novelA Crude and Simple Way of Face Slapping
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Chapter 144: A Crude and Simple Way of Face Slapping
At the end of the day, Jiang Chen was someone who'd lived two lifetimes. Therefore, how could he possibly be provoked by such childish tactics, and from someone who was jumping around like a clown to boot?
Jiang Chen smirked disdainfully, "I'll be unable to buy it? Is there anything that isn't for sale beneath the heavens?"
The person in charge scoffed coldly, his eyes sweeping across all of the other merchants, obviously warning them to not sell to Jiang Chen at any cost. Otherwise, it'd be a denial of face for him and for the Northern Palace.
Except, Jiang Chen ignored his small moves, as a hint of a meaningful smile clung to the corner of his lips throughout all of this.
His leisurely gaze swept across all of the merchants. They either averted their gazes, didn't even lift their heads, or smiled ruefully and shook their heads.
It was apparent that if they were to choose, they wouldn't stand on the side of a foreigner.
Even if they weren't necessarily on the best of terms with this person from the Northern Palace, and weren't of the same mind as this person in charge.
However, the circumstances demanded thus. These were the hidden rules.
The Northern Palace representative was obviously well aware of this. His confidence was bolstered even more upon seeing everyone's reactions, and he smiled arrogantly at Jiang Chen in a display of power.
The meaning was obvious: Well? Why don't you try and buy something?
Jiang Chen remained as noncommittal as the wind and clouds, barking out a laugh as he took a slight step into the center.
He raised a single arm, a pill bottle appearing in his hand. His voice was level, a smile teasing the corners of his mouth as he said calmly, "I have a supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill here that can instantly recover seventy percent true qi. I don't need to elaborate more on the value of this pill. With this pill, I will trade it for ten blades of Bluelily Grass and twenty Wooden Pellets. First come first served, with no waiting around after the time limit."
Those small moves and tricks, and so-called hidden rules of business were actually all extremely weak, having only to do with personal considerations.
There were no hidden rules that couldn't be broken in the face of absolute profit. Besides, those hidden rules weren't dependable at all.
A supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill could instantly recover seventy percent true qi.
In the qi replenishing pill realm of the entire sixteen kingdom alliance, pills apart from the Vast Ocean Pill could at most recover forty percent of true qi.
A pill master could occasionally go above and beyond and produce a pill that recovered fifty percent true qi.
However, recovering seventy percent was unheard of.
The Hall of Healing had actually started producing the Vast Ocean Pill in the Eastern Kingdom a few months ago, but its production numbers weren't high yet and a pitiful amount had trickled into the Skylaurel Kingdom.
But once the Vast Ocean Pill had made its entrance, it had made exceedingly great waves in the Skylaurel Kingdom. It'd become the height of fashion, and it was difficult to find even a single pill in the entire upper class society of the kingdom.
This was no wonder. After all, the amount produced by the Hall of Healing wasn't even enough to satisfy demand within the Eastern Kingdom itself. There were countless orders.
The numbers of pills that had made their way into the sixteen kingdoms was incredibly low.
Therefore, although the Vast Ocean Pill had a great reputation within the Skylaurel Kingdom, the number of people who possessed this pill were exceedingly few.
Plus, no one had ever heard of a supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill that could recover seventy percent true qi.
The entire transaction area suddenly became deadly quiet after Jiang Chen had spoken, and a solemn stillness reigned supreme at the scene.
Everyone seemed to shut their mouths with great accordance.
"Supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill? Spontaneously recover seventy percent true qi?" Someone's mind finally started moving again.
"In exchange for only ten blades of Bluelily Grass and twenty Wooden Pellets? This... is this a joke?"
"No way? The value of ten blades of Bluelily Grass and twenty Wooden Pellets aren't even worth an ordinary Vast Ocean Pill? A supreme rank? Is this really right?"
"Could this young man have gone mad and is speaking crazy nonsense?"
Words could be nonsensically spoken, but there was no faking a pill. Jiang Chen didn't indulge in meaningless boasts, but merely tipped the bottle so that a supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill landed in the heart of his palm.
When the pill appeared, everyone's eyes simultaneously focused on him.
In the span of an instant, everyone's breathing became hurried and their eyes became fervent.
It really was the Vast Ocean Pill!
The color and luster, the presence, the purity, and that appearance that was full of spirit power, it was like a pill filled with the presence of life, full of heart moving vigor and vitality.
This kind of temptation was like a beautiful woman with a lithe figure and wondrous curves, wearing only a thin veil of clothing and the splendor underneath moving in and out of sight, making it almost impossible for someone to resist and made one's blood vessels involuntarily pump out blood.
Could anyone withstand such temptation?
For some so-called face? So-called hidden rules? To beat down on a foreigner for that bunch of jerks from the Northern Palace?
That obviously was laughably ridiculous.
Business was business. Profit was always first.
"Brother, do you mean that? I, I'm willing to offer twenty blades of Bluelily Grass and fifty Wooden Pellets to trade. No matter how much you need, just tell me and I'll help you gather it."
"Don't listen to him, this is our Southern Palace territory. There's no one here with more stock than us. Brother, we can discuss however much you need."
"Please, aren't you fellows ashamed of yourselves to be talking about spirit medicine in front of us Qingyang Valley disciples? Don't you feel shamefaced? Who amongst you lot has higher quality Bluelily Grass and Wooden Pellets than our Qingyang Valley?"
Qingyang Valley?
Jiang Chen couldn't help but look in that person's direction. It was a middle aged man who was dressed like a farmer and was the type who couldn't be able to be picked out in a crowd.
