Chapter Eight: The Celestial Dragon Order

Earlier, he had spoken up to highlight the value of the Thunder Stone, ruining Lin Fengtian’s plans. But unexpectedly, Lin Fengtian turned the tables, threw caution to the wind, and set him up instead!

“The Dragon Order?”

Manager Wang’s mouth twitched, and his face contorted into a grimace more painful than tears.

This really was... a death sentence for him!

Not only him, but everyone else was stunned as well!

After all, the Dragon Order was the symbol of a guest elder of the Dragon Pavilion, a legendary object in Shenfeng City—rumor had it only the city lord possessed one!

If Tu Lu obtained the Dragon Order, he would become a guest elder of the Dragon Pavilion. At least openly, no one in Shenfeng City would dare harm him! Moreover, the Dragon Order itself was a magical artifact with many wondrous properties. Even someone of Manager Wang’s status could only ever acquire three in a lifetime, and even gifting them was strictly regulated—its value was beyond measure!

“Wang Daozong, don’t tell me a fourth-grade Thunder Stone capable of producing Thunder Essence isn’t worth a Dragon Order. If you’re unwilling, just give up on the Thunder Stone. Anything else you bring out, I can match—and better!” Lin Fengtian declared with grand bravado.

Manager Wang’s mouth twitched again, and he fell silent.

Tu Lu’s expression, meanwhile, grew peculiar. Why did he feel… Lin Fengtian was helping him?

But even if he racked his brains, he couldn’t fathom why the other would help him. There was… absolutely no reason!

“Fine! Young master,” Manager Wang sounded as if he’d been driven mad, his eyes bloodshot, as he made up his mind.

Tu Lu hurriedly interrupted, “My surname is Tu.”

Manager Wang paused and then nodded, “Very well, Master Tu. Dragon Pavilion is willing to exchange a Dragon Order for your Thunder Stone. What do you say?!”

The surroundings fell silent!

Even Lin Fengtian showed a hint of surprise; he hadn’t expected the shrewd Wang Daozong to agree so readily. He’d thought even if the old fox relented, he’d do so only after much wrangling for maximum benefit. But now… something seemed off.

He gazed at Wang Daozong’s weary figure and suddenly realized something.

So that’s how it is…

As for the others, all eyes landed on Tu Lu.

If he agreed, Shenfeng City would have a new luminary—a guest elder of the Dragon Pavilion!

“Deal…”

Tu Lu was about to accept, but then remembered his sister’s instructions. Although she had said to exchange the remaining Thunder Stone for Bone-Cleansing Pills, Manager Wang’s eagerness indicated he desperately wanted the Thunder Stone! Under such circumstances, wouldn’t it be a waste not to extort a little?

“I… would also like some Bone-Cleansing Pills…”

Everyone was stunned—they hadn’t expected him to start extorting as well…

“Fine! Take them!” Manager Wang didn’t hesitate in the slightest, his sleeve sweeping over the shelf to gather more than ten bottles of Bone-Cleansing Pills, dumping them into a token without blinking.

Compared to the Dragon Order, these were nothing!

“I’m also interested in those manuals over there.”

“Take them!” Manager Wang beckoned, and more than ten manuals flew from the cabinet, swept up without a glance.

“I’d like a couple of magical artifacts as well…”

“Take them!”

The cultivators and warriors watching had their eyelids twitching.

Hu Tu and Zhao Yuyang, who already bore grudges against Tu Lu, looked as black-faced as the bottom of a pot. With so many resources, even they… felt a pang of jealousy!

Bone-Cleansing Pills weren’t legendary elixirs, but they were valuable enough. Though they could afford them, who had ever bought so many at once! Not to mention those manuals! The three prerequisites for cultivation—inheritance, aptitude, resources—with inheritance the most precious, and manuals being its embodiment. Yet here they were, bundled off like cabbages to Tu Lu, leaving the onlookers dazed.

“What else do you want?” Manager Wang suddenly looked up, his eyes betraying impatience though his face remained unchanged.

“I’d also like…”

Tu Lu was about to continue when two soft coughs made him snap back to reality.

“Does Lord Lin have any further advice?” Manager Wang frowned at Lin Fengtian, his expression darkening and his tone growing brusque. In his mind, if not for Lin Fengtian, he wouldn’t have had to pay such a steep price!

