Urban Seduction: Housewives Club Chapter 2093: 422: An Encounter on the Ship 3

Yet, the service in this place mirrors that of Jinling perfectly—no trace of merchants exploiting patrons because of their stature. The moment Wang Yue stepped inside, a youthful attendant approached him promptly.

“Greetings, sir. How can we help you today?” the attendant greeted with genuine warmth.

Wang Yue wasted no time with pleasantries and cut right to the chase: “I’m here to purchase martial arts techniques. The higher their rank, the better. Where do I begin?”

“Purchasing martial arts techniques? Right this way, please,” the attendant replied, his gaze sparkling with real interest. His initial friendliness had been standard protocol for Lingyun Pavilion, but now it stemmed from true motivation, tied directly to his commissions and rewards. After all, these techniques held immense value, with even the most basic ones outshining everyday merchandise by a wide margin.

Guided by the attendant, Wang Yue rode the elevator directly to the uppermost level. This area specialized in premium firearms, advanced martial arts techniques, and elusive secrets along with cultivation methods.

Overseeing this level was an elderly gentleman appearing in his sixties or seventies, donning tiny spectacles. He carried the air of a scholarly traditionalist.

“Mr. Han, this customer is interested in martial arts techniques—the higher the rank, the better. Would you mind assisting him?” the attendant who escorted Wang Yue inquired politely toward the elder.

“The higher the rank, the better, you say?” Mr. Han regarded Wang Yue curiously and inquired, “Might I ask your name, sir?”

“What, does Lingyun Pavilion require a background check before any sale?” Wang Yue responded icily. He realized it was merely an offhand query and could easily provide a false identity, but since he embodied a aloof persona, he committed fully to the role.

Mr. Han remained unperturbed by Wang Yue’s tone. He merely offered a gentle smile.

However, two nearby youths took offense. One sneered, “What backwater fool is this? How dare he disrespect Mr. Han?”

The other chimed in, “Likely some upstart from the sticks. Got a bit of strength and now struts around Tianhai like he owns the place.”

Wang Yue furrowed his brow internally, pondering how to handle these two who judged solely by appearances.

Yet before he could respond, Mr. Han scowled and declared, “He has a point. Lingyun Pavilion ought not to pry into customers’ affairs. If you two lack other tasks, kindly depart.”

The pair flushed with humiliation. The first muttered, “Mr. Han, we were only defending your honor. That punk had the gall to talk to you that way. You might overlook it, but we won’t.”

“The customer reigns supreme—that’s the unbreakable rule of Lingyun Pavilion,” Mr. Han stated evenly. “I serve merely as an employee here. Any treatment from a patron is acceptable. Outsiders have no place meddling.”

“Mr. Han, that’s unfair. Lingyun Pavilion partners with our Zhang family. What affects your establishment concerns us too. Disrespecting you insults our Zhang family as well,” the second youth asserted gravely, fixing Wang Yue with a glare full of animosity. This was the very brat who had shamed his sibling!

Wang Yue chuckled to himself. He hadn’t anticipated crossing paths with Zhang family members right upon reaching Tianhai. It felt like destiny pulling the strings.

Regarding their true affiliation, Wang Yue harbored no skepticism. Tianhai boasted numerous Zhang lineages, but only one boasted ties to Lingyun Pavilion.

It resembled the Wang family back in Jinling. There, invoking the Wang family meant this specific clan. Other Wang branches carried descriptors, like the “Jinling Golden Knife Wang Family.”

“As you noted, we’re simply business allies, not kin. Gentlemen, if you please,” Mr. Han replied serenely, dismissing the two Zhang youths without a hint of deference.

The duo bristled with irritation, yet a sharp look from Mr. Han sent them slinking away in defeat.

Wang Yue sensed a shiver within. When Mr. Han had eyed those Zhang youths, a pulse of true energy had emanated from him, revealing his prowess at the Transcendent Mortal Realm.

A mere shop overseer attaining the Transcendent Mortal Realm? Such a revelation stunned without fail.

Still, upon consideration, Wang Yue grasped the logic. Lingyun Pavilion rivaled sacred martial sanctuaries in might, and Tianhai ranked among the elite super-cities. Guarding its prime treasures demanded formidable power to uphold stability.

“Sir, I sincerely regret any inconvenience my rashness may have caused,” Mr. Han apologized once the Zhang youths departed. He knew their fiery natures well and feared they might vent frustration on this visitor.

But Wang Yue felt no alarm—quite the opposite, a spark of thrill. He’d sought a pretext to challenge the Zhang family, and opportunity had arrived.

Outwardly, though, he replied frostily, “No issue. They’re mere pampered whelps. I paid them no mind.”

“Pampered they may be, yet the Zhang family’s clout demands respect. These two hail from the direct lineage, no less,” Mr. Han explained with a sigh. “Here’s my proposal: regardless of today’s transaction’s outcome, I’ll dispatch a discreet escort to see you safely beyond Tianhai, undetected by them.”

“My safety requires no such aid,” Wang Yue dismissed coldly. “Present your finest martial arts techniques—ideally surpassing Earthly Tier Upper Class.”

Mr. Han held little fondness for this standoffish youth. His intent had been pure restitution. With the offer spurned, he dropped the matter and refocused. “I possess an Earthly Tier Upper Class technique at present. What do you propose in trade?”

“How does this strike you?” Wang Yue retrieved a pistol-shaped device from his space ring. “This unmarked laser pistol boasts unprecedented design. A single blast equals a peak Mid-Stage True Return Realm assault. It fires once per second, yielding ten shots per charge. Including schematics, what technique would this merit?”

