Lu Yin looked around, but he felt a little disappointed. “Let’s see the ninth floor.”
Cai Lai was caught off guard. “Alliance Leader Lu, do you not see anything that you like on this eighth floor?”
“There’s nothing good enough.” Lu Yin did not mince words.
Cai Lai’s expression changed. “Very well. Alliance Leader Lu, please follow me.”
The man started walking even as he spoke.
Actually, Lu Yin had noticed many things on the eighth floor that would be useful as long as he Enhanced them, but his standards had changed. Even if he wanted to Enhance something, he needed the best available items to start with. On top of that, he was relatively short on funds to Enhance anything at all.
The shop owner suddenly lost his breath; the ninth floor! Yi’s Emporium’s ninth floor was legendary, and only a select few people in the entire Divine Venom Dynasty qualified to set foot on it. It was possible that the number was not even ten, as even Princess Qing Longlong had been stopped from stepping foot on the ninth floor due to a lack of funds. The value of the items on the ninth floor was absolutely unimaginable.
There were no stairs leading from the eighth floor to the ninth, and instead there was a teleportation device.
“Where are you going?” Cai Lai stared at the shop owner and asked in a cold voice. Such a person was not qualified to step onto the ninth floor.
The shop owner had no choice, and he stepped back.
Lu Yin glanced back at the man. “He’s with me.”
Cai Lai had not expected Lu Yin to allow the shop owner to follow him, and Cai Lai felt rather embarrassed, “Alliance Leader Lu, I’m simply following the pavilion’s rules; such a person does not qualify to visit the ninth floor.”
Lu Yin shook his head. “You can bring up your rules after you show me something in your Yi’s Emporium that actually interests me.”
He then entered the teleportation device.
Cai Lai stared at the shop owner with cold eyes, and snorted, “Let’s go!”
The shop owner grew pale. “I don’t dare! This lowly one doesn’t dare!”
Cai Lai’s voice chilled even further, “Do you expect me to offend Alliance Leader Lu? Get going!”
Cai Lai then also entered the teleportation device.
The shop owner took a deep breath and stared at the teleportation device. He had not expected that a small-time business man like himself would one day enter a place that even the empire’s princess did not qualify to enter! This was an experience that would be enough glory to last him a lifetime.
At that thought, excitement started to build, and the man stepped into the teleportation device.
The ninth floor was not as magnificent as expected. It was almost as though the most precious things in the universe were also the most primitive.
Lu Yin looked around and saw a warped void devoid of everything stretching out in all directions. Beneath his feet were only ancient stones. If not for the shop owner and Cai Lai soon appearing, Lu Yin would have assumed that he had been transported to a barren planet.
“Alliance Leader Lu, this my Yi’s Emporium’s ninth floor. What you see before you is the most primitive appearance of the Divine Venom Continent,” Cai Lai explained.
As soon as the shop owner arrived, he glanced around in surprise. The sky was covered with huge shadows, and a monster passed by. Its body was covered with thick tumors, and a glance was enough to know the creature was incredibly toxic.
The shop owner turned white with fear.
Cai Lai felt satisfied seeing the shop owner’s response. “Each emporium’s ninth floor is designed in this manner; they all are imitations of the original appearance of Divine Venom Continent. What you are seeing are nothing more than phantoms.”
Lu Yin felt curious, “Why use such a design for the ninth floors?”???????n?vel.???
Cai Lai’s expression turned sincere. “Because His Majesty Emperor Qing honors his ancestors, and he often considered their difficulties when first living on the Divine Venom Continent. Because of this, Attendant Yi decided to design the ninth floors to imitate the primordial continent in honor the emperor’s thoughts.”
Lu Yin sucked in a sharp breath. He understood why Qing Shaohuang was so fond of Attendant Yi. This was the ultimate form of flattery! While Ku Wei and Elder Tan would go all out when they were at Lu Yin’s side, when compared to Attendant Yi, the other two were inept. Only someone who had taken flattery to a spiritual level could be capable of something like what Lu Yin was seeing.
