C18 Buy and Sell!

Yu Kun slowly lifted his gaze to meet that of a young man clad in ornate brocade, who stood before him with a folding fan in hand. His attire was ostentatious, but Yu Kun, whose system had evolved into that of a baby Leviathan, could instinctively tell that the man's cultivation level was even higher than his own.

"High Rank Qi Refining Stage! This individual must be among the cream of the crop of Elite Disciples! Despite his appearance as a pampered young master, his combat prowess is undoubtedly formidable."

After a moment's consideration, Yu Kun spoke up, "I've already sold the corpse to the Chamber of Commerce. I won't be selling it to anyone else."

The young man chuckled at Yu Kun's declaration. "The Chamber of Commerce? What could they possibly offer you? The Azure Anaconda's corpse is worth at least five or six Spirit Stones, yet they'd pay you no more than three or four. I'm offering you ten Spirit Stones for it—sell the corpse to me instead."

Yu Kun noted the young man's impatience and his understanding deepened.

"He's desperate to acquire the Azure Anaconda and willing to pay a premium. Others, unaware of the true value, would surely fall for his offer and sell. But I've learned from the Chamber of Commerce that the actual worth of the Azure Anaconda exceeds twenty Spirit Stones. There's no way I could accept his offer."

Yu Kun cast a sidelong glance at the young man, whose eyes betrayed a flicker of change upon resting on the python's remains. It confirmed Yu Kun's suspicions.

"He's got a keen eye; he must have recognized the Azure Anaconda's true grade. His generous bid is likely an attempt to snag a bargain at my expense. I won't afford him that chance."

Without a moment's hesitation, Yu Kun shook his head firmly. "The value of this python 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, saying, "It appears you're unaware of who I am. I am Hu Qiu. Though merely an Elite Disciple now, I stand as a prodigy among them, and soon, I'll ascend to become an Inner Sect disciple! You would do well to consider the consequences."

Yu Kun nodded, acknowledging the situation. "Understood. You may leave now."

Reluctantly, Yu Kun would rather not resort to violence, but he was even less inclined to sell an item worth over twenty Spirit Stones for a mere ten. It was nothing short of coercion.

Hu Qiu, observing Yu Kun's steadfast refusal, felt a surge of discontent and let out a derisive snort. He tossed ten Spirit Stones at Yu Kun and declared, "It doesn't matter whether you're willing to sell today or not. You're going to sell it to me, regardless!"

With a casual wave of his hand, Hu Qiu effortlessly transferred the corpse of the Azure Anaconda into his Space Ring.

Witnessing this act, Yu Kun rose to his feet, a flash of anger sparking in his eyes.

Yet, it wasn't the existence of Hu Qiu's Space Ring that shocked Yu Kun; it was the audacity of Hu Qiu to simply take what was his. This went beyond a forced transaction—it was outright theft!

Hu Qiu, catching the enraged look on Yu Kun's face, scoffed and brandished his folding fan. "I've shown you leniency, so be wise. The Spirit Stones are yours. If you have any sense, you'll leave now. Otherwise, you're not going to like the consequences."

"And if I choose not to leave, what then?" Yu Kun's fists tightened, his demeanor growing icier by the second.

Yu Kun might not be able to best formidable opponents like Yan Changge and Chen Feng just yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't hold his own in a fight. As a martial artist nearing the High Rank of the Qi Refining Stage and having mastered several advanced Martial Arts, his skills were exceptional among Elite Disciples—even if his realm was modest.

In Yu Kun's eyes, Hu Qiu was far from being a significant threat.

"Just return what's in the Space Ring, and we'll call it even," Yu Kun said, his fists ready. "Otherwise, you might just part with that precious ring of yours."

Hu Qiu's response was a laugh.

"You clearly don't grasp the extent of my power. Well, if that's the case, I suppose I'll have to give you a proper lesson."

Despite being within the confines of the Chamber of Commerce, Hu Qiu had no qualms about initiating a brawl. With a flick of his fan, he aimed a swift strike at Yu Kun's wrist.

This ordinary folding fan, crafted from bamboo and paper, was transformed in an instant into something as lethal as a sharp blade.

Clearly, Hu Qiu had infused the fan with Astral Energy, turning it into a weapon that could slice through a wrist and sever tendons with ease—an extremely dangerous implement.

Given that Hu Qiu was a High Rank Qi Refining warrior, his strikes were elusive and swift.

His technique could be summed up in one word: fast!

Even though the Chamber of Commerce wasn't teeming with warriors, the sight of combat drew the attention of those trading at a distance.

Not all recognized Hu Qiu, but in that moment, his exceptional skill was evident to all.

Yet, Hu Qiu's assault failed to even graze Yu Kun's garment.

Yu Kun quickly retreated, then decisively executed the Shocking Wind Steps.

In an instant, Yu Kun was behind Hu Qiu, moving with a speed akin to teleportation.

"Incredible! The Shocking Wind Steps truly live up to their name, making one seem to appear out of thin air."

Yu Kun pondered briefly before unhesitatingly reaching for Hu Qiu's shoulder.

As a High Rank Qi Refining warrior and a standout among Elite Disciples, Hu Qiu's reflexes didn't disappoint. He spun around, elbowing towards Yu Kun's face while discarding the fan to channel Astral Energy into his other hand.

A white glow emerged in Hu Qiu's palm, signaling an imminent Martial Arts strike.

"This man must have hunted his share of mutated beasts and seen real combat; such speed in reaction isn't common."

Yu Kun was taken aback but kept his composure. After all, he too had weathered many battles and wasn't a stranger to fighting in his past life. In terms of experience, he was every bit Hu Qiu's equal.

Yu Kun harnessed his Astral Energy to fend off Hu Qiu's elbow while his other hand clamped onto Hu Qiu's palm with the tenacity of a relentless parasite.

Hu Qiu was taken aback. As he was about to resist, he noticed Yu Kun had already snatched his Space Ring. With a swift execution of the Shocking Wind Step Style, Yu Kun retreated a good five or six steps.

Yu Kun wore a playful smile. Twirling Hu Qiu's Space Ring between his fingers, he taunted, "Nice Space Ring you've got here. Too bad it's about to become mine."

Hu Qiu glared at Yu Kun, fury boiling within him as he watched his Space Ring being toyed with.

"Damn it! My Space Ring!"

Gritting his teeth, Hu Qiu warned, "Be smart and give it back. You do not want to cross the Hu family!"

Yu Kun just chuckled in response.

"The Hu family? I must admit, the thought does give me pause. But since I've already crossed the Chen family, adding the Hu family to the list doesn't concern me. I'm not afraid of you. And once I'm an Inner Sect disciple, we'll see if you still have the nerve to threaten me."