Chapter 136: The Tender Kiss

Amidst the crowd’s excited screams, the opening in the raw jade stone revealed a sliver of breathtaking green. It was as rich as dense bamboo, appearing so vibrant it seemed as if it might drip with water at any moment. The veteran craftsman, who had labored for half the day, beamed with joy; according to the rules, he would receive a generous commission for cutting open such a high-quality jade.

Zheng Shitian stared fixedly at that streak of green, a flicker of malice crossing his eyes. A single glance was enough for him to determine that the jade was definitely "Ice Variety," and not small in size, with a value of around one million. Zheng Shitian did not believe Ling Tian had guessed it through genuine skill; he was convinced it was purely a matter of luck.

"He managed to open a piece this time, but he won't be so lucky next," Zheng Shitian muttered to himself.

An Qi, standing closest to the jade, suppressed her surprise and examined it carefully. Based on her years of experience, she quickly concluded that although the piece wasn't massive, its quality was excellent—it was Ice Variety jade, bordering on Glass Variety. It was worth at least a million.

"At least a million-level jade, Ling Tian, you have good luck," An Qi said, pleasantly surprised. It was no wonder she was so thrilled; she couldn't find such a top-tier piece in her own shop. Still, she didn't believe Ling Tian—who knew nothing about jade—had judged it with real skill; it must have been sheer luck.

Hearing An Qi’s praise, Ling Tian smiled faintly and said, "This piece of jade is for you."

"Really?" An Qi looked at Ling Tian, moved. This was a million-level Ice Variety jade that would make anyone green with envy, yet Ling Tian had gifted it to her so nonchalantly. She even wondered if she had misheard him.

Ling Tian chuckled. "We’ve known each other for a while, and I haven't given you a proper gift yet."

"Then I shall accept it with pleasure," An Qi said with a sweet smile. "Just in time to make it the shop's centerpiece. Darling, you're amazing." Whether to make Zheng Shitian lose all hope or to play the role to the end, An Qi stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed Ling Tian on the cheek.

Zheng Shitian said indignantly, "It was just a bit of luck, what’s so impressive about that?"

Faced with Zheng Shitian’s defiance, Ling Tian remained indifferent. "Don't get cocky. It's time to honor our bet."

No sooner had Ling Tian spoken than the money-grubbing Zhang Ding pushed a trolley over, stopped it beside Zheng Shitian, and shouted, "Didn't you hear what our boss said? Hand over the million."

Zheng Shitian snorted unhappily. "I don't have that much cash on me."

"You trying to welsh on the bet? I’ll slap you into next week!" Zhang Ding had long disliked Zheng Shitian, and upon hearing the guy didn't intend to pay, he flew into a rage, rolling up his sleeves in preparation to beat him up.

Ling Tian stopped him. "Zhang Ding, we are civilized people. Let's not resort to violence at every turn. Young Master Zheng comes from a wealthy and powerful family; how could he possibly default on a debt? Am I right, Young Master Zheng?"

Zheng Shitian huffed. "I'll transfer the money to you immediately. Rest assured, this petty cash is nothing in my eyes." While he appeared nonchalant, he was actually heartbroken. His family would never cover this million-dollar loss; he would have to pay it out of his own pocket.

Ling Tian said, "No need for a transfer. I’ll pick out a million dollars' worth of stones, and you can pay the bill for me." Having finally encountered a jade gambling opportunity, Ling Tian decided to go big and make a killing to stockpile funds for An Qi. If he couldn't find spirit stones, he could use high-quality jade as a substitute.

Zheng Shitian sneered, "Are you saying you're going to keep gambling?"

Ling Tian walked into the pile of raw stones, picking through them as he said, "My purpose for coming here today was to gamble on stones. What just happened was only the beginning."

"Interested in another round with me?" Zheng Shitian asked arrogantly. As a prodigy of the Zheng family, he refused to believe he was inferior to Ling Tian. Moreover, judging by An Qi’s nervous expression earlier, it was clear she didn't have much faith in Ling Tian, which meant his previous success was definitely luck.

Ling Tian was currently worrying about money, and here was Zheng Shitian delivering it to his doorstep.

"No problem, but as for the stakes, I’ll need to discuss it with my An Qi," Ling Tian said calmly. He walked over to An Qi and asked, "If you wanted to become the largest jeweler in Yunhai City, how much capital would you need?"

An Qi was puzzled by the question but answered obediently, "I’m currently outside the top ten in the Yunhai jewelry industry. To open a flagship store, I’d need a prime location, excellent sales staff, and a massive amount of capital for inventory..."

Ling Tian listened patiently, then asked, "Just tell me, exactly how much capital do you need?"

