In the Adult World, Only Interests Matter

Once the cooperation had been confirmed, what followed was the tedious haggling over interests.

From the very beginning, Tang Ya had circled around the bottom-line price Huo Yuhao had given her, going back and forth with the other party. This further convinced Wei Lina that Tang Ya had someone backing her. Otherwise, how could a ten-year-old girl know so much about the prices of Soul Guidance Devices?

The negotiations soon drew to a close. Tang Ya handed an ordinary Storage Ring to Wei Lina, who immediately passed it to the middle-aged man who had remained silent the entire time.

After the middle-aged man held the ring and sensed it for a moment, he finally opened his eyes and gave Wei Lina a slight nod. Though he appeared calm and detached, Gluttony Original Sin Energy surged from his body.

The energy provided by a Titled Douluo caused the unlock progress of Huo Yuhao's Greed Original Sin source to leap forward by a considerable amount.

I didn't expect an unexpected gain.

Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. Over the past year of selling Roasted Fish, he had absorbed varying amounts of Original Sin Energy such as envy and greed from other jealous vendors. But since they had all been ordinary people without Soul Power, the progress had been minimal. This one person, however, had provided far more than he had absorbed over the entire previous year.

Seeing the middle-aged man nod, Wei Lina no longer hesitated. She likewise took out a ring containing a mixture of Gold Soul Coins and rare metals, then handed it to Tang Ya with a smile.

"I believe the Tang Sect has more than just these Soul Guidance Devices in reserve. I hope we will have more opportunities to cooperate in the future."

As though she had not understood the teasing undertone, Tang Ya accepted the ring with a smile as well.

"If we discover anything, there will be opportunities."

"Now that the transaction is complete, the two of us won't stay any longer. Farewell."

With that, she rose with Huo Yuhao and headed for the door. Just then, Wei Lina called out to stop her again.

"Wait, Miss Tang Ya."

Tang Ya halted and looked back, only to hear Wei Lina ask softly, "I am also saddened by what happened to your sect. If you need it, we can help you."

"No need."

Before she could finish, Tang Ya interrupted her directly. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness Princess, but it is better to resolve our own affairs ourselves."

With that, she opened the door and left with Huo Yuhao.

Bang.

The door shut, and the room fell silent. Wei Lina looked toward the middle-aged man.

"Dean Ding, what do you think?"

"Looks like I was overthinking it."

The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, his tone filled with disbelief.

"Could Shrek's Soul Guidance Devices have developed to this level without a sound?"

That glove sample alone had already shocked him deeply. Even at Bright Virtue Hall, it would absolutely be considered one of the finest low-level Soul Guidance Devices. There was no way they would allow something like that to circulate freely outside.

If it really was a Shrek product, did that not mean Shrek's Soul Guidance Devices were already capable of rivaling, or even surpassing, Bright Virtue Hall?

Then what the hell were their three empires even competing for? They might as well just give up.

Just then, Mu Xue, who had been silent beside them, spoke up. "Could it really be as Uncle Dean said? Is there a top-tier Soul Guidance Device Master helping the Tang Sect?"

After saying that, she added, "I feel like that boy who was about my age was a little strange."

Wei Lina did not immediately refute her. Instead, she explained with a smile, "Mu Xue, Dean Ding already said that the creator's attainments in Soul Guidance Devices are no less than his own. He couldn't possibly be a child."

"But these are all low-level Soul Guidance Devices. Low-level Soul Masters can make them, can't they?" Mu Xue tilted her head. "Maybe he's a genius among geniuses?"

Wei Lina's words caught in her throat, but Dean Ding shook his head.

"Impossible. I sensed them. One has one soul ring, while the other does not even have one. They probably cannot even make Soul Guidance Devices."

Obtaining this batch of Soul Guidance Devices had clearly put him in a better mood, and he began joking around.

"Mu Xue, you're still young. You don't understand Soul Guidance Device Masters. Making this kind of Soul Guidance Device requires more than talent; it also requires accumulation. If that child really made them, he must have started studying Soul Guidance Devices in his mother's womb."

After saying that, he could not help laughing first, laughing quite happily. Wei Lina beside him also began to laugh.

