he had certainly tried to steal a goose only to lose the bait. He had initially thought this junior brother, without backing and with merely decent aptitude, would be easy to fool and cheat a bit. He never expected that Lei Dong would actually receive the Ancestor's favor, along with a bounty of a hundred Spirit Stones and a Mid-grade Magic Tool. Such honors were rarely bestowed upon anyone outside the Ancestor’s direct disciples.

At this moment, Zhao Baiwan truly dared not offend Lei Dong. It was a minor issue if he spoiled his business reputation by shouting everywhere; but what if the Ghost Servant or the Ancestor was drawn out? He wouldn't have enough lives to pay for such a mistake.

Lei Dong also knew when to stop pressing his advantage. With a thunderous, ashen-faced snort, he allowed himself to be half-dragged into the room by Zhao Baiwan, feigning reluctance.

"Junior Brother, Senior Brother was wrong about this matter. How about you return the Soul Nurturing Tower to me, and I will refund you ten times the Spirit Stones?" After cajoling Lei Dong into a seat, Zhao Baiwan, shaking his rolls of fat, stated with palpable anguish.

"Ten times the Spirit Stones?" Lei Dong's face darkened in fury, and he immediately stood up, yelling, "Zhao Baiwan, do you take me for a fool? The Spirit Ghost I lost, killed by that junk, is worth far more than that price. Why don't I go find Lord Ghost Servant and ask him to judge this matter?"

"Calm down, calm down, Junior Brother," Zhao Baiwan exerted considerable effort to persuade Lei Dong back into his seat. Gritting his teeth, his face etched with distress, he finally conceded, "I'll compensate you, I will compensate you. Junior Brother Lei, just tell me, how much should your foolish Senior Brother pay?"

Lei Dong's expression seemed to ease slightly. He glanced at Zhao Baiwan with a cold huff. "Originally, I demanded tenfold compensation, but seeing as Senior Brother Zhao has shown a moderately sincere attitude, thirty Spirit Stones, and we can consider this issue settled."

"Thirty Spirit Stones!?" Zhao Baiwan nearly leaped up, his face turning pale with resentment. "That's impossible! Where do you expect your foolish Senior Brother to find thirty Spirit Stones to pay you?"

"Stop your whining here," Lei Dong scoffed dismissively. "Senior Brother has been in business for so many years; rumor has it your net worth long surpassed ten thousand. How could thirty Spirit Stones possibly be unaffordable? If Senior Brother is unwilling, then..."

"Fine, thirty Spirit Stones it is, thirty Spirit Stones." Zhao Baiwan felt as if a dull knife were slicing through his heart; the pain was excruciating. For the sake of snatching a tiny trivial benefit, for the sake of some merchant's so-called dignity, who would have thought the eventual loss would be so much greater? Saying this, and wishing to prevent Lei Dong from growing greedier, he quickly and painfully counted out thirty Spirit Stones.

Lei Dong took the stones and pocketed them. Only then did his expression return to normal, and he smiled affably, "Since that is the case, this matter is thoroughly concluded. Senior Brother Zhao, actually, the reason I came today is because I have another transaction I wish to conduct with you."

"A transaction?" Zhao Baiwan, who would normally have rejoiced at the mention of business, instead shivered violently, his voice trembling slightly. "What transaction is that?"

"This junior brother wishes to purchase a Low-grade Flying Magic Tool. I presume Senior Brother should have some in stock?" Lei Dong stretched lazily, adding, "Of course, this will be a fair trade, and I certainly won't let Senior Brother suffer a loss."

Hearing this, Zhao Baiwan felt considerably more at ease. He mused that although this junior brother could strike hard, he at least knew the importance of leaving room for reconciliation. Otherwise, if Lei Dong had pushed things too far, even at the risk of incurring the Ancestor’s reprimand, Zhao Baiwan would have been forced to tear a chunk out of him. His spirits lifted slightly. "A Low-grade Flying Magic Tool, yes, I have them. May I ask what price range Junior Brother is looking for?"

Lei Dong quickly calculated the Spirit Stones on hand. He had spent a small sum purchasing the Spirit Condensing Pills, but the rest was mostly earned from randomly gathering various Yin Grasses and Yin Fungi during this period. Including the thirty coins compensated by Zhao Baiwan, the total amounted to around one hundred and seventy stones.

After a moment of thought, Lei Dong spoke, "I want a flying artifact priced around three hundred Spirit Stones."

