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Horned Dragon Star.

Wanbaohui Exchange.

This is one of the largest comprehensive resource trading platforms on Qiulong Star, covering a vast area, resembling a giant jungle made of metal and crystal.

Countless life forms from different star systems and races traversed the area, and the air was filled with various energy fluctuations and strange fragrances.

Zhu Chen walked among the huge shelves and display stands, his eyes scanning the dazzling array of goods.

He had very few Black Dragon Coins left; he had used most of them to buy several "cosmic wonders" that contained immense blood energy and vitality, as well as a few ancient metal fragments that seemed to contain special Dao fluctuations.

Although these resources are expensive, they are beneficial to him in tempering his Heaven-Opening Dao Body, stabilizing his Divine Fire Realm cultivation, and even in comprehending more Great Daos in the future.

Just as he was about to finish browsing the exchange, Zhu Chen suddenly stopped in front of a relatively quiet corner booth.

This booth is made of transparent energy crystals, inside which floats a plant that is only the size of a palm, crystal clear and radiant, emitting a faint starlight and strange life waves.

The light screen next to the booth displays the following information:

【Star Core Tempering Orchid】

Grade: C9 Cosmic Curio

Origin: Unknown star region (obtained from adventurer ruins)
Efficacy: Contains pure stellar essence and life essence, which can greatly temper the physical body and nourish the life essence. It has a miraculous effect on powerhouses from the stellar level to the cosmic level and has a certain probability of triggering the resonance of stellar power.

Price: 15 billion Black Dragon Coins (Only one available)
Zhu Chen's eyes flickered slightly.

The energy contained in this "Star Core Tempering Orchid" is extremely pure and carries a trace of the laws of the stars, making it perfect for him to further solidify the foundation of his Heavenly Dao Body.

It might even trigger a certain resonance between the nine strands of immortal energy within his body and the power of the stars.

Although the price was exorbitant, amounting to almost all of his remaining Black Dragon Coins, he hardly hesitated.

"Boss, I'll take this 'Star Core Tempering Orchid'."

Zhu Chen spoke directly to the service robot next to the booth.

"Transaction confirmed..."

The robot emits a soft light.

"Please wait!"

Just then, an urgent female voice suddenly rang out from behind.

Zhu Chen turned around and saw a young girl walking quickly toward him.

The other person looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, about the same height as him. She was wearing a well-tailored silver-white body armor, and her long, smooth pink hair was tied into two playful high ponytails. She had fair skin and purple eyes, and looked a bit like a spirited young woman from Earth.

The girl stopped in front of Zhu Chen, apologetic smile on her face, and introduced herself: "Hello, my name is Ai Chen, from the Dream Winged Clan. I'm sorry to bother you, but this 'Star Core Tempering Orchid' is very important to me. It is one of the main materials I urgently need to cultivate a secret technique. This exchange only has this one left. May I ask... are you willing to part with it? I am willing to pay double the price, 3 billion Black Dragon Coins, to buy it from you."

Zhu Chen looked at the girl in front of him who called herself Ai Chen and was taken aback.

Isn't this the twin-tailed girl who was in the top five of the Universe's Top Genius Battle?
How did I end up running into her here?
"I'm sorry, this herb is just as important to me."

Zhu Chen shook his head and replied in a flat tone.

Tempering his physical body is the focus of his current cultivation, as it is fundamental. He will not easily give it up just because someone offers a higher price.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Ai Chen's eyes. She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to try again.

But that's it.

"Hey~, kid!"

Suddenly, a slightly shrill male voice broke in.

Zhu Chen looked up and saw a young man dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe with his hair slicked back and walked up from behind Ai Chen, standing between Ai Chen and Zhu Chen.

He also possessed the characteristics of the Dream Winged Human Race, but his aura was weak and his cultivation was only around the third level of the Stellar level, far inferior to Ai Chen, who was at the peak of the ninth level of the Stellar level.

