C14 Master Please Accept This Disciple's Bow!!

Qin Xiao felt a twinge of surprise. The man didn't look much older than him, yet everyone around seemed to hold him in high regard, respectfully addressing him as "Master of Thunder."

It must be true talent that earned him such admiration.

The other gamblers were equally taken aback by Master of Thunder's directness. An expert usually maintained a certain reserve, speaking sparingly. Why was he offering advice today?

This youngster must be incredibly fortunate.

As this dawned on them, the way they looked at Qin Xiao shifted, their eyes tinged with envy.

One of them, struck by a sudden idea, proposed, "Master of Thunder, why not take a moment to share your wisdom with the young man?"

Basking in the adulation, Master of Thunder's ego soared, though he kept a composed facade. He surveyed the two Profound Crystals and the multitude of orchids before gesturing towards Qin Xiao with a benevolent air, "You might want to consider these ten pots."

"Thanks for the offer, but I've made my choice," Qin Xiao declined with grace.

It took a moment for Master of Thunder to process the rejection. Once he did, his smile turned rigid.

He was a renowned figure in the Orchid Hall, sought after by many, and now a novice had turned him down!

Such ingratitude for his goodwill!

Master of Thunder was a recognized authority, and Qin Xiao's disregard did not sit well with the onlookers.

"Master of Thunder is a master of the game. To dismiss his counsel is to court disaster. The young man is asking to lose everything!"

"Judging by his attire, he doesn't come from wealth. Where did he get the money to gamble here? It's a mystery!"

"To spurn the guidance of an expert—what folly! He's truly foolish!"

The crowd's support improved Master of Thunder's mood. He adopted a generous tone, "It's commendable that he's following his own path, but it's a path that can lead to a hard fall. He'll learn his lesson when the pain sets in."

Qin Xiao ignored the hushed murmurs around him, offering a nonchalant smile. "No worries, I'm just dabbling and trying my luck," he said with ease.

His words only prompted more head-shaking from the bystanders, who silently labeled him a spendthrift in their minds.

Master of Thunder's pride was stung by Qin Xiao's dismissive attitude, leaving him feeling irked. He turned to the shop assistant with a cool demeanor and instructed, "Go ahead and open the ten pots of orchids I've selected."

He was confident in his gamble, certain that these ten pots would yield a profit and leave Qin Xiao ruing his choices. Even if Qin Xiao pleaded, he wouldn't lend him a second glance.

The assistant nodded, producing a red powder that could make the orchids bloom within a quarter of an hour. As the powder was sprinkled into the pots, all eyes were riveted on the unfolding spectacle.

The buds on the ten pots of orchids unfurled slowly, and when the crowd could finally discern the blossoms, the Orchid Hall erupted with excitement.

"Good heavens, Master of Thunder's ten pots have yielded five orchid blooms!"

"Such high odds! Master of Thunder truly has an eye for flowers!"

"And one of them is a 'Red Crow'—a rare medicinal plant!"

In the marketplace, a Red Crow could fetch twenty Profound Crystals. Though not exceedingly precious, its scarcity meant it could command triple the price on the black market.

With the other four blooms accounted for, Master of Thunder had netted a tidy sum of fifty to sixty Profound Crystals from his wager.

The Orchid Hall buzzed with fervor. Master of Thunder himself hadn't anticipated a Red Crow among his modest two-Profound Crystal orchids, and his spirits soared.

He wore a triumphant smile as he regarded Qin Xiao, who appeared utterly unfazed. A cold huff escaped him, and he taunted, "What's the matter? Scared of taking a loss? Are you going to open your orchids or not?"

Qin Xiao, though familiar with orchid betting, was clueless about the specifics. It wasn't until he saw the assistant hasten the bloom with the powder that he had his aha moment.

Confronted with Master of Thunder's challenge, Qin Xiao's curiosity shone through in his grin. "Of course, let's open them! I'm eager to see what I've got," he replied with anticipation.

Master of Thunder cast a dismissive glance at the drooping orchids and sneered. What treasures could possibly emerge from such worthless plants? Qin Xiao would soon learn his lesson once he'd squandered all his money!

