Chapter 456: I Value Sincerity the Most in Business

“Old Du…”“No way?”

In the back of Ba Gong Li, everyone watched as Xu Xiaoshou delivered a single palm strike, making Old Du vanish completely. The entire group was stunned beyond belief.

Even if it was completely unexpected, could it really turn out like this? Old Du’s protective spiritual energy hadn’t been withdrawn at all. In fact, when he sensed someone behind him, he instinctively used a defensive spiritual technique.

Though that spiritual technique didn’t fully form and was only half-complete, how could a grand Zongshi like him just get smacked out of existence in one hit?

“Suspicion detected, passive value: 424.”

When Luo Qinglang snapped out of it and turned his head from the sidelines, he caught the exact moment Old Du was engulfed into the ground. The spray of blood that burst out horizontally even splattered a few drops onto him from several *zhang* away.

That gave some idea of how terrifying the force of Xu Xiaoshou’s palm was.

“Innate physical body?”

Luo Qinglang stood there, frozen like a statue. From the moment his hand was gripped earlier, he had vaguely sensed that this person’s physical body was no ordinary thing.

But maybe they were using some secret technique? In any case, he had never thought to connect it to an innate physical body.

Yet, the scene before him forced him to think deeply. A super-strong sword cultivator with grand Zongshi sword intent, plus an innate physical body?

“What the hell kind of monster is this?”

Although he couldn’t see the person’s face, just based on the exposed eyes, Luo Qinglang could tell that this guy wasn’t old.

He might even be from the same generation as himself. But in the dozen or so counties around Bai Ku, when had such a figure emerged in recent years?

And he, Luo Qinglang, had never even heard of it.

In the Qing Gang Spiritual Academy team, Yu Zhiwen had already retreated to the back. She furrowed her delicate brows, a flicker of recollection in her eyes.

Her star pupils were incredibly unique, basically allowing her to never forget anything she saw. Even the strongest concealment spiritual techniques couldn’t escape her eyes.

The person in front of her vaguely reminded her of a certain figure from Tian Sang Spiritual Academy back then.

“This strange way of speaking, this sword intent, this physical body…”

“Xu Xiaoshou?”

Yu Zhiwen subconsciously stepped forward, but she quickly pulled back, stopping herself in time.

“No, Xu Xiaoshou isn’t this strong.”

“Grand Zongshi sword intent, and a physical body that might have already reached the Zongshi level…”

“How many days has it been? A month? Less than a month… and Xu Xiaoshou has undergone such a massive transformation?”

“A coincidence?”

Yu Zhiwen pondered silently. Honestly, what truly made her dismiss the suspicion wasn’t the rapid progress of the person in front of her.

At its core, it was her star pupils.

“There’s no power in this world stronger than these eyes.”

“If even they can’t remember…”

Yu Zhiwen chuckled to herself: “I’m overthinking it. It must be a coincidence.”

She casually glanced at Cheng Xingchu beside her.

If this person really was Xu Xiaoshou, then this guy, who had been on the receiving end of a beating back then, would definitely react more strongly than she did.

After all, Cheng Xingchu was an outstanding talent from the Dong Tian Wang Cheng Sheng Shen Dian Tang branch.

Some of his special spiritual techniques were even hard for her to see clearly.

But unfortunately, he seemed to only show a slight frown of surprise at the masked straw-hatted person’s immense power, and then his face showed nothing else.

“It really is a coincidence…”

But!

“Teleportation?”

Yu Zhiwen murmured unconsciously.

Others might mistake Xu Xiaoshou’s earlier sudden disappearance as just incredibly fast speed.

Only she could clearly see that the spatial fluctuations in that instant were definitely not from simple movement.

“Incredible!”

“Teleportation… Why would someone like this come to Ba Gong Li to sell Linglong Stones? Are they that short on money…”

“Awe detected, passive value: 234.”“Suspicion detected, passive value: 128.”

In the arena, Xu Xiaoshou calmly shook off his hand.

