He gave a look, and soon someone prepared gold coins and left.
“Is Great Master Chen from Yan City?”
While they were getting the gold coins, Ai Linna leaned in again, wanting to find out Chen Zheng’s background.
“Does Qingge Auction House like to inquire about its customers’ backgrounds?”
He answered skillfully, deeming it inappropriate to reveal his identity for now. Before possessing absolute strength, he planned to act discreetly to avoid unnecessary trouble.
After some casual conversation, a maidservant approached, holding a jade plate on which rested a green crystal card—a universal card in the Great Yuan Kingdom.
White cards were the lowest, storing ten thousand to one hundred thousand gold coins; green cards were in the middle, storing one hundred thousand to one million gold coins; and the highest were gold cards, storing one million to ten million gold coins.
It was said that there were also diamond cards, capable of storing over ten million gold coins, but none had appeared in Yan City yet.
“Here are fifty thousand gold coins!”
Ai Linna picked up the card and handed it to Chen Zheng, deliberately stepping forward. Her prominent chest pressed against Chen Zheng, her intention being to glimpse his true face.
“Thank you!”
Chen Zheng had anticipated her move and deliberately lowered his head, almost getting engulfed by the towering peaks.
With the gold coins, he did not linger and strode out of Qingge Auction House.
“Master Huo, is it possible that these Body Tempering Liquids were refined by him?”
It was the first time Qingge Auction House had paid in advance. Ai Linna struck a languid pose, elegantly curling up.
“It’s still uncertain. Judging by the quality of the Body Tempering Liquid, it’s definitely the work of a Great Master. Without thirty years of Alchemy experience, such Advanced Body Tempering Liquid cannot be refined.”
Master Huo had been in Yan City for decades, yet he had never seen such Advanced Body Tempering Liquid. This meant that this Body Tempering Liquid was not refined by an Alchemist from Yan City.
“I trust Master Huo’s judgment. If I can win over a powerful Alchemist, my position in the Family can rise to another level.”
Ai Linna stretched her body, her posture elegant, and walked out of the private room with graceful steps.
Turning a corner, he took off his black robe, revealing his true face.
The Peng Family was ambitious, and having been expelled this time, they would surely seek revenge in secret. The only way to survive was to diligently improve his Realm.
Yu Shan Hall!
A renowned medicinal Family in Yan City, this place not only treated illnesses and saved lives but also sold ordinary Spirit Medicine.
As it was afternoon, there were many customers here.
His mother’s health had not been good these past years, so Chen Zheng planned to buy a hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine to help her recuperate.
“Shopkeeper, I want to buy a hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine. Please bring it out!”
Chen Zheng spoke with some urgency, and his voice was inevitably a bit loud. Spirit Medicine over a hundred years old was usually kept as a treasure of the shop, rarely sold, and few people could afford it.
Dozens of gazes focused on Chen Zheng, each looking at him as if he were an idiot.
“Oh, isn’t this our Chen Family’s Young Master? You good-for-nothing, do you even have the right to come here and buy Spirit Medicine?”
A highly sarcastic voice spread to every corner. Several young men and women walked through the crowd and stood before Chen Zheng.
Having narrowly escaped death this time, he had matured significantly. No emotions showed on his face, only a maturity and shrewdness that belied his age.
The young man on the left was Peng Liang, a direct Disciple of the Peng Family. The young man on the right was Shi Hao, a Disciple of the Shi Family. The other man and woman were unknown, dressed as servants, all cut from the same cloth.
“Do you live by the sea? You’re so nosy!”
Chen Zheng showed no anger, a cold smile playing on his lips. He did not wish to get entangled with them too much.
The two were stunned, then realized that Chen Zheng was calling them too nosy.
“You good-for-nothing want to buy hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine? Are you trying to make me laugh myself to death?!”
Peng Liang roared with laughter. A hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine was worth tens of thousands of gold coins; even their Peng Family wouldn’t dare to buy it so easily.
“No matter how much Spirit Medicine a good-for-nothing takes, he’s still a good-for-nothing!”
Shi Hao chimed in, and a burst of laughter erupted from all directions. The Marquis Chiye’s son’s inability to Cultivate had long been a laughingstock among the populace.
“I heard your Chen Family is so poor they can barely make ends meet. Do you still have money to come out and buy Spirit Medicine? This is truly hilarious.”
Peng Liang laughed uninhibitedly. The Chen Family’s plight was known throughout the city; let alone hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine, they couldn’t even afford Spirit Medicine over ten years old.
Chen Zheng clenched his fists, Killing Intent flashing across his face as he faced their taunts.
“Do you have enough gold coins? If not, we can sponsor some,” Shi Hao said, dropping ten gold coins at his feet and beckoning to Chen Zheng: “These gold coins are yours if you pick them up.” Peng Liang and the others laughed even harder.
This was an insult. If Chen Zheng truly bent down to pick them up, he would be trampled underfoot.
“Have you finished your mockery?”
“If you have, then scram!”
His fists suddenly unclenched, and a chilling Killing Intent emanated from his eyes, causing Shi Hao, Peng Liang, and the others to freeze.
“Everyone, look! The good-for-nothing has become eloquent. If you can afford a hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine, I’ll kneel here and kowtow to you three times.”
Shi Hao folded his arms across his chest, looking utterly confident. Even he couldn’t afford it, let alone the penniless Chen Family.
Chen Zheng’s eyes lit up, and a mischievous smile appeared.
“No need for kowtowing. If I can afford it, each of you just pay me ten thousand gold coins!”
He was very short on gold coins right now, extremely so. What good were a few kowtows? Gold coins were more practical. As for their taunts, they had long been cast to the back of his mind.
“Chen Zheng, you really don’t give up. As you said, if you can’t buy it, how about you kneel before us in front of everyone and bark like a dog three times?!”
If the Marquis Chiye’s son barked like a dog, he would never be able to gain a foothold in Yan City again. The Marquis Chiye’s lifelong reputation would be ruined. Peng Liang had such a vicious heart!
Many people gathered in Yu Shan Hall, whispering among themselves.
“Isn’t the Marquis Chiye’s son a good-for-nothing? From his demeanor, he doesn’t seem like a good-for-nothing. His words are sharp, and he can even endure the taunts of Shi Hao and others.”
Normally, when Chen Zheng was mocked, he would either avoid it or retaliate, only to end up beaten black and blue.
Last time, he was beaten to death, and it was the liquid from the mysterious small cauldron that miraculously saved his life.
“I think he’s faking it. The title of ‘good-for-nothing’ isn’t so easily shaken off. His meridians are naturally blocked, and even a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine cannot help him clear them.”
Facing the waves of taunts, Chen Zheng’s lips curved into a faint smile, leaving many people speechless.
Some shook their heads; if one couldn’t open their meridians before the age of twenty, there was no hope for life. Chen Zheng was almost sixteen, still in the Acquired Second Realm, his hope almost nil.
“Brother Shi, since this good-for-nothing requests it, shouldn’t we fulfill his wish?”
Peng Liang spoke with a teasing tone. The condition was proposed by Chen Zheng; if the two of them didn’t agree, it would be their Peng Family that lost face.
“Since the good-for-nothing actively requested it, we’ll humor him. Remember to buy a few Memory Charms. I want to record his dog barks so I can watch them every day.”
Chen Yu had offended many people in the court over the years, and the Tian Family and Peng Family were among them. The Marquis Chiye was upright and disdained to associate with petty villains.