However, this person's eyebrows were currently dancing with pleasure as he had a face full of ardent eagerness. When he saw Jiang Chen's gaze land on him, he nodded and bowed even more fawningly, giving off the appearance of being overwhelmed by an unexpected favor.
"This fellow probably doesn't know of the agreement between me and Elder Fei? Otherwise how could he have dared joined forces with the Northern Palace earlier and refuse to sell to me?"
Jiang Chen paid no heed to small matters such as these at this moment but smiled faintly. He didn't say yes or no, but merely watched this group of people.
"Brother, how about this. Give my Southern Palace some face and you can come find me whenever you need any spirit medicine, and I'll give you ten percent off everything."
"I will say it again. All of you need to step aside when it comes spirit medicine in the Skylaurel Kingdom. What does the Qingyang Valley do? We specialize in cultivating spirit medicine, that's our trade." The farmer-esque Qingyang Valley middle aged man said with a look of pride.
"Psht! Look at you strutting around! What precious thing hasn't our Myriad Treasures Palace seen? You only grow some spirit medicines, why don't you compete in some other area with our Myriad Treasures Palace?" A Myriad Treasures Palace disciple opened his mouth to retort and then immediately faced Jiang Chen, his face wreathed in smiles."This brother, surely you've heard of the Myriad Treasures Palace's reputation. We do great business, particularly in appreciation of exotic and bizarre treasures such as this supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill. This pill is hard to obtain within the Skylaurel Kingdom, and it's not worth it for you to trade it for mere Bluelily Grass and Wooden Pellets. How about this, my Myriad Treasures Palace will give these items to you for free. Treat it as a sign of friendship. I only have one request, and it's to consign your supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill. If we auction it off at the auction fair this autumn, we may be able to obtain an extraordinary price. What do you say? Not only do you not lose, but you also stand to profit greatly. And by attracting such a VIP to the Myriad Treasures Palace, I can gain face and revenue. It's a win-win situation!"
This disciple was most definitely from the Myriad Treasures Palace. One could see that he was adept at doing business. His words were logical and reasonable, and paid heed to personal considerations and business. This made even Jiang Chen feel a bit tempted.
At this time, the one who was the worst off was that person in charge of the Azure Heaven Northern Palace. His face was as dark as if someone has splashed ink onto his face.
All of the merchants had betrayed him in the midst of battling and vying with each other to offer benefits to that person, practically wishing to serve themselves up on a silver platter.
What was this?
This was slapping his face, leaving not the slightest shred of face for him, a disciple of the Azure Heaven Northern Palace!
But he also knew the reason for these people losing their composure. If it was anyone else, he would've surely done the same thing.
Who could resist a supreme rank Vast Ocean Pill?!
Seeing that the atmosphere at the scene was becoming more and more fervent, his face burned with increasing heat. He wanted to slip away before anyone paid attention to him to avoid losing more face.
One had to know, he had spoken great words just now. If Jiang Chen could purchase Bluelily Grass and Wooden Pellets here, then he'd crawl around the transaction area three times!
Now, under these circumstances, not to mention selling, there was a huge group of people crying and wailing to pounce on the offer by giving it to Jiang Chen for free. He'd truly lost a lot of face this time.
"Eh? Brother Zhang, where are you going?"
It was a damned pity that a piercing voice traveled to him when he was halfway out of the door.
Someone had snitched on him!
This disciple of the Northern Palace dearly wished to crawl into a crack in the ground. His entire being stiffened where he stood. He could neither walk on nor retreat.
His expression was like someone had clapped a basin of feces and pee onto his face, the epitome of being bedraggled.
"I... I'm going to the latrines." The person in charge with surname Zhang spoke with a bitter face and a conflicted expression.
This repressed excuse resulted in a wave of sarcastic jeering from all those assembled. Since the hidden rules had been broken now, people no longer had anything they were concerned about.
Jiang Chen smiled, "Your brave and lofty words just now don't seem to have much use. I'd really thought that your Northern Palace could corner the market in a domineering fashion. It looks like you only wrapped yourself in tiger skin to intimidate others."
"You... brat, don't you get uppity!"
"Who's being uppity? Who was throwing his weight around just now? Who was it who said that if we could buy these two items, he'd crawl three times around this area?" Gouyu couldn't help but take a step forward, plant her hands on her waist and hector, "Now, are you going to crawl around the transaction area three times by yourself, or should I find a rope and lead you around for three circles?"
"I..." As a disciple of the Northern Palace, it was the first time that this person in charge with surname Zhang had lost so much face. He looked around desperately in all directions, sending out all sorts of pleas for help, hoping that someone would lend him a helping hand.
But who would help him out of a bind in this moment?
Everyone was but an acquaintance to each other in setting up booths here to do business. They could help him bully a foreigner. But now that they knew that not only could they not bully the foreigner but should fawn on him instead, whoever spoke up for disciple Zhang would be have to be missing half a brain.
When a wall is about to collapse, everyone gives it a push. Although no one was stepping forward to give it a push, the expressions on their faces clearly showed that they were watching a good show which was not too much different from pushing down a wall together.
"Forget it, forget it. A bunch of people who forget honor at the prospect of profits and have no loyalty to speak of. I, the disciple of the Northern Palace, would rather die than be humiliated."
The fellow stiffened his neck and simply decided to play the rogue, jeering at Jiang Chen, "Either you chop off my head with one stroke or forget about making me, a disciple of the Northern Palace, bend my knee and bow to you! That's completely impossible!"
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