Xu Yi said, "Since that's the case, I'll lay my cards on the table: thirty thousand Profound Yellow Essences, and an end to the standoff between the two mountains."
Wang Rongrong sneered. "Looks like Brother Xu still hasn't woken up. Kuang Wenyuan is after your immortal official's position. He might even pin a charge on you, and then you'll be a man with a criminal record. On the other hand, if I help you end the standoff between the two mountains, that'll be a great merit for you. With that under your belt, your position as a provisional traveler will be secure. Then, if you raise your Dao Fruit to fourth rank and cultivate the Fourth Realm of Divine Map, you'll be able to become an upper immortal openly and honorably. Add it all up, and just how much would you stand to gain?"
"I haven't even made demands of you, Brother Xu. That's already pretty generous of me. How can you have the nerve to ask for another thirty thousand Profound Yellow Essences? Do you really think I, a man named Wang, am an idiot?" He had been studying Xu Yi for years. Ever since Xu Yi joined the Traveler Department, it had been his main focus.
Xu Yi thought, This is troublesome. But at this juncture, he absolutely couldn't give in. If he did, Wang would press his advantage. He'd faced situations like this plenty of times and understood them all too well. When both sides in a negotiation had each other by the throat, it came down to who cared less.
Xu Yi rose to his feet. "If that's the case, then there's nothing left to discuss. At worst, I'll botch this assignment. If Kuang Wenyuan wants to punish me, he'll have to see whether I make