Burst Stone

Yang Zhai and Jun Haru were walking through a bazaar. There were a lot of people, including mortals and cultivators. Of course, the mortals who learned martial arts were still mortals: So, they were also counted as mortals.

"Here," 

While walking through the bazaar, Jun handed a pouch to Yang Zhai. Yang Zhai caught the pouch and stored it in the bracelet storage treasure that he had taken from his enemy before arriving at the Ma clan. He wore this bracelet to lessen the use of the Bloody Storage Ka. In this way, he could avoid others from discovering the Bloody Storage Ka.

The Bloody Storage Ka was one of his trump cards. Only the Second Life Ka could rival it. Even the Dug Worm Ka and the Wooden Fists Ka could not compare to the Bloody Storage Ka.

They kept on walking through the bazaar. Yang Zhai was looking around whilst walking.

Finally, Yang Zhai stopped and looked around, after that, he entered a shop. Jun Haru also followed Yang Zhai into the shop.

"Brother, why did we come here?" Jun Haru was confused as to why Yang Zhai suddenly entered a shop. He examined the shop and noticed that it was a cultivation materials selling shop.

"Just follow me," Yang Zhai did not say much and began to walk, looking around. It seemed like he was looking for something.

Jun Haru also looked around with Yang Zhai and did not notice anything unusual.

This shop had two stories. Yang Zhai walked up the stairs to the second story.

After a while, Yang Zhai came to a stop in front of a counter.

On the counter were placed a lot of small balloon-shaped stones. Their surface was smooth and shining. On every stone's surface were two to four small black lines.  

However, Yang Zhai's eyes fell on a rock with only one black line. 

"Here it is,"

Yang Zhai picked up the stone with one black line and moved it toward Jun Haru.

"This is the second material that I want." 

"Brother Yang, are you sure about that?" Jun Haru's eyes narrowed after he heard Yang Zhai.

"Yes, I am sure. This is the Burst Stone that I need." 

The Stone that Yang Zhai picked was around the size of an adult person's fist. It had the ability to burst into a lot of power, so much power that if a rank 2 cultivator used this stone, they would be able to fight a rank 3 cultivator and a rank 3 cultivator would be able to fight a rank 4 cultivator: however, there was a catch to¹ it and that was that if a cultivator used it, even though they would gain a lot of strength, a rank would drop as a result.

Such as, if a rank 2 cultivator uses this stone, they would be able to fight a rank 3 cultivator: however, after their strength subsides, their rank would also be reduced to rank 1. This was the reason Jun Haru had asked Yang Zhai if he was sure because to a cultivator, losing a rank was considered a tremendous loss.

Of course, Yang Zhai had other uses for this Burst stone.

"Sigh, very well then, at least, pick a Burst stone ranging from two lines to four lines." Jun Haru sighed and did not persuade Yang Zhai. 

Nevertheless, he still suggested Yang Zhai to pick a Burst stone with two to four lines. It was because the more lines there were, the more power a cultivator could attain when using the Burst stone. And the Burst stone with one line was very rare, as there was one in a thousand or even ten thousand. Still, rarity did not mean that it was better, in fact, a Burst stone with only one line had worse negative effects than the others.

"No, I need this one." Yang Zhai did not choose another stone and only wanted this Burst stone.

These Burst stones were only produced in the Ma clan and not the Bai clan. The Bai clan also did not buy them from the Ma clan because of its adverse effects. And Yang Zhai wanted to make sure that he obtained the right stone, thus, he did not ask Jun Haru for this and personally came to pick one.

"Very well, we will be taking this stone." Jun Haru said and was about to pay the essence stones when he heard a voice from behind,

"Wait a minute please, can you give this stone to me." 

Yang Zhai looked to his right side and saw a man around the age of nineteen.

"Can you please let me have it?" He asked politely and with a smile,

Jun Haru looked at Yang Zhai, waiting for his reply.

"No," His reply was simple and straightforward. He stored the Burst stone in his storage bracelet.

"Here," Jun Haru gave the essence stones to the sales assistant after hearing Yang Zhai.

"Come on, I need it, can you please give it to me?" The man still asked Yang Zhai even after hearing Yang Zhai's reply.

However, Yang Zhai did not reply, turned around, and walked towards the stairs. Jun Haru glanced at the man before following Yang Zhai.

The man's eyes narrowed after he saw Yang Zhai's behavior, he never felt this humiliated before.