"Do you know who's standing in front of you?" The young man in the brocade robe looked Zhu Chen up and down while speaking arrogantly to him, "This is Miss Ai Chen, the number one genius of the younger generation of our Dream Winged Human Race. At such a young age, she has already reached the peak of the ninth level of the Stellar Realm, and has also comprehended the rudiments of the Law of Light and the Law of Time. She is destined to become a great figure who will become an immortal being. It is your honor to have Miss Ai Chen take a liking to your things. If you know what's good for you, hand over the medicine, take the 3 billion Black Dragon Coins and get lost. Don't be so shameless!"

Zhu Chen's originally calm gaze turned cold after hearing the arrogant and rude words of the young man in the brocade robe.

He didn't want to cause trouble in this world, but the arrogant barking of these ignorant ants made him feel a little displeased.

"Noisy."

Zhu Chen raised his right hand and waved it casually.

"—Smack!!!"

A crisp and loud slap sounded.

The young man in the brocade robe was thrown back more than ten meters as if he had been hit by a speeding train, screaming in agony. He finally crashed into an alloy display case of energy crystals in the distance with a loud bang, denting the case.

He rolled awkwardly to the ground, half of his cheek swollen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He opened his mouth and spat out several bloody teeth mixed with saliva.

"You... you dare to hit me?"

The young man in the brocade robe covered his face, looking at Zhu Chen with a mixture of shock and anger, his eyes filled with resentment: "I am the personal disciple of Elder 'Mo Yun' of the Dream Winged Human Race. You are dead! My master will not let you go, nor will he let your family and your planet go..."

"Enough, Mocha!"

Ai Chen's icy voice suddenly rang out, directly interrupting the young man in the brocade robe.

She flashed and instantly appeared in front of Mocha, then raised her long right leg and kicked him hard in the stomach.

"——Bang!"

Mocha screamed again, curling up like a shrimp. He was kicked and slid back several meters before finally crashing into the wall. He was in so much pain that tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't say a word.

Ai Chen turned around to face Zhu Chen, her face regaining that elegant, apologetic smile, as if she hadn't just kicked away her own clansman: "I'm very sorry, it was my fault for not disciplining him properly, and this fool offended you. I apologize on his behalf."

Zhu Chen raised an eyebrow in surprise.

This girl is decisive and efficient.

It's neither biased nor hypocritical; it's quite interesting.

"It doesn't matter."

Zhu Chen said calmly, preparing to complete the transaction and leave.

"Your Mightiness……"

Ai Chen looked at the "Star Core Tempering Orchid" in Zhu Chen's hand, which was about to be paid for, bit his lip, and said again, "This herb is really important to me. It is related to whether I can make a key breakthrough before the next stage of the 'Genius Battle'. How about this... five times the price, 7.5 billion Black Dragon Coins. As long as you are willing to part with it, I will immediately go and raise the funds!"

Seventy-five billion Black Dragon Coins is a huge sum even for a genius like Ai Chen, almost emptying most of her savings and requiring her to borrow money.

"Five times the price?"

Zhu Chen's lips curled into a half-smile: "That sounds tempting, but... I don't want to wait. If you can afford it now, I can give it to you."

Ai Chen bit her lip and stammered, "I don't have it right now, but if you give me time, just one month, I'll definitely make it up for you."

Zhu Chen smiled and shook his head: "I'm sorry, I've already given you a chance. It's your own fault for being useless. You can't blame me for that."

After saying that, he took the "Star Core Tempering Orchid" sealed in a special crystal box from the robot, without even glancing at Ai Chen, whose face had turned red, and turned to walk towards the exit of the exchange, his back view extremely dashing.

"you……"

Ai Chen watched Zhu Chen's departing figure and couldn't help but stomp her foot in anger.

She understands perfectly well now.

The other party was just playing with me!
He never intended to give up that large medicinal plant from the very beginning!
...(End of chapter)