Chapter 457: Xu Xiaoshou Business Really Is Profitable

Old Du immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. It wasn't just from anger; it was also the result of all his various injuries flaring up simultaneously. He had never dreamed that such a powerful sword intent could penetrate his body from a distance.

"Is this... the power of a Sword Sovereign?"

Watching Xu Xiaoshou's hand return to its original position, Old Du felt tempted to provoke him again. But the thought that within this person's range, he wouldn't gain any advantage, whether in close combat or long-range attacks, stopped him. As for this guy's range... Old Du fell silent.

"If I provoke him again, I'll probably really die, right?"

"But if I don't escape..."

"Twenty million!"

A bitter smile played on Old Du's lips. He had lived so long, and this was the first time he had suffered such a terrible loss. Twenty million for one Exquisite Stone, and he had to buy them all at once? Didn't that mean he would have to spend a total of sixty million? It would be most of his life's savings, wouldn't it? One should know, the three Exquisite Stones he had sold earlier, together amounted to less than thirty million! This was simply a tremendous loss!

"I..."

Old Du hesitated, looking at the masked man in the straw hat whose eyes showed no ripples, yet seemed to hold a hint of a smile. He shivered all over.

"Fine, sixty million it is. A lesson bought, with a life thrown in for free."

Gritting his teeth, Old Du suddenly closed his eyes and shouted to everyone.

"Twenty million each, I'll buy all your Exquisite Stones!"

"Oh my goodness..."

At the entrance of Eight Palace Town, everyone, whether Old Du's subordinates or not, gasped. It was precisely because they recognized the value and already knew the previous market price of the Exquisite Stones that they were even more shocked.

"Old Du is crazy, twenty million for one?"

"He couldn't even afford that by selling his wife!"

"My goodness, I thought this was a good show of slaughtering a lamb, but as I watched, the hunter and the prey got reversed?"

"Old Du's finished. After this, it's not just about the money being gone; how will he survive in Eight Palace Town?"

"Survive? You still want to survive?" Someone immediately retorted, "If he didn't use twenty million to buy his life, do you think Old Du would have a chance to survive?"

Everyone fell silent. After a long time, someone finally spoke softly, adding a sentence.

"Sixty million."

Amazement received, Passive Point, 450.Fear received, Passive Point, 456.Admiration received, Passive Point, 411.

Luo Qinglang was speechless on the side. Twenty million. If he were sold, he probably couldn't even afford one of these Exquisite Stones. With a quiet, indifferent expression, he stealthily moved his feet and slipped back into the Qinggang Spirit Palace team.

"Brother Lang?" The white-robed swordsman immediately stepped forward to offer support. He was afraid that if he moved too slowly, Brother Lang's injuries might directly cause him to collapse on the spot.

"Your injuries... are they okay?" Luo Qinglang glanced at his blood-soaked clothes, his face twitching.

"I'm fine." Why did what was supposed to be his moment of glory turn out like this? He vigorously rubbed his forehead, his eyes fixed on the masked man in the straw hat. Was it all because of this person's arrival?

"Phew..." Taking a deep breath, Luo Qinglang declared that he would never have any further dealings with this guy in Eight Palace Town. Turning his head slightly, he met Yu Zhiwen's somewhat worried gaze. Luo Qinglang lowered his eyelids, avoiding her gaze directly. He had no face to speak. His gaze fell upon the Qinggang Spirit Palace disciples, who were slightly flustered. Luo Qinglang fell silent again.

"Twenty million..." The twenty million, lingering in his mind, made him completely anxious. "So, the lives of my junior brothers and sisters combined are worth two hundred million?" At this point, let alone the villains in Eight Palace Town, even Luo Qinglang himself felt the urge to make a move just by looking at these "lambs."

"Brother Lang!"

"Senior Brother!"

With the shaking from his arm, Luo Qinglang finally came to his senses. The white-robed swordsman asked with concern, "Brother Lang, what are you looking at... That guy, he's over there." His finger trembled as he pointed in Xu Xiaoshou's direction. The killing intent in Brother Lang's eyes just now almost made him think he had done something wrong to someone last night... He's been discovered!

"I'm fine, fine." Luo Qinglang waved his hand and finally moved his body, gazing in Xu Xiaoshou's direction.

