Li Xun narrowed his eyes and began to haggle. He knew he absolutely couldn't show off his wealth in front of Flender, or else he'd end up spending even more money.
"This crystal is already the cheapest thing in my shop. If you're not buying, then leave." The chair stopped moving as Flender tilted his head back, his body completely still.
What a rip-off, truly a cunning merchant. Li Xun cursed inwardly, knowing that a single Gold Soul Coin could sustain an ordinary family for a month. He then took out a hundred Gold Soul Coins from his Soul Guiding Device and handed them to Flender. "Boss, I—"
"Your money isn't enough." Before Li Xun could finish, Flender spoke indifferently.
Li Xun rolled his eyes. If it weren't for his desire to intercept the Golden Dragon Whisker Needle, he wouldn't bother dealing with Flender at all.
This thing might not look lethal, but it was insidiously toxic. Even Zhao Wuji, the Immovable Bright King, couldn't withstand it. If a low-level Soul Master were to get hit in vital areas like the eyes or spine, they'd likely suffer a fate worse than death.
Most importantly, Tang San was expected to arrive soon, and Li Xun wasn't about to let this item fall into his hands.
"Boss, this is exactly a hundred Gold Soul Coins." Li Xun pretended to be anxious. He had money, but no matter how much he had, he wasn't going to let Flender swindle him so blatantly.
He needed to find a way to play a trick on him.
Flender's expression remained unchanged. "But I've changed my mind. This crystal now costs two hundred Gold Soul Coins. Take it or leave it."
"Fine, I won't buy it then!"
Li Xun was visibly annoyed. "Why is Suotuo City so shady? Everything here is a rip-off. I only brought three hundred Gold Soul Coins with me when I left home, and I've already been swindled out of a hundred just by arriving here."
"And now you're trying to rip me off too?"
"That so-called Shrek Academy is probably just as shady, charging a hundred Gold Soul Coins a year for tuition. I bet Suotuo City is all the same."
"I'll just go somewhere else. At least I won't be scammed to the point of not being able to afford food!" With that, Li Xun turned to leave, deliberately letting the Soul Guiding Device on his wrist show slightly.
In his mind, he began counting: One, two...
Hmm? This kid seems to be aiming for my Shrek Academy.
Flender's heart stirred, and he instantly stood up from his reclining chair, giving Li Xun a thorough once-over. "Hey! Kid, wait a moment."
Judging by his age, he did fit Shrek Academy's admission criteria. Moreover, his clothes clearly weren't something an ordinary family could afford, and most importantly, he was wearing a golden bracelet Soul Guiding Device on his wrist.
This entire outfit probably cost at least ten to twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins.
A family that could spend so much on a child's attire must have a high-level Soul Master.
And the offspring of high-level Soul Masters had a high chance of inheriting their talents. This kid likely had the qualifications to enroll in Shrek Academy.
Flender's mind raced through these thoughts in an instant, and then he activated the innate perception ability of his Owl Martial Soul, carefully listening to the fluctuations of Li Xun's Soul Power.
"Kid, can I check your bones?" Flender barely contained his excitement.
Sensing the boy's Soul Power fluctuations, he was actually a level 37 or 38 Soul Grandmaster, and he looked even younger than Dai Mubai.
A true genius!
The Owl Martial Soul's hearing was extremely sharp. At night, he didn't need to rely on his eyes; he could discern his surroundings purely through sound echoes. Just now, by listening to the flow of Soul Power within Li Xun's body, he had roughly determined Li Xun's Soul Power level.
"Crazy, if you don't want to sell it, why do you need to touch it?" Li Xun shook his head, shot Flender a glare, and continued walking toward the door.
Flender grew anxious and quickly stepped forward to block Li Xun's path: "Hey, hey! Don't leave. If you just let me check your bones, I'll sell you this crystal for a hundred... no, fifty Gold Soul Coins."
"What a rip-off! Fifty Gold Soul Coins? If you can lower the price, it means there's still profit. I'm not letting you take advantage of me," Li Xun retorted, trying to step past Flender.
Today, he wouldn't leave without getting it for free.
"Hey, kid, let me be honest with you. I'm the dean of Shrek Academy," Flender said, placing a hand on Li Xun's shoulder and sighing. "To tell you the truth, even I'm struggling with the high cost of living in Suotuo City."
"Let me be frank, the hundred Gold Soul Coins your students pay upon enrollment isn't enough to cover daily expenses. That's why I opened this shop, to provide meals and nutrition for the students," Flender explained, his hand lightly squeezing Li Xun's shoulder. He was inwardly shocked.
He discovered that Li Xun was only twelve years old.
Dai Mubai, at fifteen, was already considered a genius as a level 37 Soul Grandmaster. But what did it mean for a twelve-year-old to be a level 38 Soul Grandmaster?
This implied that Li Xun was likely the fastest Soul Master on the continent to reach the Soul Grandmaster level, and he might even break the record for the fastest advancement to Soul Honour.
Further progress might depend on luck, but it was clear that this child would become a formidable figure in the future.
A true monster among monsters.
Hearing Flender's complaints about poverty, Li Xun looked skeptical: "Really? I don't believe it!"
Nonsense! Shrek Academy only had a few students. Even if their monthly meals cost ten Gold Soul Coins, it would only amount to 120 Gold Soul Coins a year. That's enough to support ten ordinary families for a year.
Li Xun had reason to suspect that Flender's shady shop was entirely for the sake of his disciple, Ma Hongjun.
After all, a child with no source of income—where would he get the money to visit brothels every day?
Ah! I almost forgot, the Spirit Hall provides subsidies for Soul Masters, but brothels must be expensive. I wonder if the subsidy is enough.
"Kid, as a level 78 Soul Saint, would I lie to you?" Flender tried to calm his excitement and summoned his Martial Soul. Seven Spirit Rings appeared at his feet: two yellow, two purple, and three black. "Since you want to join Shrek Academy, I'll give you this crystal for free. How about that?"
"You're actually a Soul Saint powerhouse!" Li Xun quickly feigned surprise, covering his mouth. "No wonder I've heard that Shrek Academy produces the elite of the elite."
"Of course," Flender said proudly, tilting his head. He enjoyed hearing such praise.
"..."
Li Xun hesitated, becoming a bit shy: "Never mind, Dean Flender. If Shrek Academy is so financially strained that it can't even guarantee meals for its students, how can I accept something from you for free?"
Flender laughed heartily, quickly grabbing the crystal from the wall and shoving it into Li Xun's arms: "Kid, don't worry. Losing one crystal won't starve you all."
He was genuinely happy. He hadn't expected this child, who hadn't even enrolled yet, to already be thinking about the academy's welfare.
Flender patted Li Xun's shoulder: "Since you like it, keep it safe. Don't worry about the rest. It's almost time for the entrance exam to begin."
"Wait for me, I'll go pack up some things, and then I'll take you to the academy," Flender said with a smile, quickly heading into the shop.
What's the point of running a shop when you've just found a monster among monsters?
Seeing Flender enter the shop, Li Xun quietly stashed the crystal into his Soul Guiding Device and slowly began to back away. Once he felt he was at a safe distance, he turned and bolted, forming a hand seal with one hand and instantly vanishing from the spot.
Only a fool would follow you to Shrek Academy.
Li Xun activated the Body Flicker Technique, and with a few flashes, he was already far away from the street.
After carefully surveying his surroundings, he asked around for the location of the Rose Hotel. Under the ambiguous gazes of the passersby, he quickly disappeared.
"You little brat, how dare you trick me!!"
A moment later, an enraged roar echoed through the skies above Suotuo City.
(End of Chapter)