The Mirror Master

Lu Bai felt this was enough. "How about this," he said. "I’ll buy a few more. Can you give me a discount?"

"Not even a little."

The Old Gambling Ghost said, "These Five Emperors Coins normally start at a thousand taels of silver. Selling one to you for a single tael is purely because I feel we have an affinity."

Lu Bai asked, "What if these ancient coins of yours turn out to be fake?"

"Don’t come to me with that."

The Old Gambling Ghost hurriedly said, "In this business, all sales are final. I’m selling you a real Five Emperors Coin. Who’s to say you won’t walk around for a bit, then try to bring back a different coin?"

"Fine."

Lu Bai hesitated for a long moment, then seemed to harden his resolve. He picked out ten coins, including the Desolate Emperor Coin from earlier, and said, "I’ll take ten, then. Just to try my luck."

With that, he handed over ten taels in silver fragments.

The Old Gambling Ghost beamed as he took the silver, even taking the opportunity to touch Lu Bai’s palm. "Young man, you have good luck. Let me get a bit of that good fortune. My luck is bound to turn around today!"

After speaking, the Old Gambling Ghost gathered the four corners of the tattered cloth on the ground, wrapping everything up haphazardly. A series of CLANGS and BANGS echoed from within.

It sounded like something had broken...

The Old Gambling Ghost paid it no mind. He shouldered the bundle and, without a backward glance, slipped into the gambling den behind him.

"Isn’t that the Black Hand Young Hero, Lu Bai?"

"Lu Bai? I heard people call him Lu Hei."

"Lu Hei, Lu Bai, who cares? He clearly got ripped off, haha."

Not far away, a few disciples from Bluestone Academy passed by. They recognized Lu Bai and snickered to themselves.

"Young man, come take a look over here! I’ve got Five Emperors Coins too, and I’ll sell you one for a tael!"

"Young man, if you want to buy ten, I’ll give you a discount. Nine hundred wen will do."

"Young man..."

When the nearby stall owners saw the Old Gambling Ghost make a sale, the way they looked at Lu Bai changed completely.

They all became incredibly enthusiastic, stopping just short of physically dragging Lu Bai over to their stalls.

It had been a long time since they’d seen such a naive, gullible mark. It would be a waste not to fleece him.

The Luo Clan Members, who were wandering around, heard the commotion and walked over.

"Brother Xiaolu, did you buy some ancient coins?"

"How much did you spend?"

The brothers Luo Ben and Luo Xiao asked.

"Ten taels for ten ancient coins."

Lu Bai smiled and tucked the ten ancient coins into his robes.

Hearing this, the Luo Clan Members all secretly shook their heads.

Luo Ben couldn’t help but say, "Brother Xiaolu, I think you got scammed..."

Luo Yunxuan shook his head. "A genuine Five Emperors Coin starts at a thousand taels of silver, at least. What kind of ancient coin could you possibly get for a single tael?"

"You can’t always expect to get a good deal."

Luo Hongyuan said coolly, "Lu Bai, the world of ancient coins is a deep one; you’re out of your depth. Forget someone your age—even experts who have been in the business for over a decade can misjudge."

"Just consider it a ten-tael lesson."

Not wanting Lu Bai to feel too embarrassed, Luo Mingzhao changed the subject.

Lu Bai’s expression remained calm, and he offered no explanation.

Seeing Lu Bai’s silence, she assumed he was feeling regretful and disappointed. Luo Qing comforted him in a low voice, "It’s fine. Who here hasn’t been ripped off before? It happens to everyone. And ten taels isn’t that much."

"Get out, get out, get out!"

Just then, a man was shoved out of the gambling den’s entrance, stumbling and nearly falling to the ground.

Lu Bai glanced over and saw it was the Old Gambling Ghost, still carrying his bundle of "Exotic Treasures," who had just been thrown out.

"Out already?"

Lu Bai asked.

The Old Gambling Ghost spat. "Damn it, I lost everything."

Lu Bai was speechless.

’That was way too fast.’

’It was all over in the time it took for us to exchange a few words.’

Lu Bai asked with a smile, "Going to set up your stall again?"

"No more selling. Today’s unlucky. I’ll be back tomorrow."

The Old Gambling Ghost shouldered his bundle, turned, and left, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

Most stalls in the Underground Bazaar only opened for business during the Drunken Flower House’s auction, which was held once every half-month, to take advantage of the large crowds.

