524: Chapter 524 Here's a thousand immortal stones for you, from now on follow me!

Su Chen slapped his thigh hard!

"Slap!"

A crisp sound rang out, as if sealing the deal on his own earth-shattering conclusion.

His entire being exuded a massive sense of spiritual satisfaction, as if he had finally found a kindred spirit on his path.

"I knew it!"

The expression on Su Chen's face was that of someone who had finally found a soulmate.

"What did I say? Any boss who pulls such insane price hikes is never a good person!"

He nodded heavily, looking as if he were seeking justice for the suffering masses of the myriad worlds.

"Shopkeeper Shen, you're a capable person. Your management and business skills certainly aren't lacking."

As Su Chen spoke, he slowly reached for his Storage Ring, his movements filled with the appreciation and care a superior shows a subordinate.

"What's the point of working for someone like that?"

"Getting yelled at every day and having your wages docked—what are you even doing it for?"

Doing it for what?

What am I doing it for?

Listening to this, Xie Jinghong felt a surge of scalding blood rush from her Dantian straight to the top of her skull!

It burned so fiercely that her internal organs went into violent spasms!

In the depths of her heart, she used every ounce of her strength to let out a silent roar:

That merchant guild is my own!!!

I am that boss!!!

I am working for myself!!!

The corners of her mouth twitched neurotically; behind the dark jade lenses, her facial muscles had completely frozen stiff.

However, the thing that truly caused her Dao Heart to shatter completely was about to happen.

Su Chen pulled something out of his Storage Ring.

It was a palm-sized cloth bag, bulging and tied tightly with a hemp rope.

He weighed it in his hand, the crisp, pleasant clinking of Immortal Stones ringing out.

Then, with a flick of his wrist—

The white cloth bag full of "huge wealth" traced a precise parabola and landed with a "thud" right in front of Xie Jinghong's cloth shoes, which were embroidered with elegant lotuses.

A small puff of dust was kicked up, staining her spotless shoes.

He didn't hand it to her.

He didn't place it down.

He threw it.

Like a tip.

Like charity.

"There are a thousand high-grade immortal stones in here."

Su Chen brushed off non-existent dust from his hands, his tone heroic and filled with the immense satisfaction of someone who had just "helped the needy."

"Take it and buy yourself a couple of nice outfits."

Slowly, extremely slowly, Xie Jinghong lowered her head.

Her gaze froze on the cloth bag at her feet.

A thousand high-grade immortal stones.

The number swirled in her mind, as absurd as a joke.

When was the last time she had personally touched such a "small" amount of money?

Perhaps eight hundred years ago, when she casually tipped a storyteller who had amused her with a joke?

The daily turnover of her Lingbao Trading Firm was a hundred million times this amount.

The most inconspicuous jade hairpin in her hair was worth countless times more than this pile of Immortal Stones.

Su Chen's compassionate voice continued, like the Sanskrit chant of a Saint saving all living beings, yet every word pierced her heart.

"Stop risking your life for that black-hearted brute."

"A talent like you shouldn't be buried under a boss who's probably a penny-pinching slob."

His voice became increasingly sincere and persuasive.

"If you really can't make it there in the future, come work for me!"

As he said this, Su Chen's back was ramrod straight, his chin tilted slightly, his face written with the confidence of someone saying, "I see great potential in you."

A thousand Immortal Stones in "startup capital," plus a verbal offer to "work for me."

In Su Chen's eyes, this was already the greatest kindness and highest courtesy he could offer a poor worker he had met by chance.

Beside them, Qian Duoduo was no longer just dumbfounded; his Soul seemed to have drifted out of his body and was frantically cutting in line on the way to the underworld, terrified he wouldn't even get a number for reincarnation if he were late.

Poaching the Vice-Shopkeeper of the Lingbao Trading Firm with a thousand Immortal Stones?

Boss, you're not just poaching; you're trying to topple Mount Buzhou with a toothpick!

On the other side, the corners of the mouth hidden behind Hua Nongying's peach blossom fan were turning up frantically at an unbelievable rate, her shoulders shaking violently as she clearly suffered internal injuries from holding back her laughter.

Xie Jinghong stood where she was, staring fixedly at the bag of Immortal Stones at her feet.

Her mind was a complete blank.

The Young Lord of a merchant guild with a net worth of trillions.

The queen of the business world who dominated the Immortal Realm.

Today.

She was being treated like a beggar on the side of the road.

And was even tipped a thousand stones.

At this moment, a sense of humiliation like a bursting galaxy instantly flooded her Divine Soul.

Bend over?

She, the grand Xie Jinghong of the seventh-level Profound Immortal realm, was expected to pick up this bag of Immortal Stones that reeked of "charity"?

Every cell in her body let out a silent scream, and a terrifying pressure capable of freezing space began to leak out uncontrollably, causing the temperature of the entire private room to suddenly plunge into an icy frost!

But in an instant, she used her immense willpower to force it back down!

No!

I can't expose myself!

For the sake of gathering intel!

She ground her back teeth, crushing all the humiliation, anger, and killing intent, swallowing them along with the taste of blood in her mouth.

Then, she slowly bent her waist—a waist that had been noble for a thousand years.

This simple action felt longer to her than enduring a life-or-death Heavenly Tribulation.

When her fingertips finally touched the coarse, cheap fabric, a searing pain shot through her Soul.

Her hands were trembling violently.

She straightened up, clutching the bag tightly, her knuckles turning white from the sheer force of her grip.

"Many... thanks... Young... Master... Su... for... the... reward..."

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from her crushed Soul, one by one.

Her voice was hoarse, dry, and filled with a thick sense of brokenness.

Like the final mournful cry of someone whose dignity had been completely trampled and whose Soul had given up all struggle.