Chapter 3

Xiangqi, the leader of the Jade Street, lived up to his reputation. Whether it was the shop or the decoration, everything here was top-notch.

The luxurious shop was filled with a dazzling array of items.

The elegant manners of the salesgirls, meticulous in every detail, highlighted the strength of this giant. Unfortunately, as Lin Dong entered, he immediately sensed a deeply hidden sinister aura quietly spreading, indicating that Xiangqi was not a place to linger.

"Like jade, but the carving is just passable." Lin Dong stood in the hall, facing the shop's prized treasure, as the driver had mentioned.

This was a jade mountain, intricately carved with auspicious clouds, treasure trees, immortal pines, flying cranes, and white deer. The most mysterious part was a group of graceful flying celestial beings, holding various musical instruments, playing and frolicking, chasing and laughing. Their clothes fluttered in the wind, ethereal and detached, their expressions and postures vividly carved, almost as if they were about to break free from the stone and ascend to the sky.

The exquisite craftsmanship was beyond description, and only a master could achieve such a level.

In the world of cultivation, this might not be the best.

But on the Blue Planet, this level of skill was truly impressive.

"Good, indeed very good jade. The warm smoke of Lantian jade, combined with this divine carving, is worth more than 150 million. I think even 250 million would be worth it!" A chubby young man with a slicked-back hairstyle, clearly a second-generation rich kid, nodded his head as if he were an expert.

"Divine carving?" Lin Dong almost burst out laughing. Even if you want to show off, don't overdo it. Besides, with no beautiful women around, who are you showing off to?

The chubby young man glared at Lin Dong.

He felt very annoyed. Although Lin Dong didn't laugh out loud, the mocking tone was obvious. What bothered him most was Lin Dong's height and appearance. Lin Dong was a handsome guy even before he crossed over. In school, he was rarer than a wild Ultraman, a tall, poor, and handsome guy, just one word away from being a tall, rich, and handsome guy. His charm, enhanced by his cultivation, made the chubby young man, who only had the 'rich' part, feel immense pressure. He felt like a donkey dung egg next to a beautiful jade, overwhelmed with self-loathing.

This inferiority, bolstered by the confidence of money, turned into pride and anger.

He wanted to find a way to get rid of the other guy.

To assert his dominance.

He definitely wouldn't dare to use force, but he hoped that if this guy made a purchase, he could take the opportunity to inflate the price, outbid him, and thoroughly humiliate him, venting his anger.

The chubby young man's plan was nice, but Lin Dong didn't give him the chance.

Xiangqi was not a good place to stay, so it was best to leave early.

Of course, leaving a treasure mountain empty-handed was impossible for Lin Dong.

"Since we are friends, I won't be formal. I'm very poor now, so can I borrow a piece of jade to get through a tough time? No problem, right? Good, you didn't say anything, so I'll take it as your agreement." Lin Dong first politely conversed with Xiangqi's boss from a distance, then bowed deeply, genuinely thanking the generous boss who was willing to help him in a pinch.

He put on a ring with the 'Invisible Hand' technique, then took out the 'Jade Cutter' he had refined with his mental power from his storage ring and lightly drew a line.

The jade mountain's exterior remained intact, but the most exquisite part at its core instantly vanished into Lin Dong's storage ring.

Xiangqi's boss was generous.

And wealthy.

Lin Dong liked such friends, so he took a slightly larger piece of jade.

"Thank you, I love making friends." Lin Dong left, leaving the chubby young man standing there, dumbfounded.

He didn't see anything, just a blur, but he sensed something from Lin Dong's expression. He looked at Lin Dong's back with suspicion, then at the jade mountain, which remained unchanged, with the auspicious clouds and flying celestial beings still in place, as if nothing had happened. But he was sure the guy had done something, judging by the smug smile on his face.

Curiosity can sometimes kill the cat!

The chubby young man, despite his low combat skills, felt like Sherlock Holmes and Conan combined, and his confidence surged like 007.

He quietly followed Lin Dong into another jade shop, where he saw the guy muttering in front of a purple-gold toad holding a pearl and money, then drawing a line with his hand and leaving with a smug smile.

Damn, this is too weird!

What happened? Why is this guy smiling so smugly?

In another shop, the chubby young man saw Lin Dong perform the same action on a jade cabbage, which was entirely white with a green edge, crystal clear and translucent. Suddenly, he had a realization, his heart racing, and he felt an urge to report the theft... This guy is definitely a thief, otherwise, he wouldn't be smiling so smugly!

The jade mountain was intact, the toad was still there, and the jade cabbage, protected by bulletproof glass, showed no signs of tampering. The chubby young man deflated.

No evidence!

He was sure the guy had done something, but he couldn't find any flaws.

How could he tamper with something through thick bulletproof glass? How did he do it? The chubby young man felt his head was about to explode, but he still couldn't figure it out!

"Huh?"

Lin Dong reached the end of the street and found a shop called 'Yoyo Cottage.' He felt the aura inside was rich in spiritual energy, far surpassing the other shops he had seen, even the jade-filled Xiangqi. He was very curious.

Pushing the door open, the Yoyo Cottage was more like a boutique.

The decorations were thoughtful.

Many handmade and unique designs, with intricate patterns, showed that the owner was a skilled and artistic girl.