Envy received, Passive Point, 1.

"Come over here!"

Xu Xiaoshou waved to Old Du. Old Du fidgeted for a moment, but ultimately dared not resist, and stepped forward to the shattered entrance of the town.

"Twenty million each, you'll buy them all?" Xu Xiaoshou confirmed.

"Yes." Old Du was trying to swallow his broken teeth himself. It was a tough nut to crack, but if he just endured it, everything would pass.

"You said it." Xu Xiaoshou nodded and said to the crowd behind him, "Did everyone hear that?"

No one responded.

"Good, as long as you heard."

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.

As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, he pulled out the small wooden table from earlier. "Tap, tap, tap." Three Exquisite Stones were placed down. Old Du closed his eyes deeply. "That's it." When he opened them again, the Exquisite Stones on the table had become six.

Old Du: ???

"This is..." He asked in confusion, but received no reply. Suddenly, his pupils contracted. "Six Exquisite Stones?" Old Du was horrified, recoiled, and looked up in shock, "You have six Exquisite Stones?"

"Mmhmm." Xu Xiaoshou hummed.

"This..."

"You said you'd buy them all, with such sincerity, I can't very well deceive you. I just had to take out all my stock," Xu Xiaoshou said with a smile.

This goddamn... Old Du's mind immediately exploded. No way! Deceive me! Please deceive me! If you do something like this... don't you know there's a saying, "A cornered dog will leap over a wall"? With this move of yours, someone with a weaker heart would die on the spot, you know!

Old Du panted heavily, many thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant, but he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

"Would a cornered dog leaping over a wall be useful?"

"Facing this person..."

"One more word, and my life will be gone, right?"

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.

"So, six?" The onlookers behind couldn't see clearly because Xu Xiaoshou was blocking the view, but Old Du's voice had already jolted everyone. Their spiritual senses wide open. Indeed, what was placed on the masked man in the straw hat's table were six blurry objects.

"What the hell, who is this guy? Did he rob a Spirit Palace team?"

"But don't Spirit Palace teams all have Throne Realm Elders leading them? Could he have robbed all the geniuses from the great aristocratic families?"

"But I remember that the great aristocratic families probably only had five Exquisite Stones at most. Having two or three is already top-tier among the top forces, this..."

"This guy..."

"I'm speechless. There are so many Exquisite Stones in the world, would it kill him to give me one?"

At the entrance of the shattered Eight Palace Town, it was as if two bombs had been thrown in, and instantly, a clamor of voices erupted. Green light, like oil, flowed directly from everyone's eyes, but their feet were firmly gripping the ground, not daring to move an inch. Hold back, life is precious!

Luo Qinglang's eyes immediately went straight. "What the hell... is he crazy?"

"Six Exquisite Stones?" The white-robed swordsman beside him also murmured in disbelief.

"No."

"Those aren't Exquisite Stones." Luo Qinglang stared blankly.

"What are they?"

"That's one hundred and twenty million! Spirit Crystals!"

"A fair price of one hundred and twenty million. I can round it down for you, or even make it two hundred million if you prefer." Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands, full of expectation.

"Thump!" Old Du's fists landed weakly on the tabletop. His whole body went limp.

"Two hundred million?"

"No... one hundred and twenty million?" He wouldn't be so foolish as to take this guy's joke seriously. But the problem was...

"One hundred and twenty million? I don't have that much money!" Old Du felt like crying but had no tears.

"You've lived this long and don't even have one hundred million?" Xu Xiaoshou looked shocked, "What rank... *coughs*, what cultivation level are you?"

"Star Worship Realm..."

"Early stage?"

"Yes."

"You're already at the Grandmaster Star Worship Realm, and you haven't even achieved a small goal of one hundred million?" Xu Xiaoshou was speechless. It seemed assassins made more money. These people who could only live by robbing others were indeed too poor.

"So, how much money do you have on you now?"

"I..." Old Du hesitated for a moment, not daring to lie: "Seventy million."

"A seventy-millionaire, that's not bad." Xu Xiaoshou figured that for others, this sum was already an astronomical amount, so he didn't dwell on it.

"Since you don't have enough money, I certainly can't sell you all the Exquisite Stones."