He glanced around at his surroundings. Now, all of Old Du’s subordinates were too afraid to act recklessly.

Capture the leader first to control the followers—these old sayings were spot on.

With the head wolf dead, the rest were just a disorganized mob.

“Stay calm, don’t panic.”

Xu Xiaoshou pressed his hands down to settle the crowd and said, “I’ve already said it before, I’m a businessman who doesn’t like killing. My hobby is world peace.”

The crowd: “…”

“Hex detected, passive value: 334.”“Awe detected, passive value: 221.”

“This is what you call loving peace? I’m learning something new.”

“Yeah, yeah, killing one person to intimidate the whole field—strictly speaking, this guy really did prevent more casualties.”

“Uh, you guys are saying…”

The ones still daring to speak up were the unrelated bystanders who hadn’t gotten involved earlier.

They suddenly found that watching the drama unfold was incredibly entertaining.

They thought Old Du stepping in would mean the masked straw-hatted person was done for.

Who knew there’d be such a plot twist, with the outcome completely flipped?

Well, actually, it wasn’t really a flip. After all, that guy seemed to never be at a disadvantage from the start.

“Du, Brother Du?”

Old Du’s loyal subordinates still had some loyalty. At least, after a moment of shock, someone finally spoke up.

They had all seen the pit in front of Xu Xiaoshou.

But who could have thought Xu Xiaoshou would suddenly teleport away, blasting Old Du into oblivion?

“Right here.”

Xu Xiaoshou smiled and pointed to the pit at his feet.

In his “perception,” Old Du wasn’t dead.

He hadn’t used his full strength, so this guy naturally survived.

And clearly, Old Du had some real skills to be out here.

In just a few breaths, he had already self-healed in the pit.

Now, he was leaping up with a ferocious look, about to burst out.

“You sneaky bastard, daring to ambush me—watch your grandpa teach you a lesson… Urk!”

His roar hadn’t even finished when Xu Xiaoshou, standing above, switched feet like a nimble youth and planted his left sole right over the pit opening.

Old Du was horrified to find that at the end of his leap, a footprint suddenly appeared, and within that footprint, a spark of fire ignited.

A small fireball technique slipped from the sole and made intimate contact with his upturned, slightly open mouth.

Xu Xiaoshou’s timing was spot-on, as if he could monitor Old Du’s every move. The compressed fire seed dropped exactly when he was about to emerge.

Caught off guard again, Old Du barely managed to summon that half-formed defensive spiritual technique.

“Boom!”

The ground erupted with a blast. Everyone’s bodies swayed in rhythm, their faces stiffening.

“This is insane!”

“What the hell did that guy do? That’s way more than just a kick’s power!”

“Is he a pure spirit refiner?”

“Fire element?”

Cheng Xingchu had been maintaining a detached attitude, minding his own business.

But after feeling the warmth from the floor and smelling the scorched scent in the air, he felt utterly unwell.

“Xu Xiaoshou?”

This familiar flame aura—wasn’t it exactly the special spiritual technique from Xu Xiaoshou that had blasted him out cold at the council hall entrance that day?

Yu Zhiwen was completely taken aback.

She stared wide-eyed at the back of the masked straw-hatted person, at a loss for words.

Just moments ago, she had used various reasons to dismiss her suspicions, and now, in just a few breaths…

Slapped in the face!

“Is it really Xu Xiaoshou?”

She turned her head and asked.

Cheng Xingchu’s face was green, his teeth gritted: “I’ll never forget this scent!”

Yu Zhiwen: “…”

Her star pupils had made a mistake?

How was that possible?

Those eyes could even accurately identify a Wang Zuo’s aura!

“This…”

“Suspicion detected, passive value: 1.”

“Boom!”

While she was thinking, another explosion rumbled from underground.

Yu Zhiwen looked over and saw Xu Xiaoshou hadn’t moved, but the energy on his foot was hitting with pinpoint accuracy.

Old Du, who had barely survived the first hit, was now trapped underground, unable to get out.

