Chapter 1030: Dragonprint Violet
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Spending money was easier than making it. Anyone with the slightest experience in society understood this.
Xia Fei had encountered just such a situation. After taking a stroll around Red Dwarf Star’s largest drug store, the Feng Zi Pharmacy, he had not only spent all two million pearls, he was even in debt by quite a large sum.
Xia Fei frowned as he stared at the palm-sized Dragonprint Violet hanging in the very center of the store.
Xia Fei had never been stingy when it came to warrior essentials like equipment and medicine. After getting those two million pearls from Tang Wannian, he had gone straight to the largest drug store in the area to buy the best and most valuable herbs.
In truth, the improvement offered by top-quality herbs over high-quality herbs was only 3%, but the price was several times higher. By buying only the best, Xia Fei naturally spent his money like water.
Those who had not studied pharmacology might feel that a 3% increase was not worth several times the price, but Xia Fei was keenly aware that 3% per herb would lead to an increase in level once all of the herbs were put together! Money could be saved anywhere else, but it could not be saved on equipment and medicine!
After paying off the two million pearls, all he had left were several hundred pearls in spare change, and this was because Boss Feng Zi had given him a discount out of respect for Xiang Beiyang. There was nothing to be done. Precious and rare herbs were grossly expensive whether one was in the Law Realm or the Alpha Universe. The change in environment had not changed this at all.
However, as he prepared to leave and was paying the bill, Xia Fei just happened to see the treasure of Feng Zi Pharmacy, the Dragonprint Violet!
The Dragonprint Violet was a single-leafed plant that grew very slowly. It took one hundred years to grow into a blade of gra.s.s, one thousand years to bloom, and ten thousand years to mature. On its single leaf was the image of a giant dragon from whence it obtained its name.
In the Law Realm, the Dragonprint Violet was a legendary plant that only a scant few people had seen before. In the Alpha Universe, while the Dragonprint Violet was not legendary, it was still a valuable herb, such that Feng Zi Pharmacy had delegated this palm-sized plant the treasure of the store.
Xia Fei had been transfixed by the Dragonprint Violet precisely because of its unique medicinal value. It could restore one’s vital energy and repair one’s mental energy, so it would naturally be extremely beneficial to his treatment.
“Boss Feng, can I take a closer look at this Dragonprint Violet?” asked Xia Fei.
Xia Fei had bought a large number of materials and was also accompanied by the ascendant Xiang Beiyang, so Feng Zi was happy to work with him. He hastily had someone take down the Dragonprint Violet and place it in front of Xia Fei, but the climate-controlled cover remained closed.
“Little Brother, you have excellent eyes! This Dragonrpint Violet is already mature. Look at the purple dragon image on its leaf. It’s like an actual dragon soaring to the heavens! It’s a rare ultimate-grade item! Little Brother, if you like it, Old Feng is welling to sell this Dragonprint Violet to you at cost. I bought it at three million pearls, and I can hand it to you for three million.”
Every potter praised their own pot, and those in business always spoke well about their goods. Boss Feng understood this principle, and when selling to Xia Fei, he did not call it selling, instead saying that he was handing it over.
Xia Fei smiled and nonchalantly said, “A mature Dragonprint Violet has four claws, like a hawk hunting a rabbit, but yours only has three claws, so it’s still at least fifteen hundred years off maturity. Plus, an ultimate-grade Dragonprint Violet will have an inky-green leaf, with the dragon being a dark reddish purple. Yours has yet to achieve these two points.
“If my guess is right, this plant must’ve grown in poor soil and didn’t receive enough sunlight, causing it to have these innate flaws. For it to grow into this is already quite difficult. Boss Feng, even if you raise it for another ten thousand years, it won’t be more than a middle-grade Dragonprint Violet.”
Xiang Beiyang and Feng Zi said unison, “A professional!” The two of them were full of admiration for Xia Fei’s casual evaluation and looked at him in a different light.
Xiang Beiyang once more made up his mind to form a good relations.h.i.+p with Xia Fei. Right after the scene at the weapon exhibit, Xia Fei had once more displayed his prodigious insight, winning him over entirely. How could Xia Fei have such experience and insight if he was not from a major clan?
In truth, Boss Xiang was right. Xia Fei was from the Alpha Universe’s Aurora Clan. It was just that Xia Fei did not even know which way the door to the Aurora Clan’s house opened.
Feng Zi was rather embarra.s.sed after being exposed. “I didn’t think that Brother Xia Fei would possess such insight at such a young age. This old Feng truly admires you, so I won’t try to hide it. I inherited this Dragonprint Violet from my grandfather, and he bought this flower for 1.5 million pearls. Today, since I was so fortunate to have met you, I am willing to part with it for 1.5 million as well.”
Feng Zi then went on about inflation, as if implying that he was still eating a big loss by selling the Dragonprint Violet for 1.5 million. Xia Fei did some mental calculations and found that while Feng Zi was still making a profit on this price, it was not by much. It was a reasonable price.
Alas, Xia Fei did not have this much money, so he had to bid farewell.
Xiang Beiyang immediately had an idea and came forward. “Brother Xia, since you’ve taken a liking to this Dragonprint Violet, I’ll buy it and give it to you as a gift. Feng Zi, wrap this Dragonprint Violet up for me! You can settle the bill with my accountant!”
Feng Zi was elated to make the deal, and he hastily wrapped up the Dragonprint Violet with the rest of the herbs that Xia Fei had just purchased. Xia Fei frowned. He did need the Dragonprint Violet, but he did not want to owe Xiang Beiyang a favor.
At this moment, Radix suddenly said, “Since he’s willing to pay for you, just take it. It’s no big deal. Just return the money when you have the chance, and if it’s really no good, just find a reason to exterminate the Xiang name and make a clean break of it.”
