“Fine. I will follow your arrangements this time, Young Master,” Zou Dongsheng said after a moment’s thought.
In the past, he had rarely allowed Lin Yun to make the final call on anything.
“But Young Master, the Pavilion Master’s earlier advice was sound. You really should wear a sufficiently powerful soul-protecting pendant for this trip to the Elf race. It is still necessary,” Zou Dongsheng added.
“Mm.” Lin Yun nodded. He had already intended to do so.
He decided to visit the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and purchase the best soul-protecting pendant available.
The two of them immediately set off.
As Lin Yun and Zou Dongsheng left the mansion and headed for the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, back in the main hall of the mansion, the Elven powerhouse Cang Chen summoned a trusted subordinate.
“Go and obtain a full dossier on the human who uses the daoist title Bei Chen,” Cang Chen ordered indifferently.
“At once.” The subordinate accepted the command and hurriedly left the hall.
…
Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
After meeting the Pavilion Master again, Lin Yun stated directly that he wanted the finest soul-protecting pendant they had.
In the elegant room.
“Friend Bei Chen, this soul-protecting pendant costs three hundred and fifty million Haoyue crystals. It is the standard equipment for Supremes. With it, you can essentially become immune to any direct divine-sense attacks from Elven powerhouses,” the Pavilion Master explained.
Lin Yun picked up the pendant and sighed. “This is the very thing that neutralised the Elves’ greatest advantage and led to their decline.”
The first soul-protecting pendant he had ever bought cost only a few hundred thousand Haoyue crystals. Now this one was worth over three hundred million. The difference was staggering.
Three hundred and fifty million was indeed a terrifying price. Lin Yun had already exhausted his Haoyue crystals. Let alone three hundred million, he could not even produce thirty million.
Yet he had come prepared.
“Pavilion Master, I am short of funds at the moment. May I pawn this item for some money first?”
Lin Yun flipped his hand and produced a Crimson Moon Stone, the one he had obtained from the Beastman race.
“A Crimson Moon Stone! I never imagined Friend Bei Chen possessed something so precious,” the Pavilion Master said, his eyes lighting up as he carefully examined it.
“Pavilion Master, if I pawn it, how much can I get?” Lin Yun asked.
“Friend Bei Chen, do you want a redeemable pawn or a permanent one?” the Pavilion Master inquired.
Pawning usually came in two forms: redeemable meant the item could be bought back within a set period, while permanent meant it was sold outright. The prices naturally differed.
“How much for a redeemable pawn?” Lin Yun asked.
“According to our Myriad Treasures Pavilion rules, a redeemable pawn follows the ‘nine out, thirteen return’ principle. The term is ten thousand years. If it is not redeemed by then, the item belongs to the pavilion and may be sold or auctioned,” the Pavilion Master explained.
“Nine out, thirteen return” meant that for an item worth ten units, the pavilion would lend nine, but the owner would have to repay thirteen to reclaim it.
After all, the pavilion was a business and needed to profit.
The Pavilion Master continued, “Since you are a valued regular, I certainly will not low-ball you. This Crimson Moon Stone is genuinely valuable. Even if auctioned, Supremes would fight over it. I can offer nine hundred million Haoyue crystals.”
Even with the “nine out, thirteen return” rule, there was plenty of room for manipulation through valuation. Many shops would undervalue an item worth ten billion, claim it was only eight billion, then offer just seven hundred and twenty million under the rule.
Often the customer could never redeem it, allowing the shop to acquire it cheaply, since the redemption price exceeded market value. Most people only redeemed truly exceptional treasures.
In this case, the Pavilion Master had not undervalued Lin Yun at all.
“Good. I will pawn it,” Lin Yun agreed at once.
After pawning the Crimson Moon Stone for nine hundred million, Lin Yun purchased the three-hundred-and-fifty-million pendant. The pavilion still owed him five hundred and fifty million.
The Pavilion Master handed over the five hundred and fifty million, the receipt, and of course the soul-protecting pendant.
When they left the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Lin Yun told Zou Dongsheng to find an inn and wait for his news, while he himself returned to the mansion of the Elven powerhouse Cang Chen to await departure the next day.
