Chapter 1328: Exhausting One’s Fortune
Translator: CinderTL
In a secluded tea room, a maid invited Song Wen and Wu Lingzhu to sit. With a wave of her hand, a large jade box appeared before Wu Lingzhu.
"Please inspect this, Miss Lingzhu," the maid said.
Wu Lingzhu reached out and opened the jade box.
Instantly, dozens of quail egg-sized, azure-green fruits were revealed.
The fruits were neatly arranged in individual recesses at the bottom of the box, preventing them from rolling around.
Song Wen glanced at the azure fruits and immediately recognized them as Spirit Herbs that strengthened the divine soul.
Wu Lingzhu was likely preparing to advance to the Void Refinement stage.
After all, the most crucial step in reaching Void Refinement was strengthening the divine soul enough to detach it from the physical body, allowing it to roam freely through the heavens and earth.
Song Wen vividly recalled Ye Bing’s explanation of the key points for advancing to Void Refinement. She had mentioned that "spiritual objects capable of strengthening the primordial spirit are extremely rare and difficult to find." Yet here were seventy-two such fruits, right before his eyes.
Truly, what others dreamed of obtaining, some could acquire with effortless ease.
Song Wen had endured countless hardships and faced life-threatening dangers, overcome countless schemes and plots, just to reach Qicang Island from the Lower Realm, and then travel to the Eastern Profound Continent. Meanwhile, someone like Wu Lingzhu had been born directly into the Eastern Profound Continent.
As Song Wen secretly sighed, Wu Lingzhu gazed at the row of jade-green jujubes before her, her eyes burning with barely suppressed eagerness.
With a sharp snap, the jade box slammed shut.
Wu Lingzhu turned to the attendant and asked, "These Spirit Communication Jujubes are quite valuable. Can a golden core cultivator like you really authorize such a transaction?"
The attendant replied, "Manager Tang recently experienced a breakthrough in his cultivation and has entered seclusion to advance. I am currently responsible for all matters, both large and small, within the shop."
Wu Lingzhu nodded almost imperceptibly and asked, "What is the price per jujube?"
"Five thousand high-grade spirit stones each," the attendant replied.
Wu Lingzhu’s brow furrowed slightly, clearly finding the price unacceptable.
Song Wen, who had been silently observing, suddenly realized his earlier assumptions were somewhat narrow-minded.
While the Eastern Profound Continent was indeed rich in treasures, not everyone was entitled to enjoy them.
At five thousand high-grade spirit stones per jujube, seventy-two jujubes would cost three hundred and sixty thousand high-grade spirit stones. Many Body Integration Stage cultivators didn’t even carry that much spirit stone on their person.
"These prices are far too exorbitant," Wu Lingzhu said. "Please consider my close friendship with Manager Tang and offer me a discount."
"Four thousand five hundred high-grade spirit stones each," the attendant replied. "That’s the lowest I can go."
"Two thousand high-grade spirit stones per jujube. I’ll take all of these Spirit Communication Jujubes," Wu Lingzhu declared.
After some haggling between the two women, the price was finally settled at three thousand high-grade spirit stones per jujube.
While still exorbitant, this price was considered fair for a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure like the Spirit Communication Jujube.
Wu Lingzhu retrieved a storage ring from her sleeve, sensed its contents briefly, and her expression stiffened slightly.
"Little friend, I only have one hundred and twelve thousand high-grade spirit stones here. Would it be acceptable to settle the remaining balance later?"
Clearly, this storage ring was specifically used for storing spirit stones.
The maidservant looked troubled. "This... Miss Lingzhu, please forgive me. The Spirit Communication Jujubes belong to the Sect, and I dare not make such a decision on my own. The only concession I can offer is to waive the six thousand high-grade spirit stone remainder, accepting just the initial two hundred and ten thousand high-grade spirit stones."
Seeing the maidservant’s sincerity, Wu Lingzhu seemed reluctant to press further, her expression turning wistful.
Her gaze drifted across the room and landed on Song Wen.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, would you be willing to lend me some spirit stones? Rest assured, I’ll repay you promptly."
