TRWSB – Chapter 157 A Hidden Treasure in the Market

At the Lord’s Mansion of the Azure Sea Plains.

“Shaorong, I heard Yi Fan sent a letter?” Zhuang Hao asked casually.

Qi Shaorong nodded, “Yeah! Ah Fan said he and Shen Yuan will be coming over soon.”

“Qi Shaofu and Shen Yuan?” Zhuang Hao asked with a hint of confusion.

Qi Shaorong nodded again. “The Qi family is planning to place some people in the Qingcheng Cosmetics Store, so Yi Fan decided to send them my way instead.”

Rubbing his fingers, Qi Shaorong mused inwardly. After so long, the Qi family finally couldn’t resist making a move. This attempt to plant people in Qingcheng was likely just a test. If successful, more Qi family members would likely follow. Yi Fan, being an outsider, probably didn’t want to deal with the awkwardness later, so he pushed the matter over to him.

Well, he was a Qi after all. He’d give the family a bit of face.

“Shaofu’s not too bad. We’re short-handed anyway. If he comes, you can slack off a bit,” Zhuang Hao joked.

“If he dares to show up, I’ll dump all the dirty, tiring work on him!” Qi Shaorong replied coldly.

Zhuang Hao: “…”

“What about Shen Yuan? Why is he coming?” Zhuang Hao asked curiously.

“Ah Fan didn’t say much. Seems like he was sent by His Majesty,” Qi Shaorong’s expression darkened. “If that’s the case, it’s probably nothing good.”

While the two were chatting, a guard from the Lord’s Mansion approached Zhuang Hao. “Young Master, there’s a letter from the capital.”

These guards were originally from the Zhuang family, so they didn’t bother avoiding Qi Shaorong.

Zhuang Hao took the letter and read it, his brows knitting tightly.

Qi Shaorong observed his expression and asked, “What does it say?”

“You were right. Shen Yuan is coming to deliver a royal decree. His Majesty wants you to supply Sea Sand Mithril.”

Qi Shaorong narrowed his eyes. Of course, when it came to information, these old established families like the Zhuangs were always a step ahead.

“That guy again… does he think I’ll just give away rare resources for free?”

He had once saved Feng Yuan and, despite not fully following His Majesty’s instructions, Feng Yuan had still offered them military equipment at a bargain out of gratitude. As a ‘reward,’ His Majesty had then banished him to this barren, remote region. And now he wanted Sea Sand Mithril? What reward would follow this time?

“What even is Sea Sand Mithril?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“A rare deep-sea resource, as far as I know, found in the territory of the Jellyfish Tribe,” Zhuang Hao said. “They’re a mysterious people—can become incorporeal, are poisonous, and masters of assassination.”

Qi Shaorong scowled. “That bastard—only remembers me when there’s work no one else wants. Maybe I should have Shen Yuan assassinated on the way over and pretend the decree never arrived. It’s not that unusual for something to happen on such a long journey.”

Zhuang Hao chuckled. “Even if Shen Yuan dies, another envoy will just come right after.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

Zhuang Hao, noticing Qi Shaorong’s foul mood, suggested, “Let’s not think about this unpleasant stuff. There’s a Sea Folk market today—want to go take a look?”

“Sure!” Qi Shaorong nodded. “But I’ll change into something less formal—consider it a covert inspection.”

When he had first arrived, the sea folk commoners didn’t think much of him. He wondered if time had changed their opinion.

“Sounds good. If we just wander in looking like this, they’ll probably try to rip us off.”

“I’m the city lord! They wouldn’t dare scam me, would they?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Zhuang Hao nodded seriously. “That just makes you a juicier target. Some of them specialize in fleecing people like you.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” This guy…

The two changed clothes and strolled through the market streets.

Zhuang Hao grabbed Qi Shaorong’s hand with a cheerful smile.

“Let go! Don’t hold me like that,” Qi Shaorong protested.

“There’s too many people. We’ll get separated,” Zhuang Hao insisted.

Qi Shaorong frowned. Did Zhuang Hao think he was a kid? He tried pulling away but gave up and let Zhuang Hao have his way.

“I heard the city lord made Old Shark look handsome again!”

“Yeah, and turned Hai Lan into a beauty too.”

