Chapter 33: Reaching Cooperation
Translator: 549690339
Bai Wendao watched the current scene as if he were watching a play.
Compared to others, Bai Wendao was the most knowledgeable about Jiang Cheng among all present.
Once this youngster firmly occupied the moral high ground, even if Heavenly Dao himself descended, he wouldn’t be able to argue against him.
Watching the ever-changing expressions on Lei Buxiao’s face, Bai Wendao understood that if he didn’t step in to smooth things over soon, Dean Lei would probably be so angry he’d suffer internal injuries.
“Young friend Jiang, do you still remember this old man?”
Jiang Cheng politely clasped his hands together: “Senior Bai is learned and wise, the conversation we had that day is still fresh in my memory to this day.”
Hearing Jiang Cheng’s words, many of the cultivators present thought simultaneously: so you do know how to say nice things, huh?
Bai Wendao let out a hearty laugh, getting straight to the point: “Young friend Jiang, ever since the Five Great Immortal Sects joined hands to maintain order in the world, everyone has stayed in their place and acted according to the rules and regulations, thus creating a long-lasting peace. Since the Muscle Relaxation Talisman you drew is legal and compliant, then our Tianheng Sword Cultivation Academy, indeed, has no right to interfere with you.”
Upon hearing Bai Wendao’s words, Lei Buxiao immediately became anxious.
“Professor Bai, this matter concerns the academy’s critical upgrade, how can we allow such indulgence? The academy’s upgrade has been the focus of Lei’s and many colleagues’ efforts for more than a decade, how can we stop here?”
Bai Wendao signaled Lei Buxiao to calm down.
He continued: “Although the academy has no right to interfere, our Sword Cultivation Academy is also a legal entity under the governance of the Immortal Sect, and also has legal rights, doesn’t it?”
“Of course,” Jiang Cheng said.
“Good. Then in that case, our academy can openly and honorably cooperate with young friend Jiang. If others can buy talismans, our academy can do the same.”
As soon as Bai Wendao said this, everyone caught on to his meaning.
Lei Buxiao immediately understood Bai Wendao’s intention.
The Muscle Relaxation Talisman, if students can buy it, the academy can also buy it.
And which students have more money than the academy?
As long as the academy buys all the talismans, then the students naturally won’t be able to purchase them.
If the students can’t buy them, then in all the various exams of the academy, no one will be able to casually pass using such an odd thing!
With this, the Imperial College’s inspection for the upgrade would be foolproof!
This move is indeed clever, but if Jiang Cheng starts making exorbitant demands…
Lei Buxiao looked towards Jiang Cheng.
And Jiang Cheng was staring at Bai Wendao.
“Senior Bai means to say, the Sword Cultivation Academy wants to sign an exclusive supply agreement with me?”
Bai Wendao spoke frankly, without evasion, “Whether you supply the academy or not, we don’t care. We just want you not to sell the talismans to students. Whether it’s ‘exclusive supply,’ ‘monopoly,’ or ’embargo,’ you can interpret it as you will. We hope to pay a sum of money to ensure that, at least for the time being, the Muscle Relaxation Talisman won’t appear anymore.”
“Understood,” Jiang Cheng nodded.
Bai Wendao had already made himself very clear.
The Sword Cultivation Academy was planning to pay something akin to a ‘silencing fee’ to temporarily embargo the “Muscle Relaxation Talisman.”
For Jiang Cheng, it didn’t matter.
He crafted talismans to make money, and it didn’t matter whose pocket the money came from, as long as it was legal, he had no issues on his end.
“I still have several tasks at hand that I haven’t dealt with. If I were to cooperate with the academy, I would like the academy to take on the penalties for breach of contract,” Jiang Cheng said.
Lei Buxiao looked towards Sun Decai.
Sun Decai said with a smile, “The defaulting party needs to pay ten percent of the task amount as a penalty fee, which at most will be a hundred or two hundred low-grade Spirit Stones.”
Lei Buxiao nodded his head; he was a Core Formation cultivator, and a few hundred low-grade Spirit Stones truly meant nothing to him.
“You name your price,” Lei Buxiao said.
At this point, other than the price, there was nothing left to discuss.
As long as Jiang Cheng’s asking price wasn’t too outrageous, Lei Buxiao could accept it.
