C8 Arrogant Wang Fei

"Mother, I'm stepping out for a bit!" Xiao Yu escorted Lin Yurou back to her home and then departed from the Lin Family.

He was tempted to confront Lin Yurou about any secrets she might be keeping, but he sensed that probing would yield no results. If Lin Yurou had been willing to share, she wouldn't have kept him in the dark for so long.

"Three months later, at the Imperial City Martial Academy?" Xiao Yu recalled Lin Xuehan's words, finding the situation bitterly ironic. With his vast knowledge, the Imperial City Martial Academy, let alone a power a hundred times greater, wasn't even fit to offer him their services.

He had once treated her with genuine kindness, sharing a powerful technique with Lin Xuehan after regaining fragments of his memory, which contributed to her current talent and strength. Yet, Lin Xuehan's only ambition was to marry into the Wang Family and secure a position within the Imperial City Martial Academy, completely disregarding his well-being. Despite having lived for tens of thousands of years in his past life and seeing through the world's insincerity, Xiao Yu still felt a profound chill.

"Three months from now? Heh, I hope they won't regret their actions today!"

Three months was ample time for Xiao Yu to significantly enhance his strength. By then, the fate of the Lin Family—whether they rise or fall—could very well depend on his whims.

To think that the Lin Family would forsake him, a Ninth Heaven Sovereign, for the mere Imperial City Martial Academy. It was anyone's guess how they would feel when the time came.

Upon reaching the city, Xiao Yu entered Tianming Pavilion once again.

"Hello, how may I assist you?"

It was evident that Tianming Pavilion, as one of the most influential entities in Giant Stone City, employed individuals of the highest caliber. As soon as Xiao Yu walked in, a servant greeted him with a welcoming smile.

"I've come to sell a Talisman." Xiao Yu presented one of the Talismans he had crafted and handed it over to the attendant.

To continue his cultivation, he needed additional resources to quell the dark energy within him. Exchanging these Talismans for crystal stones was the first step.

"Of course, please allow me to examine the Talisman," the attendant said, accepting the item. Tianming Pavilion often had visitors looking to sell Talismans, so he didn't give it a second thought.

Upon receiving Xiao Yu's Talisman, the attendant furrowed his brow. He had spent a considerable amount of time at Tianming Pavilion, yet he couldn't identify the Talisman in his hand.

"Excuse me, what kind of Talisman is this?" The attendant asked politely, though skepticism tinged his voice.

"This is a Spirit-gathering Talisman. Once activated, it allows the user to harness the power of heaven and earth at tenfold speed," Xiao Yu found himself explaining.

The Spirit-gathering Talisman was among the Talismans that had been lost to time. Nowadays, few could recognize it, so the attendant's unfamiliarity was unsurprising.

"What? This is the long-lost Spirit-gathering Talisman?" The attendant's eyes widened in astonishment.

Talismans were categorized into nine grades, each with three sub-grades: lower, middle, and upper. The first grade was the lowest, and the ninth was the highest.

Take Qin Yuxuan's Spirit-drawing Talisman, for example. Although it was a relic of the past, it was merely a middle-tier Grade One Talisman. Xiao Yu's Spirit-gathering Talisman, on the other hand, was an upper-tier Grade One.

Despite being a Grade One Talisman, its value far surpassed that of ordinary Talismans.

Talismans became lost because some were incredibly challenging to inscribe, not something just anyone could do. Over time, such Talismans would vanish into the annals of history.

Moreover, despite being a Grade One Talisman, its effect was nothing short of miraculous. Consider the prospect of accelerating one's cultivation speed by tenfold—who wouldn't desire such a thing?

Furthermore, these lost Talismans held even greater value for study. Through them, it might be possible to recreate other lost Talismans.

The Talisman Dao, though complex, followed consistent principles. Lost Talismans like this one were of immense research value, coveted by even the most formidable Talisman Masters of the present day.

"Eh? You, the cripple who was beaten to within an inch of your life, have recovered so swiftly and even made your way to Tianming Pavilion!"

