Chapter 50: Selling the Beast Eggs
Confrontation at the Shop
Mu Feng browsed the shop shelves and gestured toward a rack.
"Bring me some tiger bone grass," he instructed.
The shop attendant retrieved a wooden box containing three stalks of yellow-spotted herbs and handed it to him. Just as he was about to finalize the purchase, three figures strode through the door. Among them, a young man with an air of arrogance demanded loudly:
"Three bundles of tiger bone grass for me."
The attendant, recognizing the newcomer, immediately bowed.
"Apologies, Young Master Wang. The last bundle has already been sold to this gentleman."
Wang Yue, a youth of about seventeen or eighteen, with sharp triangular eyes and an upturned nose, glanced at Mu Feng. His tone was domineering.
"Kid, I'll pay you extra. Hand over the tiger bone grass."
Mu Feng gave him a sideways glance, his voice steady.
"I need it as well. It's not for sale."
Wang Yue's expression darkened.
"Do you even know who I am?"
"I don't care who you are. First come, first served," Mu Feng retorted, calm but firm.
The attendant, now visibly uneasy, whispered to Mu Feng,
"Sir, this is Young Master Wang from the Wang family. Perhaps you could wait for the next shipment. We'll reserve it for you at a discount."
Mu Feng scoffed.
"So this is how Wanbao Pavilion operates—favoring the influential over fairness? Fine. Keep it."
He shoved the box back to the attendant, his contempt clear. Turning to leave, he casually stored his other purchases, including the beast eggs and beast cores, into his storage ring.
A Change of Heart
Wang Yue smirked, satisfied with his perceived victory.
"Serves you right, peasant."
Before Mu Feng could exit, a portly middle-aged man in blue robes appeared, his voice loud and commanding.
"Hold it!"
The man, clearly the store manager, sized up the situation. Noticing the storage ring Mu Feng used, his demeanor shifted instantly. He approached Mu Feng with a courteous bow.
"Sir, might I inquire—are you looking to sell those beast eggs?"
Mu Feng paused, his tone laced with disdain.
"Why should I? You've already shown me the value of this establishment's service."
Realizing his blunder, the manager quickly rectified the situation.
"Apologies for the misunderstanding. Return the tiger bone grass to this gentleman, immediately."
The attendant obeyed, offering the box back to Mu Feng, but the young man's cold demeanor hadn't softened.
"I'll consider selling—if the price is right," he said, setting the beast eggs on the counter.
The manager examined the eggs closely, his hands trembling as he identified the contents.
"These are Condensed Python-Wyvern eggs! Rare indeed."
"How much?" Mu Feng's tone was clipped.
"We'll offer 5,000 gold coins per egg," the manager proposed.
Before Mu Feng could respond, the manager hastily upped the offer to 6,000 coins upon seeing the youth's disinterest.
Closing the Deal
Mu Feng nodded, allowing the sale.
"Include the three beast cores. What's your offer?"
The manager appraised the cores.
"They're basic purple-tier cores. We'll offer 1,000 coins each."
"Fine," Mu Feng agreed. "Deduct the cost of the tiger bone grass, five bundles of beast hide parchment, and a vial of essence ink."
The manager instructed the staff to retrieve the items—specialized tools for crafting sigils or glyphs.
"You're a sigil artist?" the manager asked, intrigued.
Mu Feng didn't reply, merely accepting the items.
Finalizing the Sale
After settling the account, the manager handed Mu Feng his balance of 12,000 gold coins via a golden card. Satisfied, Mu Feng turned to leave.
Trouble Brewing
Seated nearby, Wang Yue glared daggers at Mu Feng, his interest piqued by the value of the beast eggs. He whispered to his companions,
"Follow him. That brat won't leave this city with all that wealth."
Mu Feng, ever vigilant, was already aware of their intent. His lips curled into a smirk as he disappeared into the bustling streets of An Nan City.
"Let them come," he thought, his eyes glinting with anticipation.