There weren't many jade pieces, but there were plenty of antique vases, teaware, and wooden carvings. The lighting wasn't as dazzling as in Xiangqi, with only a few small lights, mostly relying on natural light from the door and windows. The air conditioning was mild, not as cold as in large malls, making it comfortable. The faint aroma of tea added a refreshing coolness to the hot summer day.

The owner was a girl in a traditional Hanfu dress, with a white long-sleeved top and a blue-tasseled floral robe.

Her features were like a painting, her aura ethereal.

Upon closer inspection:

Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a phoenix-head hairpin;

Her face was delicate, and she seemed to have come from the heavens.

In the world of cultivation, Lin Dong had never seen such a spiritually vibrant girl on the Blue Planet. What was even more surprising was that she bore a resemblance to the ethereal fairy, making him wonder if she was a celestial being descended from the heavens.

"Welcome." The girl, used to people's stunned reactions, greeted him calmly, elegantly folding her hands at her waist and bowing slightly.

"Ah, be careful, this guy is a thief, Yoyo, you must be careful!" The chubby young man rushed in, blocking Lin Dong with his arms, acting like a brave knight protecting the girl. His outburst surprised the girl and drew the attention of three people quietly drinking tea in a corner. As for Lin Dong, who was now the center of attention, he remained calm. Do you think I'm still the guy who would blush, stutter, and have a racing heart at the sight of a beautiful woman?

Ten years of training.

His face was as thick as a city wall.

Without evidence, even with evidence, he wouldn't admit it... Lin Dong maintained a smile, unaffected by any external factors, looking cool and composed.

"Kong Bin, how can you talk like that?" One of the three people drinking tea, a red-faced man, stood up and shouted.

"I'm not lying, Uncle Lu, this guy is a thief!" The chubby young man, desperate, swore and recounted what he had seen and heard.

He mimicked Lin Dong's actions, exaggerating for effect.

The red-faced man was stunned.

The middle-aged man with glasses, who looked like a university professor, found it amusing but maintained his composure. The elderly man, who was calmly drinking tea, frowned. Although they didn't say anything, the red-faced man, skilled at reading people, knew they already had a poor opinion of his mischievous nephew and were even more displeased with his attempt to slander others.

And what nonsense are you spouting?

A thief?

Stealing jade in broad daylight?

Jade has a hardness of 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and some types are even harder. Steel and platinum, which are hard metals, have a hardness of only about 4, and gold and silver are even softer, with a hardness of 2 to 3. So, how could someone steal jade just by gesturing with their hand? This imagination is too wild! If someone was lying on the ground, would you accuse them of raping the Earth? Even if you were paranoid, you wouldn't go this far!

Besides, the jade cabbage was protected by bulletproof glass, not even a fly could get in. How could he steal it?

Telekinesis?

Are you sure you're awake? You need to take your medicine, my dear nephew!

"Actually, it was my fault. I couldn't help but laugh when he was giving his opinion about the jade." Lin Dong apologized to the chubby young man.

"You... " The chubby young man realized it was all over.

"What do you do all day? Loitering and causing trouble! If you can't stay in Dongshan, go back to your hometown!" The red-faced man believed Lin Dong's explanation, thinking his nephew was just trying to save face. He was furious and wanted to hit him, but he restrained himself because of the elderly man behind him.

"This isn't over!" The chubby young man knew he couldn't explain himself, but he still issued a challenge, planning to settle the score later.

"Really? I'm scared." Lin Dong shrugged.

"You wait, I'll skin you alive, or I'll be your grandson!" The chubby young man blurted out.

"You're asking for it!" The red-faced man was furious. How dare he be so arrogant in front of him? What would he do behind his back?

The chubby young man, not wanting to lose face, quickly fled when the red-faced man got angry. Despite his size, he was as slippery as an eel.

The red-faced man shook his head. He wasn't the chubby young man's biological father, just a sworn brother's caretaker. He could scold him, but hitting him would be too much. If he hit too hard and something went wrong...

Despite his dissatisfaction with the chubby young man, the red-faced man only scared him off, not really hitting him. He turned to Lin Dong, who seemed extraordinary, worried that the chubby young man might cause trouble, and apologized.

Lin Dong smiled it off.

He could tell the red-faced man was a martial artist.

Broad-shouldered and copper-skinned, he had clearly practiced some external martial arts, like the Golden Bell Cover or Iron Shirt, for a long time. However, his talent was average, and he hadn't developed internal energy.

Of course, among ordinary people, the red-faced man was strong, with at least twice the qi and blood of an average person.

The middle-aged man with glasses wasn't a martial artist, but the elderly man with a youthful appearance was a true expert. He was at least eighty, but he was energetic, with qi and blood stronger than a forty or fifty-year-old. His internal energy was soft and enduring, indicating he had practiced internal martial arts. This level of skill wasn't much in the world of cultivation, but on the Blue Planet, it was impressive.

The elderly man's talent was much better than the red-faced man's, but his cultivation method wasn't very effective.

Perhaps he lacked a true master's guidance.

Otherwise, he could have achieved even more.

"No problem, you guys chat, I'll buy something." Lin Dong wasn't interested in the three of them but was curious about the girl who had been quietly observing him.

"Are you a disciple of a master?" The girl was also curious about Lin Dong.