Chapter 101: No Honest Merchants
Chapter 101: No Honest Merchants
After finishing one cigarette, Zhiqi took another from the pack.
The environment deep in the Abyss was damp. Many Ancient Descendants living in Abyss City had the habit of smoking tobacco.
It helped drive away moisture and lift their spirits.
Zhiqi was no exception.
But even the best tobacco he’d ever smoked was far worse than what Gao Jing gave him.
Its scent was elegant and lasting, its smoke smooth and fine. It felt comfortable after smoking, encouraging saliva, and left a sweet aftertaste with no harshness.
It truly deserved the name “fine smoke.”
After two cigarettes, this leader of the Qinghe Merchant Caravan was getting hooked!
Besides these uniquely-shaped smokes, the Lighter also held his fascination.
Under Gao Jing’s guidance, Zhiqi quickly learned how to use the Lighter.
He immediately loved this little gadget.
Hold the lighter, flip open the lid, swivel the spark wheel under his thumb to light the cotton wick—and instantly, a beautiful flame appeared!
He had to close the lid to put it out!
The crisp sound of the metal lid snapping open and shut pleased his ears.
Plus, the black matte shell carved with dark gold double-wing patterns was so finely crafted that Zhiqi was secretly stunned.
Both Wuzhi Abyss City and Qinghe City produced kindling kits. The latter was one of the caravan’s trade items too.
Though those kindling kits worked similarly to Gao Jing’s Lighter.
This Lighter completely outclassed his home-city goods; they weren’t even the same league.
Zhiqi deeply understood what this implied.
He felt increasingly that Gao Jing—or the Great Xia behind him—was unfathomable!
Unaware, he felt a prick of awe form in his heart.
Awe for powerful tribes and civilizations!
Zhiqi fidgeted with the lighter in his hand, clearly distracted.
Fun, right? Never seen one before? Got the hang of it now!
“Your Honor Zhiqi.”
Seeing this, Gao Jing smiled even more happily. “If you like it, this lighter is yours.”
This genuine Zippo was bought for just about five or six hundred yuan.
He’d bought fifty of them.
Giving away one meant nothing at all.
“Huh.”
Zhiqi snapped back to attention.
He silently cursed internally. His earlier behavior was truly bad; Gao Jing might’ve seen through him.
“Don’t accept gifts without merit!”
Zhiqi recovered fast, calm again as he chuckled. “I must politely decline your kindness.”
He threw Gao Jing’s own words back at him.
No matter what, he couldn’t let Gao Jing overpower him emotionally.
Zhiqi also knew well:
“You’ll be softer if you eat others’ food; your reach will shorten with others’ gifts!”
He’d already smoked two of Gao Jing’s cigarettes. Taking the lighter too?
That’d leave him at a total mental disadvantage.
Even though he truly adored this exquisite lighter.
“Just a little gadget.”
Gao Jing waved dismissively.
He picked up the backpack beside him, pulling out a bottle and two crystal glasses.
Zhiqi, who had been about to return the lighter, froze immediately.
This leader of the Qinghe Merchant Caravan stared hard at the bottle and glasses Gao Jing held.
Like seeing some unbelievable treasure.
His mung-bean-like eyes went wider and wider!
Gao Jing set the glasses on the table, tearing off the bottle’s colorful foil seal.
He shook it gently with one hand. Purple, blue, and white liquor inside mixed together.
Like a brilliant night sky, glittering with countless stars all at once!
Now not just Zhiqi—even the maids flanking him looked amazed.
Pop!
After blending smoothly, Gao Jing expertly pulled the ring and popped the seal off.
A white mist instantly curled out the bottle neck.
The two maids opened their cherry lips slightly, their look of slight surprise quite cute!
Without expression, Gao Jing poured the liquor into both glasses.
Sparkling crystal cups, each now holding a night sky!
“Your Honor Zhiqi.”
Gao Jing set the bottle down, sliding one glass toward him.
He made an inviting gesture. “Please.”
