by Shian Jeen
Noticing that Huwang Xiao’s interest was piqued, Supervisor Lin smiled warmly, “Of course, not only do we have the low grade pill refinement tactics, we can even offer intermediate pill refinement tactics.”
Huwang Xiao was slightly disappointed, low and intermediate pill refinement tactics were of no use to him, but if they had high level pill refinement tactics, he wouldn’t mind buying them, hence, Huwang Xiao did not asked anymore questions.
But he took out a piece of paper from the Asura Ring, handing it to Supervisor Lin, “This is the list of ingredients that I want to buy.”
Supervisor Lin took the piece of paper. With a glance, he saw that the piece of paper was full of words, line after line. It listed more than a hundred types of pill refinement ingredients.
Moreover, every item, Huwang Xiao wanted one hundred of them.
This greatly shocked Supervisor Lin. Many ingredients listed by Huwang Xiao were rare, even if the requirements were merely one-hundred-years-old, the total of these this could cost up to ten million!
Ten million!
This was still Supervisor Lin’s conservative estimation.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t done transactions worth ten million and above, but still, it was only a once or twice.
Recovering from his shock, Supervisor Lin’s heart was blooming in all colors, he didn’t expect this black-haired young man to be a super, extra large fat sheep.
Huwang Xiao spoke at this time, “The items that I want, does your Aowu Shop have them?”
Supervisor Lin concealed his excitement with a wide smile, reassuring Huwang Xiao, “This Brother, please rest assured. These things that you want, we definitely have them in our Aowu Shop, may I know which variety you want?”
“Select the best variety you have in your shop for me.” Huwang Xiao said.
The smile on Supervisor Lin’s face stretched from ear to ear, “No problem.” But then he paused slightly here, “It’s just that our shop requires customers to pay a certain amount of deposit before the transaction is concluded. This is a rule. So, little Brother…?”
Huwang Xiao’s face was impassive: “How much?”
Supervisor Lin chuckled, “Not much, one hundred thousand.”
Huwang Xiao, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu exchanged a look, sneering coldly in their heart, they had never heard of any pill refinement ingredients shop to practice taking deposit from customers, furthermore, it was a one hundred thousand gold coins deposit!
It was obvious that this Aowu Shop had quite the big appetite!
However, Huwang Xiao did not refuse. Maintaining the same impassive expression, he answered, “Sure.” With a wave of his hand, one hundred thousand gold coins flew out, sparkling gold coins rained down in a pile on the hall floor.
Supervisor Lin’s eyes reflected golden light, his hand made a swift wave, transferring the one hundred thousand gold coins into his spatial ring. “Little Brother, please wait a moment. I will go tell people to prepare the ingredients on your list.” He left instructions to Iron-Skinned Dog to serve Huwang Xiao before turning around and disappearing into the back hall.
Under Iron-Skinned Dogs enthusiastic care, Huwang Xiao, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu were seated down, but Lil’ Tian was an active one, roaming around the shop, touching here and looking there.
Seeing that Huwang Xiao had a seven or eight year old child with him, Iron-Skinned Dog couldn’t help but be curious, “Young Noble, this little one is your brother?”
“He can be considered so.” Huwang Xiao nodded.
This made Iron-Skinned Dog observe Lil’ Tian a little more, however, he couldn't find any resemblance between Lil’ Tian and Huwang Xiao. Moreover, that little kid’s clothes were neither here nor there, with bare feet, he was no different than a wild child from the forest. But Huwang Xiao didn’t look like someone that would kidnap small children. According to his opinion, someone that could easily tip a spatial ring, their status must be high, it was impossible for someone like that to be trading children.
Furthermore, he could see that the little kid genuinely liked Huwang Xiao and willingly followed him. Iron-Skinned Dogs brain churned extra hard as possibilities ran through his mind.
Of course, no matter how he guessed, he never would have thought that this seven or eight year old child was actually a human-shaped Saint realm demonic beast.
Iron-Skinned Dog continued to make idle small talk as Huwang Xiao, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu made themselves at home, savoring tea.
