Chapter 137: Meeting Ling Ruoxue, Trading Entry Quotas

After returning to Tianyi City, Zhang Zuo handed the Soul-Locking Tower over to Ye Qiuyue. Since he still had to escort Qin Xiao to the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, it was naturally inconvenient for him to carry it.

Moreover, given Qin Xiao’s financial resources, he had no need to worry that Ye Qiuyue would covet his treasure.

“Young Master Qin, long time no see.”

As soon as Qin Xiao and his group stepped into the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, Supervisor Li Rende hurried over to welcome them.

In truth, the association had been keeping a close eye on Qin Xiao’s movements. Now that he had arrived in Tianyi City, gathering intelligence on him naturally fell under Li Rende’s purview.

“Supervisor Li, it has been a while. I’m here to find a way to break a restriction. Do you know of one?”

Without beating around the bush, Qin Xiao stated his purpose directly.

“Young Master Qin is likely referring to the restriction placed by Clear Wind Ancestor of the Clear Wind Sect, am I right?”

Aware that Qin Xiao had just returned from the Clear Wind Sect, Li Rende immediately deduced what he was looking for.

“The Immortal Dao Merchant Association really does know everything. Yes, that’s what I’m after.”

Qin Xiao wasn’t surprised that Li Rende knew his purpose. He had made quite a stir, and had encountered plenty of scouts on the way back.

Furthermore, the association ran extensive intelligence networks; his whereabouts were impossible to keep hidden. A simple deduction was enough to figure out what he needed.

“Haha, you’re an honored guest, Young Master Qin. Of course we want to serve you well.”

Li Rende chuckled in response.

“However, our association does not currently possess the exact method to break this restriction. It is an ancient technique that has long since been lost. Even so, our association has already dispatched people to invite an expert who might have a way. Since we’ve already sent for him, Young Master Qin only needs to wait a moment.”

Having anticipated Qin Xiao’s objective, Li Rende spoke without hesitation.

“In that case, I have to thank Supervisor Li.”

Qin Xiao found himself genuinely surprised this time. Anticipating what he was looking for was one thing, but having the foresight to invite someone in advance was quite remarkable.

Did they really dare to send invitations based purely on speculation? What if he had come for something else entirely? Bringing someone out here on a wasted trip would incur no small expense.

“No need for thanks. You look puzzled. Wondering how we knew you needed an expert to remove the restrictions, and why we sent for one in advance?”

Li Rende noticed Qin Xiao’s confusion and asked.

“Haha, you noticed. I am curious. Could you explain?”

Since he had been found out, Qin Xiao answered honestly.

Given that the Immortal Dao Merchant Association was a friendly faction, he felt no need to stand on ceremony. Since the topic had been brought up, he saw no harm in asking. Get faster updates on novеlping.com.

“Because I sent for him. I knew you wouldn’t behave, but I didn’t expect you to actually bring people back.”

Before Li Rende could answer, Ling Ruoxue strolled in through the entrance.

“Young Lady Ling? What brings you all the way to Tianyi City?”

Qin Xiao was taken aback at seeing Ling Ruoxue.

“Why can’t I come to Tianyi City? I go where I like. Tianyuan City is too boring now. It’s more fun following you. You stir up trouble wherever you go, and I want to watch.”

Ling Ruoxue replied casually.

“What do you mean, I stir up trouble everywhere? I’m a good person. I never cause trouble. Don’t slander me!”

Qin Xiao was utterly speechless. Had his reputation truly deteriorated to this extent? Who on earth was spreading such wild rumors?

“Fine, fine, you’re good. Move over. Did you really think I came for you? I came to see little sister Man’er.”

Ling Ruoxue came over and made Qin Xiao move to the next seat. She wanted to sit close beside Yun Man.

Left with no choice, Qin Xiao could only step aside in resignation. He still needed their help today, so it was best to behave.

“Qin Xiao, where on earth did you manage to recruit these two? And both are at the Soul Formation stage?”

After sitting down, Ling Ruoxue took a closer look at the two strangers. She hadn’t expected to be unable to see through their cultivation. From the pressure they gave off, they were at least at Soul Formation.

“Ah, I forgot to make introductions. These two are bodyguards I’ve hired-this is Zhang Zuo, and this is Li You. And this is Miss Ling of the Ling Family, Ling Ruoxue.”

Realizing his lapse, Qin Xiao quickly introduced the parties to one another.

“The two of you are not from Qingzhou, are you? Soul Formation cultivators are quite rare and well-known in Qingzhou; very few rogue cultivators ever reach that realm.”