Also, it was no wonder that Qing Longlong had been prevented from visiting the ninth floor, as this place was a monument, and Attendant Yi did not want to share his open flattery for the emperor with anyone who could steal it. It was hard not to admire the man’s dedication.
Even his employees were able to use Attendant Yi’s planning for flattery at the drop of a hat.
Lu Yin felt quite envious of Qing Shaohuang. Life had to be quite relaxing with someone like Attendant Yi nearby.
However, Lu Yin also had no interest in observing the primordial state of Divine Venom Continent. “Isn’t this ninth floor supposed to be where the most valuable treasures are sold? Bring them out for me to see.”
Cai Lai responded by clapping his hands. Soon, the teleportation device twisted, and a beautiful woman appeared with a crystal tray that she held in a hand. There was a gray cloth covering the tray.
“Alliance Leader Lu, please look,” Cai Lai encouraged.
Lu Yin’s gaze sharpened a bit as he casually removed the cloth. However, he was greeted by the sight of a strange, long worm that lay on the crystal tray. It was even as dry as a branch.
“What’s this?” Lu Yin had absolutely no idea.
Cai Lai smiled. “Sectarian.”
“Sectarian?” At the side, the shop owner was startled, and he grew pale yet again.
Lu Yin looked at the man. “You know what this is?”
The shop owner stared at the worm in horror. “Sectarians are giant and powerful beasts that occasionally attack my Divine Venom Dynasty. At their peak, they can fight against the united power of the entire military of the Divine Venom Dynasty, and even Emperor Qing. His Majesty almost failed to destroy the Sectarians on several occasions. These things are incredibly poisonous, and they burrow into peoples’ bodies as soon as they come into contact with them. Their venom devours flesh and blood, and even powerful Envoys have been destroyed by it.”
Cai Lai shot an impressed glance at the shop owner. It actually had turned out to be somewhat advantageous to allow the man to be brought along. He had really talked up the first item.
Lu Yin was surprised, and he stared at the worm. He just could not see how this thing could be so powerful that even Envoys struggled to deal with it.
The universe was filled with many odd things. Normally, people cultivated with star energy, but while members of the Specter Clan cultivated with death energy. People from the Sixth Mainland also cultivated bloodlines and imprints, while in the Divine Venom Dynasty, people cultivated poison. For example, Qing Longlong had a certain jincan known as Unending Worms, and as long as those bugs could burrow into an enemy’s body, they would never come out until they died.
That sounded quite similar to this worm, but Qing Longlong’s endless horde of insects were only able to handle Enlighters, while this worm could even defeat Envoys.
“Weren’t all of these worms destroyed? Due to how insidious they are, if even an average cultivator got a hold of one, they could still pose a grave threat, and that’s why His Majesty the emperor doesn’t allow these worms to exist,” the shop owner protested in shock.
Cai Lai completely ignored the shop owner. Qing Shaohuang did not allow the worms to openly appear, but that was merely a restriction limited to ordinary cultivators. Others, such as members of the royal family, were not held to such restrictions. Still, because of how dangerous the worms were, very few people were willing to use them.
Cail Lai glanced at Lu Yin. While the jincan was powerful, it also posed a danger to the owner. Several people from the Divine Venom Dynasty had already seen this worm, but no one had bought it.
“No. Next,” Lu Yin casually stated.
Cai Lai was stunned for a moment. “Is Alliance Leader Lu not at all interested?”
Lu Yin indifferently explained, “I’m not very interested in jincans, and no matter how I look at it, putting something alive into my body is weird.”
Lai shrugged and waved a hand. “Next.”
Lu Yin’s comment essentially meant that they would not show him any more jincans. The next item to appear looked to be something Cai Lai had specifically picked out for Lu Yin: a sourcebox.
Lu Yin was a Boundless Advanced Lockbreaker, and he was the most appropriate sort of customer to sell a sourcebox to.
Lu Yin’s eyes lit up when he saw the sourcebox, as this was a valuable item.
The sourcebox released a dazzling amount of light of all different colors. Anyone who saw the light would not be able to keep their eyes open, which was the sourcebox’s danger zone.