Staring at the bubbly, bright-hued drink before him, Zhiqi swallowed without thinking.
He straightened his heavy body, cautiously reaching to grasp the glass.
Gao Jing laughed softly.
He demonstrated the proper way: hold the base lightly between fingers.
Lift it gracefully.
Zhiqi’s plump face flushed. He quickly copied the gesture.
He felt deeply annoyed inside.
But his wonder toward the drink and glass soon pushed embarrassment aside.
“Cheers.”
Gao Jing touched his glass to Zhiqi’s first. “In Great Xia, there’s an old saying. Faraway guests arriving is cause for honest joy.”
“Your Honor Zhiqi, I’m very pleased to know you!”
After speaking, he downed the entire cup of wine in one gulp!
Zhiqi’s aura was completely overwhelmed. Imitating Gao Jing, he too emptied his cup in one swallow.
He exhaled a long breath: “Fine wine!”
His tone carried a hint of reluctant admiration—I admit defeat!
Gao Jing smiled faintly.
He picked up the wine bottle and refilled the other’s cup.
Unable to contain himself, Zhiqi asked, “Your Honor Gao Jing, what wine is this?”
In truth, what had stunned this caravan leader wasn’t just this sweet, glorious wine that resembled a starry sky.
There was also the long-necked, round-bodied glass bottle before him, and the crystal-clear, flawless champagne flute in his own hand!
Such exquisite craftsmanship—he was seeing it for the very first time in his life.
Utterly incredible!!
“It’s called Xiangbin,”
Gao Jing explained. “It’s a wine we reserve for honored guests.”
Zhiqi became solemn: “Then it must be extremely precious?”
Gao Jing smiled. “Somewhat.”
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Drinking the second cup, Zhiqi truly felt like an honored guest!
But he realized he couldn’t go on like this.
Utterly led around by the nose by Gao Jing.
Resolutely putting down the champagne flute, Zhiqi said in a deep voice, “Little Dai, go fetch the Jia-three box.”
“Yes, Master.”
The pretty maid immediately returned inside the Spirit Energy Puppet and soon emerged carrying a small rosewood box.
“Open it.”
At Zhiqi’s command, the wooden box was placed before Gao Jing.
Inside the box lay a silvery-gray bell, slightly larger than a longan fruit.
“Your Honor Gao Jing.”
Zhiqi said, “Thank you for your generous hospitality. This small gift is a mere token of my respect. Please accept it.”
Gao Jing blinked: “This is…?”
He wouldn’t pretend to understand if he didn’t, especially not before someone like Zhiqi.
Because it would be too easy to see through.
Even though Gao Jing’s presence had clearly dominated moments before, he didn’t underestimate Zhiqi in the slightest.
One never knew how many hidden cards this portly fellow might have up his sleeve!
“Little Yun.”
Zhiqi smiled, clearly having regained much of his confidence: “Please introduce this to His Honor Gao Jing.”
“Yes, Master.”
Another maid smiled sweetly.
“Your Honor Gao Jing.”
She first picked up the bell, shook it in her hand, then tossed it onto the table.
The smooth, round bell rolled forward instantly, rapidly expanding and growing in the blink of an eye! It tumbled into a large, fuzzy mass!
Mew~
It had actually transformed into a little tabby kitten!
It stretched lazily with a soft cry, rolled over and climbed to its feet, giving a swish of its tail.
Its two pitch-black eyes glanced around curiously before it decided to lie back down.
It began cleaning the armpit of its front leg with a little pink tongue, utterly unconcerned by those around it.
And the original bell now hung beneath its neck.
The maid named Xiao Yun introduced it: “This is the Earth Spirit Cat Soul.”
Earth Spirit Cats were small spirit beasts that dwelled deep in the Abyss. Clever and agile, they excelled at stealth and hiding, and were exceptionally skilled at digging burrows and hunting prey like field mice.
Although capable, these spirit beasts could not be tamed.
