Faced with Xu Yi's sarcasm, the middle-aged man in black robes replied unhurriedly, "Gu Mou naturally knows how precious an Earth Soul Talisman is. Mr. Xu, don't be in a hurry. Let Gu Mou explain things slowly. As I said, a deal is a deal, and both sides must be willing."
"First, the Spirit Mine Vein was estimated to be worth five hundred thousand spirit stones. That was only an estimate, because the entire vein hadn't been fully explored at the time. But it's certain that it's an enormous Spirit Mine Vein, so five hundred thousand spirit stones is only the minimum valuation."
"Second, Gu Mou knows the Gloomy Forbidden Area extremely well. I have many precious insights and tricks gathered over years, things you couldn't buy with any number of spirit stones. To give you one example, after years of searching, I've mastered a pattern for locating Five Elements Spirit Mine Veins. How many spirit stones do you think that knowledge is worth?"
"Lastly, I'm proficient in all kinds of mining techniques. With me on board, Mr. Xu, your spirit mine extraction will surely become much faster. I've also taken part in more than a dozen expeditions into the Gloomy Forbidden Area, so I have plenty of experience and can serve as a consultant."
When Xu Yi heard about the Five Elements Spirit Mine Veins, his eyes couldn't help lighting up. Compared with ordinary spirit stones, Five Elements Spirit Stones were rarer and more valuable. Finding a deposit would be a tremendous boon.
For that alone, the man surnamed Gu wasn't asking too much for an Earth Soul Talisman.
Xu Yi was already rather persuaded by the middle-aged man in black robes. He secretly decided that if the venture really succeeded, he could simply ask Elder Qin for one.