Radix made a chopping motion with his hand.
Xia Fei was truly speechless. Radix had changed. Originally, whenever Xia Fei killed, Radix would go on lengthy tirades about how this did not match the style of the Aurora Clan.
Now, Radix had become a ruthless character! His first suggestion was to kill and clean up, his ruthlessness on par with Xia Fei’s.
“What are you looking at me for? You’re the one who taught me that one can’t subsist on style and grace. You don’t wish to owe Xiang Beiyang a favor, and you also want the Dragonprint Violet, so won’t killing him solve everything?” Radix spread apart his hands as he asked nonchalantly.
…
“Li Jun, this is the room you gave my good brother?!” Not only did Xiang Beiyang gift Xia Fei a 1.5-million Dragonprint Violet, he even accompanied him back to the inn, but when he saw the room Manager Li had given Xia Fei, he exploded.
Two days ago, Xiang Beiyang would not have cared about Xia Fei’s situation, but now, Xia Fei was someone that Xiang Beiyang ardently wanted to get close to, even gifting him the Dragonprint Violet. Hence, when he found out that Manager Li had given Xia Fei a bas.e.m.e.nt room, fire was lit up in his heart.
“Li Jun, get out here right now!” Xiang Beiyang rolled up his sleeves and angrily charged up to the counter.
Xia Fei lit a cigarette and commented, “Xiang Beiyang crawled up from the bottom of society, so while he’s wealthy, his personality is still much worse than the true upper-cla.s.s merchants. This is probably the reason Tang Wannian and Tai Ning are unwilling to deepen their relations.h.i.+p with him.”
Radix nodded. “As the saying goes, ‘only three generations of wealth can produce a true gentleman’. When you get to the Aurora Clan, you’ll find out what a true gentleman is like.”
Xia Fei did not really care. He hated sanctimonious people the most. A real man showed happiness at debts of grat.i.tude and would seek revenge over the smallest of slights! Xia Fei was not someone who would intentionally suppress the flames of rage. A person like Boss Xiang who was both slippery and coa.r.s.e was more Xia Fei’s style.
*Pa! Pa! Pa!*
Xiang Beiyang called Manager Li over and immediately slapped him three times before kicking him out the door, showing off the brutish att.i.tude he used to have back when he was on the streets.
After doing this, Xiang Beiyang ordered someone to open up the best room in the inn before he continued acting subservient to Xia Fei, even flas.h.i.+ng him a smile.
Xia Fei sighed. “Brother Xiang, I’ll accompany you to Tai Ning’s gathering tonight.
Xiang Beiyang was startled, and then he grinned. Why had Xiang Beiyang been working so hard today? Was it not exactly so that Xia Fei would come with him to the Tai mansion? Putting aside Tang Wannian, Tai Ning refused to accept Xiang Beiyang, but he was very respectful to Xia Fei. Since Xia Fei was willing to go to the Tai mansion, Xiang Beiyang had not spent that 1.5 million for nothing. With a few good words from him, Boss Xiang would finally be able to enter the upper cla.s.s of Red Dwarf Star’s businessmen, which no amount of money could buy.
Xiang Beiyang profusely thanked him before leaving. Radix chuckled and said, “This person has some ability, possessing both audacity and brains. It won’t do to be all alone in the Alpha Universe, so why don’t you let Xiang Beiyang follow you and be your lackey?”
Xia Fei shook his head. “I don’t value audacity or shrewdness. I value loyalty far more.”
…
Xia Fei was right. Loyalty was truly a rare attribute. Someone who was not loyal enough, even if they were extremely capable, would not be employed by Xia Fei.
The Law Realm, Dark s.p.a.ce.
A golden demon chrysalis fiercely slammed into an impa.s.sable energy seal, again and again, letting out howls of rage and sorrow. It was none other than Little Goldie.
“Has Little Goldie been like this the entire time?” Xia Gucheng frowned.
Xia Guanghai pursed his lips. “Precisely. On the day Xia Fei was sealed outside the Cosmic Gate, I worried that Little Goldie would be overcome by sorrow, so I went into dark s.p.a.ce to look for him. It was like this when I found it.
Xia Gucheng was startled, and he turned to that vast web of energy and said, “Does Little Goldie battering at the energy seal here mean that if he can break the seal, he can reach Xia Fei’s location?”
“Very possible! Demon chrysalises are intelligent, so it’s very normal for Little Goldie to be able to sense Xia Fei’s energy,” Hosu replied. His body had once more turned into dust, and he was back to being a soul. Only the Founders who had unlocked their Soul Marks could see him.
However, Hosu had gotten lucky this time, because he still had his Overcast Wind Mace. With the help of a powerful expert like Xia Gucheng, rebuilding his body would be much easier.
“That’s no good. The Law Realm is heavily wounded, and if Little Goldie opens up a path outside through dark s.p.a.ce and the enemy finds it, we may be in for another grim battle,” Xia Gucheng solemnly said, “Guanghai, go and persuade Little Goldie to stop ramming. If he really busts through the seal, no one will benefit.”
Xia Guanghai bitterly smiled as he shook his head. “It’s not like I haven’t tried. Little Goldie just ignores me.”
As everyone was at their wits’ end, Oro’s eyes suddenly brightened. “I have an idea. We can have Avril try. After all, this demon chrysalis is intelligent, and Avril is the person closest to Xia Fei. I’m sure that Little Goldie will listen to her. Even that wicked Furball is very obedient to Avril.”
“I suppose that’s our only option.” Everyone sighed.
While Xia Fei was worried that Xiang Beiyang was not loyal enough, the rather silly Little Goldie was too loyal, and its desperate search for Xia Fei seemed to be a problem.