Almighty Devouring System

C18 – Buying and Selling

Peng Gengkun slowly lifted his gaze and found himself face to face with a young man clad in a brocade robe. Clutching a folding fan, the man’s attire was ostentatious. Yet, thanks to Peng Gengkun’s system evolving into a baby Leviathan, he could instinctively tell that the stranger’s cultivation level surpassed his own.

“A Qi Refining High Rank! He must be among the cream of the crop of elite disciples! Despite his foppish appearance, this young master’s fighting prowess is undoubtedly formidable.”

After a brief pause, Peng Gengkun responded, “The corpse has already been sold to the Chamber of Commerce. I won’t be selling it to anyone else.”

The young man burst into laughter upon hearing this. “The Chamber of Commerce? How much could they possibly offer you? The Azure Anaconda’s corpse is worth at least five or six Spirit Stones, but they’d probably only pay you three or four. I’ll give you ten Spirit Stones for it. Sell the Azure Anaconda’s corpse to me.”

Noticing the young man’s impatience, Peng Gengkun’s understanding deepened.

“He’s desperate to acquire the Azure Anaconda and willing to overpay. Anyone unaware of the true value would be easily duped into selling to him. But I’ve learned from the Chamber of Commerce that the actual worth of the Azure Anaconda exceeds twenty Spirit Stones. I can’t possibly accept his offer!”

Peng Gengkun gave the young man a sidelong glance. The man’s expression shifted subtly when he looked at the python’s corpse, and Peng Gengkun’s suspicions were confirmed.

“He’s got a keen eye – he’s likely discerned the true grade of the Azure Anaconda. His generous bid is probably an attempt to snag a bargain at my expense. I won’t afford him that chance!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Peng Gengkun shook his head firmly. “The value of this python’s corpse far exceeds your offer. I won’t sell it to you. Please leave and find another seller.”

The young master’s brow creased as he snapped his fan shut, “It appears you’re unaware of who I am. My name is Yan Xinheng. Though just an elite disciple, I stand out as a prodigy among them. Soon, I’ll ascend to become an Inner Sect disciple! You might want to reconsider the implications.”

Peng Gengkun gave a nod and replied, “Understood. You may leave now.”

Reluctantly, Peng Gengkun found himself in a situation where he had to act, despite his aversion to confrontation. But the thought of selling an item worth well over twenty Spirit Stones for a mere ten was intolerable to him. It was nothing short of daylight robbery.

Yan Xinheng, seeing Peng Gengkun’s unwavering stance, couldn’t hide his irritation and let out a snort of contempt. He tossed ten Spirit Stones at Peng Gengkun and declared, “Whether you’re willing to sell today or not is irrelevant. You’re going to sell it to me, period.”

With a casual flick of his wrist, Yan Xinheng effortlessly transferred the Azure Anaconda’s carcass into his Space Ring.

Witnessing this brazen act, Peng Gengkun shot to his feet, fury blazing in his eyes.

It wasn’t the existence of the Space Ring that shocked Peng Gengkun; it was Yan Xinheng’s audacity in seizing his property that ignited his rage. This was beyond aggressive bargaining; it was outright theft!

Yan Xinheng, unfazed by Peng Gengkun’s fury, gave another cold snort and brandished his folding fan with a flourish. “I’ve already shown you leniency, so be wise and take the hint. The Spirit Stones are yours. Leave now while you can, or the consequences will be dire.”

“And if I choose not to leave, what then?” Peng Gengkun’s fists tightened, his demeanor growing icier by the second.

Peng Gengkun might not be able to best titans like Xi Ming and Wei Mingzhi just yet, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t hold his own in a fight. As a warrior nearing the higher echelons of the Intermediate Rank in Qi Refining and having mastered several advanced Martial Arts, his prowess was nothing to scoff at, even among the elite disciples.

He certainly didn’t regard Yan Xinheng as any sort of threat.

“Just return what you took from the Space Ring, and all will be forgiven,” Peng Gengkun stated firmly, fists still clenched. “Otherwise, you stand to lose more than just your precious ring.”

Yan Xinheng’s response was a laugh.

“You clearly have no idea of my capabilities. Well, if that’s the case, I suppose I’ll have to give you a proper demonstration.”

Despite being in the Chamber of Commerce, Yan Xinheng had no qualms about engaging in a brawl. With a flick of his wrist, he snapped open his folding fan and slashed it toward Peng Gengkun’s wrist.

The fan, seemingly crafted from simple bamboo and paper, transformed into a blade as sharp as any knife in that instant. It was clear that Yan Xinheng had infused the fan with Astral Energy, turning it into a lethal weapon capable of severing tendons with a single strike. His status as a High Rank Qi Refining warrior made his movements nearly imperceptible, and his technique could be summed up in one word: swift!

Though the Chamber of Commerce was not known for its abundance of warriors, the unfolding skirmish drew the attention of those nearby. Even those unfamiliar with Yan Xinheng could recognize the mark of his extraordinary skill. Yet, his attack failed to even graze Peng Gengkun’s clothing.

Peng Gengkun quickly retreated, then executed the Shocking Wind Step without a second thought. In the blink of an eye, he was behind Yan Xinheng, moving with the speed of teleportation. “Impressive! The Shocking Wind Step truly lives up to its name, making one seem to appear out of thin air,” he thought to himself as he reached for Yan Xinheng’s shoulder.

But Yan Xinheng, an elite disciple and High Rank Qi Refining warrior, was quick to respond. He spun around, elbowing at Peng Gengkun’s face while discarding the fan to channel his Astral Energy into his other hand. A white glow emanated from his palm, signaling the imminent unleashing of his Martial Arts prowess.

“This man must have hunted his share of mutated beasts and seen real combat to react so quickly,” Peng Gengkun mused. Yet he remained composed; he too had faced numerous battles and was no stranger to a fight. In terms of experience, he was every bit Yan Xinheng’s equal.

Peng Gengkun channeled his Astral Energy to fend off Yan Xinheng’s elbow strike. Simultaneously, his other hand latched onto Yan Xinheng’s palm with the tenacity of a bone-burrowing maggot.

Caught off guard, Yan Xinheng barely had time to react before Peng Gengkun had already snatched his Space Ring. With a swift execution of the Shocking Wind Step, Peng Gengkun put a distance of five or six steps between them.

Wearing a sly grin, Peng Gengkun toyed with the Space Ring, taunting, “Nice Space Ring you’ve got there. Too bad it’s about to become mine.”

Yan Xinheng’s gaze was fixed on the ring in Peng Gengkun’s possession, his heart seething with resentment.

“Damn it! My Space Ring!”

Yan Xinheng’s fists tightened as he issued a warning, “Be wise and give it back. You don’t want to cross the Yan family!”

Peng Gengkun’s laughter filled the air.

“The Yan family? I must admit, the thought does give me pause. But considering I’ve already crossed the Wei family, I’m not particularly concerned about adding the Yan family to the list. I’m not afraid of you. And by the time I’m an Inner Sect disciple, I doubt you’ll have the nerve to threaten me again.”