"Three hundred Spirit Stones?" Zhao Baiwan’s spirits soared. He hadn't encountered such a large transaction in quite some time. Looking at Lei Dong again, the junior brother suddenly seemed much more pleasing to the eye. Three hundred Spirit Stones was a fortune. Zhao Baiwan’s eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled broadly and quickly rose. "Junior Brother, please wait a moment; your Senior Brother will return shortly."

In less than a moment, Zhao Baiwan emerged carefully carrying a box. He placed it on the table, looking rather smug. "This Shadow-Chasing Flying Sword is quite the treasure. Although it is classified merely as a Low-grade Magic Tool in terms of quality, its speed is comparable to an ordinary Mid-grade Flying Magic Tool. At full speed, it can travel a thousand li in an hour. Senior Brother has been reluctant to part with it, but due to my affinity with you, Junior Brother, and the debt I owe you, I reluctantly bring it out." He was genuinely proud. In truth, this flying sword had not been purchased; he had looted it from a heavily injured late-stage Qi Refining rogue cultivator years ago. Although it cost him a sum as high as several dozen Spirit Stones to erase the previous owner’s residual mental imprint, compared to the value of this flying sword, it was far more than worth the expense.

Lei Dong picked up the Shadow-Chasing Flying Sword without showing any expression. It was entirely inky black, with a hilt shaped like a skull—vivid and menacing. The entire structure possessed a slight curve, exhibiting excellent streamlining. As his hand brushed over it, he could feel the cool yet dense material. As soon as he channeled his Profound Yin True Qi into it, the entire sword emitted a deep green, almost black, dim light.

Seeing Lei Dong manipulating the sword until it glowed faintly, Zhao Baiwan smiled broadly. "Junior Brother must have noticed. When this sword is activated for flight, its escaping light takes on a deep green, dark hue. This isn't significant during the day, but if you fly at night, it becomes much harder for others to spot you, indirectly providing the benefit of concealing your movements."

Lei Dong merely responded with a noncommittal 'Oh' and offered no further reply, turning the question back on him. "Since Senior Brother has listed so many benefits, why not discuss its drawbacks?" In reality, Lei Dong already understood: if this flying sword were truly as good as he claimed, it wouldn't be classified as a Low-grade Flying Magic Tool; it would be Mid-grade.

Zhao Baiwan's smile froze. If this were in the past, he could certainly have bamboozled this junior brother. But now, even if he were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare. The corners of his mouth twitched into a dry, cackling smile. "Junior Brother indeed has sharp eyes, very sharp eyes. The only weakness of this flying sword is its exorbitant consumption rate. A Mid-grade flying artifact with comparable speed usually consumes only one Spirit Stone to travel a thousand li. However, this sword requires two. Even if driven by True Qi instead of Spirit Stones, it consumes double the amount compared to other flying swords of equal capability. Given your current cultivation realm, Junior Brother, you would likely expend nearly all your internal True Qi after flying about one hundred li." Knowing this junior brother was not easy to fool, and feeling even more hesitant to try, Zhao Baiwan had no choice but to honestly reveal the flaw.

Indeed, it had a fatal flaw, Lei Dong thought with a slight sigh. Spirit Stones were precious resources critically needed by everyone. Many ordinary Qi Refining disciples scrutinized every single Spirit Stone they spent. Who would willingly use a flying artifact with such massive Spirit Stone consumption? But precisely because of this drawback, it had the opportunity to fall into Lei Dong's hands. Otherwise, it would likely have been snapped up long ago.

However, even Lei Dong, holding the Soul Devouring Tower, couldn't help but feel a pang of distress when considering the massive Spirit Stone expenditure. The distance to the nearest market town was over eight thousand li. A round trip using this Shadow-Chasing Flying Sword would require about thirty-two Spirit Stones. Yet, Lei Dong did not wish to miss out on this rare combination of speed and stealth. A flying artifact that offered comparable metrics under normal consumption would likely cost far more than what he currently possessed. Even if he had the Spirit Stones to buy it, a small merchant like Zhao Baiwan wouldn't have access to flying artifacts of that caliber.

Lei Dong drew in a sharp breath. "Double the Spirit Stones required for flight! Senior Brother Zhao, do you take me for a fat sheep?" In his heart, though, he resolved to acquire it. Flying fast meant more chances to escape, which translated to greater safety. And night stealth offered an added layer of insurance on top of speed. As for the doubled Spirit Stone consumption—let it consume them! After all, he possessed the Soul Devouring Tower. Safety was the most crucial thing.

……

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