Chapter Seven: The Fourth-Grade Thunderstone

In the Dragon Pavilion, not even the city lord dared to break the rules—so what did he have to fear? Anger surged from his heart, boldness rose in his chest, and at this moment, Tu Lu finally exploded, giving a string of cold laughs.

“An apology and compensation? Are you joking? Master Zhao, you truly deserve the title of ‘master’—your skill in inscriptions is lacking, but your tongue is first-rate. You and this fellow are in cahoots, just trying to swindle me out of my possessions. Well, I’ll make it clear now: I refuse to give you anything—what can you do about it? Do you dare try to take it by force?”

A sharp intake of breath swept through the hall; everyone was stunned as they stared at Tu Lu, thinking he was either incredibly brave or incredibly reckless.

Even if he managed to win this argument, could he really hide away in the Dragon Pavilion for a lifetime?

“Nonsense! What could a pauper like you possibly own that would interest Master Zhao? He was only asking you to leave your bundle as a way to give you an out. You’re just shameless!” Hu Tu, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, immediately jumped out and retorted angrily.

“Oh, ashamed into anger now? What could I possibly have that you covet? Fine, then—I’ll show you all what I’m carrying!” Tu Lu decided to go all in. After all, he was planning to trade the Thunder Stones anyway, so what difference did it make if they were revealed here?

With a swift motion, he opened his bundle.

Instantly, golden and blue light burst forth, illuminating the previously dim hall as if it were midday.

“A Grade-Four Thunder Stone!”

Though he quickly tied the bundle back up, everyone present was either a cultivator or a peak warrior; how could they not have seen clearly what was inside? In unison, they gasped, their breaths growing heavy.

Hu Tu’s heart clenched violently, his face turning deathly pale. He had only been following his master’s orders, resorting to threats and bribes to get his hands on the bundle, but never had he imagined it would contain a Grade-Four Thunder Stone!

Thunder Stones were ranked from Grade One to Nine: the lower three grades were blue, the middle three gold, and the upper three purple, each grade’s energy tenfold that of the previous.

In other words, ten Grade-One Thunder Stones equaled the energy of one Grade-Two, and so on. A Grade-Four Thunder Stone equaled a thousand of the first grade!

And that stone was the size of an infant’s skull. If it were to be cut into standard-sized pieces, it would yield dozens, perhaps even more—just that single stone was worth tens of thousands, perhaps over a hundred thousand ordinary Thunder Stones. Its value... even if he sold himself, he couldn’t afford it!

Not just him—his master couldn’t produce such a treasure either!

Such a priceless item—unless the man was out of his mind, how could he possibly use it as an apology?

Master, have you lost your senses?

The thought left him with a touch of resentment.

“Heh, why so silent? Just now you were so righteous, weren’t you? Thought I wouldn’t dare reveal it? Hah! What’s there for me to fear? I came to Dragon Pavilion to trade. If you have the guts, try and rob me here!” Tu Lu shouted loudly.

At this, Zhao Yuyang’s expression turned ugly; he too hadn’t expected there would be a Grade-Four Thunder Stone inside!

He had only assumed that, as a mere mortal, Tu Lu’s ability to spot the flaw in his inscription meant he must possess some rare treasure in that field—something that could see through inscription defects would be invaluable to him.

But now, he felt he’d gotten himself into trouble.

“Master Zhao, why so quiet? Go ahead, tell me—I should leave these Thunder Stones behind and apologize to this sharp-nosed, monkey-faced fellow!” Tu Lu mocked, “An inscription master who doesn’t study his craft, but instead schemes and deceives—no wonder your skills are lacking! If I hadn’t pointed out the conflict between the third and twelfth inscriptions, you know what would have happened! I saved you out of kindness, but you teamed up with others to harm me, calling black white. Some ‘master’ you are!”