Song Wen sneered inwardly. The real show begins now.
A shortfall of a hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones—Wu Lingzhu clearly intended to squeeze every last drop from this "mid-stage Divine Transformation cultivator" in one go.
"Immortal maiden, I am naturally willing to assist you in your time of need. However, I don’t have many spirit stones on me—far from the 100,000 high-grade spirit stones required."
"Fellow Daoist, how many spirit stones do you have?" Wu Lingzhu asked.
"Only a little over 20,000," Song Wen replied.
Adding the 13,000 high-grade spirit stones he had spent at the jade pavilion earlier, he was carrying over 30,000 high-grade spirit stones—a considerable fortune for a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator.
"Just over 20,000? That’s nowhere near enough."
Wu Lingzhu’s face fell with disappointment as she turned her gaze to the attendant.
"Little friend, would it be possible to reserve the Spirit Communication Jujubes for a while? I’ll return to purchase them once I’ve gathered enough spirit stones."
The attendant replied, "Miss Lingzhu, our shop welcomes all customers. How could we turn one away? Doing so would surely damage our reputation. As a mere attendant, I lack the authority to make such a decision."
"Ah!" Wu Lingzhu sighed softly, her brow furrowed with worry. "I apologize for my abruptness. I hope you won’t take offense, little friend."
"Miss Lingzhu, how about this? You can purchase as many Spirit Communication Jujubes as your spirit stones allow. You don’t have to buy them all at once," the attendant suggested.
"That won’t work," Wu Lingzhu replied. "With my current spirit stones, I can only afford thirty-odd jujubes, which isn’t enough. I need at least forty-nine."
"Forty-nine jujubes will cost just under 150,000 high-grade spirit stones," the attendant said. "Miss Lingzhu and Senior Jiang, how many spirit stones can you gather? If the shortfall isn’t too great, I can authorize Miss Lingzhu to settle the balance later."
The shadow between Wu Lingzhu’s brows vanished, replaced by a hopeful gaze as she turned to Song Wen.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, would you please carefully count your spirit stones?"
"Of course!" Song Wen replied readily.
Immediately, a dense mass of spirit stones materialized before him, filling half the tea room.
"There are exactly 24,321 spirit stones," Wu Lingzhu announced after a quick glance at the floating stones. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Jiang."
She then activated her storage ring, gathering all the spirit stones into it.
Wu Lingzhu tossed the storage ring to the attendant. "This contains approximately 137,000 high-grade spirit stones—enough to purchase forty-nine Spirit Communication Jujubes. I’ll settle the remaining 10,000 spirit stones within a few days."
The attendant caught the storage ring, quickly examined its contents, and smiled.
"As Miss Lingzhu wishes. Please select forty-nine Spirit Communication Jujubes from this jade box. As for the remaining ten thousand spirit stones, you need not trouble yourself. You may settle the balance at your convenience."
Wu Lingzhu nodded, retrieved a jade box, and carefully selected forty-nine Spirit Communication Jujubes, placing them inside.
"Farewell, little friend," she said, rising to her feet. Turning to Song Wen, she added, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, let’s go."
Song Wen immediately stood and followed Wu Lingzhu out of Lilang Pavilion.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, I’m rather tired today. Perhaps we should postpone our conversation to another time?" Wu Lingzhu’s tone and expression had completely lost their earlier warmth, replaced by a deliberate aloofness.
"Immortal Maiden, such a beautiful evening would be a waste to miss. Why not find a quiet place where we can sit knee-to-knee and talk?" Song Wen’s face betrayed his reluctance to part.
"There’s no need," Wu Lingzhu replied coldly. Before the words had even left her lips, she shot into the air and vanished toward Wushang Lake.
Watching Wu Lingzhu’s figure fade into the darkness, a flicker of malice flashed in Song Wen’s eyes, but it quickly dissipated.
Though Wu Lingzhu had toyed with him, it was a minor matter. There was no need to make a rash move that might alert others and jeopardize his grand scheme.
(End of the Chapter)
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