C17 It Seems like I Have Made a Mistake

Upon seeing Chen Bai, the man's eyes sparkled with recognition, and he approached with a look of sheer delight, as if he were greeting his own father.

"Oh, my dear Young Lord, why didn't you let me know before you left? I could have made preparations in advance." He spoke eagerly, reaching out to relieve Chen Bai of the small bag he was carrying.

This was Chen Jiang, the steward of the Chen family, known for his keen ability to read people and his tendency to curry favor. Within the Chen family, he was quite adept at navigating social waters.

Chen Bai couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of him. "What do we have here? The sun must be rising from the west for the esteemed Steward Jiang to attend to such a lowly young master as myself."

Chen Jiang, upon hearing this, gave himself a slap on the cheek, then quickly offered a smile filled with apology. "Previously, I was blind to your true worth, Young Lord. I failed to recognize the hidden dragon that you are. Now that I see your rise, I've come to offer my services eagerly."

"Hehe, you're quite the character," Chen Bai said with a light laugh, tossing the small bag to Chen Jiang. He glanced at the carriage and added nonchalantly, "But you might as well take the carriage back. I'm just heading to the general store to sell some Demonic Cores; there's no need for such grandeur."

Bending to catch the bag, Chen Jiang's eyes gleamed at the mention of selling Demonic Cores. He slapped his chest with confidence and boasted, "Young Lord, you'd be at a loss selling Demonic Cores at a general store. I'm acquainted with the manager of the Spirit Beast Workshop in town and can assure you that your Demonic Cores will fetch a handsome price."

Chen Bai was swayed by Chen Jiang's assured demeanor; after all, getting a good price was certainly something to be happy about. He agreed to let Chen Jiang guide him to the Spirit Beast Workshop. However, it was only after Chen Jiang's insistent recommendation, claiming it would ensure a better price for the Demonic Cores, that Chen Bai consented to travel by carriage.

During the ride, Chen Bai brought up the matter of the grocery store manager. Chen Jiang immediately vowed to arrange a satisfactory solution, putting Chen Bai at ease. He then settled into the comfort of the carriage, which, to his surprise, was far more pleasant than a car. The interior was filled with an indescribable yet delightful fragrance. After a moment of restraint, Chen Bai couldn't help but exclaim, "Damn, this scent is really incredible." Chen Jiang, who was driving, just rolled his eyes at the comment, thankful that Chen Bai couldn't see his reaction from inside the carriage.

Amidst a sea of envious and jealous stares, Chen Bai and his companions reached the Spirit Beast Workshop.

The Spirit Beast Workshop is the premier venue for trading spirit beasts in Wind City, sprawling across dozens of acres in this highly coveted location. The architecture itself is a sight to behold, resembling a majestic snow-white Saber-toothed Tiger with its head thrown back in a roar. A massive plaque rests within the tiger's jaws, the words "Spirit Beast Workshop" inscribed upon it in a flourish of calligraphy that sparkles brilliantly in the sunlight, exuding an air of dominance.

"We've arrived at the Spirit Beast Workshop, Young Lord," Chen Jiang announced.

Prompted by Chen Jiang's reminder, Chen Bai slowly descended from the carriage, only to be taken aback by the sight of the Spirit Beast Workshop. He blurted out in astonishment, "Damn! What's this?"

Chen Jiang, puzzled, inquired, "May I ask what 'this' the Young Lord is referring to?"

Chen Bai gestured towards the Spirit Beast Workshop. Initially, Chen Jiang was somewhat perplexed, but then he had an epiphany and responded, "Ah, you must mean the Sword Spirit Tiger, Young Lord. Indeed, it is among the most elite of spirit beasts. Once mature, it can achieve the Golden Core Stage. Rumor has it that certain Mutated Sword Spirit Tigers can awaken the bloodline of the ancient Heaven Rending Tiger, ascending to the Nascent Infant Stage. But these Sword Spirit Tigers are typically found only in the most prestigious regions of the Spirit Beast Mountain Range. Where have you encountered one, Young Lord?"

It was then that Chen Bai realized the Saber-toothed Tiger that nearly bested him could have been at the Golden Core Stage, which explained why it was impervious to even the formidable physique of the Celestial Charm Fox. Curious, he asked, "How large is an adult Sword Spirit Tiger, and are there any distinguishing features of the Mutated Sword Spirit Tiger you mentioned?"

Chen Jiang, noting the seriousness in Chen Bai's demeanor, grew solemn. He explained, "An adult Sword Spirit Tiger stands at least thirty feet tall. The Mutated Sword Spirit Tiger, on the other hand, can be identified by a red dot on its forehead."