“Rubbish!” Zhao Yuyang’s pupils contracted as if his tail had been stepped on. He barked, “I admit I was rash earlier and didn’t know your bundle was so valuable. But don’t think you can slander my inscription skills! My reputation is well established in Gale City, witnessed by countless friends here and spoken of by a million citizens. You can’t tarnish it with mere words!”

His skills in inscription were the foundation of his fame and his connection with Lord Lin. This, above all, was his bottom line—he would allow no stain upon it.

“That’s right—Master Zhao’s inscription skills are unparalleled in Gale City, and that’s a fact!”

“Brother, if you want to accuse someone, show your evidence. Otherwise, you’re just spouting nonsense. Granted, it was hard on you to ask for such a valuable Thunder Stone, but that’s another matter. Tell us, do you really understand inscriptions?”

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

A cold smile appeared on Zhao Yuyang’s face. He had long anticipated this turn—the reputation he had built over so many years was no trifling matter. This sallow-faced, middle-aged man’s greatest mistake was to insult his inscription skills!

Staring at Tu Lu, a glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Tu Lu’s face flushed with anger, and he was about to speak.

“Enough,” came a calm voice.

At that moment, “Lord Lin” finally opened his eyes and said, “The Spirit Note Staff is made from thousand-year-old Clearheart Bamboo; its unique properties do indeed cause unpredictable changes during inscription. Even if it was thanks to this young man’s reminder that the inscription succeeded, there’s no shame in that!”

At his words, the hall fell silent. If it had been anyone else, there would have been objections. But it was Lin Fengtian, a figure from Azure Myst Province. He hadn’t said who was right or wrong, but... could it really have been Master Zhao’s mistake?

As everyone was caught between shock and suspicion, Lin Fengtian gave Tu Lu a gentle smile. “Young man, you should know when to let things rest. Don’t worry, this was just a misunderstanding. If Yuyang truly overstepped, I’ll see to it he’s taught a lesson. And... that Thunder Stone of yours, the size of an infant’s skull, is quite impressive. Would you consider parting with it?”

Being called “young man” made Tu Lu’s scalp tingle; for a moment, he thought his secret had been discovered. But then he quickly realized the truth. Cultivators lived far longer than ordinary folk; this square-faced man was deep and unfathomable. In his eyes, perhaps Tu Lu really did look like a child.

He was about to reply when yet another voice echoed through the Dragon Pavilion.

“Haha! Who would have thought Lord Lin from Azure Myst would grace us with his presence? The Pavilion is truly honored, forgive me for not welcoming you sooner.”

A servant led an elderly man with a ruddy complexion from a side chamber.

Though the old man looked radiant, his eyes betrayed fatigue, and his steps were short and hurried, as though he was pressed for time.

“Wang Daozong?” Lin Fengtian frowned, a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

This old fox was wily beyond words—not a syllable out of ten could be trusted. Welcome? What a joke! If he truly wanted to welcome him, he wouldn’t have waited until now to appear.

“But, Lord Lin, that Grade-Four Thunder Stone the size of an infant’s head is exceedingly rare. If Thunder Essence could be extracted from it, it would be invaluable to the Pavilion. For you to ask the young master to part with it so lightly seems a bit high-handed,” the old man said, shaking his head as he approached.

Stopping before Tu Lu, he cupped his fists respectfully. “My surname is Wang, young master. You may call me Steward Wang. You’ve come to the Pavilion to trade that Thunder Stone, haven’t you? I can assure you, if you entrust it to us, I’ll personally guarantee your safety within the Pavilion for as long as you wish to stay. As for the transaction, there’s no need for restraint—whatever you desire, just name it!”

“This...”

Hearing these words, not only the crowd of onlookers but even Tu Lu himself was stunned. He had known the Thunder Stone was precious, but never expected the Dragon Pavilion would go so far for it!

“Heh, Wang Daozong, in my view, you’d best bring out your last Dragon Token. Otherwise, do you really think you can compete with me?” Lin Fengtian arched his brow.

At these words, the flesh on Steward Wang’s face twitched, and his expression froze...