"If I accepted this investment..."
"And failed to live up to it, I'd be the one making you lose face, Senior."
Lu Yuan shook his head.
Of course.
That shake of his head was not a refusal.
It was merely a gesture to accompany his previous answer.
It reinforced the persuasiveness of his words.
And strengthened their credibility as well.
However, since the Heart Demon Thunder Emperor had chosen to lay his cards on the table, continuing to play tricks or put on a show of repeatedly declining would not only be unnecessary, but might also make the Heart Demon Thunder Emperor think less of him. After all, for some people, sincerity was the criterion by which they judged others. This was the highest realm of social interaction: treating others sincerely. One act of insincerity meant a lifetime of distrust. If done well, it made one like Liu Bei, a great Han-era heartthrob who could make Guan Yu pass five gates and slay six generals just to follow him. But if handled poorly, it could easily backfire.
Dugu Bo and Hai Bodong were perfect examples.
Dugu Bo: I went all in on Tang San. What about you?
Hai Bodong: I went all in on Xiao Yan. So?
Dugu Bo: I chose the wrong person and died.
Hai Bodong: I chose the right person. From now on, I won't smoke anything lit by anything less than Heavenly Flames. Once I reach the Myriad Heavens, ordinary Earth Supremes will have to bow and scrape before me, while ordinary Heavenly Supremes will treat me as an equal.
So, sincerity.
If handled well, it had no upper limit.
If handled badly, it had no lower limit either.
What determined those limits was one's judgment. That judgment required not only seeing a person's potential, but