"Ten million?!"
Not only was the vendor stunned, but even Tailong beside him widened his eyes in shock. At this moment, Tailong felt like crying—he thought Tang San believed he intended to keep the Spirit Bone for himself and had stepped in to intercept the deal.
With a hint of a sob in his voice, Tailong said, "Third Young Master, how could I possibly use this Spirit Bone myself? If I bought it, it would naturally be for you! Why did you have to tell him it's a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone?"
Seeing Tailong's unwavering loyalty, Tang San pulled him aside and fixed a cold gaze on the vendor. A faint golden glimmer flashed in his left eye as he smiled and said, "A Spirit Bone from an ancient Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast—such a treasure is worth far more than ten million gold coins. How about this? I'll give you all the assets under my name in exchange."
Tang San retrieved a token of the Clear Sky Sect from his Soul Guidance Device—a plaque engraved with a hammer and the words "Clear Sky"—and said, "If you dare bring this fake Spirit Bone to the Clear Sky Sect, I'll buy it from you."
"!!!"
"The Clear Sky Sect?!" the vendor exclaimed in shock.
At the same time, Tailong gasped, "Fake?!"
Realizing he had been exposed and that Tang San was a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect, the vendor's expression instantly changed. He summoned his Gale Leopard Martial Soul, activated a Soul Skill with a flash of his Soul Ring, and fled without another word.
"Trying to run?" Tang San sneered. With a light kick, he sent a pebble flying from the ground, striking the scammer's wrist with a sharp crack.
"Ah!" The bone scammer cried out in pain as his wrist went numb, dropping the box. But he didn't dare turn back to retrieve it, vanishing into the crowd in an instant.
Those in the underworld knew when to cut their losses—even if he had some connections in Spirit Hall City, offending the Clear Sky Sect was unthinkable.
The sudden turn of events left Tailong dumbfounded. The rapid shift left him momentarily speechless, and he gulped before asking, "Third Young Master... how did you see through it?"
Tang San bent down to pick up the box. When he opened it again, the aura and glow of the Spirit Bone were completely gone—only an ordinary Spirit Beast bone lay inside.
Of course, Tang San wouldn't tell Tailong that his ability to see through the deception wasn't due to vast knowledge but rather his Rakshasa God Eyes.
Though Tang San had learned about herbs and metals from the ancient Tang Sect's Soul Guidance Devices, he couldn't possibly know everything. For a moment, he had nearly believed it was a genuine Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone.
But when he used his Rakshasa God Eyes, the display read [Ordinary Spirit Beast Bone] instead of Spirit Bone, instantly revealing the scam.
"Most likely, this Soul Guidance Device was specifically designed for forgery," Tang San remarked, tossing the bone aside and carefully examining the box in his hand.
"Scams truly never go out of style. Even in the era of ancient Soul Guidance Devices, when their crafting methods were lost, there were still devices made specifically for deception."
Storing the Soul Guidance Device away, Tang San said, "From now on, be cautious in Spirit Hall City. Don't trust people too easily. The most dangerous hunters often disguise themselves as prey."
"Spirit Hall City is different from our Clear Sky City. Its geographical location is special. While it serves as a neutral ground between the two great empires on the surface, it's also a lawless land neither empire can touch, gathering many traitors from both sides."
Tailong also learned a lesson, nodding as he said, "I understand, Third Young Master. I'll be careful."
Tang San gazed at the radiant Spirit Hall City, murmuring to himself, "Behind the light always lies darkness."
Seeing that it was getting late, Tang San had Tailong go ahead to arrange for lodging and food while he headed to the Spirit Hall Academy to register.
Walking leisurely, just as Tang Hao had said, coming to Spirit Hall Academy wasn't just about guarding against spirit beast wars—it was also about broadening his horizons. The earlier scam using a Soul Guidance Device had indeed given him a taste of that.
Strolling through Spirit Hall City, he eventually found himself in a very secluded alley. His eyes settled on a dilapidated little shopfront—not only was it old and in poor condition, but it also lacked a sign, only displaying a tattered white flag bearing the image of Spirit Hall's angel.
Tang San recognized this angel flag. To put it plainly, it was Spirit Hall's clinic, a welfare service for residents. As long as you believed in Spirit Hall and its Six-Winged Angel, you could receive free treatment here if you were injured or ill, with Spirit Hall's Soul Masters tending to your wounds.
Of course, in Tang San's view, this was merely Spirit Hall's way of polishing its image, making itself appear more righteous and noble.
The fact that it was so shabby, small, old, and tucked away in a remote corner spoke volumes—it was likely abandoned after being built.
"Divine Envoy! Is the Divine Envoy here? Please save my son!"
Just then, a frantic woman's voice echoed from deep within the alley. Following the sound, Tang San saw a plump woman, drenched in sweat and panting heavily, carrying a severely injured young man on her back as she rushed from the back alley.
With a single glance, Tang San could tell the young man had been gravely wounded by a spirit beast. Though it might not seem severe outwardly, his sallow complexion indicated internal damage—he was beyond saving, perhaps not even worth the effort.
"Bring him inside."
Hearing a voice from within surprised Tang San. He had assumed this clinic was just for show, never expecting someone to actually be inside.
"How interesting. Could Spirit Hall truly be practicing charity?" Originally here to observe, Tang San's curiosity was piqued, and he followed the woman inside.
The interior of Spirit Hall's clinic was surprisingly spacious. Though antiquated, it was unexpectedly clean, clearly well-maintained. There were no beautiful or intricate decorations—just the basics: medicine cabinets, a sickbed, a table, and a few chairs.
"Place him on the bed," a cool voice called from the back of the clinic.
With a rustle, the cloth curtain was pulled aside, revealing a female doctor dressed in Spirit Hall's clerical robes, her face dotted with freckles.
The woman, strengthened by a mother's resolve, lifted her unconscious, gravely injured son with surprising strength and laid him on the bed.
The freckled doctor examined him using some specialized tools.
"Divine Envoy, please, I beg you to save my son. His father died young, leaving just the two of us, a widow and her orphan. He had no choice but to hunt Spirit Beasts to make a living, and now..." The woman grew more agitated as she spoke, her voice choked with tears.
The freckled doctor patted the woman's shoulder and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, it's just a minor injury. He'll be healed soon."
"A minor injury?" Tang San narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling a chill in his heart. In his view, this was nothing more than a tactic used by Spirit Hall to extort money—calming the patient's emotions by downplaying a fatal injury, then bankrupting them. Such tricks were common everywhere.
However, the next moment, Tang San was utterly proven wrong.
The freckled doctor placed his palm flat above the young man, and a surge of Soul Power stirred. A beam of Holy Light descended from the sky, shining upon the young man out of nowhere. The youth, who had been pale and sallow, gradually regained a healthy flush.
"How is this possible?!"
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