Chapter 8

In addition to various shops, the Blue Tile Street also allowed temporary rental of stalls, but the quality of the items on the stalls was generally mixed, and once sold, there was no responsibility for them.

As Luo Guan patrolled, he casually glanced around.

Xuan Gui’s voice suddenly sounded, “Wait a moment.”

Luo Guan paused his steps, “Teacher, what’s wrong?”

Xuan Gui chuckled, “There’s something good!”

“Don’t turn your head. The second stall on your left, the black, unremarkable thing in the corner, try to buy it.”

Luo Guan remained calm, walked to a nearby stall, and haggled with the stall owner, buying a piece of what he called an ancient jade.

Then, he moved to the target stall, took a look, and picked up the item in the corner.

It was shaped like a wine cup, with a texture similar to the jade he had just bought, but its appearance was terrible, as if it had been burned in a fire and buried in ashes for many years.

“What’s the price for this?”

The stall owner looked admiring, “Sir, you have a keen eye. This is the most precious thing on my stall.” He smiled and held up his finger, “Three hundred taels of silver!”

Luo Guan was furious, “Do you think I’m young and easy to deceive? Three hundred taels, you might as well rob me!”

He put down the item and walked away.

The stall owner, who had observed the previous transaction, wouldn’t let such a good customer slip away, and quickly said, “Sir, how much are you willing to pay?”

Luo Guan sneered, “Thirty taels!”

The stall owner looked pained, “You really know how to haggle, I’m losing money on this.” As he spoke, he quickly wrapped the item in paper and handed it over.

“Thirty taels of silver, here you go.”

Luo Guan threw down the silver and took the paper-wrapped item and left.

As he turned, both he and the stall owner smiled.

Finding a teahouse, Luo Guan entered a private room and eagerly opened the paper, placing the black item in front of him.

“Teacher, what is this?”

Xuan Gui said, “A Spirit-Gathering Chalice.”

“This is a special type of spirit jade, refined through secret techniques, capable of automatically absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and condensing it into spirit liquid.”

“It looks unremarkable because it is sealed by impurities. Just a thread of the Imperial Sword’s aura can break the seal and restore the Spirit-Gathering Chalice to its original form.”

Luo Guan raised his hand, and with a light sound, the Spirit-Gathering Chalice emitted black gas. The black surface cracked, revealing the fine, smooth, and excellent purple jade beneath.

Spirit energy quickly condensed in the cup, forming a mist.

“Purple jade?” Xuan Gui was surprised, “You have quite the luck, kid.”

“The purple chalice is the rarest type, capable of condensing a cup of high-quality spirit liquid daily, which can greatly enhance cultivation speed.”

Luo Guan looked pleased and carefully put the purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice in his pocket.

At this moment, there was a commotion in the street, and Luo Guan’s expression changed slightly after hearing a few words.

Swish—

He leaped down from the teahouse and rushed to the Black Mountain Casino.

When he arrived at the casino, he met Luo Ning and Xu Qingqing. Before they could enter, the casino door was smashed to pieces.

Xu Tai rolled out, covered in blood.

“Father!”

Xu Qingqing cried out in shock.

Xu Tai, with an urgent tone, said, “It’s the Yan family. Quickly… send a signal to the family for help!”

As he spoke, several people came out of the casino.

Yan Du, with a face full of anger, said, “Xu Tai smashed the Yan family’s precious purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice. If this isn’t resolved, even if Luo Zhen Shan comes, it won’t help!” He held several fragments in his hand, the deep purple jade quality shimmering in the sunlight, clearly extraordinary.

“Do you all know that this purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice can condense a cup of high-quality spirit liquid daily, which greatly aids cultivation.”

“The Yan family’s success today is largely due to the Spirit-Gathering Chalice, whose value is immeasurable!”

The crowd was in an uproar, looking at the Luo family with pity. Damaging such a valuable treasure, how could the compensation be avoided?

Xu Tai growled, “You deliberately framed me…”

Shocked and angry, he spat out a mouthful of blood, scaring Xu Qingqing into tears.

Amidst the chaos, Luo Guan looked at the indignant and grief-stricken Yan Du, and after a brief moment of surprise, a cold smile appeared on his lips!

As the crowd watched, with Xu Tai injured and bleeding and the Luo family at a loss, a figure stepped forward.

Luo Guan said, “Compensation for damage is a matter of course. Yan Gongzi, what’s your price?”

Yan Du sneered, “At the recent Golden Tripod Auction, a bottle of Second-Rank Blood-Enhancing Pill, which accelerates cultivation, sold for ten thousand taels of gold!”

“And the benefits of the purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice to cultivation far surpass those of mere pills. The Luo family must compensate with at least one hundred thousand taels of gold!”