The amount of ingredients that Huwang Xiao wanted to buy was a lot, the Aowu Shop would need some time to prepare them and Huwang Xiao was in no hurry.
A little more than one hour later.
Supervisor Lin emerged from the back hall with a dozen people following behind him, their hands laden with pill refinement ingredients.
In the hall, the group of people arranged the ingredients in a corner, turned around and went to the back hall again, bringing out more ingredients.
This group of people went back and forth more than ten times, nearly filling the hall to the brim with ingredients.
When it was done, Supervisor Lin approached Huwang Xiao with a big smile, “Little Brother, the pill refinement ingredients that you wanted are all here.” He said while pointing at the large pile of ingredients.
Huwang Xiao, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu all stood up and walked over. With a quick glance over the materials, Huwang Xiao sneered inwardly. Even though it was just a quick glance, Huwang Xiao was clear that the ages of these ingredients were inconsistent. Some were two to three hundred years old, and mixed within were those of forty to fifty years old. Not to mention, his requirement for each type of ingredient was one hundred, but in this pile, none fulfilled the stated quantity, there were, at most, only eighty to ninety for each pill refinement ingredient.
But Huwang Xiao deliberately questioned, “Supervisor Lin, this are your shop’s best quality pill refinement ingredients?”
The smile never left Supervisor’s face, “That’s right, these are our shop’s best quality pill refinement ingredients.” He walked over to a particular ingredient called Wind Bison Blossom and picked up a stalk, explaining patiently, “Little Brother, see, this Wind Bison Blossom is over three hundred years. Not that I’m blowing my own trumpet, but a Wind Bison Blossom that is over three hundred years old, only our shop has such ingredients in stock.”
Hearing that, Huwang Xiao couldn’t resist a cold snicker in his heart, this Supervisor Lin was practically lying without feeling shame, that Wind Bison Blossom that he was holding was slightly over a hundred years old at most. How could Huwang Xiao not tell?
Huwang Xiao took the Wind Bison Blossom from Supervisor Lin’s hands, looking as if he was checking the stalk of flower very seriously. After a while, Huwang Xiao said, “Supervisor Lin, are you sure that this Wind Bison Blossom is over three hundred years? From what I see, at most, it’s only a hundred and fifty years old.”
A trace a embarrassment flickered past Supervisor Lin’s face listening to Huwang Xiao’s comment, surprised that the young man could determine that the Wind Bison Blossom was one hundred and fifty at most, realizing that Huwang Xiao was someone experienced.
In fact, Huwang Xiao was right. That Wind Bison Blossom was a little over one hundred and forty years, definitely not the above three hundred years he had just exaggerated.
However, knowing was one thing, admitting was another.
Supervisor Lin laughed, “Little Brother, your judgement is erroneous. Our Aowu Shop’s ingredients are verified by South Oblast City’s best appraiser, the age definitely can’t be wrong. Look here if you don’t believe me.” He pointed at a piece of paper from the spot where he picked up the Wind Bison Blossom earlier.
Huwang Xiao glanced at the piece of paper stating that the Wind Bison Blossom was above three hundred years old. Other than the age of the ingredient, there was a line of words: Archaic Peak Appraiser Firm.
Ch.394
“Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm.
” Huwang Xiao read the name under his breath.
Supervisor Lin maintained a cordial smile on his face, “That’s the one, Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm. This Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm is our South Oblast City’s largest appraisal firm. All of our Aowu Shop’s pill refinement ingredients have gone through strict appraisal from Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm’s appraisers, which is why there is absolutely no error in the age and quality of the ingredients.”
Another silent sneer sounded in Huwang Xiao’s heart, “Really?”
It was a fact that this Wind Bison Blossom stalk didn’t exceed a hundred and fifty years, but this so-called Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm verified it as double the number of years,there could be only one explanation—this Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm was not a good thing either.
In the pill refinement ingredient trading market, in order to make a little more profit, some shops would cooperate with appraisal firms to deceive buyers by raising the ages of ingredients. In fact, this kind of practice was more common than not.
However, daring to bluff a one hundred fifty year pill refinement ingredient as a three hundred year one like this Aowu Shop was rare. The difference between a one hundred and fifty-year-old ingredient and a three-hundred-year-old was ten times the price.