“Ordinary people go blind from just a glance. Even cultivators can’t endure it for more than a few seconds. There was once an Enlighter who was a Lockbreaker, but even he went blind after staring at this sourcebox for just ten seconds. No matter what, no one has been able to unlock this sourcebox,” Cai Lai said. He quickly averted his eyes, as he also did not dare keep looking at the colorful sourcebox.
Lu Yin felt his eyes start to sting, so he quickly looked away as well. “I want it. Wrap it up.”
Cai Lai laughed. This sourcebox was something Yi’s Emporium had kept for a long time, but no one had wanted it. Many Lockbreakers had tried to open it, but all of them had given up. It was possible that it held an invaluable treasure, but they were unable to open it.
Cai Lai had heard that Lu Yin was quite wealthy, so the store manager quickly tried to calculate what to charge Lu Yin.
“Thank you for your patronage, Alliance Leader Lu. For today, all of your purchases in our Yi’s Emporium will be 30% off.” Cai Lai loudly stated. In fact, he had not decided to offer Lu Yin a discount, but since there were no prices listed, no one would know that Cai Lai was doubling the prices. After all, Attendant Yi had been slapped by this young man, and Cai Lai wanted to do something to collect on that debt for his boss.
The colorful light disappeared as the sourcebox was wrapped up. Lu Yin turned to stare at Cai Lai with a solemn expression.
Cai Lai was chilled by Lu Yin’s gaze, and cautiously asked, “Alliance Leader Lu, is there a question you might have?”
Lu Yin somberly stated, “This sourcebox is very valuable.”
Cai Lai blinked; what the hell was that supposed to mean?
“I perfectly understand that offering such a discount on an invaluable item like this will cause your Yi’s Emporium to suffer a loss. There’s no need to offer me any sort of discount, as I’m willing to pay whatever price you give,” Lu Yin stated.
Cai Lai’s eyes went wide, and he was blown away by the sense of wealth that Lu Yin exuded at this moment. The young man’s words had just made Cai Lai consider that Lu Yin might be someone from the Mavis family.
Even the shop owner was startled; so rich?
“Even if there’s a discount, I don’t want it. I, Lu Yin, have no intention of taking advantage of others!” Lu Yin shouted. “Do you understand?”
Cai Lai stiffened his back. “I understand, Alliance Leader Lu. Rest assured, this one will not let you down.”
He immediately decided to charge Lu Yin five times more.
Lu Yin clapped a hand onto Cai Lai’s shoulder and said, “Alright, that’s the attitude of a qualified businessman! Let’s see your next item. I hope your inventory won’t disappoint me. Money’s no issue, and so long as I’m satisfied, it doesn’t matter how you pad your profit margins.”
Cai Lai felt incredibly motivated. This young man was just too rich! Cai Lai had not originally intended to take out the best items in their inventory, as such things were Yi’s Emporiums’ treasures. However, one had to take advantage of running across a rich man, and Cai Lai recognized this opportunity.
Chief Yi, your subordinate has met a super rich man who has offended you, so your subordinate will get revenge for you!
With thoughts of completely fleecing Lu Yin, as well as the arrogance of not allowing his Yi’s Emporium to be looked down upon, Cai Lai brought out the third item. It was a drop of liquid that was suspended within a bottle. The drop was shaped like a teardrop and was completely colorless.
“Alliance Leader Lu, this is a poison that’s called Samaritan Tears.” Cai Lai looked solemn as he introduced this item.
At this same time, Attendant Yi was no longer able to hold himself back, and he reached out to the Yi’s Emporium to ask what Lu Yin had bought.
After hearing that Lu Yin had not bought anything at all on the first eight floors, Attendant Yi’s heart sank.
Knowing that Lu Yin was already on the ninth floor, Attendant Yi gritted his teeth and was about to tell Cai Lai to not take out anything truly valuable.
However, before he could do so, he was told that Cai Lai had brought out the colorful sourcebox.
Attendant Yi felt as though blood was dripping from his heart.