"How about this: you give me seventy million first, and I'll ask for the remaining amount later."

"As for me, I'll give you three Exquisite Stones first. The rest, I'll give back to you when your money arrives." Xu Xiaoshou spoke, unceremoniously tapping the guy's forehead. "What are you dazing for? Where's the card?"

"Hand it over." He beckoned with his hand, and Old Du dazedly pulled out a golden card.

"A Duojin Merchant Bank card? Perfect." Xu Xiaoshou nodded in satisfaction. This way, he could just swipe it. He casually pulled out the card he used to buy a house in Tiansang City. With a swipe, the amount on the other side immediately changed from eight digits to three digits.

"Wait!" Old Du looked at the pitifully short three-digit amount and suddenly came to his senses. This isn't right!

"Twenty million for one Exquisite Stone, three of them, isn't that sixty million? Why did you take all of mine?" Xu Xiaoshou calmly put the card away, then said, "You didn't stop my spiritual sense just now, didn't that mean you consented?"

"I goddamn..." Old Du's eyes widened, and he almost drew his saber on the spot.

"Give me back ten million!"

"Here, for you." Xu Xiaoshou casually scooped up the three Exquisite Stones on the table and threw them into his Yuan Mansion. The rest, without delay, he directly stuffed into the other party's arms. Old Du was pushed back so hard that his body, almost twice as robust as Xu Xiaoshou's, stumbled backward, nearly falling onto the ground.

Xu Xiaoshou put away the small wooden table, turned around, and walked away. "Whenever you raise the funds, come find me for the rest."

"That ten million will serve as a deposit for now."

"Don't worry, I'm a man of my word in business. I'll definitely keep your Exquisite Stones reserved for you."

Old Du could no longer stand and simply plopped down. He stared blankly at Xu Xiaoshou's departing figure.

"Sincerity?"

"This is what you call sincerity?"

He silently lowered his head. Three Exquisite Stones... That was his entire fortune! It was seventy million!

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.Resentment received, Passive Point, 1.Being remembered received, Passive Point, 1.

"Let's go." Xu Xiaoshou waved to the three masked figures behind him. But besides Ah Jie moving, the other two remained unresponsive for a long time.

"Let's go, what are you standing around for?"

"Fold up the banner too."

"Still displaying it, isn't that embarrassing?" Xin Gugu's eyes finally regained their sparkle. One moment he was marveling at Xu Xiaoshou's methods, the next he was thoroughly annoyed by this guy's words. Didn't you tell us to hold up the banner? You weren't happy when we didn't hold it up earlier. Now that we are holding it up, you find it embarrassing.

Mu Zixi was more direct.

Curse received, Passive Point, 1, 1, 1, 1...

"Where to?" She shoved the banner at Xin Gugu and quickly caught up.

"This place has been harvested. Theoretically, there shouldn't be anyone richer than Old Du here."

"Let's find another place." Xu Xiaoshou stepped towards the ruins of the town entrance. Suddenly, he snapped back to attention and saw Luo Qinglang.

Fear received, Passive Point, 1.

Luo Qinglang instinctively recoiled, directly hiding behind the white-robed swordsman. However, remembering that he was the senior brother, he had to bite the bullet and emerge again. Xu Xiaoshou looked at him without speaking. Luo Qinglang stood still for a moment, finally unable to hold back his words.

"What are you doing?"

"Have you thought it through?" Xu Xiaoshou said cheerfully.

Luo Qinglang: "..."

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.

"I don't have money!" He spread his hands openly, "Even if you sold me now, I couldn't come up with twenty million for you."

"How do you know you're not worth that much?" Xu Xiaoshou asked. Luo Qinglang froze, and then his face immediately turned green. Oh, you rascal. Are you really going to sell me?

"I really don't have money." His tone softened.

"I can tell." Ever since Xu Xiaoshou learned that an Exquisite Stone was worth twenty million, he had decided to let Luo Qinglang off the hook and not make him buy one.

"But you have Exquisite Stones, don't you?"

"Your junior brothers and sisters should have them too." Xu Xiaoshou said with a smile, "If you don't buy... would you sell? I also buy Exquisite Stones."

The entire Qinggang Spirit Palace team instantly became wary, as if facing a formidable enemy. Some even drew their swords on the spot.