The crowd gasped.

One hundred thousand taels of gold?!

Even if the Luo family sold all their assets, they couldn’t come up with that much.

The situation was about to escalate!

Luo Guan remained calm, “Yan Gongzi has quite an appetite!”

“Fine, one hundred thousand taels.”

He agreed…

The crowd’s eyes widened. This kid was crazy!

Yan Du thought for a moment, his face showing a threatening expression, “Even if Xu Tai is expelled, the Luo family won’t be off the hook!”

Xu Tai was stunned. His mouth moved, but he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Given the current situation, this seemed to be the only way.

Years ago, he and his daughter were in trouble and were taken in by the Luo family’s patriarch… this would be a way to repay the Luo family’s kindness!

Xu Qingqing, with disbelief, said, “My father has been loyal for over a decade. Luo Guan, even if you hate me, you can’t treat him like this!”

Luo Guan glanced at her and said calmly, “This is probably the Yan family’s style.”

“But to the Luo family, once Xu Tai joined, he became a part of the family.”

“No matter what happens, the Luo family will stand together!”

His words resonated, earning the admiration of the onlookers.

Luo Guan continued, “Please bear witness today. The Luo family mistakenly broke the Yan family’s precious purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice and agrees to compensate with one hundred thousand taels of gold.”

“The Luo family acknowledges this!”

Luo Guan stared at Yan Du, “But if it’s a fake and you’re deliberately deceiving, the compensation will be at least three times the amount. Do you have any objections, Yan Gongzi?”

Yan Du’s pupils narrowed, then he sneered, “Prove it, and I’ll pay ten times the amount. Otherwise, defaming the Yan family’s reputation will come at a cost!”

Luo Guan’s lips curled, “Yan Gongzi is generous!”

He took out an item from his pocket and held it in his palm, causing a series of gasps.

In the sunlight, the true form of the purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice revealed its lustrous purple glow, continuously absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and condensing it into liquid.

“This is the purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice that Yan Gongzi mentioned, capable of condensing a cup of high-quality spirit liquid daily.”

“Coincidentally, I have one too!”

Luo Guan said, “This chalice is made from special jade, with a very low success rate. If it fails, the jade is completely damaged, becoming a worthless piece of debris!”

Xu Tai, excited, said, “That’s right. I just lightly pushed Yan Du, and it broke!”

Yan Du’s expression changed dramatically, never expecting that Luo Guan would have a real purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice.

But now, he had to bluff.

“Even if you have a purple jade Spirit-Gathering Chalice, it doesn’t prove that mine is fake!”

Luo Guan said calmly, “Proving it is simple.”

He raised the Spirit-Gathering Chalice, “Break it, and the truth will be clear!”

Yan Du’s breathing paused.

“Once the Spirit-Gathering Chalice is broken, the Yan family will face a million taels in compensation, and the family’s reputation will be ruined… Can you bear the consequences, Yan Gongzi?”

Yan Du’s face turned ashen, and he gritted his teeth, “Let’s go!”

“Stop!” Luo Guan sneered, “You need to give an explanation today.”

Yan Du’s eyes flashed with a fierce light.

But before he could act, Luo Guan lunged forward. Yan Du only saw a blur before his neck was grabbed.

Buzz—

The sword aura penetrated his flesh, and his body stiffened.

“Release our young master!”

The Yan family’s people shouted.

Luo Guan applied a little force, and Yan Du screamed, “Get away, all of you!”

He was drenched in cold sweat, “Luo Guan, this is all a misunderstanding…”

Bang—

Luo Guan kicked him in the knee, and Yan Du fell to his knees, his head slammed down, blood gushing out!

“My family’s honored guest is not someone you can harm at will.”

“This bow is cheap for you!”

Another kick sent Yan Du flying, “Get out!”

The sword aura remaining in Yan Du’s body exploded, tearing his flesh, and he screamed in pain, his face pale.

“Save me!”

“Quick, find my father to save me!”

The Yan family’s people were terrified, lifting him up and retreating in disarray.

One of the black-robed men glanced deeply at Luo Guan and followed.

Luo Guan’s heart tightened, “Teacher, I think I’ve seen this person before…”

“It’s Xu Hai.”

Luo Guan’s face changed slightly, and everything connected in his mind.

Xu Hai, who had been patient for years, suddenly used Luo Zhenyang’s Heavenly Bone as a pretext to confront the Luo family… the injury of the five elders… the surging undercurrents in Jiangning City targeting the Luo family… Yan Du’s frame-up today…

Not good!

The Yan family had allied with the Qingjiang Gang, and the Luo family was in danger!