You Clodhoppers! . . .
To behold a divine dan of such unparalleled rarity, a creation that resided solely in the realm of myths, was a privilege so extraordinary that even individuals hailing from the Human Realm Upon Heavens might never encounter. Yet here it was, in the possession of a man whose strength was as insignificant as an ant's, and he handled it so carelessly, stating that it held little value!
[What is going on?]
[What is the meaning of this?]
The three of them were completely flabbergasted, their thoughts mired in bewilderment.
It felt as though Feng Monarch, who was clearly from the Human Realm Upon Heavens, was treating them, the locals, as unenlightened and uninformed bumpkins.
The disdain in Feng Monarch's expression was unmistakable, and he made no effort to conceal it.
Ling Wuxie bit his lower lip, attempting to reason with Cha Eun Xiao. "Brother Feng... These are Heaven Seizing Supreme Dan beads..."
"Of course, I know," Feng Monarch retorted, rolling his eyes with an air of condescension. "I'm not daft. I crafted them myself. Do you truly believe I'm oblivious to their nature?"
In essence, he was conveying, "Why would you even ask such a foolish question? Are you underestimating my intelligence?"
Ling Wuxie felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.
[Well, this is embarrassing.]
"Well, these are Heaven Seizing Supreme Dan beads," Ling Wuxie continued hesitantly. "What I mean to say is that they are exceedingly rare. To you, they might be mundane, but in this realm, they are considered priceless treasures."
Feng Monarch harrumphed. "Yes, they are Heaven Seizing Supreme Dan beads. So what? Before I successfully crafted them, they were an elusive myth to me. Now that I've succeeded, they're just dan beads to me, nothing more!"
He then gazed at them, his incredulity plain. "I find it incredibly difficult to converse with individuals such as yourselves, who lack the appropriate perspective. Supreme Dan may be a rarity to you, but for me, it is commonplace. When I've got someone I wish to torment but not kill, I administer Supreme Dan. I typically feed it to the person as they teeter on the brink of death, only to revive them and continue the torture. I usually do this over a dozen times until I'm sufficiently satisfied."
"That's perfectly normal," he added with a shrug. "Must you regard it as a precious treasure?"
Ling Wuxie felt a profound sense of self-loathing. His head hung low, his countenance dark and tormented.
In essence, he had just been ridiculed by a native, an individual who resided in a lower realm. He had been forced to acknowledge his own ignorance.
[But the reality is, he's right. I am behaving like an ignorant fool. How can I refute that?]
[Why, in the world, did I have to encounter such a bizarre individual?]
[He uses Supreme Dan for an interrogation... repeating it over a dozen times until he grows bored...]
[My goodness, it feels as though I've been had.]
Wan-Er and Xiu-Er remained silent.
Their faces were shadowed, and they held the dan beads in their hands. With great care, they produced two exquisite small bottles and carefully placed the dan beads inside.
They avoided any further conversation with Feng Monarch. Indeed, what more could they say?
They had already been subjected to their fair share of astonishment.
What else was left to discuss? Feng Monarch had treated them as if they were uneducated yokels, and he was unequivocal about it.
The two women felt humiliated, yet they handled the situation with much more grace than Lord Ling. He had a personality capable of enduring such an affront.
"The bottles are truly exquisite," Feng Monarch complimented them. "They must be worth a small fortune."
[What did he say? He finds the bottles beautiful and valuable?]
"The ancient tale of someone acquiring the casket and returning the pearl is indeed quite amusing. Feng Monarch is currently providing a vivid illustration of such behavior. He's acting so foolishly at a moment when we should be the ones embarrassed! This is a golden opportunity to strike back!" they thought in unison.
"Clodhopper! Country bumpkin!" The three of them chimed in simultaneously.
Finally, they had a chance to express their exasperation.
[Ha! Now it's our turn!]
[The wheel of fortune keeps on turning, and it's on my side now!]
Ling Wuxie's shout was the most resounding of all.
[No matter how attractive those bottles may be, they are still just bottles! They can never be more valuable than what they contain inside!]
[You actually said something so unenlightened and absurd! You're the real country bumpkin here! This is a perfect opportunity to vent my frustration!]
Cha Eun Xiao felt embarrassed.
[Karma really acts swiftly. In just a matter of seconds, it's their turn to mock me.]
"I don't want to pass judgment, but... Feng Monarch," Xiu of the Heavens felt deep sympathy for the dan beads. "You're clearly quite skilled in crafting dan beads, that's undeniable. But you could have at least prepared some bottles for them. How could you... oh my goodness..."
She was at a loss for words.
She couldn't find the right words for this uninformed individual.
"Some bottles?" The next words out of Feng Monarch's mouth had a sharp edge. "Lady Xiu-Er, it's always easier to speak. Do you have any idea how much a bottle costs? Do you know how much effort goes into making a bottle? Do you know that I'm completely short on funds? I even need to borrow money for food! You want me to provide bottles for you? For fifty dan beads, I'd need to supply twenty-five bottles! Those who are well-fed have no knowledge of the bitterness of misfortune... it's easier said than done!"
All three of them were left speechless.
[This man's reasoning is truly incoherent, nonsensical, and, dare I say it, conscienceless!]
[You're the owner of the wealthiest individual in the world! Just imagine how much wealth you possess! Nobody else even comes close! How can you possibly claim to be penniless in this context!]
[That's nothing but a brazen lie escaping from your dishonest lips!]
[I'm running out of ways to hold you in contempt!]
"You're taking it too far, Feng Monarch. It's common knowledge that you're the wealthiest person in the world. There's no one in the Land of Han-Yang who can match your wealth. Being excessively modest just makes you appear hypocritical!" Wan-Er smiled and expressed her thoughts. She could no longer contain herself.
"Goodness gracious! Then where's my money? I'm truly out of funds now..."
He incessantly emphasized the word 'money'. With a groan, he continued, "I don't know if you're putting on an act or not. People have placed a substantial bounty on my head... How can I endure such disgrace? I must settle the score with them, right? I have to! What's the best way to do that? An eye for an eye! That's why we issued a reward warrant too! We want the lives of those who wished for my demise..."