"Hey kid, just give me the stone, and you can go after that," The man came in front of and blocked Yang Zhai's way. His tone had changed and felt like he wanted the stone for free.

"Just go and find one yourself. Why do you want our stone?" Jun Haru said with an annoying tone.

"Because there is only one Burst stone left with one black line in this shop. And of course, other shops are not selling the Burst stones. Thus, I need the stone that you have."

"Ok, what will we get in return?" Yang Zhai did not feel irritated by the man and asked instead.

"What, of course, I can give you the money that you paid at the counter."

"No, that was their price. My price is two times theirs," Yang Zhai said with a smile.

"What? Have you gone crazy, kid? Who would pay this much for the Burst stone?"

"Ok, then sorry," Yang Zhai did not bother anymore and walked across the man.

"Hey, wait, who do you think you are? I am asking you politely, and you are not even responding to my politeness." 

This man was angered by Yang Zhai's ignoring attitude. He was so polite to this kid, but in return, this kid was not even giving him any face in front of the others. Thus, he grabbed Yang Zhai's left arm from behind.

"Hey, what do you think you are doing? Do you want to be killed? Do you know who we are?" Jun Haru was getting irritated by the man's behavior. Just why was he behaving like this to them? 

People had started to gather around the three of them and a commotion was breaking.

"What happened?"

"Hey, there is a fight going to break here."

"Is he not the son of elder Jun Nie? Why is that man picking a fight with him, does he have a death wish or something?"

"And if I remember correctly, the kid next to Jun Haru should be one of the guests who arrived yesterday at the Ma clan."

"Whatever, it's going to be fun watching them get beaten up by the man and then the man get beaten up or even dying in elder Jun Nie's hands, hahaha," a man laughed like he was the initiator of the fight.

"Why are you acting like this? It's not like you have anything to do with this fight?" The person standing next to him turned his eyes to the side and said.

"Nor are you, hahaha"

The person standing next to the supposed initiator's eyes twitched after hearing the supposed initiator.

On the other hand,

"Wait a minute, please." Yang Zhai peacefully freed his arm from the man's grip and said before walking to the guards and coming back with them.

"Who is it?" One of the three guards asked.

"What is he doing?" The man standing next to the supposed initiator asked.

"Don't know, but maybe he is asking for an arena for their battle." The supposed initiator said,

"Are you sure about that," the person standing next to him had his doubts, though.

"Yeah, I am sure, or what else could it be, huh? Do you think he called the guards to capture the man, huh? Can't you see the look in the kid's eyes, I can see that his eyes want nothing more than to devour the man: I can see an animal in his eyes, a revenge of seven ancestors, revenge for his master's death, revenge for his long-lost friend and a revenge for his broken marriage, Oh! The tragedy. He definitely called the guards here to prepare them an arena. I am pretty sure of it." The supposed initiator said with clenched fists and tears in his eyes.

The man next to him: "..."

"What the….?!!!! Where did his master's revenge and broken marriage come from?" The man next to him was speechless after hearing the supposed initiator.

On the other hand,

"Yes, that man." Yang Zhai pointed at the man who wanted the Burst stone from him.

"Hey, you are coming with us." The three guards grabbed the man by his arms and took him away.

"What…, what is happening, Ahhhhhhh," the man did not understand why he was being dragged away by the guards. His disappearing screams from far away could also be heard.

Meanwhile, the crowd that had gathered around,

The crowd:"..."

"What just happened?"

"I don't know."

"Was the man dragged away just like that?"

"Where's the fight that was supposed to happen?"

"Was there a fight going to happen?"

"I don't know."

"Why did I not think of this when I was beaten yesterday? They even dragged me in the whole shop, even in front of the guards, and the guards stood there like nothing was happening."

"Then you deserved it,"

"Yeah,"

The crowd could not understand what had just happened. The incident was resolved just like that?

Meanwhile,

"The man was dragged away?!" The supposed initiator stood there as if he had seen a ghost or something.

"No, maybe, they went to restore his broken marriage and prepare an arena for their fight. Hahaha, the broken marriage, the revenge of his master, the revenge of his seven ancestors, hahahaha," the man standing next to the supposed initiator could not control his laugh after seeing the situation: thus, he said satirically² to the supposed initiator.


*****/***** 

1-A catch to (something): A problem, drawback, or hidden detriment to an idea or situation, often one that is initially concealed as a means of entrapment

2-Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices.