The First Summoner - Chapter 83

Zhuge Weiran’s expression eased slightly at those words, and he let out a deep sigh.

“All right.”

Zhuge Youlin looked up at him. “Are you coming to the Beast-Martial Arena with us?”

Zhuge Weiran shook his head. “No. I’m staying at the inn to cultivate properly.”

Before Zhuge Youlin and Shen Yan left, Zhuge Weiran pressed a hand to his brother’s shoulder.

“Whatever you do, know when to stop.”

“I know, Seventh Brother.” Something shifted in Zhuge Youlin’s gaze.

Zhuge Weiran turned to Shen Yan. “Second Miss Shen, please keep an eye on him for me.”

“All right.”

Zhuge Youlin immediately took offense. He was older than Shen Yan. Frowning, he protested, “Seventh Brother, you should be asking me to keep an eye on her.”

“Keep an eye on each other,” Zhuge Weiran replied perfunctorily.

Zhuge Youlin had no answer to that.

In the end, only he and Shen Yan left the inn together.

After yesterday’s registration exposed Zhuge Youlin as a peerless genius, numerous factions and academy heads had begun lying in wait for him, hoping to recruit him.

Their pestering drove him mad.

Shen Yan soon regretted coming outside with him. The representatives of the various factions pushed her aside until she was forced to retreat to the edge of the street.

The shop beside her happened to sell clothes.

She went inside.

Many young people were browsing the racks. Shen Yan guessed they were also geniuses who had traveled here from across the region.

She looked up and spotted a red brocade robe. It was extravagantly ornate, almost gaudy.

It would suit Feng Xingyao rather well.

She approached and ran a hand over the fabric.

It was smooth, fine, and richly textured.

The size also seemed suitable for Feng Xingyao’s build. She was about to take it down and ask the owner for its price when—

Another hand abruptly seized the opposite end.

“I saw it first!” a girl’s voice declared.

Shen Yan turned. A young woman in a pink dress gripped the robe and glared at her in displeasure.

Shen Yan did not release it. “I picked it up first. First come, first served.”

The girl sneered. “Who saw you take it first? Dressed as shabbily as you are, do you even know what this costs? Fifty taels of gold! Can you afford it? Let go at once!”

Shen Yan’s expression chilled.

“If you’re capable, tear it in half. Otherwise, I’m not letting go.”

The girl’s face changed. She immediately turned and shouted, “Shopkeeper! Someone is trying to ruin your business!”

The owner hurried over.

The other customers also looked their way, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for a show.

The owner glanced between Shen Yan and the pink-clad girl.

“What’s going on?”

Shen Yan answered first. “I took this robe, and she forcibly grabbed the other end.”

The girl argued, “She’s lying! I want to buy this robe, and she won’t let me!”

The owner looked at the garment stretched between them and felt a headache coming on. Before he could speak, Shen Yan asked, “How much is it?”

“This is superior fabric, made by our finest seamstress. Fifty taels of gold.”

Shen Yan cut straight to the point. “I’ll take it.”

The girl’s expression changed drastically. With so many people watching, she could not afford to lose face.

“Shopkeeper, I’ll pay eighty taels! It should go to the highest bidder!”

The owner hesitated.

Shen Yan cast the girl a provocative look and smiled. “Two hundred taels.”

Two hundred taels of gold?!

That was an astronomical price for this robe!

Enraged by Shen Yan’s challenging smile, the girl said through gritted teeth, “Three hundred taels! Raise the bid again if you dare!”

The instant she heard this, Shen Yan released the robe.

“I’m not bidding any higher. I’m not an idiot.”

The girl came back to her senses and snapped, “You tricked me?”

“No,” Shen Yan denied.

Then she turned to the owner. “Since this young lady has bid three hundred taels, I naturally cannot compete. The robe is hers.”

The girl’s face darkened.

She was about to say she no longer wanted it, but the clever owner spoke first, smiling broadly. “Young lady, when would you like to pay the three hundred taels?”

Her expression soured. She glared viciously at Shen Yan.

“You dare scheme against me? Do you know who I am? I am Zhu Miaoqing, granddaughter of the master of Wenxin Palace! State your name. Let me see just what sort of background gives you such nerve!”

At the words *Wenxin Palace*, the expressions of everyone in the shop changed.

They studied the pink-clad girl. She appeared sixteen or seventeen and wore splendid clothes, while every ornament on her person was extravagant and costly.

Wenxin Palace ranked fifth among the great powers of the Pingze Western Region.

Zhu Miaoqing’s status spoke for itself.

She and her elder brother, Zhu Hezhou, were also said to be among the foremost geniuses of their generation. When the siblings registered some time ago, Zhu Hezhou had tested at Mystic-rank level eight and Zhu Miaoqing at Mystic-rank level four.

Zhu Miaoqing stared at Shen Yan arrogantly.

“Answer me!”

She wanted to crush Shen Yan with her status. She could not discern the other woman’s cultivation, so starting a fight would clearly be unwise.

“I’m merely an ordinary independent cultivator,” Shen Yan said blandly. “I have no special background.”

Zhu Miaoqing laughed in fury.

An ordinary independent cultivator dared fight her for a robe and even scheme against her?

She truly did not know her place!

Zhu Miaoqing abruptly raised a hand and tried to slap Shen Yan, only to strike empty air. Shen Yan had already stepped aside.

Zhu Miaoqing froze.

Her sharp gaze swept over to find Shen Yan calmly selecting other clothes as though nothing had happened.

That wretch dared ignore her?!

Unable to swallow the insult, Zhu Miaoqing strode over and tried to slap her again. Shen Yan casually turned in another direction and walked away once more.

Zhu Miaoqing nearly exploded with rage.

“Stop right there!”

Shen Yan ignored her as though she were invisible. She leisurely selected several robes in different colors and prepared to pay.

Zhu Miaoqing was beside herself. The wretch was playing her for a fool. Just as she prepared to attack Shen Yan with spiritual power, she caught sight of her elder brother, Zhu Hezhou, from the corner of her eye.

She immediately adopted an aggrieved expression and hurried to his side.

Tugging on his sleeve, she pointed at Shen Yan.

“Brother, she bullied me!”