"Wenshin Jewelry Shop... So they sell rare ores here as well?" Huo Yuhao asked lowly as he looked up at the shop's sign before him.
After their conversation in the Snowflake Tavern, he and Tang Ya went on to a remote village in the Heavenly Soul Empire, just a few hundred miles from the former Heaven Dou capital city.
Finally after so many months in the frigid snow, although the cold didn't bother him, it was still wonderful to feel the warm sun shining on his body. He had been in the cold snow for so long that his body was incredibly pale white, as if he hadn't seen sunlight in ages.
Tang Ya nodded. "Yes, the Wenshin Jewelry Shop is known for its exquisite collection of rare ores and gemstones. They have everything from Radiant Ice Crystals to Starfall Stones. It's a treasure trove for soul engineers..." a complicated expression flashed in her eyes.
"They were also one of our sects former supplier of materials for our hidden weapons."
Huo Yuhao turned to her inquisitively. "You say former... Did something happened between the sect and this jewelry shop? Or did you simply just stopped having business with each other?"
Tang Ya let out a sigh, looking at the shop sign. "The latter mostly. Tang Sect... had severely declined to the point that it only had my parents and I left. And although we haven't sold any hidden weapons for... centuries now. The amount of money we gathered up was still enough to make us live luxurious for five generations even if we donate most of it to charity."
She closed her eyes. "Unfortunately however, it was all taken because of–"
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait!" Huo Yuhao hurriedly cut her off, palm on his face in disbelief. "Did you just say... that you guys kept donating it to some charity despite the sect being on the decline?"
"I mean, it's per the will of the ancestor Tang San..."
"Uh–huh. No." Huo Yuhao shook his head and said. "As the new sect master of the Akatsuki, all deposits to any kind of charity are to be postponed until we're loaded. We're a sect, not a charity organization. Our main goal is to develop and strengthen our sect, not give away all our resources."
Tang Ya pouted, kicking up the ground. "I didn't keep donating after I inherited the sect master position..."
"That's because you became broke."
Tang Ya flinched.
Huo Yuhao sighed. "Let's just get in and buy some materials that I need."
"Oh yeah. Why do you need materials? I've got some with me and a lot of hidden weapons." Tang Ya raised her left hand, showing a jade bracelet; one of the storage devices she has.
A space-type soul tool is an incredibly rare type of soul tool but Tang Sect had monopolized the hidden weapon market for thousands of years, and had of course done some research on soul tools. So they bought all kinds of materials, ancient soul tools, blueprints of ancient soul tools and many more.
With its ten thousand years of history, though most of its treasury were stolen, Tang Ya still managed to hold onto the most precious treasures of Tang Sect with the help of Bei Bei, Shrek Academy and the knowledge she succeeded as the former new sect master.
It was unfortunate that no one in the last thousands of years have managed to recreate the top three hidden weapons of Tang Sect and hid it in some secret vault. If she had it...
Huo Yuhao shook his head at her question and replied through Spiritual Sharing, "I'm planning on creating a weapon, probably the most finest I'll create in the next few years."
Tang Ya stared at him questioningly.
"I'm planning on creating a powerful soul tool with a soul bone as the main component." Huo Yuhao finally shared and went into the shop, missing the shocked wide eyed of Tang Ya.
"What?!"
The shop's door let out a pleasant bell ring as Huo Yuhao opened it up to find a stunned middle aged man with a boorish beard standing behind the counter. The man quickly recovered from his surprise and smiled warmly at Huo Yuhao.
"Welcome! I'm the shop owner, Wenshin Zhan. Is there anything in particular that you're looking for today?" he asked.
Huo Yuhao glanced at the man and then at the displays of gemstones and ores that adorned the walls and shelves of the shop. "I'm looking for some rare ores and gems, specifically ones that can channel soul power and spiritual power with the affinity towards either ice or snow."
"Oho. Such specific requirements, young sir," the man said, rubbing his hands together. "There's not many people looking for ores and gemstones that can easily conduct soul power or the very rare spiritual power unless... one is a soul engineer."
'He's careful in asking whether I'm a soul engineer. Well that's not a surprise, I look quite young to be a soul engineer after all. It usually takes someone years of studying soul engineer, at the very least, they would look twenty years old.'
This was the first time the man or anyone in this region ever seen a young soul engineer, especially one as a unofficial rank 4 soul engineer!
'But my status as a soul engineer right now isn't important. It's sad but I'm broke as fuck. I'm hoping that this shop still values its previous relationship with Tang Sect and would give out a discount. If not...' Huo Yuhao's eyes momentarily flashed a cold glint.
"U-Um, excuse me!" Tang Ya finally entered the shop, looking a bit shy and nervous. "Hehe. Yuhao, don't just leave me behind like that!"
She quickly walked up behind him and whispered, "Especially after dropping that kind of bombshell on me! I want answers later on."
"This is..." The shop owner looked at her in surprise for a moment and a look of recognition flashed across his eyes.
