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Chapter 9: Chapter 9: What a Good Puppeteer
As for Li Xiaobai's performance, Feng Wuxie had firmly memorized it in his heart.
He was certain that the other party had no cultivation level whatsoever, but it was this very person with no cultivation level who kept winning again and again and wasn't afraid of his opponent's attacks. There was only one explanation, this guy must have a treasure on him!
An artifact capable of defending against a cultivator's attacks, it should be known that Li Xiaobai's opponents in the last two matches had both used lower-grade Spirit Swords.
But after getting close, he found that Li Xiaobai didn't have so much as a scratch on him, indicating that the treasure on his person had to be at least of a mid-grade Spiritual Artifact level, if not upper-grade.
Such a treasure was enough to stir up thoughts of murder and robbery.
However, before that, he needed to find someone to check out Li Xiaobai's background; if he really was a disciple without any significant backing, it might be possible to take direct action.
Outside the arena,
Li Xiaobai was blissfully hugging the elixirs he'd gotten from Feng Wuxie, looking for the sixth senior brother.
He discovered that the sixth senior brother was truly a marketing genius; as long as he was around, the price for the Spirit Swords and elixirs he sold could absolutely be doubled several times over.
At the moment, Liu Jinshui was still at the side of the arena; the round of competition he was scheduled for was later, so it wasn't his turn to fight yet.
"Sixth senior brother, making a fortune?"
Li Xiaobai sauntered over and said mysteriously.
"What fortune?"
At the mention of making a fortune, Liu Jinshui's eyes shone with gold. He knew an opportunity for a middleman to earn a margin had come again.
"Junior brother just got a Divine Sword and a bottle of Divine Medicine, absolutely top-notch quality."
Li Xiaobai uncorked the bottle and sneakily gave Liu Jinshui a peek.
"Hmm, top-grade Revitalizing Pill, Healing Saint Medicine, indeed they are good stuff; it's just that disciples here don't have much in hand, selling these might be difficult..."
Liu Jinshui had a clear idea in his mind, but he was visibly grinding his teeth in hesitation, a look of mild difficulty on his face.
Li Xiaobai's face darkened; he understood what the sixth senior brother was thinking, "Senior brother, small-time business, how about a thirty-seventy split?"
"Forty-sixty split."
"Deal!"
...
Li Xiaobai casually left Liu Jinshui's side and set up a stall on the open ground by the arena.
Because the first round had eliminated many disciples, there were now fewer participants, but those who remained were the elite, most with the financial capacity to be potential customers.
With good marketing, their money could end up in his own pocket.
"Today marks the grand competition of our sect, and the auspicious emergence of a Divine Sword—an occasion of double joy!"
"Don't miss out as you pass by; Divine Swords, Divine Medicine, we've got it all. You can buy Divine Medicine by the bottle or separately, starting from thirty lower-grade Spirit Stones. You can't lose out, you won't be fooled."
"Absolutely genuine treasures!"
Clearing his throat, Li Xiaobai began to shout out, the same process, the same spot, the same slogans, facing the same crowd of people.
Many disciples in the crowd recognized Li Xiaobai; they had witnessed his stall selling the last time and immediately knew there was more excitement in store, crowding closer to see.
"How much for this sword?"
Someone in the crowd asked.
"Starting from thirty lower-grade Spirit Stones; highest bid wins!"
Li Xiaobai was unperturbed; with lower-grade Spirit Swords, he had no fear of not making a sale.
"This sword looks familiar, seems very much like the one the Lin Brothers had!"
"I think it resembles theirs a lot too; the design and patterns on the blade are practically identical!"
Some recognized the original owner of the sword and were astonished; Lin Feng and Lin Mang were both Inner Sect Disciples.
Although Lin Feng's strength was only mediocre, Lin Mang was a tough and formidable character. On ordinary days, these brothers were arrogant and domineering, and even the Inner Sect Disciples were angry but dared not speak up. Now, someone actually dared to sell their swords; it seemed like there was going to be an interesting show today.
Many disciples who wanted to ingratiate themselves with the Lin Brothers quietly left the crowd to go and inform Lin Mang.
"Junior brother, how much are you selling this Divine Medicine for?"
Liu Jinshui came over with a big smile on his face.
He knew someone had gone to send a message to Lin Mang and was not in a hurry to sell off the Spirit Sword first.
"Senior brother, you know your elixirs; this is truly a bottle of Divine Medicine!"
Li Xiaobai was smiling happily.
"One pill for two Lower Grade Spirit Stones, thirty in total."
"Give me one first."
Liu Jinshui casually threw out two Lower Grade Spirit Stones.
He swallowed the pill in one gulp.
In an instant, the fluctuation of Spiritual Energy shook the surroundings, and brilliant light shone from within his Dantian. His strong cultivation level pressured the surrounding disciples, making it hard for them to breathe. Liu Jinshui, his face glowing red, laughed heartily.
"Indeed, the pill is excellent; it made me break through just like that. Junior brother, I'll pay double the price for all of them!"
Li Xiaobai's face beamed with a smile, and he inwardly admired his senior brother's seamless acting skills.
At this moment, the other disciples also came back to their senses and immediately started to boil over with excitement—it was evident that the pill was a treasure.
After seeing how the stout senior brother, with his formidable cultivation, broke through just by consuming one pill, they now believed they could achieve a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Stage and even reach the Golden Core stage by taking a few themselves!
"Senior brother, that's not very generous of you; you've already had one. Let your junior brothers take over the rest."
"Junior brother, let me have one, I'm willing to pay double the price."
"Don't listen to him, I'll pay triple for two pills!"
Li Xiaobai smiled from ear to ear, but still reminded them, "The highest bidder gets it, and also, it's best to take this pill home and slowly refine it to achieve the best effect."
...
Meanwhile, from afar,
on the high platform, the Elders were covered with dark lines on their foreheads.
"Feng Lingzi, look at the 'good' disciple you've taught, neglecting proper cultivation and instead swindling and bluffing around the sect!"
"Exactly, this is the second time now. The boy has a gift of the gab; he managed to pass off a Lower Grade Spirit Sword as a Divine Sword, not to mention an ordinary Revitalizing Pill being touted as a Healing Saint Medicine. Such talent is wasted as a disciple."
"That chubby fellow over there, I remember, is also one of your people, right? What a splendid job playing the shill, impressive indeed!"
"Hehe..."
The Elders mocked and jeered, and Feng Lingzi's face began to lose its composure. These guys always caused trouble every time they went down the mountain—they were indeed a real headache.
"Cough cough, well, this old man has suddenly been struck by an insight and must return to Misty Peak to ponder the Dao."
With the atmosphere turning too awkward, Feng Lingzi chose to flee.
Li Xiaobai had no idea of the Elders' conversation. At the moment, he was collecting money until his hands went soft.
After Liu Jinshui's performance, the pills had completely taken off; they were hyped to an astonishing ten Lower Grade Spirit Stones each in no time.
They sold out in almost an instant.
This round of sales alone brought in three hundred Spirit Stones. The ordinary Healing Pills were actually sold at the price of second-grade elixirs; indeed, his senior brother was his lucky star.
Tapping on the Lower Grade Spirit Sword in front of him, Li Xiaobai indicated for Liu Jinshui to continue. The latter made a 'calm down' gesture. Li Xiaobai was somewhat puzzled, sensing that his senior brother was waiting for something.
It was at that very moment that a familiar roar came again.
"How dare you! Who gave you the audacity to auction off my brother's Lower Grade Spirit Sword without my permission, Lin Mang?!"