Stay where no one is

Yang Kai found himself at a loss for how to deal with Hu Mei'er's incessant and vexing behavior. He decided to ignore her, and Hu Mei'er, perceiving his coldness, dared not press further, merely following him like a shadow.

Guided by the sense of his Yang Source Seal, Yang Kai walked for a while before stopping in front of a stall.

Upon a quick glance, Yang Kai's eyes lit up. He discovered that the items at this stall were quite impressive and largely to his taste.

The small, round stones, each roughly the size of a baby's fist, emitted a rich, fiery yang energy, much stronger than what he had seen at the previous stall, though they were smaller in size.

The price should not be higher than the previous stall, right? Yang Kai hesitated, but the vendor greeted him warmly: "Young man, what are you interested in? My goods are of high quality and reasonably priced. Don't miss out, whether for personal use or resale, it's a profitable deal."

Reluctantly, Yang Kai inquired, "How much for these stones?"

The vendor looked down, smiling. "You're referring to the Yang Flame Stones? Not expensive, five hundred taels each!"

Yang Kai's face darkened. Although he knew the price was reasonable, he still shook his head. "That's a bit steep."

He barely had five hundred taels to his name.

The vendor shook his head with a smile. "Young man, you jest. My prices are clearly marked and fair. Go check other stalls, and you'll see how reasonable mine are."

What the vendor said was true. Yang Kai had been exploring prices along the way and knew that this vendor's prices were not excessive. However, haggling was part of the process.

Reluctantly, Yang Kai engaged in a battle of words with the vendor to seek a better deal. The vendor, however, continued to shake his head, and eventually, in frustration, he said, "Young man, these goods are not mine. I'm selling them for the guild. I can't lower the price; otherwise, I'd have to cover the loss myself. Please don't make things difficult for me."

"The guild?" Yang Kai was taken aback and glanced at Hu Mei'er standing nearby.

There was only one guild around here: the Blood Battle Guild!

Hu Mei'er smiled sweetly. "Yes, this stall belongs to my family. Do you like these stones?"

Yang Kai nodded.

"Promise me one thing, and all these stones are yours!" Hu Mei'er's eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Miss…" The vendor's expression changed drastically. Losing this batch of goods would spell trouble for him.

"It's alright, I'll speak to my father about it," Hu Mei'er reassured him. The vendor, upon hearing this, fell silent.

"Well? Just agree to one condition, and the stones are yours," Hu Mei'er said with a twinkle in her eye. "It's a simple matter for men like you."

"Don't even think about it!" Yang Kai refused outright. He knew well enough what Hu Mei'er was after.

"You…" Hu Mei'er glared at Yang Kai, her eyes almost burning with fury.

In truth, her interest in Yang Kai was not particularly strong. It was just that his resistance to her previous advances had frustrated her, and she had even suffered a small setback.

No man could resist her beauty! Hu Mei'er was convinced of this, and she was determined to make Yang Kai yield. Once he did, she would withdraw and enjoy watching his predicament.

If Hu Mei'er wanted a man, she could easily have one with a mere gesture. Her coquettish behavior was just a façade to deceive outsiders.

She was resolved to conquer him! Hu Mei'er's determination hardened.

With a sly glint in her eyes, she told the vendor, "Sell it to him at a lower price!"

The vendor looked distressed. "Is that really appropriate?"

"I said, lower the price!" Hu Mei'er's smile turned frosty.

The vendor was about to agree when Yang Kai waved his hand. "No need. I'll pay five hundred taels."

Buying it at five hundred taels would mean no profit but also no loss—just the market price.

While speaking, he took out the bottle of Rejuvenation Pills and said, "Can I exchange these for it?"

The market did allow bartering, and finished pills were generally accepted.

"Sure," the vendor nodded.

"This bottle of Rejuvenation Pills contains ten pills, worth about five hundred taels. Count them," Yang Kai handed the pills over and picked up a Yang Flame Stone from the stall.

As soon as he held the stone, Yang Kai felt a surge of yang energy and was pleased, knowing he had made the right decision.

Hu Mei'er's anger was palpable. Yang Kai's actions clearly indicated he did not wish to owe her any favors, rendering her earlier gestures futile.

The vendor, understanding the situation, realized Hu Mei'er was likely trying to curry favor with Yang Kai. Though the transaction was fair, the vendor sensed Hu Mei'er's displeasure and, after some thought, picked up a small item from the stall. "Young man, if you don't mind, take this seed as a gift. It's not worth much."

"What seed?" Yang Kai took it, sensing a faint trace of yang energy.

"It's a seed for the Sun Fruit Tree. We discovered it while mining the Yang Flame Stones. The fruit it bears is a low-grade earth-level spiritual fruit, though it takes a long time to mature," the vendor explained.

Yang Kai was bemused. What use would a single seed be? It would take years to bear fruit. However, recognizing the vendor's good intentions, he accepted it without much fuss.

"Thank you," Yang Kai said as he put the seed and the Yang Flame Stone into his possession.

Having used up the Rejuvenation Pills, Yang Kai was no longer inclined to linger. He searched for Su Mu and the others but could not find them, so he headed towards the Blackwind Forest alone.

Hu Mei'er stubbornly followed him, her irritation evident on her face.

He needed to find a way to lose her. If she followed him to Lingxiao Pavilion, others might judge him harshly, given her poor reputation.

Considering his options, Yang Kai suddenly deviated from the main path, venturing deeper into the Blackwind Forest. He occasionally glanced back, giving Hu Mei'er a cold, mocking smile that implied a threat, as if saying that if she dared to follow, he would deal with her ruthlessly.

Hu Mei'er was unnerved by his smile. Seeing him enter the dense forest, she hesitated. She did not know Yang Kai well, and if something went awry, it could be dangerous. She had witnessed his strength and knew she was no match for him. If he turned violent, she might end up severely injured.

After a moment's hesitation, Hu Mei'er stamped her foot and followed him into the forest, convinced that Yang Kai was merely trying to intimidate her.

Seeing Hu Mei'er follow, Yang Kai's frustration mounted. His plan was to scare her off, but her courage thwarted his intentions. Anger surged within him, and he resolved that once they were in a secluded area, he would teach her a lesson she would not forget.