Like a mole, he didn’t even need to show his head before being pummeled by compressed fire seeds, leaving him completely disoriented.

“Boom, boom, boom…”

Each violent sound made everyone’s hearts skip a beat.

Staring at the floor that was on the verge of collapsing, the crowd fell silent.

Such terrifying bombardments could even bring down Ba Gong Li’s town gate!

“Is this the legendary ‘I’m a businessman’?”

“And world peace!” someone enthusiastically added.

“Admiration detected, passive value: 424.”

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled happily and rarely explained: “Three strikes and you’re out, after all!”

“Besides, I already gave him two chances. Giving him another would make me lose face.”

Face…

Luo Qinglang heard those words and immediately twitched at the corner of his mouth, his body convulsing.

If not for your “face,” I probably wouldn’t have ended up as a human-shaped club, getting swung around like that!

It had to be said, Old Du was tough.

After being toyed with like a cat with a mouse for so long by the compressed fire seeds, he was still holding on.

It went on for a full half incense stick’s time.

The booming at Ba Gong Li’s town entrance never stopped.

Finally, as the town gate collapsed, Old Du grimly realized that the masked person attacking with his feet had more spiritual energy than he did!

Because at that moment, his energy sea was completely drained.

“Spare me, young hero!”

Old Du’s humiliated voice came from underground as he gave up resisting.

From the words of the person above, he didn’t seem like a bloodthirsty type who killed indiscriminately.

Maybe if he gave him a way out, he’d back off.

But the remaining compressed fire seeds shot mercilessly into his nose, armpits, and between his legs.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

“Pfft!”

Old Du spat out blood in confusion, his body covered in wounds. He looked up, tears welling as he roared.

“Let me go!”

“Request detected, passive value: 1.”

Xu Xiaoshou withdrew his foot.

Only then did he notice that he had blasted through the ground of Ba Gong Li, lowering the surface level by several layers.

It was like a small basin now.

“Tsk, tsk.”

“What a stubborn guy.”

Xu Xiaoshou poked his head into the pit.

Old Du couldn’t see him clearly, but with his “perception” advanced, even through such obstacles, he could still catch the tension in the guy’s eyes.

“Have you thought it through?”

Old Du: “…”

Thought what through?

I haven’t thought about anything!

Xu Xiaoshou asked the question and then realized he was mixing up memories.

Thinking it through—that was about Luo Qinglang, right?

He instinctively turned his head and saw Luo Qinglang’s body tremble as he stepped back.

“Fear detected, passive value: 1.”

“Heh, don’t be nervous.”

Xu Xiaoshou raised his hands to show he was friendly, then shouted down into the pit: “So, do you want to buy my Linglong Stone?”

Old Du nearly exploded on the spot.

What the…

It’s just one Linglong Stone!

Why did I have to mess with this guy?

“I’ll buy it!”

This piercing shriek carried three parts bitterness, three parts resentment, three parts humiliation, and one part utter helplessness.

“Oh, you want to buy? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Xu Xiaoshou beckoned with his hand. “What are you doing down there? Business is done face-to-face. Come up!”

“Awe detected, passive value: 428.”

Now, everyone looking at Xu Xiaoshou no longer saw confusion, puzzlement, or doubt about his strength.

No matter his cultivation, this person…

Was a devil!

Old Du, seething with anger, carefully guarded his head, kept his lips sealed, and pinched his nose before slowly flying out of the pit.

“Good lord!”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

The man before them, charred all over with his hair and eyebrows burned off, his spiritual robes blasted to shreds, revealing the tattered inner armor beneath, and his face scarred…

“Old Du?”

This couldn’t be the same person who went down—did he get reborn down there?

If not for the distinctive scars, which had even increased, no one would have recognized him as Old Du.

“Boss?”

His subordinates on the side were equally stunned.

How could a grand Zongshi end up so battered underground?

“Wasn’t the boss at Xing Si Jing just a few days ago?”