The onlookers shared the sentiment, all gathered at the Orchid Hall to witness Qin Xiao's folly with the orchids.

The assistant sprinkled the powder into the orchid pot, and as a quarter of an hour ticked by, not a single flower had bloomed.

"What a shame," Master of Thunder commented with a hint of schadenfreude, his tone dripping with condescension as he advised Qin Xiao, "You should seek advice before taking action, or you won't even realize how you're being humiliated..."

"What's that scent? It's delightful!"

"Indeed, it's so fragrant. I feel more alert already!"

Master of Thunder's lecture was cut short by the crowd's exclamations of surprise as a captivating fragrance filled the air.

"It's bloomed!" someone exclaimed in astonishment.

Bloomed? What had bloomed?

Annoyed at being interrupted, Master of Thunder's frown deepened. He scanned the room until his eyes caught a glimpse of blue, and his expression turned to one of utter disbelief.

There, amidst the green foliage, stood a solitary orchid, exuding nobility and grace. It was a Wind Orchid!

While the Red Crow was uncommon, the Wind Orchid was a rarity. Neither were considered precious medicinal ingredients, but both were exceptionally hard to find.

The scarcity of the Wind Orchid made it far more valuable than the Blood Crow, fetching up to eighty Profound Crystals on the black market—if one could even find a seller.

Master of Thunder was astounded. How had Qin Xiao managed such luck, to find a Wind Orchid among a heap of garbage worth a mere two Profound Crystals?

Yet, this was merely the beginning.

As the Wind Orchid unfurled its petals, it seemed to signal the other orchids, which began to bloom in succession.

"Blood Crow! It's a Blood Crow, even more valuable than the Red Crow!"

"My heavens, what am I seeing? An Iron Bone Orchid, it's truly an Iron Bone Orchid!"

"Damn, selling these could easily net me six or seven hundred Profound Crystals!"

"One, two, three... ten! All ten pots have bloomed—what incredible luck!"

It was more than just good fortune; it was as if he were a child of destiny itself!

The Master of Thunder's lips quivered, but he was at a loss for words. Qin Xiao's success wasn't just limited to the ten pots blooming; each one contained orchids of exceptional quality, inciting unparalleled envy!

Reflecting on the orchids he had selected for Qin Xiao, the Master of Thunder wished he could vanish into the earth. If Qin Xiao had taken his advice, it would have been a total washout!

Qin Xiao's brow furrowed upon inspecting the blossomed orchids. Among them, the Jade Immortal Orchid he sought was absent. Despite his Spiritual Rhino Skill's ability to discern the orchids' attributes, the unpredictability of their blooming meant he could only choose those with a higher likelihood of success.

He decided to keep trying, having had little expectation for the orchids worth two Profound Crystals from the start.

Resolute, Qin Xiao instructed the shop assistant, "For ten Profound Crystals, open ten pots."

The assistant's face lit up with joy at the prospect of earning a commission. He diligently dusted Qin Xiao's chosen orchids with the medicinal powder.

As word spread of Qin Xiao's intent to open the orchids, all eyes turned to the ten pots.

Someone inquired of the Master of Thunder, "How many do you think will bloom?"

Lifting his eyelids, the Master of Thunder responded measuredly, "I predict six will flower, with one fetching a market price of eighty Profound Crystals."

His estimate was cautious, especially since Qin Xiao's previous success had caught him off guard; otherwise, he might have guessed only three.

"They've bloomed!"

A jubilant shout pierced the silence of the Orchid Hall.

Confused, the Master of Thunder looked up, only to be struck dumbfounded. His eyes bulged in disbelief, resembling two protruding cannonballs.

Ten blossoms, each with unique attributes, yet all bearing the likeness of dragon-shaped orchids!

A full spectrum of attributes in dragon orchids had miraculously appeared!

The Master of Thunder was the first to snap out of the shock. He strode over to Qin Xiao and, with a deep, respectful 90-degree bow, he declared, "Master, please accept your disciple's bow!"