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"Look at this! A swindler is a swindler indeed! There's nothing good here at all!"

In fact, when Nina learned that a magic crystal stone could only be exchanged for a few hundred silver pieces, she was quite disappointed deep down.

It wasn't that she couldn't afford to lose, but she vaguely felt as if she had been deceived.

Nina wasn't a fool.

She could see her situation from the shopkeeper's smug smile and the whispers from the surrounding passersby.

She had been seriously breaking stones, truly wanting a pure blood phoenix crystal, but everyone, including the shopkeeper, seemed to be treating her as a wealthy fool for their entertainment.

Gradually, Nina began to feel hurt.

She had spent so much money, yet not only had she failed to buy the treasure she wanted, but she was also being openly and secretly ridiculed as a fool...

Moreover, when Nina thought of the strict discipline ruler in her master's hand, she pressed her lips together and felt even more regretful from the bottom of her heart.

However, no matter how low Nian's spirits were, her character, nurtured since childhood by her family members as the heir to the Great Dragon Dynasty's throne, did not allow her to quibble with common people over such small matters.

There was no other way...

Nina decided to swallow her loss and use the few hundred silver pieces she had left to eat a hearty meal.

But just as Nina was about to hand over the magic crystal stone, a tall youth in a black robe burst out from the back of the crowd and suddenly flipped over the stall—

"You old fraud! You've swindled this young lady out of her lunch money!"

"Hurry up and return the money to her! Have you got no shame?"

The young man strode forward, and Nian, shielded behind him, could only stare at his back in bewilderment.

The midday sun was blinding. Nina lifted her face, only able to squint her dragon eyes to observe the young man's profile in the sunlight.

She had never seen such straightforward street justice before.

When she came to her senses, she even thought that perhaps the young man grabbing the shopkeeper's collar was going too far.

But as she stood there uncertain, several girls emerged from behind the crowd following the young man—

"Don't be afraid, miss! Young Master He will help you get justice!"

The girl in white Taoist robes with a cowlick was the first to walk up and take Nian's hand.

Nina turned around in confusion, but the other girl, seeming concerned that Nina might get hurt, quickly pulled her back and actively positioned herself in front of Nian.

"Young Master said that shopkeeper is a fraud!"

"All the stones here are fake and inferior, and it's impossible to find anything truly good!"

The girl held Nian's hand and declared with conviction.

Suddenly, Nina looked back in surprise.

She stood nearby, witnessing the entire confrontation between the young man and the shopkeeper.

Gradually, Nina could also detect some guilt and evasiveness in the shopkeeper's eyes.

"See, miss!"

"Just now Young master made a bet with him, and that swindler admitted it himself!"

Yunjin placed her hands on her hips with surprising authority, her small fists clenched at her chest as if ready to vent Nian's frustrations.

But at that moment, Nina suddenly heard a familiar term:

"Young Master He?"

"Yes, he is my senior fellow disciple! My senior brother has such a kind heart! He hates seeing scoundrels like this who cheat and deceive people!"

Yunjin folded her arms across her chest, closed her eyes, and lifted her face slightly, seemingly proud to be a disciple of the righteous path when speaking of her senior brother.

Nina observed carefully and finally recognized the distinctive Wuji Sect Taoist robe the other was wearing.

She looked again at the black-robed young man confronting the shopkeeper, and a familiar silhouette immediately flashed through her mind.

"Excuse me, miss, is your senior brother named Yino?"

From behind the crowd, Nina blurted out unexpectedly.

But as her words fell, the white-robed girl who had been looking proud suddenly froze.

She seemed to have realized something.

"Um, well... my senior brother isn't called Yino..."

Yunjin's eyebrow twitched slightly as she hurriedly shook her head in denial.

But from Nian's perspective, the adorable ahoge on top of the other's head had already drooped down, trembling nervously due to her guilty conscience.

Her expressions are really easy to read...

Nina had her thoughts, but outwardly she just smiled awkwardly.

Usually in the Dragon Palace, her master would always scold her for being too naive, but Nina never really understood what that meant until today when she spoke with this adorable girl and finally realized what true innocence was.

"Then what's your name, miss?"

Watching the girl's eyes, Nina probed again.

Yunjin thought for a moment, but still extended her hand enthusiastically:

"My name is Yujin! I'm a cultivator from the Wuji Sect!"

"Miss Yujin..."

Nina also reached out to hold the girl's hand, murmuring softly in a daze.

She wondered, was exchanging names and shaking hands also a sign that she had made her first friend in the human world?

"And you?"

"Me? I... I'm Jiang Nian... Jiang with water radical, Nina for thought!"

Startled from her thoughts, Nina hurriedly pressed her lips together nervously and said.

"Miss Nina, don't worry, my senior brother will definitely help you get your money back!"

Yunjin patted the girl's shoulder, saying confidently.

No sooner had she finished speaking than the dispute between the crowd at the front seemed to have concluded.

Everyone looked over to see the mineral seller almost kneeling before the young man, actively taking out large handfuls of money from his pockets and handing them all to him.

For a moment, Nina watched in a daze.

But meeting her incredulous gaze, the black-robed youth bathed in sunlight turned and walked over, publicly stuffing a full pouch of money into Nian's arms.

"Ah..."

The girl let out a soft sound, lowering her head to look at the money bag in her arms. Under her hood, her dragon eyes gradually widened, as if finally seeing a glimmer of light in a sea of bewildering darkness.