“How could he still get beaten this badly? He couldn’t even dodge?”

“Shut up!”

Before their chatter could continue, Old Du roared in anger, silencing his subordinates like frightened cicadas.

How embarrassing!

And they still dared to talk!

Everyone was baffled.

Xing Si Jing!

No one here was simple-minded, and none were deaf—how could they miss that mutter?

“But Xing Si Jing is ridiculous, right?”

“That explosion wasn’t even a very strong spiritual technique. How could Old Du, after reaching Xing Si Jing, get weaker and not dodge it?”

As soon as the murmurs started, Old Du’s fierce gaze swept over.

This figure, crawled out from the “abyss” looking less than human, truly scared the crowd into silence.

Old Du felt helpless inside.

Stop complaining!

Have you ever dealt with energy points that have eyes?

Underground movement is already restricted, and that thing can still track… Can he see me?

Is his spiritual sense that special?

Old Du looked at Xu Xiaoshou with lingering fear.

Xu Xiaoshou grinned and observed him, waiting for him to speak.

His mouth twitching, Old Du hemmed and hawed before finally squeezing out: “Young hero, how much for the Linglong Stone?”

“Awe detected, passive value: 454.”

Everyone sighed.

Indeed, Old Du had been thoroughly beaten into submission…

“That’s more like it!”

Xu Xiaoshou waved his hand grandly: “Wouldn’t it have been great if you had this attitude from the start?”

Old Du seriously considered jumping back into the pit.

But imagining that scene…

He swore that for the rest of his life, he’d have nothing to do with the underground.

From now on, even his home would be on a mountaintop.

High places are cold and unbeatable.

So refreshing!

“Name your price.” Old Du lowered his head and said dully.

“You go first.”

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes: “I’m all about sincerity in business.”

Old Du’s body shuddered.

“Yeah, really sincere…”

He muttered, and suddenly his mind perked up again.

People who let others name the price are either very precise about their goods and can dismiss offers right away, or they use it in situations where demand outstrips supply.

But now, he was the only buyer. Why ask that?

Doesn’t he know the market price for Linglong Stones?

Old Du hesitated, then put on a look of financial embarrassment.

“Though I do need this, right now…”

“Cut the crap!”

Xu Xiaoshou interrupted him directly.

Old Du gritted his teeth hard: “I want one for one million spiritual crystals!”

“Hiss!”

Xu Xiaoshou hadn’t spoken yet, but a wave of gasps came from behind.

What a schemer, Old Du!

Even now, he’s still trying to rip people off.

How can his body be so fragile while his heart is this tough?

Yet, surprisingly, no one spoke up.

After all, they were all from Ba Gong Li.

Even if they arrived a day earlier, they were locals.

If the masked straw-hatted person knew the market, fine.

If not, he was just a lamb to the slaughter that wandered in.

When Xu Xiaoshou heard “one million,” his heart skipped.

This crappy stone is worth that much?

He had sixteen more on him—that’d be tens of millions in assets!

This is…

Pure bliss!

But the reactions from the crowd behind made him realize something, even if he was dense.

“You’re trying to cheat me?”

He lowered his voice, his tone laced with suppressed anger.

Old Du’s heart bloomed with joy.

Sure enough, this guy was a novice!

Doesn’t know a thing and still tries to do business?

Today, I’ll fleece you until you have nothing left!

“One hundred… fifty thousand!”

Old Du met his gaze, his face serious, then grave: “That’s the market price. It’s the absolute most I can offer. Any more, and I’m tapped out.”

Xu Xiaoshou used his “perception” to look at the people behind.

He was new here and knew nothing.

This time, those in the back actually stopped smiling, their faces showing agreement with Old Du’s words.

But glancing at his info panel…

Xu Xiaoshou was furious.

“Mockery detected, passive value: 250.”

This bunch were all in cahoots!

The Linglong Stone was worth way more than that!

“You’re messing with me?”