Lin Fengtian shook his head, “Manager Wang, you’ve already brought out the Dragon Order—what advice could I possibly give? Farewell!”

With that, he swept his sleeve and left the Dragon Pavilion in stride.

“Hmph!” Manager Wang snorted and ignored him, turning back to Tu Lu, his voice indifferent, “Is there anything else Master Tu desires?”

Tu Lu’s scalp tingled, and he quickly replied, “No, that’s enough.”

Truthfully, seeing the two now-empty display cabinets around him, he felt he’d gone too far. If not for Lin Fengtian’s timely reminder, he might’ve really overdone it in his moment of triumph!

Dragon Pavilion was no group of wandering cultivators. Those he could intimidate, but the Pavilion was another matter. After all, his identity was fabricated, and the barefoot are never afraid of those wearing shoes—but whether this disguise would hold up before the Pavilion was another question entirely…

Upon hearing this, Manager Wang’s face finally eased. He handed the token to Tu Lu, took the Thunder Stone from Tu Lu’s hand, and without another word, hurried out the side door—almost as if something urgent awaited him.

Tu Lu held the Dragon Order, taking a deep breath before regaining his composure.

“I am now a guest elder of the Dragon Pavilion!”

He glanced proudly at the crowd.

Just then, he spotted Zhao Yuyang and Hu Tu, recalling their past deeds. His face darkened, but then he smiled slyly and strode toward Zhao Yuyang’s inscription shop.

With the Thunder Stone trade concluded and Lin Fengtian departed, most of the spectators had dispersed, though many still watched out of curiosity.

After all, Tu Lu was now a “big shot,” a guest elder of the Dragon Pavilion!

Seeing him head toward Zhao Yuyang’s shop, those remaining immediately took interest, crowding closer to see what he would do.

Tu Lu, fully aware he was the focus of all eyes, smiled and walked up to Zhao Yuyang’s shop, then sprawled himself across Zhao Yuyang’s inscriber’s platform!

“What are you doing, Tu!” Hu Tu stormed over and barked.

But Tu Lu, secretly refining the Dragon Order as he lounged, put on a shameless air, sneering, “What am I doing? What business is it of yours? I’m now a guest elder of the Dragon Pavilion—a member of the Pavilion. Do I need a reason to be at home?”

“You—!” Hu Tu glared.

“Master Hu, don’t be rude!”

At that moment, Zhao Yuyang emerged, coldly eyeing Tu Lu but cupped his fists, “Greetings, Lord Guest Elder. But may I remind you, my inscription shop may be located within the Pavilion, but it is not rented—it is my personal property. Not even Manager Wang has the right to seize it!”

Tu Lu couldn’t help but laugh.

“May I ask what the Lord Guest Elder finds amusing?”

“Nothing, I just find life wonderfully strange. You, Zhao Yuyang, as Shenfeng City’s chief inscriber, surely rank no lower than me, a guest elder of the Pavilion. Yet as long as you’re in the Pavilion, you have to defer to me. Is there anything more delightful?”

Zhao Yuyang’s face darkened.

Before he could speak, Tu Lu’s expression chilled, “Zhao Yuyang! So what if the shop is yours? As long as you’re in the Pavilion, dare you lay a hand on me? Since you won’t, what can you do while I lie here?”

Then, Tu Lu suddenly grinned, “Exactly—this is what I like best: you can’t stand me, but you can’t do anything about it!”

“Wh—!”

Hearing this, Zhao Yuyang nearly choked on his own breath, his nose almost twisted with rage.

Everyone watching was dumbfounded.

This was truly someone not to be trifled with. Others might worry about retaliation outside, but he seemed not to care at all. This reckless fellow had become a guest elder of the Pavilion!

Thinking of this, many felt sympathy for Zhao Yuyang.

Tu Lu kept up his cold, provocative stare at Zhao Yuyang, deliberately antagonizing him, but inwardly, he was overjoyed.

Exhilarating!

Absolutely exhilarating!

Ever since he entered the Pavilion, he’d held back his frustrations, but now, finally liberated, even his cultivation felt stirred.

This feeling was simply… wonderful!

Just then, his brows lifted—the Dragon Order had finally been refined!