Chapter 54: Chapter 34: The Sixth Crown Prince of the East Sea
On the painted barge.
Xuzhuang thought for a moment, then flicked his finger. A speck of spiritual light flew out, transforming into a tangible yet colorless barrier that faintly enveloped the boat’s hull before vanishing from sight.
After doing this, Xuzhuang took out the jade box and offered it to Fairy Shi. "Miss Shi, you previously said that the Dragon Pearl was crucial to the success of your plans. Now that we’ve successfully won it at auction, shall I entrust it to your personal care?"
Fairy Shi raised a slender hand but showed no intention of taking it. Instead, she gently pushed the jade box back. "I’ll have to trouble you to hold on to it for now, Young Master. It will be of use later."
"Oh?" Xuzhuang said thoughtfully. "It seems you already have a plan, Miss. Care to reveal a little?"
Fairy Shi covered her lips and chuckled lightly. "Just be patient."
Hearing this, Xuzhuang raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on his face. "Could it be, Miss, that you’re waiting for the person who was bidding against me just now?"
Surprise flickered in Fairy Shi’s beautiful eyes. "How did you guess, Young Master?"
At that moment, Xuzhuang finally saw through some of the fog. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said, "That person has been following our boat for quite some time."
"What?" She hadn’t noticed. It seemed the barrier Xuzhuang had deployed had cut them off from outside perception entirely.
Xuzhuang tapped his index finger on the small table and smiled. "Should we invite him aboard for a chat?"
Fairy Shi pondered for a moment, then her face broke into a smile. "Of course."
Xuzhuang nodded slightly, stood up, and with another flick of his finger, dispelled the barrier hiding the boat. He called out in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoists, why have you been tailing us? Why not show yourselves and have a chat?"
Perhaps not expecting Xuzhuang to be so direct, the air was silent for a moment. Xuzhuang, however, wasn’t impatient. He simply waited with his hands behind his back.
Sure enough, after a few breaths, the beaded curtain rustled. A man lifted the curtain, standing aside motionlessly. Then, another man entered the barge with a calm and unhurried gait. Only then did the first man follow, lowering the curtain behind him. These were the very master and servant pair who had competed with Xuzhuang for the Dragon Pearl at the treasure assembly.
The moment the young man entered the barge, his gaze locked onto Xuzhuang’s face. He uttered his name: "Xuzhuang!"
"Oh?" Xuzhuang replied calmly. "It seems you already know my identity, Fellow Daoist, but I have yet to ask your name."
The young man gave Xuzhuang a deep look, then swept his gaze around the room, his eyes finally landing on Zhang Ji. The information his servant had gathered flashed through his mind: ’Tai Su True Inheritance, Pengxuan Pavilion Master...’ Suppressing his impatience, the young man said flatly, "Ao Hai."
Hearing the name, Zhang Ji’s brow twitched, and he couldn’t help but glance at Xuzhuang. Xuzhuang’s expression remained unchanged as he replied naturally, "So it is Brother Ao. I wonder, for what reason did you follow us all this way?"
"..." Ao Hai was silent for a moment before stating bluntly, "I’d like to ask you to give me the Dragon Pearl. Whatever price you want, we can discuss it."
What kind of negotiation tactic was this? Hearing him, Xuzhuang smiled. "Oh? But you already lost to me in the bidding, Fellow Daoist. How could you possibly offer a higher price?"
Ao Hai glanced to his side, giving a slight signal. His servant immediately took out several small boxes from his collar, placed them on the table, and opened them one by one. A brilliant, multicolored glow instantly filled the barge, revealing the items within: Thousand-Year Blood Coral, Undersea Divine Treasure Iron, Ren Shui, Sunflower Water Essence... each and every one a rare and precious treasure.
Only then did Ao Hai speak. "How about it? That... Three Mountains Immortal Treasure, how much of it are these things worth?" His words were laced with an irrepressible, superior tone as he said arrogantly, "As long as you’re willing to give up the Dragon Pearl, all of this, plus the amount I bid at the assembly, will be yours."
As if afraid Xuzhuang wouldn’t believe him, he shot a sideways glance at his servant, who took out a dozen or so strings of Three Mountains Immortal Treasure from his pocket and tossed them onto the table, piling it high.
The price Ao Hai offered was undeniably high. The rare treasures on the table alone were worth no less than a Magical Artifact with perfected restrictions, not to mention he was also offering fifteen thousand Three Mountains Immortal Treasure. If Xuzhuang made this deal, he would turn an immense profit.
However, no amount of money was enough to sway Xuzhuang’s decision. But he didn’t refuse immediately. After all, he still had no idea what kind of Spirit Medicine this Demoness beside him was selling in her gourd.
Xuzhuang gently tapped his index finger on the table, putting on an appearance of deep thought.
A smug smile lifted the corners of Ao Hai’s mouth. He urged, "Well? With a price like this, what’s there to hesitate about?"
Just then, Fairy Shi’s delicate brows furrowed. She suddenly raised a soft hand and placed it on the back of Xuzhuang’s, murmuring softly, "Xu Lang, didn’t you say this Dragon Pearl was a gift for me?"
Xuzhuang’s eyelid twitched. He glanced sideways at her. The Demoness was gazing at him, her limpid autumn-water eyes filled with tender affection, truly looking like a girl pouting coquettishly at her lover.
Their eyes met and then slid past each other. Xuzhuang had already suppressed his slight surprise and decided to go with the flow. "Fellow Daoist, you see how it is. It’s not a matter of a high or low price. It’s just that this Dragon Pearl... I’ve already promised it to someone."
Ao Hai’s smug expression vanished instantly. His brows knitted together as he said in a low voice, "Xuzhuang, if you accept these treasures, what precious gift couldn’t you buy? I advise you not to be ungrateful. In this East Sea, taking the Dragon Pearl is a grave offense against the Dragon Palace. Do you think you’ll get away with it?"
With those words, the negotiation was over. While not exactly angered, Xuzhuang’s smile faded from his face. If he were truly the one in charge of this situation, he would have rejected the offer long ago.
But then Fairy Shi spoke: "That is no concern of yours, Fellow Daoist. When Xu Lang bought this Dragon Pearl to gift to me, not only will it not offend the Dragon Palace, it will earn their gratitude."
Ao Hai sneered, "Oh? I wasn’t aware of such logic."
Fairy Shi smiled. "I have a friend, a Demon Marquis who holds a talismanic decree from the Dragon Palace. If I were to ask this friend to take me and Xu Lang to present the pearl at the Dragon Palace, do you think they would still blame us?"
