Chapter 124: This Young Master Is Interested In Hiring

Chapter 124: This Young Master Is Interested In Hiring

Thank you for your time, Granny Jiang, Chen Haoran said as he and Bao Si got up to leave. They hadnt learned much from her about Jiang Lei and Wang Xiao, but it was better than nothing.

Begone with you then, Granny Jiang said. Ive no interest in guests who dont stay for dinner.

Well. Ill visit again if Im ever in the area. Chen Haoran was out the door and shook his head in the negative when Xie Jin looked over.

Wait, Granny Jiang called after him. There was the sound of shifting bones, and when she came outside, she was holding a black bone dragon statue. Xie Jin and Bao Si both frowned when they saw it.

I thought you said you wouldnt give this to me? Chen Haoran said.

Granny Jiang huffed. I said I wouldnt sell it to you. I said nothing about giving it.

Chen Haoran was touched. The statue was honestly a minor thing, but receiving a gift was always nice. Thank you, he said as he reached to take it. I appreciate it.

Granny Jiang pulled the dragon statue away. What are you doing?

I can ask you the same thing, Chen Haoran said. Werent you giving it to me?

I never said anything about giving it to you. I said I wouldnt sell it. Now I am. She held out her hand. A hundred gold taels.

Chen Haoran laughed in disbelief. Thats extortion.

Granny Jiang glared at him with blind eyes. So its okay for you to extort a weak old woman like me but not the other way around, is it? Typical cultivator.

Chen Haoran shook his head but forked over a golden banknote anyway. Hed learned long ago that arguing with Granny Jiang was pointless. Plus, he wanted the statue. He cast his sense across it, and despite his hopes, it was indeed just a normal bone statue.

Dont think Im robbing you, Granny Jiang said. This statue is carved from a dragon skeleton. Its value is beyond compare.

This is a black bone. Xie Jin said, staring at Granny Jiang. Theres no dragon skeletons in the Basin.

Oh, is there not? Granny Jiang sounded as if she hadnt the faintest idea that was the case.

Well, appreciate doing business with you anyway, Chen Haoran said. He idly stretched his sense over Granny Jiang once last time. Doing it as a Liquid Meridian revealed just as much as when he was a Qi Realm. Mortal and nothing more than that. Take care of yourself.

Granny Jiang scoffed and shooed them away. I dont need you to tell me that.

As they walked away, Bao Si leaned in and started whispering. Shes strange.

How does a mortal get a black bone? We dont sell them, Xie Jin whispered back.

Chen Haoran held up the dragon statue and poked the Yellow Dragon.

What do you think? Ive been meaning to get this for you. Well, the bigger you.Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

The Yellow Dragon paused in its dancing to peer at the statue. Evidently, it didnt think much of what it saw because it growled and continued dancing.

Chanchu tiredly laughed. Its the price of doing business in the Empire. Little people like us just have to do our best to keep our heads down. He set his cup down. I dont think you visited today just to gossip, sir. How can the Ever Spring Pavilion help you today?

On the contrary. That gossip is what Im interested in the most. He took out a jade box and lifted a lid, savoring Chanchus wide-eyed shock when he recognized the Earth-Rank Meridian Cleansing Pill within it.

I wonder if you can tell me what the price of a human life is in the Empire?

Everlasting Hundred Blessings Charitable Prosperity

It was quite the mouthful. Gifting Power was much easier to say. Despite his desires, however, the burning golden words did not rearrange themselves into his clearly superior name.

Without the Gifting Power, Chen Haoran would be nothing. It was the only thing that let him stand apart in this world and the only thing that let him stand as a part of this world. Saying he was nothing without it wasnt perhaps accurate. Without the Gifting Power, he would be dead, plain and simple. It was his most important power and the one he knew the least about.

Who created it? What was its purpose? Where did it come from? When did he get it? Why did he have it? All were questions Chen Haoran didnt have answers to and perhaps never would. He dearly wished he did, though. If, in exchange, he never learned a single thing about the identity of his predecessor and instead learned even the basic rules of the Gifting Power, he would take that trade every time.

After hearing what Chen Haoran was looking for, Chanchu took the Earth-Rank pill and exchanged all the loose silver he had in his store upon Chen Haorans request and made up the difference with banknotes. He and Chen Haoran then stole away from the Ever Spring Pavilion after a short discussion.

Lacking any sort of instruction manual meant Chen Haoran had to figure out the specifics of his power on his own. Unfortunately, the nature of the Gifting Power didnt make studying it easy. He needed a Connection to Gift, and he needed an official relationship to Connect to. That wasnt too much of an issue on its own. The biggest one was trust. Attempting to explore the details of the Gifting Power to the fullest would risk exposing it to the person he Connected to. That in itself was also something he wanted to try, but without the right person, it was an unnecessary risk.

When he first woke up in this world, he didnt have much other choice when he Connected with Lan Fen. It had been the best of a bad situation. Phelps was admittedly a rush decision on his part, but it was one he didnt regret, and it wasnt like Spa Cavern offered him the opportunity to find a better Connection. Now that he had a spare Connection and comparatively less pressing circumstances, he could be much more selective. That had been the plan, at least. Time was pressing, and the future was unknown. Chen Haoran would rather have power in hand now. That meant he needed a Connection now. One where he could dump all his stuff for Rewards while also testing the Gifting Power without worry. Someone he could dispose of to free up the slot for a more worthy Connection in the future.

Chanchu led him to the Snake Kings Court of Scales. When the Empire had taken over the courthouse, they also took the prison attached to it. Chanchu had been frank in the face of Chen Haorans questions. Life was cheap in the Empire. Prisoners even more so. While it wasnt anywhere near official, it was, in fact, possible to buy the lives of less important death row criminals so long as the price was right. Chen Haoran didnt really want to think of the type of demand that drove sales like that. Considering what he had been thinking of doing, however, he didnt really have the right to throw any stones.

They did not go to the Court or the prison. Chanchu ignored them entirely and brought Chen Haoran to a neighborhood where the weighty history of Daqing crushed rather than refined. The houses were the same, but the scene was of disrepair, not timelessness. Even the waters of the Skyspear failed to reflect the sky here, running sluggishly through channels and sluices choked with trash. Chanchu stopped in front of a blocky house small enough to fit in the courtyard of Chen Haorans rented home.

Is this the house? Chen Haoran asked.

Yes, sir, Chanchu said. If hes not to your liking, then you can go to any house in this neighborhood. They all have the same circumstances.

Alright. Thank you. Ill stop by the Ever Spring Pavilion again if I ever have time.

I will look forward to it then. Would you like me to make an introduction?

No need. You can go back.

Chanchu clasped his hands and bowed. A pleasure doing business with you again then, sir.

As he walked away, Chen Haoran whistled to get his attention and held a finger to his lips. Mums the word, capiche?

Chanchu tilted his head. I wonder what that sound was? I should finish my walk and get back to work.

Good man.

Once Chanchu was out of sight, Chen Haoran pulled on his Human-Skin Mask and knocked on the door of the hut. A Second-Layer Qi Realm opened the door and froze stiff upon seeing Chen Haoran.

Hello. Chen Haoran held up a contract he had Chanchu help write up. Can I interest you in a job?