Xu Xiaoshou didn’t hesitate, raising his hand for the Five Finger Seal technique and slapping another palm on Old Du’s head.

Old Du: ???

“Thwack!”

He plunged back into the ground with another explosion.

Then…

“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom…”

Not far away, Mu Zixi and Xin Gugu both shrank their necks. What the… Even they hadn’t seen that coming!

“That’s the move!”

Cheng Xingchu’s eyes bulged.

Now, he was absolutely certain this was Xu Xiaoshou.

But…

How could Xu Xiaoshou have grown this fast?

A Zongshi, Xing Si Jing?

One palm to erase someone.

A second palm, and still erase them?

“Doubt detected, passive value: 1.”

Down below, Old Du was completely dazed again.

“What just happened?”

It wasn’t until blood sprayed from his head again that he realized he’d messed up.

This guy couldn’t be scammed.

“Dammit…”

Cursing inwardly, the bloodied Old Du soared up again.

This time, he didn’t hold back, putting on a heartbroken, grief-stricken expression.

“Five million!”

“I’ll buy one for five million, damn it. That’s enough—don’t push it too far!”

Xu Xiaoshou stared at him coldly.

After a long pause, he suddenly turned to the onlookers behind.

“Is what he said true?”

No one dared speak.

Everyone felt Xu Xiaoshou’s real anger.

You couldn’t mess with the tiger’s whiskers, and you couldn’t mess with Old Du.

“You, say yes.”

Xu Xiaoshou pointed straight at the closest person.

“Yes?”

That guy repeated dumbly.

“Deception detected, passive value: 1.”

“Good one.”

Xu Xiaoshou laughed mockingly.

Turning back, his eyes were ice-cold.

“Whoosh!”

Compressed fire seeds instantly appeared in his hand.

One, two, three…

Old Du suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He opened his mouth to say something, but his pupils shrank.

“Thud!”

With a light sound, two seeds nested together, releasing a dense aura of death that shocked everyone.

“What the hell is this…”

Before the crowd could exclaim, Xu Xiaoshou’s now pitch-black nested fire seed made another “thud” as it gained another layer.

“This is nuts!”

“Fear detected, passive value: 465.”

Even Yu Zhiwen didn’t dare look directly at this double-nested fire seed technique.

Old Du’s face turned ashen.

His body in mid-air retreated at full speed.

“Bro, I was wrong!”

“Ten million! The market price is ten million. I’ll buy at full price—three stones, I’ll take three!”

Xu Xiaoshou smiled coldly: “I suddenly don’t want to sell to you anymore.”

“I…”

Old Du nearly shattered on the spot.

He realized he had truly erred.

Who could withstand this?

If he were at full strength, maybe he’d have a chance, but now, with his spiritual energy drained…

“There’s hope, there’s hope, don’t panic.”

“Just maybe he can’t hit me.”

As Old Du sped away at light speed, that thought barely crossed his mind when he felt a stabbing pain all over.

It was like countless tiny swords piercing him in an instant.

Even the bit of spiritual energy for flying lost control.

“Swoosh!”

A rush of white sword qi shot up, fixing his body in mid-air from a distance.

Old Du: ???

“Fear detected, passive value: 1.”

“St-stop… Please…”

He forced down his panic, using his last spiritual energy just for sound transmission.

This was Ba Gong Li—if he got pinned and shot through, no one could save him!

In that moment, Old Du panicked.

Life over money.

Xu Xiaoshou ignored him, raising his hand back like he was throwing a spear.

Old Du: “Don’t shoot!”

“Twenty million! I’ll give you twenty million!”

“I’ll buy all your Linglong Stones!”

Whoosh—

The air currents surged, the scorching aura of embers spreading everywhere.

Everyone was terrified, but to their surprise, Xu Xiaoshou’s nested fire seed didn’t release.

Slowly lowering his hand, Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes narrowed, and the sword qi dissipated.

“I’m all about sincerity in business.”

He said flatly: “Repeat what you just transmitted to me, so everyone can hear it as witnesses.”