Chapter 7: The Mystery Box

At that moment, just as Bai Ling was about to leave the courtyard, he turned back and glanced at Bai Zhentian, who was standing there in a daze. Smiling, he said, “Third Uncle, do you have any Yuan Crystals? Could I… borrow some?”

Bai Ling held a heavy bag filled with white Yuan Crystals and left the Bai family estate, heading toward Liuyue City.

An hour after Bai Ling had left, Bai Zhentian sat inside his room, brow furrowed deeply, his thoughts a tangled mess. His expression fluctuated between gloom and hesitation. After a moment’s pause, he finally resolved to follow Bai Ling’s path, heading toward the Liuyue City Lord’s Mansion, the residence of the Ji family.

Three years ago, the Ji family had lived right across the street. Since Ji Kun became the city lord, he had moved into the exclusive courtyard reserved for each successive city lord.

Bai Ling meandered through winding alleys, arriving at the heart of Liuyue City, where the largest trading center was located.

From a glance, thousands of pedestrians bustled about—some buying and selling goods, others leisurely wandering. A few lecherous youths ogled the long-legged beauties with impure gazes.

Bai Ling made his way to a secluded alley behind the trading center, where foot traffic thinned considerably.

Eventually, he stopped at a stall, eyeing a human-shaped wooden dummy. He clicked his tongue, grabbed several empty burlap sacks, and despite the vendor’s glare—eyes blazing with fury as if about to breathe fire—Bai Ling smiled and, without bargaining further, purchased the wooden dummy and the sacks for twenty white Yuan Crystals.

At that moment, something caught Bai Ling’s eye: a small, inconspicuous box resting awkwardly among the other goods, standing out in its lonely isolation.

With a cheerful smile, Bai Ling asked, “Boss! What’s inside that little box?”

“Blind box!” the vendor replied impatiently.

“What’s inside the blind box?” Bai Ling asked, puzzled.

The vendor cursed under his breath, finally gritting his teeth and snapping, “At least fifty Yuan Crystals! If you try to haggle, believe me, I’ll chop you down!” He brandished a cleaver, its blade glinting coldly.

“Deal!” Bai Ling said.

The vendor was left speechless.

At that moment, the vendor was so enraged he felt murderous, shouting, “Why aren’t you bargaining this time?”

A faint smile played on Bai Ling’s lips. “I’m gambling—on my luck. It can’t be bad!”

Suddenly, a discordant, loud laugh rang in Bai Ling’s ears.

“Oh? Then I want to gamble too. I believe my luck is definitely better than yours! Boss, five hundred Yuan Crystals—sell it to me!”

Almost immediately, a mound of Yuan Crystals appeared on the stall. The vendor’s eyes gleamed with delight!

Bai Ling frowned slightly as he looked at the man before him. He knew this man well—Xiao Kuangyun, the son of one of Liuyue City’s three great families. A few days ago, Bai Ling had stumbled upon him in a remote alley where Xiao Kuangyun, relying on his family’s influence, was attempting to assault a young girl. Fortunately, Ji Kun’s men arrived, and the assault was thwarted. Xiao Kuangyun, thwarted and furious, had vented his anger on Bai Ling—but with the city lord’s men watching, he had to swallow his pride and leave with nothing but threats.

Bai Ling never expected to run into Xiao Kuangyun here again, in this desolate spot. He harbored not an ounce of goodwill toward the man.

Moreover, Xiao Kuangyun’s offer was five hundred Yuan Crystals—ten times Bai Ling’s price!

Bai Ling’s expression darkened; the vendor’s face grew sour.

Xiao Kuangyun gave a light chuckle and scrutinized Bai Ling carefully.

After a moment, he sneered loudly, “Hey! Isn’t this the innate waste, Bai Ling? Forever unable to awaken his bloodline, and apparently even dumped by his fiancée—who’s a disciple of the Sacred Yuan Immortal Palace, no less. Hahaha, a rare flower stuck in the mud, if you ask me!” Xiao Kuangyun laughed mockingly, his face twisted with scorn.