Ling Ruoxue nodded in greeting as she spoke.

“Yes. We came from Central Province as Qingzhou Chief Envoys for the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. We’re working as the boss’s bodyguards now. We met you once before, Miss Ling, but you were young then, and we were still Hall Masters.”

At her query, Zhang Zuo answered truthfully.

“So you’re seniors from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. Our association works with your alliance often. Perhaps we have met before.”

Though she had no personal recollection of them, Ling Ruoxue politely acknowledged the connection, keeping the peace given their mutual business ties.

“Qin Xiao, now that you’ve left the Tianyuan Sect, you can’t go to the Spirit Medicine Valley Secret Realm. Interested in joining our Immortal Dao Merchant Association? I can give you an entry quota.”

Ling Ruoxue hadn’t traveled all this way just for amusement, of course; her primary goal was to rope Qin Xiao into the association. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.

“Uh, about that… how should I put it? I’ve only just left my previous sect, and jumping straight into another so soon wouldn’t look right. People would undoubtedly gossip behind my back.”

Qin Xiao hadn’t expected her to extend a recruitment offer. Had this happened earlier, he might have been tempted, given how useful a massive factional backing could be.

However, ever since he had resolved to build a power base of his own, joining external factions no longer appealed to him. Even the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty held no allure.

Why work like an ox or a horse for someone else when he could own the farm himself?

“Won’t you reconsider? The Spirit Medicine Valley Secret Realm has so many spirit—”

As she spoke, Ling Ruoxue lost confidence. Those things didn’t seem able to tempt Qin Xiao. With that many Spirit Stones, what couldn’t he buy?

“Not necessarily. I’ll pass on joining, but I have a suggestion. Doesn’t your association sell everything? Sell me two quotas.”

Qin Xiao wasn’t very interested in ordinary treasures or herbs, but a Secret Realm might offer unexpected opportunities. Why else would everyone compete for entry? He was still very interested in the Spirit Medicine Valley Secret Realm.

“Sell the quotas? That’s certainly a novel idea. However, we’ve never put quotas up for direct sale before. I cannot make this decision alone; I will need to consult my father.”

Ling Ruoxue liked the idea. Better to get cash now than gamble on opportunities.

“How many resources does that Secret Realm usually yield? Things went wrong in the Abyss Secret Realm last time, so I don’t know whether a trip like this is worth it. Tell me, and I’ll work out roughly how many Spirit Stones to pay. Too much, and I won’t do it.”

After a brief pause, Qin Xiao posed his question.

“That’s a good way to set a price, though I don’t know the exact figure either. I can only give you an estimate.

In the past, the Abyss Secret Realm yielded decent returns, but the harvests have dwindled recently, largely because the three-year cycle makes it a bit too frequent.

Over the last ten openings, our hundred disciples brought back resources worth several billion in total. That’s several hundred million per opening, a few million in goods per disciple. Taking a reasonable middle figure, one Abyss Secret Realm quota is worth about five million.”

Since taking over the commercial side, Ling Ruoxue had read many past income and expense records. She had some idea of the figures.

Qin Xiao didn’t believe her calculation. Knowing her merchant nature, she had quoted the highest figure. Haggle it down a couple of times and he would get closer to the real market rate, probably about 1.5 million.

“The Spirit Medicine Valley yields more. It opens once every ten years, after all. There are all sorts of spirit herbs, Tianyuan Holy Fruits, and other opportunities. I won’t take advantage of you: just ten times as much. Fifty million per quota. Buy two and I’ll give you twenty percent off. Eighty million Spirit Stones. I’ll make the decision myself and sell you two.”

Ling Ruoxue had indeed quoted the maximum rate, figuring that Qin Xiao was hardly short on Spirit Stones and that she was doing him a massive favor anyway. Secret Realm quotas were the sort of commodity money usually couldn’t buy at any price.

Mentally cutting the price twice, Qin Xiao estimated the true market value hovered around ten million per spot, making two worth roughly twenty million. Yet Ling Ruoxue had boldly demanded one hundred million before offering a discount that left the total at eighty million.

“Deal.”

Qin Xiao was thinking along the same lines. He wasn’t going in to make a fortune, but to find opportunities. He’d read so many books in his past life: every Secret Realm held opportunities. That was an iron rule. He couldn’t miss out.

As long as the price wasn’t entirely detached from reality, he didn’t mind paying a premium. After all, under the current circumstances, the Immortal Dao Merchant Association was the only entity willing to sell him access at all.