Hearing this, Mr. Han’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Truly?”

“Test it yourself,” Wang Yue offered, passing the pistol over.

Truth be told, Wang Yue’s own initial reaction mirrored Mr. Han’s shock. Heat weapons existed that rivaled Mid-Stage True Return Realm strikes, some even Late-Stage caliber.

Yet those managed merely three to five shots per charge, with reloads dragging at five seconds minimum.

None matched this device’s ten-shot capacity at rapid succession.

Furthermore, this ranked among Yan Fangfei’s lesser inventions. Deeper in the Su family’s arsenal lay thermal arms rivaling Transcendent Mortal Realm might.

Still, such weapons paled against authentic martial prowess. No matter their potency, wielded by the unskilled, they proved worthless—experts could disarm you pre-emptively.

Thus, Su Mengyun kept these innovations concealed, producing scant reserves.

Occasionally, Wang Yue pondered if the Wang family concealed similar aces unknown to him. Jinling’s trio of powers featured the Chen family’s Shen Siying, a Seventh Layer True Return Realm enigma, and the Su family’s Yan Fangfei, tech virtuoso. Perhaps the Wangs harbored secrets too.

Yet that seemed improbable. Should such assets exist, his grandmother would have revealed them.

Maybe Wang Yue himself served as the divine wildcard bestowed upon the Wang family.

Clutching the pistol, Mr. Han fetched a target prop from beneath a display and positioned it meters distant. He then aimed and unleashed ten consecutive blasts.

“Indeed, its force mirrors mid-Gui Zhen Realm potency, with seamless firing. Remarkable!” Mr. Han exclaimed with fervor. “And the blueprint—authentic as well?”

“Naturally. With the weapon handed over, why falsify the plans?” Wang Yue countered.

“Logical,” Mr. Han agreed, nodding. Possession of the prototype alone allowed replication via analysis and fabrication.

For a powerhouse like Lingyun Pavilion, blending martial dominance with tech expertise, duplication posed no challenge. Authenticity of the provided blueprint mattered little.

“Very well, state your terms. What techniques does this warrant?” Wang Yue, unfamiliar with valuations, deferred to the expert.

Lingyun Pavilion’s two-century legacy ensured fair dealings—no risk of deception.

Mr. Han exhaled thoughtfully. “This superior thermal arm suffices for a pinnacle Earth-grade martial skill.”

“Then settle for an elite Earth-grade one,” Wang Yue decided. He craved a potent technique against the Zhangs, accepting any cost.

Yan Fangfei’s stockpile overflowed with such gadgets, easing any expenditure concerns.

Mr. Han appeared hesitant. “Truthfully, no top Earth-grade skill sits in my inventory now. I hold a lower Heaven-grade one, though its worth falls short for this pistol.”

“A Heaven-grade technique?” Wang Yue’s intrigue surged. “What if I include another comparable tech device?”

“Yet another?” Even the knowledgeable Mr. Han blinked in surprise, pausing before adding, “Should a second item match in value, an exchange could proceed.”

“Agreed—let’s trade!” Wang Yue affirmed, producing another gadget from his space ring: a DNA-tracking apparatus.

Insert a trace of the target’s tissue, such as a strand of hair, to scan DNA, and no evasion proved possible within a hundred-mile radius.

Of course, Wang Yue’s boldness in revealing it stemmed from built-in defenses. No fear of reverse-tracking post-handover.

Mr. Han refrained from seizing the device or probing its function immediately. “Lingyun Pavilion upholds impartiality for all patrons, young or old. Thus, certain details demand upfront clarity.”

A genuine lower Heaven-tier martial art outvalues a peak Earth-tier by over tenfold. I’m offering double its worth because my lower Heaven-tier copy is partial—merely the initial three forms.

Additionally, mastering this art proves arduous, demanding exceptional purity in the warrior’s vital energy.

An average practitioner might learn it, yet its output would dwindle, barely rivaling a Mystic-tier technique. Projections indicate at least tenfold vital energy purity over standard to wield it effectively.”

Isn’t this tailor-made for me?

Wang Yue rejoiced inwardly, though his face creased in feigned doubt. “What good is a flawed Heaven-tier art like that?”

Mr. Han lifted his shoulders indifferently. “Take it or leave it—that’s the situation.”

“Fine, I’ll accept. A Heaven-tier remains a Heaven-tier.” Wang Yue feigned reluctant resolve, surrendering the tracker and blueprints while detailing their uses.

Mr. Han marveled once more, pondering this enigmatic youth’s source of such treasures.

Per Lingyun Pavilion protocol, origins stayed unquestioned. And after his prior name query drew rebuke, Mr. Han wisely held his tongue.

Upon securing the tracker and plans, Mr. Han honored the deal, presenting the coveted martial arts manual to Wang Yue.

Unlike the A4-printed “Level 8 Great Fury,” this manual exuded refinement—a slim volume crafted from an exotic, neither-cloth-nor-paper substance.

The tome felt exceedingly light, evidently truncated. True to Mr. Han’s word, it represented an unfinished edition.

Even partial, it qualified as lower Heaven-tier. Fully realized, its might would soar further.

Excitement bubbling, Wang Yue grasped the booklet. A mere peek at the title left him dumbfounded.

“Wind God Leg?” Wang Yue blurted in astonishment. “You’re joking, right? Got Cloud-Pushing Palm or Frost Fist too? How about Three-Fourths Returning Vital Energy?”