For a time, the entire room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

It was not until they had left the hotel and turned onto another street that Tang Ya finally lowered her voice and asked.

"Is anyone following us?"

Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched. He had just been wondering why she had looked so tense.

"No. Don't worry."

"Phew—"

Tang Ya's shoulders abruptly relaxed. She immediately took out the Storage Ring, held it high overhead, and shouted excitedly.

"We're rich! We're rich!"

But when she met Huo Yuhao's strange gaze, her movements froze. She then coughed twice solemnly and handed the ring to Huo Yuhao as if seeking credit.

"How did I do?"

"Very well. I doubt even Wei Lina realized it was your first negotiation."

Huo Yuhao smiled and nodded. After giving her a sincere evaluation, he accepted the ring.

"Of course. Just look at who your Little Ya-jie is."

As he listened to her, Huo Yuhao maintained a gentle smile. He pressed the ring against his Storage Bracelet, then handed it back to Tang Ya.

"There's your share too."

The very next second she received it, she let out a startled cry. "Ah!"

Startled himself, Huo Yuhao hurriedly looked at her. "What's wrong?"

Tang Ya looked at him with a complicated expression and lowered her voice.

"You gave me way too much, didn't you?"

Huo Yuhao had only taken a portion of the rare metals and Gold Soul Coins in the storage space. By calculation, around sixty percent was missing, which meant he had left her forty percent.

"Didn't I say it before? Sixty-forty."

"When did you say that?"

Huo Yuhao thought back, then looked slightly embarrassed. "I think you interrupted me before I had the chance to say it."

But Tang Ya did not joke any further and merely continued looking at him quietly.

"Why?"

She knew very well that even if she had played some part in this matter, at most she had helped contact the Tian Hun Royal Family and acted as the person in the spotlight. She was absolutely not worth this much money.

"Don't belittle yourself. Your role is much greater than you think."

Huo Yuhao pressed his lips together and spoke gently. "This is only the beginning. We will still need the Tang Sect's channels in the future, so consider it payment for all the running around you've done. Besides, aren't we friends?"

"But friends shouldn't talk about these things even more. I didn't help you for this—"

Before Tang Ya could finish, Huo Yuhao's gentle voice interrupted her.

"If there is anything I can teach you on the path of growing up..."

At this point, Huo Yuhao paused, then smiled. "It is how to rely on friends."

"When we are children, we become friends. But in the adult world, only interests matter. Since that's the case, we might as well become good friends who make use of each other."

Tang Ya was stunned for a moment, then silently lowered her head. Behind her bangs, something crystalline seemed to fall. She sniffled, her choked voice carrying a hint of complaint.

"You're clearly a few years younger than me, but you talk like an old man."

"Hm?"

Huo Yuhao stared blankly. "Do I?"

As soon as he spoke, he heard Tang Ya's uncontrollable laughter and saw her shoulders shake lightly. Huo Yuhao's expression darkened, and he shook his head as he headed home.

Behind him, Tang Ya suddenly lifted her head, smiling as she wiped away her tears. She quickened her pace to catch up, threw an arm around Huo Yuhao's neck, and said with a grin.

"Little Yuhao, I suddenly know what path I want to take in the future."

"Oh?"

"The support type."

Huo Yuhao stopped in his tracks and looked at Tang Ya in surprise. She raised her hand, and the Blue Silver Grass in her palm gradually changed. Its originally crystalline blue slowly turned into a deep Blue-Black.

After completely revealing the true appearance of her Martial Soul before Huo Yuhao, Tang Ya explained softly.

"My Blue Silver Grass is actually Dark Blue Silver Grass with a devouring talent. It can devour Soul Power and Life Force. If I take the support path in the future, I can return that power to my teammates in battle."

Huo Yuhao immediately understood what she meant. In that case, Tang Ya's Dark Blue Silver Grass would combine crowd control, weakening opponents, restoring Soul Power, and healing effects into one.

It could be said that with her on the team, it would be like having an additional Milk Bottle capable of being used on the entire group in battle, complete with healing effects. And this Milk Bottle would constantly devour the opponents' Soul Power and Life Force.

Seeing Huo Yuhao's surprised expression, Tang Ya smiled happily.

"That makes me even more useful, doesn't it?"