A familiar voice reached Xiao Yu's ears. He turned to look and couldn't suppress a cold smirk.

The newcomer was a youth of similar age to Xiao Yu, likely seventeen or eighteen, with an air of arrogance about him and a mocking smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Xiao Yu recognized him immediately; it was none other than Wang Fei, the young master of the Wang Family. Xiao Yu hadn't expected to run into him here of all places!

"I heard the Lin Family sent you packing to the Outer Mansion. Hehe, Uncle Lin really knows how to handle his business. But here you are, wandering around freely. Looks like I'll have to have a word with him about tightening the reins on his household staff," Wang Fei said to Xiao Yu, looking down his nose at him.

His words dripped with sarcasm and ridicule, implying that Xiao Yu was nothing more than a servant of the Xiao Family, someone who could be disciplined at will, regardless of his ties to the Lin Family.

"Lin Family? Servant?" The attendant nearby furrowed his brow upon hearing Wang Fei's words.

In the city, the Lin Family was considered a second-tier clan, nowhere near the stature of the three great families, and certainly not in the same league as a powerhouse like Tianming Pavilion.

If Xiao Yu was indeed a servant from the Lin Family, the authenticity of the Talisman he presented was questionable.

Could a servant from a second-tier family really possess such a long-lost and valuable Talisman?

It wasn't unheard of for individuals to come to Tianming Pavilion with rare Talismans, attempting to deceive and bluff their way through. Though they often faced dire consequences once uncovered, the lure of crystal stones tempted some to take the risk.

"Little brother, this man is just a servant from the Lin Family, a worthless one without any cultivation at that. How could someone like him have access to a long-lost Talisman? Be cautious, don't be duped. Otherwise, if the higher-ups find out... Hehe..."

Wang Fei, having witnessed the earlier events, spoke to the attendant with a sly grin.

He might not know the origin of Xiao Yu's Talisman, but he was certain Xiao Yu couldn't possibly have a genuine long-lost Talisman.

As expected, the attendant began to waver.

Purchasing a counterfeit Talisman would have grave repercussions. It would be tantamount to tarnishing Tianming Pavilion's reputation. A business dealing in Talismans that couldn't discern a counterfeit would surely suffer a blow to its credibility.

Therefore, if one were to purchase a counterfeit talisman, the individual responsible for the sale would face severe punishment.

"Haha, this is laughable. Can't we simply test it to determine its authenticity? Surely, Tianming Pavilion isn't incapable of verifying a talisman's authenticity?"

Before Xiao Yu could respond, another voice joined the conversation. A portly teenager approached, flanked by several attendants, much like Wang Fei.

Upon seeing the plump youth, Wang Fei's expression soured, betraying his annoyance. "Ye Wenxuan, what are you implying?" he demanded.

"Nothing much, just stating the obvious. Can't Tianming Pavilion verify the talisman on their own? Why do we need an outsider here spouting off?" Ye Wenxuan, with his round face and chubby frame, wore a scornful expression.

Xiao Yu noted that Ye Wenxuan's background must be at least as influential as Wang Fei's, or he wouldn't dare to confront him so boldly.

It was clear that the two were acquainted and not on good terms. Ye Wenxuan was deliberately provoking Wang Fei, not trying to assist him.

"If you're so sure the talisman is genuine, why not wager on it? What do you say? Are you brave enough?" Wang Fei challenged, lifting his chin with a mocking sneer.

He couldn't fathom Xiao Yu possessing a talisman that had been lost to history and was convinced it was likely a fake.

"This..." Ye Wenxuan faltered, caught off guard.

He and Wang Fei had always been at odds, and his contrarian stance was more about opposing Wang Fei than anything else. Deep down, he too harbored doubts about the legitimacy of Xiao Yu's talisman.

After all, the likelihood of a servant from the Lin Family having access to such a talisman seemed slim.

As Ye Wenxuan searched for an excuse to decline, he caught sight of Xiao Yu's composed demeanor. Suddenly filled with an inexplicable confidence, he made up his mind and declared, "Fine, let's bet. What are your terms?"