An Qi calculated for a moment. "Capital isn't the main issue; I have enough to expand. What I lack is a supply chain. Most jade comes from Myanmar, but those sources are basically controlled by local gangs. It’s hard for us to get high-quality jade, and even when we do, the costs are sky-high."

"How do you get your stock usually?" Ling Tian asked.

An Qi continued, "The local gangs collude with large domestic jewelers to hoard supplies and monopolize the market. We only get the leftovers, and the prices are outrageously high." She lowered her voice. "The An family has a century of history in the business, but in recent years, we've been suffocated by the Zheng family."

Ling Tian was a man of keen perception; he understood the situation immediately. Both families were in the jewelry business, but while the An family focused on management, the Zheng family colluded with Burmese gangs to monopolize the supply, trying to choke the An family at the source. Ling Tian pondered; he was currently worried about resources for his cultivation, and it seemed a trip to Myanmar was in order.

He had spent time in Myanmar before and was quite familiar with the place. A trip there would allow him to collect cultivation resources while helping An Qi secure her supply chain—a perfect two-birds-one-stone solution.

An Qi added, "Jewelry is a high-profit industry, so everyone tries to expand and improve operations, but they neglect the supply side. Myanmar has been rich in jade for ages, but after centuries of mining, it’s becoming scarce. What used to be a source of cheap stock has now become a source of exorbitant prices."

"Don't worry about the supply; I will solve that for you. I can even provide you with some stock right now. Tell me, what else do you need?" Ling Tian asked calmly. As for the supply, he could fix it with a trip to Myanmar. It would be risky, but for the sake of his cultivation, it was worth it.

An Qi didn't know where Ling Tian’s immense confidence came from, but she believed he wasn't the type to boast.

"I lack a centerpiece for the shop. Jade is rare, and treasure-grade jade is even rarer. The best piece in my store is only worth about a million," An Qi said, feeling a bit embarrassed. For a jewelry store, a centerpiece was the brand's signature, used to attract customers and build prestige. A true centerpiece needed to be worth at least ten million, and even then, money couldn't always buy one.

Ling Tian nodded, indicating he understood. "Today, I’ll solve part of your supply issue first, and then I’ll find you a few centerpieces. I can't guarantee it, as it depends on luck." When he had used his divine sense to scan the raw stones earlier, he had detected a few with extremely high concentrations of spiritual energy, but he didn't know how to price them, so he didn't want to overpromise.

"If I could really get a ten-million-level centerpiece, I think I’d go crazy with joy," An Qi said excitedly.

Zheng Shitian shot Ling Tian a cold look. "You guessed right before, but that was just luck. I don't believe you'll be that lucky forever."

"Luck? You're right, I rely on luck, and my luck has always been quite good," Ling Tian retorted.

"You have no idea how high the sky is! Today, I’ll show you exactly how big the gap is between us." Zheng Shitian was nearly driven mad with rage. As the young master of the Zheng family, he could not afford to lose face in front of a nobody. "I’m putting up two million this time. Do you dare?" he said in a deep voice.

Since someone was delivering money to his door, it would be foolish to refuse. Ling Tian spoke immediately: "No problem. How do you want to gamble?"

Zheng Shitian said, "We each pick one raw stone, and we'll see whose jade is of higher quality. If I lose, I give you two million. If you lose, I don't need a cent from you."

"Such a generous offer?" Ling Tian remarked unimpressed.

"I want you to leave An Qi. You aren't worthy of her," Zheng Shitian continued.

Ling Tian’s expression turned cold as he stared indifferently at Zheng Shitian.

Zheng Shitian thought Ling Tian was intimidated, so he continued triumphantly, "Can you give her luxury cars? Can you give her villas? Can you give her a life like a princess? You can't. Only someone like me is qualified to possess a woman like An Qi. Do you understand now?"

Ling Tian let out a disdainful snort. *What is wrong with society today?* he thought. *Are there really so many arrogant fools?* At that moment, Ling Tian decided to teach Zheng Shitian a lesson, secretly vowing to thoroughly crush the Zheng family’s business and show him that there were people he could not afford to provoke.

Just then, An Qi, nearly driven to tears of frustration, rushed to Ling Tian’s side, stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and offered him a kiss. She was using her actions to tell Zheng Shitian that it was Ling Tian she loved, not him.

Ling Tian was stunned; before he could process what was happening, a delicate fragrance wafted toward him, and his lips were met by soft, fragrant lips...

This kiss lasted a full half-minute before An Qi pulled away, her face flushed with shyness. Her expression shifted, and she said coldly to Zheng Shitian, "In my eyes, Ling Tian is ten thousand times better than you."

Ling Tian savored the moment, then said arrogantly to Zheng Shitian, "Competing with me? You're not worthy!"