[Host has easily subdued the Ginseng Boy.]
[A dignified Refining God-level Ginseng Boy didn't even resist. This system truly doesn't know how to evaluate this. Somehow, this world feels a little off.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Ginseng Boy.]
[Reward: Three-Star Pill Domain.]
Lines of text slowly floated before Yang Cheng's eyes.
Just then, Alchemist Song spoke. "A real Ginseng Boy has intelligence. But this ginseng? It doesn't even have a trace of spirituality, let alone wisdom. It's just an ordinary thousand-year ginseng."
Xu Letian and the others were shocked.
If that was true, didn't Yang Cheng suffer a huge loss?
Nangong Yan put on a guilty face. "Little brother, I'm truly sorry. I got information earlier and thought this ginseng was intelligent, which is why I bid such a high price. I didn't mean to get you caught up in this. To make it up to you, I'm willing to buy that thousand-year ginseng for 20 million top-grade spirit stones."
Hearing that, Xu Letian and the others felt Nangong Yan might actually be a decent person.
"You sure you're that kind?" Lu Lingyi suddenly said. "What if this really is an intelligent ginseng and we just can't see it? Maybe you and that Alchemist Song are working together to scam us."
Her words stunned Xu Letian and the others. Then they turned and looked at Nangong Yan warily.
They felt she had a point.
"I'm a prince of the Great Zhao Empire. Why would I deceive you?"
Nangong Yan replied.
"Who knows?"
Lu Lingyi shot back.
A flicker of annoyance flashed in Nangong Yan's eyes.
"Hmph. I, Song Hong, have been traveling the Great Zhao Empire for many years. This is the first time anyone's called me a con man."
Alchemist Song snorted. "If it were just me, I wouldn't even bother with you. But this matter concerns the reputation of the Fifth Prince, so I have no choice but to prove it.
Now I'll show you exactly why I can say for sure this isn't an intelligent ginseng."
As he spoke, he took off a jade pendant from his neck.
Once he channeled true qi into it, the pendant released a mysterious and invisible mental wave.
Under that force, everyone present felt like their awareness had suddenly been opened.
Alchemist Song pulled out another ginseng and smiled. "I've opened your spiritual eyes. This is a real intelligent ginseng—you can all see its spirit. But the one in this young man's hands has no such trait."
Xu Letian and the others looked toward the ginseng in his hand. Faintly, they could see a silly little ginseng doll on it.
Then they turned to Yang Cheng's ginseng. There was nothing.
"Looks like he's right."
Zeng Niu said in surprise.
Alchemist Song took back his pendant, and instantly everyone's "spiritual vision" vanished. Everything looked normal again.
And just like that, Xu Letian, Zeng Niu, and the others were even more convinced.
Even Lu Lingyi stopped talking.
"Does anyone still doubt me?" Alchemist Song asked.
"No."
"Alchemist Song truly lives up to his name."
Xu Letian and the others said.
At that moment, their gazes toward Yang Cheng were full of sympathy and pity.
"Little brother," Nangong Yan seized the opportunity, "my offer still stands—20 million top-grade spirit stones for your ginseng. But only today. If you wait, the offer's off the table."
"Master, might as well cut your losses now," Dongfang Sheng added.
Yang Cheng shook his head and said flatly, "You done? Then move aside."
No matter how flashy their words or what tricks they pulled, Yang Cheng had already known this was a Ginseng Boy. Everything they did just looked laughable to him.
Nangong Yan frowned.
Yang Cheng stepped right past him, ready to leave.
Nangong Yan's gaze instantly turned cold.
He never expected Yang Cheng to be this unyielding.
"Kid, what's with that attitude?"
Alchemist Song spoke with displeasure. "Prince Nangong is being generous, yet you show no gratitude at all."
Yang Cheng looked at him with mocking eyes. "He wants to buy my item. I don't want to sell. I'm leaving—how exactly is that offending you?"
"That…" Alchemist Song was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Save your little scams for someone else," Yang Cheng said coldly. "That jade pendant of yours, it's called the 'Illusion-Sight Ancient Jade'. What we saw just now wasn't true spirituality in your ginseng. It was an illusion you created."
Alchemist Song's face completely changed. He didn't expect Yang Cheng to know the truth.
Xu Letian and the others were visibly angry.
"How could they do this?"
"They actually tricked us!"
"Didn't they say a prince wouldn't lie?"
They shouted at Alchemist Song and Nangong Yan.
Realizing they could no longer fool anyone, both men's expressions turned icy.
"Kid, you're really asking for it now, huh?" Alchemist Song dropped all pretense. "Thought you were clever? Calling us out like that? That's not going to end well for you. If you'd just played dumb, you could've walked away with 20 million top-grade spirit stones.
Now? You won't even get one. Hand over the Ginseng Boy—quietly."
"Shameless!"
"And what if we don't?" Xu Letian and the others were furious.
"You can try." Alchemist Song sneered. "Don't forget, this is the Great Zhao Empire. If you don't hand it over, I can promise—you won't leave here alive."
Xu Letian shouted, "So this is the Great Zhao Empire? Even a prince treats the law like a joke?"
"Yeah, what are you gonna do—kill us?" Yan Qingzhi added.
"Kill you?" Alchemist Song laughed. "You underestimate me."
Then he turned. "Your Highness, let's go."
Nangong Yan gave Yang Cheng a faint smile, then left with Alchemist Song.
"They just left like that?"
"I thought they'd try something more forceful."
Xu Letian and the others relaxed their tense bodies.
"Don't let your guard down," Lu Lingyi said. "Those two are the type who won't stop until they get what they want. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried something worse."
Xu Letian and the others immediately grew wary again.
After witnessing how underhanded Alchemist Song and Nangong Yan were, it was clear those two had no bottom line.
Yang Cheng said flatly, "You don't need to worry. They're just a couple of small fry."
Everyone paused for a moment. Then they remembered—Yang Cheng wasn't ordinary.
This was the same terrifying figure who had destroyed the Ouyang clan.
Now that they thought about it, it wasn't them who should be scared—it was Alchemist Song and Nangong Yan.
Realizing that, smiles appeared on their faces.
"Feels good having a powerhouse on our side."
"Yeah, with him around, stuff like this doesn't even matter."
They all started joking around.
"Oh, right," Xu Letian asked, "Master Yang, is that ginseng really worth that much?"
Before Yang Cheng could answer, Dongfang Sheng jumped in. "Isn't that obvious? If it wasn't that valuable, would Nangong Yan and Alchemist Song go through all that effort to scam us?"
"True that."
"Master Yang's eye for value is unmatched."
"Hahaha! I guess people don't miss out on fortune because of bad luck—but because they lack vision."
"If it were us, we wouldn't even recognize a Ginseng Boy if it smacked us in the face."
The mood grew light again.
Soon after, everyone returned to the manor to rest.