"Ah, hello shop owner. Do you think you can offer us any of the lotus special?" Tang Ya said, smiling. She raised her right hand into a sign for a moment.
The shop owner looked at her and Huo Yuhao, the atmosphere turning tensed for a brief moment.
Until it was all washed away when a warm smile spread across the shop owner's face.
"Ah, Miss Tang Ya! It's been a while, hasn't it?" The shop owner exclaimed, his surprise clearly evident. "Lotus special, you say? Of course, of course! We have some in stock. We have them in the back, please, follow me."
Tang Ya chuckled. "It's good to see you as well, Mr. Wenshin. Lead the way, please." Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya followed the shop owner to the back of the shop, where he opened a door to reveal a room filled with shelves of rare ores and gems.
"These are some of our finest lotus specials," Wenshin Zhan said, gesturing to the shelves. "Take your time and choose the ones that suit your needs."
Huo Yuhao nodded, his eyes scanning the shelves. He recognized some of the ores and gems that he needed for his soul tool, but there were also some that he had never seen before.
He inwardly nodded and began to mentally communicate with Tang Ya. "Teacher Ya, don't overreact but... we're being surrounded."
Tang Ya's eyes widened but she quickly managed to maintain her composure. Looking at the shop owner, who seemed to be looking outside, she walked up beside Huo Yuhao and whisperingly asked.
"Surrounded? By who? Do you think..."
"Earlier I saw the shop owner pressed some kind of button under the counter, and you know how great my eyesight is." Huo Yuhao casually picked up an apple-sized Iron Meteorite, looking like he didn't notice the dozen people coming into the shop with intimidating auras.
'That was a fast reaction. Is this a regular occurrence? But thankfully that the strongest they have seems to be only a Soul Ancestor while most of them are regular people with only two soul elders and five soul grandmasters.'
Huo Yuhao pondered on the situation and guessed, 'Is the shop owner part of tbe Ironblood Sect now? The sect that had stole the Tang Sect headquarter in Heaven Dou City and killed Tang Ya's parents? Hm. That would certainly explain the fast response.'
He relayed his guess to Tang Ya.
Tang Ya gritted her teeth, popping a vein on her forehead. "This fucker...!"
Her eyes widened in realization. "Shit. Does that mean that most of Tang Sect's former associates have also..."
"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This might be a one–off... probably." Huo Yuhao said as his lips curled.
'These are all the soul masters they're sending in to fight us? Figures. They might've thought that with how young we look and Teacher Ya's martial soul, a Soul Ancestor and a couple Soul Elders should be enough to handle the two of us. Unfortunately for them however...'
An intense killing intent surged within his ocean blue eyes.
"Why are you so... carefree about this?" Tang Ya asked, not noticing the dangerous glint in Huo Yuhao's eyes. "They're surrounding us, we're going to get kidnapped or worse, killed! Oh right, what about your Sharingan? Can't you just, I don't know, put them in some kind of illusion?"
Huo Yuhao remained calm and softly chuckled. "Oh teacher Ya, do you honestly think they deserve our fear? They're just some small fry. If you want to accomplish your revenge, you have to display some confidence."
"Moreover," A wide smile spread across Huo Yuhao's face. "I'm excited. We needed some materials and fund money, don't we? Since they're probably part of the Ironblood Sect, we'll be draining some of their money. Killing two birds with one stone."
Tang Ya was stunned. Just as she was about to say something, the shop owner suddenly coughed out loud.
"Um, dear customers. I apologize but we will have to cut our discussion here," the shop owner said, his tone slightly strained. "It seems there has been a misunderstanding. There are some gentlemen here on official business, and I must attend to it. Please wait here for a moment while I handle the situation."
Huo Yuhao gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course, Mr. Wenshin. We'll wait patiently."
The shop owner nodded and quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.
As soon as he left, Huo Yuhao turned to Tang Ya with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Teacher Ya, it seems things are getting interesting. Shall we give them a warm welcome?"
Tang Ya blinked, slightly taken aback by Huo Yuhao's sudden change in demeanor. She could tell that he was no longer the same carefree and laid-back young man from before.
But there was a dark murderous intent in his eyes, a darkness that she had never seen before. It sent shivers down her spine, but at the same time, it ignited a fire in her heart.
She clenched her fists and nodded resolutely. "Let's show them what the Akatsuki can do."
Huo Yuhao grinned, his eyes shining with excitement. "Glad to have you on my side, Teacher Ya. Now, let's have some fun."
"We'll be coming towards them?" Tang Ya blinked.
Huo Yuhao laughed at seeing her confusion. "Teacher Ya, the one who makes the first move wins. That's a basic rule in combat. We show them that we aren't the ones trapped in here with them, but rather, they are the ones trapped in here with us. It's time to turn the tables."
Tang Ya nodded, determination firm in her eyes.
Huo Yuhao grinned.
With that, the two of them headed towards the shop where their would-be assailants are unknowingly waiting for their annihilation.
....
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