Upon hearing the first part, Chen Bai breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had encountered a juvenile tiger. But the mention of the red dot sent a chill down his spine. He hurriedly glanced at the tiger skin he had skinned, now stored in the warehouse. Seeing the red dot, Chen Bai felt a pang of dread as if he had made a grave mistake. Yet, he quickly regained his composure and casually remarked, "Haha, Chief Jiang, there's no need to take it so seriously. I merely saw a tiger in the Spirit Beast Mountain Range that bore a striking resemblance to the Sword Spirit Tiger. Now that I think about it, I probably got it wrong."

As Chen Bai spoke, he discreetly felt the small bag and secured the Demonic Core in the warehouse. He then prompted Chen Jiang to hurry and take him to sell the Demonic Core.

Chen Jiang realized that even though Chen Bai's cultivation had significantly advanced to the Foundation Stage, it still paled in comparison to the Sword Spirit Tiger. Considering that even a juvenile Sword Spirit Tiger possessed a cultivation level above the sixth tier of the Foundation Stage, Chen Jiang refrained from further comment and swiftly escorted Chen Bai into the Spirit Beast Workshop.

Upon entering the Spirit Beast Workshop, Chen Jiang raised his voice.

"Manager Niu! Manager Niu! I've brought you a lucrative deal!"

Niu Yuvcai, already informed and waiting in the hall, quickly approached upon hearing Chen Jiang's call. "Oh! If it isn't Chief Jiang? What brings you here today?" he said, then peered behind Chen Jiang, searching for the "important person" but saw no one of note. Curiosity piqued, he inquired, "Hey, Chief Jiang, I see the Young Lord's carriage, but where's the Young Lord himself?"

Chen Jiang inwardly braced for trouble at Niu Yuvcai's words. But seeing Chen Bai unfazed, he quickly whispered to Niu Yuvcai. Suddenly, Niu Yuvcai's demeanor took a sharp turn, as he bowed respectfully to Chen Bai, saying, "I am at fault for the disrespect towards Young Master Bai—no, Young Lord Bai. I beg for your forgiveness and ask that you overlook my error."

After a brief pause, Niu Yuvcai added, "Ah, right. Young Lord Bai, you've come to sell the Demonic Core, haven't you? Here's what we'll do: I'll take charge and today, we'll purchase the Demonic Core from Young Lord Bai at the asking price as reparation for any distress caused."

Witnessing Niu Yuvcai's contrite behavior, Chen Bai chuckled. "Hehe, you all are something else. You do realize you're taking a risk by addressing an outsider as Young Lord, right?"

Hearing this, Niu Yuvcai could only offer a sheepish grin, not daring to utter another word.

After a while, Chen Bai grew bored and instructed Chen Jiang to quickly sell the Demonic Cores. As Niu Yuvcai watched in astonishment, a vast array of premium goods from the Spirit Beast Mountain Range was laid out before him. After tallying them up, Niu Yuvcai reluctantly quoted a price of 30,000 Low Grade Spirit Stones. In the end, Chen Bai heartily accepted 20,000 Low Grade Spirit Stones and left the Spirit Beast Workshop to Niu Yuvcai's profound gratitude and bewildered stares. As a parting gesture, the Spirit Beast Workshop even offered several carriages at no cost to transport the Spirit Stones.

Beside the carriage, Chen Jiang expressed his confusion about why Chen Bai settled for only 20,000 Spirit Stones. Chen Bai chuckled and replied, "Don't ask. It's just me being capricious with my wealth." Chen Jiang's incredulous look nearly defeated him, prompting an explanation: "Alright, the truth is, I'm aiming for a long-term partnership with the Spirit Beast Workshop."

Chen Jiang's expression remained unchanged as he responded, "Young Lord, even if you had accepted the full 30,000, the Spirit Beast Workshop wouldn't hesitate to maintain a long-term collaboration with the Chen family. After all, we are one of their primary suppliers of Demonic Cores. They wouldn't jeopardize such a beneficial relationship."

"Humph! You know nothing!" Chen Bai retorted with a snort, then climbed into the carriage with an air of enigma.

The journey home passed in silence.

Upon arriving at the Chen family estate, despite the late hour, Chen Bai instructed Chen Jiang to properly store the Spirit Stones and then made a beeline for the family's library.

Near the library, Chen Bai was greeted by Chen Faang, the third elder, who was leaning casually against the doorway with a grin. Approaching respectfully, Chen Bai bowed and inquired, "May I ask if the third elder has any advice for me?"

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