"Don't misunderstand, I'm genuinely doing business." Xu Xiaoshou quickly waved his hand, "If you don't buy, you can sell."

"You all heard it just now. Old Du, as a local bigwig, his information is definitely accurate. If he said the market price of an Exquisite Stone is ten million, then it's definitely ten million."

"So, I'll buy them for eleven million each. You'll make a guaranteed profit of one million, no losses whatsoever."

"How about it?"

Not just the Qinggang Spirit Palace, but everyone, including Old Du, was shocked. Oh boy. Your audacity! You just sold Exquisite Stones for twenty million each, and now you're asking people to sell them to you for eleven million each?

Admiration received, Passive Point, 498.Curse received, Passive Point, 11.

The bit of color Old Du had barely regained on his face faded again. He felt like he was being subtly targeted. The previous market price was indeed ten million, but you, by yourself, single-handedly doubled that price! Luo Qinglang felt even worse; he wore a bitter expression.

"Brother, I admit defeat. My words just now were disrespectful. Please stop playing with us."

"We truly don't have money, and these Exquisite Stones are even less likely to be sold." The Qinggang Spirit Palace members nodded repeatedly. At this point, no one felt Luo Qinglang had lost face by cowering. Instead, they instinctively felt that this was a perfectly normal thing to do. Stubbornly holding on was what would be fatal. Truly "fatal"!

Xu Xiaoshou sensed their bitterness. But he still asked back.

"Really not selling?"

"Not selling!" Luo Qinglang said decisively.

"There might still be some time until the White Cave opens. What if you don't sell them and then they get stolen?" Xu Xiaoshou said with concern. The entire Qinggang Spirit Palace team swayed.

At this, even Cheng Xingchu couldn't stand it anymore. Xu Xiaoshou's mouth today would probably give everyone in this Spirit Palace psychological trauma. By nightfall, probably no one here would dare to sleep.

"I think you're the one who wants to rob them, aren't you?" Cheng Xingchu said angrily.

"Who is this gentleman? You're going too far. I'm just a businessman, don't talk nonsense." Xu Xiaoshou glanced at him with a half-smile. Cheng Xingchu immediately felt the back of his head throbbing again. This guy is definitely mocking me!

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't bother with them any further. He walked past the crowd and came before the familiar young woman. He was silent for a moment. The star-like eyes that he couldn't see through back then, he still couldn't see through now. Not only could he not see through them, but as his own perception improved, he even felt a heart-pounding power emanating from those star-like eyes. Xu Xiaoshou knew this was a more thorough internal observation after his "Perception" reached Grandmaster level. He used to not believe in such inexplicable feelings without reason. After multiple verifications, he had no choice but to believe.

"Even ghost beasts don't have this kind of oppressive feeling!" Xu Xiaoshou muttered to himself. What on earth could it be? These eyes...

"Your eyes are truly beautiful," Xu Xiaoshou praised.

Curse received, Passive Point, 1, 1, 1, 1...

Yu Zhiwen's pretty face flushed. With just that one sentence, she immediately confirmed that this person was undoubtedly Xu Xiaoshou. Because back then, when they first met, he had also praised her so directly. Her lips parted slightly, just about to speak, but Xu Xiaoshou had already turned and left without hesitation.

Yu Zhiwen: "..."

"This." He only likes my eyes, but doesn't like talking to me?

Suspicion received, Passive Point, 1.

Xu Xiaoshou led the three masked figures in straw hats behind him. This "Straw Hat" organization, established for less than half a day, openly strode over the ruins at the entrance of Eight Palace Town. As he approached, everyone slowly retreated, seemingly fearing they wouldn't avoid him quickly enough.

Admiration received, Passive Point, 455.Fear received, Passive Point, 421.Admiration received, Passive Point, 395.

Xu Xiaoshou deliberately walked very slowly. Finally, only after Xin Gugu's impatient push did he finish harvesting the last bit of "wool" and disappear from everyone's sight.

Passive Points, 37511.

"Too easy to earn, right? More than thirty thousand Passive Points in an instant?" Xu Xiaoshou looked at the information panel and almost burst into laughter. How many hours had it been? At most, it was just a small interlude, and he almost earned enough Passive Points for a ten-pull gacha. Indeed, being around many people suited him better. Especially these naive "obedient lambs" who offered their heads for him to shear for the first time... They had the most wool!