Bai Ling carefully sensed the man’s Yuan energy—it was at Third Level of the Primary Yuan stage, two full realms higher than his own.

His expression grew increasingly gloomy, his eyes cold and terrifying. “Are you done talking?”

“Feeling mad, huh? Hahaha… I’m enjoying myself. If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to step outside. And yet here you are, strutting around like you own the place—shameless!” Xiao Kuangyun laughed wildly, utterly reckless.

As the son of the Xiao family patriarch, one of Liuyue City’s three great clans, he feared nothing.

Bai Ling’s gaze darkened as he gathered his Yuan energy in his palm and clenched his fist sharply.

Boom!

Bai Ling suddenly struck Xiao Kuangyun’s front teeth with a powerful punch.

Crack!

Xiao Kuangyun stumbled back three steps; three front teeth fell to the ground, blood spurting from his mouth.

Shock registered on his face; blood dripping from his lips, he exclaimed, “Damn it! You awakened it?!”

Hissing in pain...

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his mouth, his face trembling slightly, his expression chillingly cold. He roared, “How dare you hit me, and attack me by surprise! Today, I’ll cripple you!”

The vendor recognized Xiao Kuangyun instantly. When he saw Bai Ling punch him, his face drained of color, more ghastly than a ghost’s wail. Without a second thought, he fled at lightning speed, abandoning his stall and wares.

At that moment, a melodious female voice rang out from behind Xiao Kuangyun.

“Brother Ling!” Xuan Ningyue suddenly rushed to Bai Ling’s side, linking her arm through his, smiling gently.

“Did you deliver it?” Bai Ling asked with a smile.

Xuan Ningyue remained silent.

Xiao Kuangyun stared at the unexpected girl, then struck a flirtatious pose like a cat toward Bai Ling, his brow furrowing deeply.

Xuan Ningyue looked at the blood trickling from Xiao Kuangyun’s mouth, his furious expression and dilated eyes filled with a lecherous gleam directed at her. Her brows knitted in displeasure.

Noticing the blind box in Bai Ling’s hand and the curious onlookers gathering nearby, she quickly guessed the situation.

As to the bleeding at the corner of his mouth—could Bai Ling, a First Level Primary Yuan cultivator, really defeat Xiao Kuangtian, who was at Third Level?

She pointed at Xiao Kuangyun and asked Bai Ling, “Did he bully you?”

“No, I…” Bai Ling hadn’t finished his sentence when a chilling murderous aura suddenly exploded from Xuan Ningyue’s body.

Multiple afterimages flashed before Bai Ling’s eyes. Xiao Kuangyun instantly shrieked in agony.

Xuan Ningyue’s expression turned icy as her pristine jade-like fist pointed toward Xiao Kuangyun’s chest. A surge of Yuan energy transformed into a sharp sword that pierced into Xiao Kuangyun’s Yuan pulse.

“Ahhh…” Xiao Kuangyun howled in pain.

“You… you actually… crippled me!” Xiao Kuangyun trembled in terror as his Yuan energy dissipated instantly.

The gathered crowd gasped in shock. Who was this woman to strike and cripple Xiao Kuangyun so decisively?

“You two just wait! Damn it, if you’ve got the guts, don’t run!” Xiao Kuangyun glared venomously at Bai Ling and Xuan Ningyue. With a snarl, he turned and fled, eyes blazing with fury as he fixed his gaze on them, etching their faces indelibly into his mind.

“Yueyue, let’s go. The Xiao family… heh, I’ll remember this,” Bai Ling sneered, a confident glint in his eyes that made Xuan Ningyue’s gaze grow dreamy.

“No!” Xuan Ningyue suddenly leapt into the air, much to Bai Ling’s astonishment, and in three bounds, she appeared behind Xiao Kuangyun.

“Yueyue, don’t kill him!” Bai Ling shouted. Though confident, he was no fool. Given three days, he was sure he could defeat Xiao Kuangyun. But provoking one of Liuyue City’s three great families now was simply not the right time.

Before he could finish, Bai Ling saw Xuan Ningyue pick up a long sword from the stall.

Page end.