As soon as Dean Lei’s words fell, everyone’s gaze converged on Jiang Cheng.
Yang Lingbao, the Foundation Establishment cultivator closest to Jiang Cheng and principal of a high school, kept giving Jiang Cheng meaningful looks, signaling him to quit while he was ahead, to ask for less and not be too excessive.
Lin Yao, seated next to Jiang Cheng, had never expected the situation to develop the way it had.
A Qi training cultivator haggling with Core Formation powerhouses, not only leaving the Core Formation powerhouses speechless and angrily at a loss but also ending with the Core Formation powerhouses offering money to calm the situation.
This…
If novelists dared to write like this, they would mostly be criticized for being brainless.
But this actually happened.
And it happened right beside her.
Lin Yao had originally considered Jiang Cheng only a master of emotions, with nothing extraordinary in other aspects. Until today, until just moments ago, she realized that it was her own naivety before.
A talisman technique surprising even the president of the Talisman Association.
Maintaining composure in front of many high-ranking cultivators.
Staying true to justice without compromise, even in adversity.
Every merit that Jiang Cheng displayed, if placed among his peers, was enough to make him stand out. But all these merits were present in just one person: him.
Lin Yao stared dumbfounded at Jiang Cheng’s profile, and even if she didn’t want to admit it, she had to acknowledge that apart from a slightly lower cultivation level, Jiang Cheng was excellent in all other aspects…
Lin Yao couldn’t help thinking, if Jiang Cheng confessed his feelings to her again today, would she still have the courage to reject him?
She should… have it… right?
She was no longer sure.
Facing Lei Buxiao’s offer, Jiang Cheng didn’t hesitate much.
He pondered for merely ten seconds before saying, “Thirty-two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.”
“How much!?”
Lei Buxiao stood up in shock.
“Uh, thirty-two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones,” Jiang Cheng repeated.
The reason he mentioned this number was simply that it was the price of a set of apartments. It was also the goal he had been working towards these days.
Jiang Cheng, seeing Lei Buxiao so shocked, thought he had asked for too much.
But what he didn’t realize was, he had actually asked for too little.
Thirty-two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones was no small sum for a Qi Cultivation cultivator.
Qi Cultivation cultivators made up the vast majority of the population in Liang Kingdom.
In Wuyue City, the salary of an average Qi Cultivation cultivator ranged between four hundred to seven hundred low-grade Spirit Stones. Six hundred-plus low-grade Spirit Stones was the average price of a house in Wuyue.
However, thirty-two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones wasn’t considered a lot for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
A Foundation Establishment Pill taken by a ninth-layer Qi Cultivation cultivator to advance to the next stage cost ten thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.
Many talented ninth-layer Qi Cultivation cultivators, in order to level up to Foundation Establishment, would easily consume the equivalent of two houses’ worth, which was quite common. Not to mention the Core Formation stage, one rank higher than Foundation Establishment.
The higher the cultivation level of a cultivator, the more terrifying the consumption of resources. Conversely, the resources they possessed were also more plentiful.
A mere thirty-two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones was a huge sum for a Qi Cultivation cultivator like Jiang Cheng, but for a Core Formation cultivator like Lei Buxiao, it was just a drop in the bucket.
Seeing Jiang Cheng name such a “generous” price,
even Lei Buxiao started to look at him more favorably.
As for Jiang Cheng’s previous offense, Lei Buxiao didn’t take it to heart.
He had no need to hold a grudge over a small fry; that would be beneath him, and embarrassing to mention. Furthermore, the others present had not been the only ones at a disadvantage because of Jiang Cheng.
If everyone was at a disadvantage, then no one was.
Lei Buxiao waved his hand grandly, and four azure Spirit Stones appeared in front of Jiang Cheng.
These were four high-grade Spirit Stones.
According to the exchange rate where one hundred low-grade Spirit Stones equaled one medium-grade Spirit Stone, and one hundred medium-grade Spirit Stones equaled one high-grade Spirit Stone,
four high-grade Spirit Stones were equivalent to forty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones!
“No need for change.”
Watching Jiang Cheng’s slightly shocked expression, Lei Buxiao felt utterly satisfied.
He took a long, relieved breath.
Phew, he had spent the whole day watching this kid show off.
Now it was finally his turn to strut!
Fucking exhilarating!