Only the Old Gambling Ghost set up his stall at the entrance of the gambling den every day, hoping to sell something for silver so he could go try his luck.

The people here were long used to this sight.

"It’s about time. Let’s go."

Luo Tianxiong called out, gathering the Luo Clan Members before heading toward the Drunken Flower House at the end of the street.

Word had gotten out early that this auction at the Drunken Flower House would feature a Profound Tier Inner Strength, and possibly even a Celestial Tier Inner Strength, so many people had come.

As people gradually arrived, Luo Qing started introducing them to Lu Bai in a low voice.

"Those people over there are from the Zheng Family of Bluestone City. They’re in the medicine trade and have done business with your family before."

"That is Chief Escort Leader Zhao of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency in Bluestone City. The Zhenyuan Escort Agency is one of the biggest escort agencies in all of Jing State."

"That is Second Master Jin. He runs the gambling dens, brothels, and even this Drunken Flower House in Bluestone City."

Lu Bai followed Luo Qing’s gaze.

Second Master Jin looked to be in his early fifties. He wasn’t burly, but he was quite sturdy, with a full, square face that always wore a faint smile. In his hands, he toyed with a Purple Sandalwood Rosary.

Less than an hour after the Luo Clan Members took their seats, more than half of the several hundred seats below were already filled.

Most of those who managed to get a seat were prominent figures in Bluestone City.

Just then, a group of more than ten people entered, causing all the Luo Clan Members to frown.

"Brother Luo, it really is hard to get a chance to see you!"

The man in the lead was around seventy years old and dressed in rich brocade. His salt-and-pepper hair was impeccably groomed. He looked toward the Luo Family, his voice booming with vigor.

"It took an auction to finally make it happen."

"Younger Brother Sun, I trust you’ve been well."

Luo Tianxiong replied with a chuckle.

Luo Qing whispered, "That’s the Sun Family’s Patriarch, Sun Xuan. He’s an Innate Martial Artist. I heard he’s opened three Meridians, and his mastery of his family’s ancestral Left-Handed Saber technique is phenomenal."

Lu Bai had heard some things over the past two days about the conflict between the Luo Family and the Sun Family over the Profound Iron Ore.

Many years ago, the two families had clashed over a mining dispute, so there was already bad blood between them.

The relationship between the two families had grown even more tense ever since the Luo Family discovered the Tier Two Profound Iron Ore and the subsequent mine collapse.

If one didn’t know the inside story, they would think the two Patriarchs were old friends reuniting after many years.

The two old men were all smiles on the surface.

But when the younger members of the two families locked eyes, their expressions were anything but friendly.

Lu Bai could clearly feel the gaze of a young man in his early twenties from the Sun Family’s younger generation. Ever since entering, the man had been staring at him, a cold sneer on his face, making no effort to hide his hostility.

Luo Qing noticed. "That’s Sun Bohan, the prodigy of the Sun Family’s younger generation. He has already opened the Eight Acupoints, so his Cultivation is a level higher than mine.

The one who was expelled, Sun Shuchen, is his biological younger brother."

Lu Bai nodded.

Luo Tianxiong asked with seeming casualness, "I hear the Drunken Flower House is auctioning off a lot of good things this time—Elixirs, Treasure Artifacts, you name it. Has any particular item caught your eye, Younger Brother Sun?"

"Haha, I’m naturally here for those two Profound Tier Inner Strength techniques."

Sun Xuan smiled, then sighed. "What choice do I have? Two disgraceful juniors of the Sun Family proved to be less skilled than their opponent. Not only did they get beaten up, but they were also expelled from Bluestone Academy.

As their grandfather, all I can do is find them some suitable Cultivation Techniques to practice."

As he spoke, Sun Xuan’s gaze seemed to pass over Lu Bai nonchalantly, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Lu Bai pretended not to see and paid him no mind.

Luo Tianxiong frowned inwardly.

’The Sun Family hasn’t come with good intentions. Winning the two Profound Tier Inner Strength techniques today is going to be difficult.’

’Moreover,’ Luo Tianxiong had a vague feeling that the Sun Family had another purpose for coming here. ’It’s not as simple as just bidding on those two Profound Tier Inner Strength techniques.’

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