“Why doesn’t he ever show up?”

“Probably scared of dying, so he hides in the mansion.”

“With so many previous lords dying, I’d be scared too.”

“…”

Qi Shaorong scowled. The folk here really had no respect for authority, gossiping so openly.

He glanced around the stalls. “All cheap junk,” he muttered.

Having been in the sea realm for a while, his standards had risen considerably.

Suddenly, Zhuang Hao stopped in his tracks. “There!”

He walked toward a stall.

Qi Shaorong watched him. Is it possible to find real treasure in a place like this? Hiding his curiosity, he strolled over as well.

Zhuang Hao casually asked the prices of several items.

“This one?”

“One hundred gold.”

“This?”

“Fifty.”

“And this?”

“Eighty.”

…

Qi Shaorong eyed the stall owner suspiciously. Dressed in a black robe, he couldn’t tell if the person was human or sea folk. Something about the man’s aura was… off.

Finally, Zhuang Hao asked about the real target. “How much is this?”

The robed vendor looked up solemnly. “Thirty million gold.”

Qi Shaorong nearly choked. “Thirty million?! Are you joking?”

“Can’t afford it, don’t buy,” the seller snapped.

Qi Shaorong: “…” This guy’s got nerve. Bad attitude, worse salesmanship.

“My apologies,” Zhuang Hao said with a polite smile.

The seller glared. “Price is firm. No haggling. If you can’t pay, move along.”

Qi Shaorong took a deep breath. “At least tell us what it does?”

The man folded his arms. “No idea.”

Qi Shaorong felt like coughing blood. No idea and still asking for a fortune?

“You don’t even know what it does and still have the nerve to sell it?” he asked.

“If I did know, I wouldn’t be selling it at all,” the man sneered.

Zhuang Hao frowned, and Qi Shaorong, seeing this, restrained himself. He pulled out three money cards. “Three cards, each with ten million.”

The robed man reluctantly dug the item—mostly buried under sand—out and handed it to Qi Shaorong. “Kid, you just struck gold.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

Zhuang Hao was stunned that Qi Shaorong really bought it.

Qi Shaorong handed the item over without a word.

Zhuang Hao accepted it, heart pounding. The stone was cool to the touch, but something about it burned inside him.

Zhuang Hao felt oddly like he was mooching—but also that this particular mooching felt kind of… nice.

On the way back, he kept glancing at Qi Shaorong.

“What are you staring at?” Qi Shaorong finally asked.

Zhuang Hao tilted his head and grinned. “People say the more you’re willing to spend on someone, the more you like them. Shaorong, do you really like me that much?”

Qi Shaorong rolled his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. That was a loan. Three percent monthly interest. Better tighten your belt and pay it back.”

Zhuang Hao shrugged. “What if I can’t? Should I pay with my body?”

Qi Shaorong: “… Are you serious right now?”

“You’re a Zhuang. Everything you say reflects on your family,” Qi Shaorong warned.

Zhuang Hao laughed. “Didn’t you already say I’ve embarrassed them enough?”

Qi Shaorong: “…” Is he just giving up on dignity now? How did the Zhuang family raise this guy?

“You spending that much on me really touched me, you know,” Zhuang Hao said with a smile.

“Don’t overthink it,” Qi Shaorong muttered.

Zhuang Hao beamed, leaning closer. “You toss millions for me and tell me not to overthink it—that’s the real struggle.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” How did I never realize this guy was such a smooth-talker?

“Anyway,” Qi Shaorong said, changing the subject. “What is that thing?”

Zhuang Hao shook his head. “I’m not sure either.”

Qi Shaorong: “… You bought a mystery rock for 30 million?!”

Zhuang Hao frowned slightly. “I sensed a familiar magical resonance from it—even through the sand and grime.”

Qi Shaorong’s eyes widened. “You mean… seven-element magic?!”
Very few humans or sea folk ever possessed multiple elemental attributes.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “I think it might be the crystal core of a seven-element sea beast.”

“How sure are you?”

Zhuang Hao hesitated. “About twenty percent.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” Seriously?! Only twenty percent?! That thing cost most of my recent income!

Zhuang Hao added, “Let’s go back and take a closer look.”

Qi Shaorong sighed and nodded. “Alright.”