Therefore, the Shamans of the Abyss captured the essence—the Soul—of Earth Spirit Cats immediately after death. They sealed this Soul into Steel Soul Stones.
It was then forged into a Witch Artifact.
The holder only needed to channel Totemic Power or Spiritual Energy into it to activate the Soul, allowing it to manifest and take form!
The Earth Spirit Cat Soul wasn’t merely a pet for daily amusement.
It also made an excellent sentry and scout.
Utterly loyal, eternally faithful, never betraying its master.
This was why many Abyssal Sorcerers chose the Earth Spirit Cat Soul as their spirit companion, nurturing and training it.
After the introduction, Xiao Yun reached down and patted the Earth Spirit Cat Soul’s head.
The fuzzy mass immediately rolled forward! After a few tumbles, it shrank back to its original form—a simple bell!
Amazing!
Magic!
Those were the only words Gao Jing could find.
Of course, having witnessed the methods of Old Shaman Shan Yan, he managed to contain his amazement.
He simply smiled and said, “Quite fascinating.”
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Gao Jing asked, “Does it need to eat?”
“No.”
Xiao Yun shook her head. “The Soul requires no food, but the Steel Soul Stone that houses it needs periodic replacing?”
Gao Jing frowned: “Steel Soul Stone?”
Xiao Yun glanced at Zhiqi.
Her master nodded, signaling her to continue.
Xiao Yun twisted the bell in her hands, neatly splitting the silvery-gray shell into two halves.
A pale yellow stone nestled inside was revealed.
She offered the stone to Gao Jing: “Your Honor Gao Jing, this is the Steel Soul Stone that imprisons the Soul.”
Gao Jing took it and examined it closely.
He saw that this supposed Steel Soul Stone wasn’t very transparent, but he could just barely make out the tiny spirit kitten hidden within.
It somewhat resembled amber.
But it definitely wasn’t amber, and the more Gao Jing looked… the more familiar it seemed!
Could this be…?
“The Steel Soul Stone is one of the specialties of our Wuzhi Abyss City,”
Zhiqi chuckled. “So you don’t need to worry about replacement if this Steel Soul Stone depletes.”
A shrewd glint flickered in his eyes!
So that’s his game!
Gao Jing understood immediately.
Behind this seemingly generous gift lay a carefully laid trap.
It instantly reminded Gao Jing of Japan—the East Ying he knew.
Japanese companies often used a particular business strategy.
For instance, when selling printers abroad, they offered them incredibly cheap.
So cheap they easily crushed the competition.
With impressively high technology.
The catch? The matching cartridges were exorbitantly expensive—so expensive that buying three or four sets cost more than a whole new printer!
And once a customer was locked in by the cheap printer? Trapped.
Japanese firms had conquered markets and made fortunes using such tricks.
To Gao Jing, this was exactly what Zhiqi was trying to pull!
The Earth Spirit Cat Soul was fascinating, fun, practical, and possessed magical powers.
It didn’t require food.
But it needed consuming Steel Soul Stones.
And Steel Soul Stones were exclusively produced and sold from… Wuzhi Abyss City.
Zhiqi gave Gao Jing the Earth Spirit Cat Soul. Could Gao Jing then turn around and demand free Steel Soul Stones?
What price he might have to pay later?
It wasn’t hard to imagine.
No merchant isn’t cunning!
And hadn’t the example with the Shan Yue Tribe just proven that?
Gao Jing couldn’t help but laugh.
He nodded and said, “In that case, I’ll accept without standing on ceremony.”
Playing tricks?
Bro can play too!
As he spoke, Gao Jing took two bottles of sparkling wine and two packs of cigarettes from his backpack. He placed them on the table and slid them towards Zhiqi: “Your Honor Zhiqi, these are a small token of my regard. Please accept them.”
“Hmm, and you can keep this Lighter as a fun little novelty.”
Zhiqi instantly beamed, his eyes crinkling into fine lines: “Your Honor Gao Jing, you are too courteous!”
Both men looked at each other and laughed.
Each felt he had gotten the much better end of the deal!