Ten times!
Clearly, this Aowu Shop had quite the large appetite!
Huwang Xiao returned the stalk of Wind Bison Blossom to Supervisor Lin, commenting without missing a beat, “It seems your relationship with Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm is very good.”
Supervisor Lin took the stalk, his expression blanked for a second at Huwang Xiao’s comment, but he quickly covered it with a harmless chuckle, “What Little brother said is correct, our Aowu Shop does have a good relationship with Archaic Peak Appraisal Firm. Because of our frequent business liaison, it’s normal for our relationship to be good.”
Huwang Xiao merely nodded, showing no interest to pursue the topic further.
Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu stood behind Huwang Xiao, neither of them spoke. Both of them could tell with a glance that these ingredients’ ages differed, not to mention, the quantity was greatly shortchanged.
At this time, Huwang Xiao walked over to a pile of ingredients that looked like black sand, saying, “Supervisor Lin, this Black Water Sand, I requested for one hundred of them, meaning one hundred catties, are there a hundred catties here?”
With Huwang Xiao’s sharp eyes, a single glance and he could determine that there were only eighty catties at most. Black Water Sand was an ingredient used to refine grade ten spirit pellets, so the price was quite high. The regular market price was around five thousand gold coins for one catty, a difference of twenty catties was equivalent to one hundred thousand gold coins!
Supervisor Lin approached smiling, “Little Brother, rest assured, our Aowu Shop looks heavily on conducting honest transactions, there are definitely one hundred catties of Black Water Sand in here. If Little Brother is still doubtful, I will order my people to weigh it in front of you.” Finished saying this, his eyes signaled towards Iron-Skinned Dog to bring the scale over.
Iron-Skinned Dog responded, hurried off to bring the scale at a corner of the hall, and placed the pile of Black Water Sand on it. When the pile of Black Water Sand was put on the scale, it indicated the number one hundred and two, representing a hundred and two catties.
Supervisor Lin grinned at Huwang Xiao, “Little Brother, see, I was right, our Aowu Shop is really an honest shop. You can see for yourself, this Black Water Sand not only has one hundred catties, there are even two extra catties. Since Little Brother is a big customer, take it as these two catties as a little token, free of charge for Little Brother.”
Watching Supervisor Lin ‘declare’ things in such a pompous manner, Huwang Xiao snorted with disdain inside. That scale must have been fixed long ago, but he did not burst Supervisor Lin’s bubble yet.
Huwang Xiao continued, stopping in front of a grade nine spirit pellet ingredient that was soft pink in color. Although these ingredients, whether it was judging from color or shape, closely resembled Redblood Buds, Huwang Xiao could still tell that they were definitely not Redblood Buds.
These petals in front of him were slightly darker in color. It was actually another kind of pill refinement ingredient called Big Red Flower, and this Big Red Flower was merely an ingredient used for grade three spirit pellets, with a price that was fifty to sixty times cheaper compared to Redblood Buds.
Of course, if Huwang Xiao were to use these Big Red Flowers to refine a grade nine spirit pellet, there would only be one result—failure!
However, that Supervisor Lin ‘kindly’ explained, “Little Brother, I’m sure that you didn’t know this, these Redblood Buds are something that our shop cultivated in a secret place filled with abundant spiritual energy, using a special nurturing method. That’s why the color is a bit darker than normal, but using these special Redblood Buds cultivated by us to refine your pills, the effect would be much better.”
“Is that so?” Listening to the other side’s ‘confident’ explanation, Huwang Xiao once again let the matter drop.
Subsequently, Huwang Xiao pointed at several different ingredients with problems, however, each of them was tactfully explained by Supervisor Lin.
It could be said that each answer was foolproof.
That Supervisor Lin maintained a cordial smile on his face the whole time. Regardless of Huwang Xiao’s questions, he would answer patiently.
A short while later Huwang Xiao, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu were again seated.
“Supervisor Lin, please calculate the total amount of money needed for these ingredients.” Seating down, Huwang Xiao said.
Hearing this, Supervisor Lin’s face beamed with happiness, this was the sentence he was waiting for the entire time! He swiftly waved his hand, and a steward looking old man in his fifties appeared in the hall.