"Seventy million..." Xu Xiaoshou murmured. With assets close to a hundred million, he admitted he was getting a bit carried away. Originally, when he passed by and encountered many people, his sole intention was to casually earn some Passive Points. But he unintentionally discovered the value of Exquisite Stones.

"Twenty million for one, if I sell the sixteen on me, how many hundreds of millions would that be?"

"This business is really profitable!" Xu Xiaoshou had already lost count. He turned around, "Junior Sister, can you give me one of your Exquisite Stones?"

Mu Zixi: "..."

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.

"You already gave them to me!"

"Oh, is that so? But you can give them to me again."

"Xu Xiaoshou, say that again?" Xu Xiaoshou looked at the girl's bristling expression and decided it was better to give up. He had sixteen Exquisite Stones, which was already a lot. Giving her two for self-defense was also good. Although she might not need them while he was around, what if? The thing Xu Xiaoshou feared most in his life was "what if."

"These broken stones are too valuable. I must sell them before the White Cave opens."

"But, according to Elder Qiao, it seems the Dean said the White Cave would open in a few days?"

"How long is 'a few days'?" He pondered. He began to calculate how to use such a short time to sell these Exquisite Stones. When Spirit Crystals were few, they indeed seemed to have no significant use. After all, little money is of no benefit. But as the continent's universal currency, once the quantity increased, almost anything could be exchanged for it. At worst, he could throw a hundred million at Duojin Merchant Bank. Xu Xiaoshou felt that his Yuan Mansion could instantly become the continent's top spiritual medicine sanctuary. Even if it wasn't the absolute best, it would still be very high-tier! Plus, he had the Life Spirit Seal. Under constant nourishment, perhaps the spiritual medicines needed for his future alchemy would be entirely self-sufficient. This was simply every high-level alchemist's dream! Countless spiritual medicines, and years of growth that could be accelerated as needed. Most importantly, with the Life Spirit Seal, everything grew anxiously. Once the Yuan Mansion fully formed, one day would be equivalent to several years of medicinal herbs, and one year...

"Tsk tsk." Xu Xiaoshou's mouth watered. Make money! Not only Passive Points, but money, too, can never be too much!

"The hundreds of people present just now should quickly spread my name."

"So, next, I need to find another crowded place and display more Exquisite Stones." Xu Xiaoshou was still happily calculating. Suddenly, Xin Gugu looked up at the cracks in the void, his pupils contracting.

"It's here."

"What's here?" Xu Xiaoshou unconsciously followed his gaze. He saw that in the sky, the humming, crisscrossing cracks in the void began to merge, finally forming a colossal rift. A terrifying pulling force came, and the stone floor in Eight Palace Town directly cracked. At this, even the old spiritual trees that had persisted for many years in this desolate place could no longer hold their ground and were pulled up by their roots.

"Ah—" Mu Zixi let out a startled cry and was immediately flung into the sky. Xu Xiaoshou quickly reached out and pulled off the girl's shoes.

Curse received, Passive Point, 1.

He hastily leaped, grabbed the young girl's foot, and only then pulled her back from the sky. "The White Cave, it's open?" Ignoring Mu Zixi's panic, Xu Xiaoshou watched the endless black dots in the sky being sucked into the spatial rift and asked directly.

"Yes." Xin Gugu's eyes were grave as he nodded heavily. When an interdimensional rift opened, anyone else could be mistaken, but he absolutely could not be.

"What about these people..." There were truly too many people in the sky who couldn't resist the suction and were pulled up. This wave, it's estimated that those below the Spiritual Realm in innate cultivation, or without special secret arts, would really struggle to resist when caught off guard. Especially those walking directly on the street without any spirit array protection.

"Death."

"Or, by chance, they enter the White Cave, get randomly teleported, and then are killed by interdimensional creatures." Xin Gugu shook his head indifferently, "Those who get sucked into the sky are all too weak. It just depends on whether the Red Coat is willing to save them." He admitted he was certainly no saint, so he couldn't possibly intervene to save these individuals who were lacking in strength yet recklessly risking their lives.