Chapter 416: Chapter 416 Can I Pay for This Forbidden Manual in Installments?

"A... a flower with all seven colors of the rainbow..." he muttered under his breath, his voice trembling ever so slightly.

"This... this is..." He stepped forward without realizing it, his eyes locked onto the rose as if it were the most precious treasure in existence.

"That’s the Seven-Colored Glazed Rose!" His voice rose in shock. Gasps echoed throughout the hall.

Before anyone could react, Shi Hanfeng had already reached out and taken the rose from Lin Feng’s hand.

His movements, once steady and dignified, were now hurried almost desperate.

His hands... were trembling.

Up close, the beauty of the rose became even more apparent.

Each petal seemed to contain a world of its own, faint spiritual energy flowing through it like a living entity.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air, refreshing the mind and calming the soul.

Shi Hanfeng held it carefully, as if afraid that even the slightest force might damage it.

"This is truly... the Seven-Colored Glazed Rose..." he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief and reverence.

For a man of his status to react like this... Everyone present finally realized one thing.

That seemingly simple flower... was anything but ordinary.

Shi Hanfeng was a Medicine King, a figure whose name alone carried immense weight across countless people.

His soul essence had been tempered through decades... no, centuries of refinement, far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators.

With a mere glance, he could unsettle the minds of the weak, crushing their will or even reducing their thoughts into incoherent ruin.

To beings beneath his level, his presence alone felt like standing before an unfathomable abyss.

Because of this, his sensitivity to anything related to the soul had reached an almost terrifying degree.

The moment the seven-colored glazed rose appeared, the air itself seemed to shift.

Shi Hanfeng’s pupils shrank ever so slightly.

A faint, almost imperceptible ripple spread through his spiritual sense as it brushed against the flower.

In that instant, his expression calm and indifferent just moments ago underwent a hidden yet undeniable change.

A gentle aura radiated from the rose, its seven translucent petals shimmering like crystallized light.

Each color flowed into the next in perfect harmony, forming a mesmerizing cycle that seemed almost alive.

The fragrance it released was light and ethereal, yet it carried a profound depth that seeped directly into the soul.

Shi Hanfeng could feel it clearly.

His spirit... was being nourished.

It was as if a long-parched land within him had suddenly been touched by a drop of pure spring water.

The effect was small, but to someone at his level, even the slightest improvement in soul strength was something priceless—something worth fighting for.

This... this is real.

A flicker of excitement, long buried beneath years of composure, rose within his heart.

"I’ve only ever seen this flower recorded in ancient texts..." Shi Hanfeng spoke slowly, his voice lower than before, almost reverent.

"The seven-colored glazed rose... a treasure said to nurture and refine the soul itself."

His gaze snapped toward Lin Feng, sharp and probing, as if trying to peel back every layer of the young man before him.

"Where did you obtain it?"

For a brief moment, the bustling hall seemed to fall silent.

Even those who couldn’t recognize the flower instinctively felt that something extraordinary had just appeared.

Lin Feng, however, remained completely at ease.

He casually brushed his sleeve, as if what he had taken out was nothing more than a common herb.

"I was just wandering near the mountains," he said lightly. "Came across it by chance. It looked nice, smelled nice... so I figured it must be something good."

He tilted his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

In truth, this flower was as common as grass in Lin Feng’s treasure trove.

"So... is this enough to earn me that chance?"

The question hung in the air.

Shi Hanfeng didn’t hesitate.

Not even for a breath.

"Yes."

The answer came immediately, firm and decisive.

A broad smile spread across his aged face, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening.

The rose in his hand vanished instantly, stored away with practiced ease so quickly that it almost seemed like he feared Lin Feng might take it back.

Clearly, he was more than satisfied. He was delighted.

Such a treasure, even for a Medicine King, was not something one encountered often.

Around them, the crowd erupted into hushed murmurs.

"What was that flower...?"

"Did you feel that just now? My mind suddenly felt clearer..."

"It must be an extraordinary treasure for Elder Shi to react like that..."

Among them, Long Aotian stood frozen, his eyes wide as disbelief and anger warred within them.

He had watched everything unfold from beginning to end.

The casual tone, the effortless exchange, the immediate agreement...

It felt like a slap to his face.

This is absurd...!

His teeth clenched, his nails digging into his palms.

He wanted to kill Lin Feng so badly but he can’t do it now since Lin Feng got favored by the old man.

"This is corruption... blatant corruption..." he muttered under his breath, unable to contain himself any longer.

Stepping forward, he cupped his fists, though the stiffness in his posture betrayed his emotions.

"Elder Shi... I don’t think this is appropriate."

His voice carried hesitation, but also a trace of unwillingness.

Shi Hanfeng didn’t even turn his head.

To him, Long Aotian’s protest was no more than the barking of an insignificant junior.

Before the old man could respond, Lin Feng had already turned around.

His gaze fell on Long Aotian, calm yet filled with unmistakable disdain.

"If you have a treasure of equal value," Lin Feng said lazily, "then by all means, bring it out."

He took a step forward, his presence subtly pressing down.

"Otherwise..." His lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "Keep your mouth shut."

A brief pause.

"Like the poor little dog you are."

The words landed like a hammer.

Long Aotian’s face flushed crimson in an instant, veins bulging at his temples.

His entire body trembled not from fear, but from pure, unrestrained rage.

"You!"