“Assis this Little Brother in calculating the price of these ingredients. Remember, calculate correctly, with accuracy, so that this Little Brother knows that our Aowu Shop is the most honest shop around.” As Supervisor Lin spoke, his eyes signaled the old man.
That steward-like middle-aged man complied respectfully, “Yes, Supervisor Lin.” He then walked toward the Wind Bison Blossom, saying, “Three hundred year Wind Bison Blossom, ten stalks, each stalk thirty-five thousand and three hundred gold coins. One-hundred-year-old, sixty stalks, every stalk is five thousand one hundred sixty gold coins.”
The old steward calculated them one by one. Very quickly, he calculated the total for the hundred stalks of Wind Bison Blossom, amounting to eight hundred and ninety-nine thousand six hundred gold coins.
Huwang Xiao sneered at the amount, the market price for a three hundred years Wind Bison Blossom was thirty thousand gold coins, whereas this Aowu Shop added another five thousand three hundred on top market price. Same for others of different ages, all of them were priced one to two thousand gold coins higher than the norm.
But, if only it stopped there... Those Wind Bison Blossom that claimed to be three hundred years were nothing more than a hundred and fifty years, whereas those claimed to be one hundred years were only fifty to sixty years old. Those hundred stalks of Wind Bison Blossom, at actual market price, would only be worth approximately three hundred thousand gold coins.
However this Aowu Shop stated eight hundred ninety-nine thousand six hundred!
More than double the price!
Yet, Huwang Xiao did not interrupt the old man, allowing him to proceed on.
Supervisor Lin furtively observed Huwang Xiao’s expression as he listened to his subordinate’s tabulation. Seeing that Huwang Xiao was calm as usual, he finally relaxed.
A while later, the hundred over pill refinement ingredients that Huwang Xiao listed were summed up, thirty-one million, six hundred and fifty-six thousand, and three hundred gold coins.
Supervisor Lin chuckled good-naturedly, “Little Brother, since you’re our esteemed guest, buying so many in
gredients at once, I can bend the rule a little for you, discounting the odd ends, thirty-one million, six hundred-fifty thousand! Again, deducting the one hundred thousand deposit earlier, you only need to pay thirty-one million, five hundred fifty thousand.” Supervisor Lin said looked generous as he said so. In his opinion, Huwang Xiao would definitely feel grateful to him for discounting the odd six thousand three hundred gold coins.
Ch.395
Listening to Supervisor Lin’s ‘generous act’ of discounting six thousand three hundred gold coins, a faint smile emerged on Huwang Xiao’s lips, “How could I accept that?”
Supervisor Lin chuckled sheepishly, “It’s something I should do.”
Huwang Xiao laughed, “Good, help me pack all these pill refinement ingredients into my spatial ring.” He removed an empty spatial and gave it to Supervisor Lin as he said that.
This spatial ring was taken off Yao Fei when Huwang Xiao killed him. Supervisor Lin received the spatial ring from Huwang Xiao and opened it. The instant the ring opened, his eyes widened.
This spatial ring, just the space inside was close to three to four hundred cubic meters, if he was to imagine the volume, how big was that? Once, he saw one their Aowu Shop Elders spatial rings, but the space inside was barely half the size of Huwang Xiao’s.
Getting over his shock, a trace of regret wound around Supervisor Lin’s heart, if he had known earlier, he would have signaled his subordinate to hike the price up a little more. Such a super big fat sheep, if he didn’t make it bleed a little bit more, who knows when the next super fat sheep would visit their shop.
However, it was too late for regrets and Supervisor Lin recovered fairly quickly. He handed the spatial ring to Iron-Skinned Dog, who was standing at the side, so that he could transfer all the pill refinement ingredients that Huwang Xiao bought into the ring.
Of course, if he knew that Huwang Xiao obtained this spatial ring after killing a Deities Templar Elder, he would probably be terrified enough to throw the spatial ring back to Huwang Xiao, lacking the courage to even hold the ring. His thoughts of bleeding a super fat sheep a little more would definitely vanish.