Chapter Forty-Eight: The Rise in Social Status

When the colossal vehicle rolled into Erdaozi Alley, it instantly drew countless eyes.

“My god, what kind of car is that?”

“How can it be so big? That must be worth several million.”

“I remember seeing a report on the news—some wealthy tycoon from Lenghai bought one of these.”

“It’s Qin Jing. Looks like he’s made a fortune.”

“Tsk tsk, young people sure know how to make a splash. But this car isn’t just flashy—it’s practical, too. Looks really impressive.”

When Qin Jing stepped out of the car, a wave of commotion swept through the crowd. The vendors at the mouth of Erdaozi Alley were all regulars; they saw each other every day and naturally knew one another. Qin Jing, the college student from the alley, was already quite well-known—a young man expelled from university, hardly a proud thing, but he worked tirelessly and ran his business diligently, earning the respect of many. Now, that respect was tinged with a sense of awe, as if even a few days apart could create a world of difference.

The alley was too narrow for the massive F650 pickup to pass through, so Qin Jing simply parked in the lot at the alley’s entrance. After parking, he took out his phone. While driving, he’d caught a string of notifications in the rearview mirror—messages that confirmed a certain suspicion of his.

Opening the Mirror app, his reflection appeared on the screen, along with several skill buttons. He tapped “Recycle Space,” and the display shifted. Inside the recycle space, alongside the supermodel crystals, Teo gemstones, spirit rice and springwater, there was now a treasure chest gleaming with an azure light!

High-value item recycled successfully. You have received: Recycle Chest (Bronze) x1.

This was the other reason Qin Jing had gone out of his way to buy a used car: to test the origin of these chests. Now, seeing the prompt, he began piecing things together—recycling high-value items most likely produced a recycle chest.

Perhaps there were other restrictions. For example, items recycled from the mythic world might not count. Perhaps the first high-value item recycled would yield a higher-grade chest.

The first time he received a bronze chest, he’d spent a hundred thousand to recycle a Mercedes. Now, after spending 3.2 million on the F650, he’d gotten another bronze chest. Logically, the second time should have yielded a silver one. But it hadn’t—just another bronze. This suggested the true threshold for a chest was a million. The first time, the standard had been lowered, likely due to his first use of Recycle Mastery. Now, a million was the real benchmark for a bronze chest.

So, to get a silver chest—or even a gold one—did that mean he’d have to recycle items worth ten million or more?

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The parking lot at the alley’s entrance was really just an open lot leased by a local family. They charged parking fees to outsiders, but merchants within the alley paid little or nothing.

Qin Jing got out, found the lot attendant—a man of about fifty—and handed him a pack of premium cigarettes, smiling, “Uncle, my car’s a bit big. Let me give you something extra for the trouble?”

At first, the attendant hesitated at the sight of such a large vehicle, but when he heard this, he laughed. “Nonsense! All the merchants in the alley park for free. You go on in, I’ll keep an eye on it for you.”

Qin Jing was a little surprised, but he understood. This was a sign of his rising “social status.” A car worth millions instantly elevated him in people’s eyes. For day-to-day favors, neighbors and locals would go out of their way to help someone wealthy, while the less fortunate attracted only idle gossip.

“Alright then, Uncle. Tonight, I’ll host you at the Fortune Restaurant. You’ll eat like a king.”

He made the promise with a smile, exchanged a few polite words, and left the lot.

As he entered the alley, greetings came from all sides—simple, familiar exchanges like “Had lunch?” and “Where’ve you been?” Qin Jing nodded and smiled; it was the first time he’d truly experienced what it was like to be the center of attention.

“Qin Jing.”

Just as he reached his shop, a beautiful figure was waiting at the door—Zheng Qiuying.

“Oh? What brings you here?” Qin Jing was surprised.

Stomping her foot, Zheng Qiuying replied, “Why can’t I come? I know my sister upset you, but we never tricked you. What, you’re not happy to see me now?”

Her quick tongue had become even sharper—she’d grown a lot.

Qin Jing unlocked the door with a smile. “How could I not be happy? A top client is always welcome.”

He invited her in, then added, “But let’s be clear: don’t mention the spirit rice. Your sister looks down on my little shop, and her business is way above what I can handle.”

After breaking up with Chen Hua, Qin Jing had changed a bit. He used to put money before pride, as long as it meant making a profit. Now, not much had changed, but he realized that earning money was only worthwhile if he was at peace with himself. The big shots from the mythic world, after all, just wanted to enjoy life.

His words were rather blunt, causing Zheng Qiuying to burst into laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Qin Jing asked, puzzled.

“I’m laughing because your business is booming, but your negotiating skills have regressed. You’re almost childish now.”

Qin Jing bristled. “That’s called sincerity! Weren’t you childish once, too? I actually prefer you that way. Now you’re playing mind games—I don’t like that at all.”

Her expression grew serious, her voice tinged with sadness. “The Phoenix Society worked with you and got a huge batch of magic stones. Last night, Hathaway advanced to Transcendent Rank Four—one of the few in Lenghai. Her reputation soared. Our Zheng Trading Company is really struggling right now. I don’t have the luxury not to change.”

A wealthy, beautiful woman showing vulnerability before a man—most men would soften and offer comfort, maybe even seize the opportunity for romance.

But I have principles. If I say I won’t work with someone, I mean it. If I hadn’t traded for the alchemy puppet with Jenny, I’d have fallen into Zheng Qiuyin’s trap.

Qin Jing watched coldly, his tone flat. “Perhaps this is a change I brought about, but Hathaway paid a price, too. It was a fair deal, Zheng Qiuying. You can’t blame me.”

She nodded sincerely. “I know. It was my sister’s mistake. If not for—” She shook her head. “Never mind. No point dwelling on the past. I’m here today to reconcile. I’ll share some information you want in exchange for the right to buy the beauty elixir. What do you say?”

Qin Jing blinked. “Information I want?”

“That’s right. My sister says you’re a self-taught Transcendent who’s joined the Phoenix Society, but I don’t think you’re that close to Hathaway. As a lone Transcendent, you must have a few secrets, but you probably know little about the outside world. I’m willing to trade information for the right to buy your elixir.”

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