Chapter 133: In This Life, I Shall Never Meet the Night Nine-Demon

After leaving, Night Nine Demon realized that if he flew all the way back, it would take at least one full celestial cycle.

A bitter smile immediately appeared on his face.

But when his soul power entered his Cosmos Ring, a trace of comfort quickly filled his heart. After all, the rewards were truly generous.

Night Nine Demon had been “poor” since childhood. Where could he have seen so many treasures before, especially rewards bestowed by the Upper Domain for the Four-District Martial Contest?

Those were things that surpassed the level of this district. Every single one of them would be enough to shake the world if brought outside.

Of course, that was merely Night Nine Demon’s speculation.

After all, these items might be earth-shaking treasures within the districts, yet upon reaching the Upper Domain, they might be no better than worthless junk.

The territories of the four great districts were enormous, containing hundreds of cities, each with populations in the millions. The city he was heading toward was the nearest one.

When Night Nine Demon entered the city, the outside world still knew nothing about the martial contest at the Thousand Leaf Sect in the Eastern District. That, however, could not stop people from gossiping.

Everyone was discussing the events taking place in the Eastern District. The matter most widely circulated was Zeng Li’s humiliation.

By now, Zeng Li of the Western District had become a laughingstock for people’s idle conversations. Night Nine Demon merely smiled before hurrying to a place where primordial beasts were sold.

His goal was simple: he wanted to buy a mount. That way, he could shorten his journey home—and even enjoy the scenery along the way.

...

“Boss, how much are these flying primordial beasts?”

Upon arriving, Night Nine Demon asked directly, without the slightest hesitation, behaving like a spoiled young master.

The owner hurried over. His small eyes swiftly surveyed Night Nine Demon from head to toe before he spoke with a beaming smile.

“Young Master, I could tell at a glance that you come from an extraordinary family and possess peerless talent. Naturally, the flying primordial beast you seek must also be of the highest caliber. Since that is the case, allow me to recommend a few—”

The owner did not hold back in the slightest. He rattled off a long list of flying primordial beasts, each one capable of draining Night Nine Demon’s purse.

“Boss, just give me something cheap and fast. I’m terribly poor. I stole these clothes in a robbery.”

“...”

The owner’s expression instantly changed. His eyes filled with undisguised disdain.

Night Nine Demon paid no attention and walked toward the cages containing the flying primordial beasts.

The owner’s contempt was understandable. The beasts sold here represented a person’s status, and anyone capable of running such an establishment naturally possessed considerable pride.

Thus, looking down on Night Nine Demon was hardly surprising.

As he walked along, Night Nine Demon saw many kinds of flying primordial beasts—cranes, wild geese, eagles, and countless others. Yet none of them satisfied him.

It was not until he reached the very last cage that he stopped beside an emaciated vulture.

This vulture was somewhat unusual.

Because it looked rather... stupid.

“Boss, how much for this vulture?” Night Nine Demon called out.

“This vulture? You want to buy it?”

“Name your price.”

“One million primordial crystals, and it’s yours.”

“...”

Night Nine Demon stared at the owner as though he were an idiot.

The vulture looked like this, and he still wanted one million? Did he truly think Night Nine Demon was a fool?

Without delay, Night Nine Demon launched into an impassioned lecture.

“Boss, a person ought to be honest and reasonable.”

“Look at this vulture. It’s skinny and has no flesh on it. Its wings look just like chicken wings, and it has the vacant expression of an idiot. The fact that I’m willing to pay a thousand for it means you should be burning incense at your ancestors’ graves in gratitude.”

“Don’t rush to deny it. Look at your vulture’s cultivation—it’s only at the Awakening Realm. It can fly no more than five hundred miles a day. I’m already showing it considerable respect by offering anything at all...”

“...”

Night Nine Demon argued with such confidence and logic that the owner’s initial disdain gradually gave way to complete submission.

It was not that Night Nine Demon was especially eloquent. His greatest talent was his shamelessness. His ability to speak persuasively came second.

Most impressive of all was the thickness of his skin. He had talked the vulture down from the thousand crystals originally demanded to nine hundred.

Then from nine hundred to three hundred.

His shamelessness was truly bottomless.

“Boss, will you sell it for two hundred?”

“Pfft!”

The owner could no longer hold back. The tea he had just swallowed sprayed from his mouth, landing squarely on the foolish vulture.

“Hey, hey, hey... Boss, take a look at it now. It’s completely drenched, like a drowned rat. Believe me, even if you gave it away, people might refuse it for fear that it’s carrying some kind of disease...”

“How about selling it to me for one hundred?”

“You brat, are you here to cause trouble?”

The owner finally lost his temper and shouted at Night Nine Demon, his face dark with anger.

“Ahem... Boss, three hundred, then. You’re keeping this foolish vulture anyway. Why not sell it to me? I can even let you trade on the strength of my reputation. After all, throughout the four districts, I am known as—”

“The number one inner and outer disciple across the four districts. The one who has never met Night Nine Demon, even if hailed as a hero, is no true hero.”

Night Nine Demon began boasting shamelessly. But the owner could no longer bear it. The primordial energy within his dantian began to surge, as though he were about to suppress Night Nine Demon the very next moment.

“Sell it or don’t, but don’t think you can attack me!”

Night Nine Demon took a token from his Cosmos Ring. The name of the Thousand Leaf Sect was engraved upon it.

The instant the owner saw it, he dropped to his knees.

“M-My lord... I was blind and failed to recognize your greatness.”

Night Nine Demon snorted and put the token away.

It was one of the rewards given to him by Qian Jing. Based on Night Nine Demon’s guess, it was probably a disciple token of the Thousand Leaf Sect in the Upper Domain.

“I was planning to keep a low profile, but look at what you’ve forced me to do. What do you take me for? As a disciple of the Thousand Leaf Sect, would I really bother cheating you out of such a small sum?”

“You’re a classic example of judging a gentleman’s heart with a petty man’s mind...”

“Yes, yes, of course, my lord is right. This vulture is yours. If there’s any other beast you like, you may take that one as well...”

Night Nine Demon immediately grew angry.

“Hmph! Do I look like the kind of person who bullies merchants and throws his weight around? I said I wanted this foolish vulture, so this foolish vulture is all I want. Let it out. I’m in a hurry to get on the road.”

“Yes, yes, of course...”

The owner released the vulture without the slightest hesitation.

Yet the creature still wore the same dull, foolish expression.

“Mm, you’ve done well. You actually recognized this token. From now on, you may use my name throughout the Eastern District. Before long, you’ll learn exactly who I am.”

Night Nine Demon was extremely pleased. He patted the owner on the shoulder and spoke with an expression of approval, as though an elder were instructing a junior.

The owner did not dare contradict him in the slightest. He had once been fortunate enough to see such a token while accompanying someone from a primordial-beast shop in the Upper Domain.

Otherwise, how could he have fallen to his knees the instant Night Nine Demon produced it?

He knew a thing or two about what the token represented.

Thus, with a faint smile on his face, the owner escorted Night Nine Demon out of the shop as though he were sending off an ancestor.

The people who had come to purchase other primordial beasts watched in astonishment.

After obtaining his flying primordial beast, Night Nine Demon began a journey of sightseeing and leisurely travel.