Meng Luohai looked into Gray Robe Jiang Lao's eyes, without the slightest trace of fear in his gaze!
"To be a Black Market merchant, you must have the awareness of a Black Market merchant!"
Meng Luohai rubbed his palms together slightly and said, "Once you lose that awareness, it means you will lose even more!"
Meng Bohai stepped to the other side, his gaze equally icy as he looked at Gray Robe Jiang Lao. Smiling, he said, "The two of us have been playmates since childhood, our hearts in tune, and we are both Qi Refining Perfection cultivators. Gray Robe Jiang Lao, I am offering you kind advice—do not let temporary gains blind your eyes!"
"Hehe! Threatening me? I, Gray Robe Jiang Lao, have never feared anyone!"
Gray Robe Jiang Lao continued, "It is true that you two are Qi Refining Perfection cultivators, but I, Gray Robe Jiang Lao, am no pushover either. I have run wild through the Chiyang County Black Market for years. I have done no shortage of killing and looting, and besides, I have plenty of cultivation methods!"
Gray Robe Jiang Lao had originally intended to finish this transaction properly. But when he saw Meng Bohai take out so many pounds of Six-Pattern Wheat at once, his heart immediately stirred!
Previously, the agreed channel price between Gray Robe Jiang Lao and Meng Bohai had been sixteen Spirit Stones per pound of Six-Pattern Wheat.
Yet the Six-Pattern Wheat Meng Bohai had brought this time weighed an astonishing five thousand two hundred and twenty-one pounds. Calculated this way, Gray Robe Jiang Lao would have to pay Meng Bohai a total of eighty-three thousand five hundred and thirty-six Spirit Stones!
Although Gray Robe Jiang Lao had enough Spirit Stones to pay Meng Bohai, the petty thoughts of one long immersed in the Black Market surfaced again when greed seized him at the sight of wealth.
"If I kill all three of them here, not only will I not need to give them more than eighty thousand Spirit Stones, I can also claim these five thousand-plus pounds of Six-Pattern Wheat for myself. Later, I can sell it in the Black Market. With a turn of my hand, I will have nearly two hundred thousand Spirit Stones flowing into my coffers!"
This was the thought in Gray Robe Jiang Lao's heart at that moment!
Meng Haoran watched the three of them face off and felt the atmosphere on the verge of erupting. He secretly thought, Black Market merchants really are Black Market merchants. There is no integrity whatsoever in their dealings—every one of them is a petty man whose greed stirs at the sight of wealth!
Even though Meng Haoran was angry, his thoughts remained exceptionally clear.
At present, Gray Robe Jiang Lao is the only person who knows we possess Six-Pattern Wheat of this quality. If we become enemies, and he somehow escapes from my two clan uncles and spreads this news, the Meng Family's grand plan for development will have to be delayed yet again!
Meng Haoran thought further, Moreover, once this Six-Pattern Wheat is harvested by the Meng Family, we can only sell it while the spiritual energy within it is still abundant. Only then can it bring the Meng Family greater profits!
Having thought this through, Meng Haoran no longer hesitated and stepped forward.
Seeing this, Meng Luohai was slightly startled and said in a low voice, "Hao Ran, be careful!"
Meng Haoran waved his hand lightly and smiled. "Clan Uncle Luohai, don't worry!"
With that, Meng Haoran turned to Gray Robe Jiang Lao, keeping a safe distance from him as he smiled. "Jiang Lao, I understand what you are thinking. After all, the amount of Six-Pattern Wheat we brought this time is too great, and its value is too high. No matter who saw this Six-Pattern Wheat, they would harbor some improper thoughts!"
Gray Robe Jiang Lao was somewhat puzzled as he listened to Meng Haoran's words.
Meng Haoran continued, "To sit unmoved with a beauty in one's lap is likely something only the sages of ancient times could accomplish. So the thoughts Jiang Lao has now suit your identity as a Black Market merchant. After all, killing and looting are commonplace."
At this point, Meng Haoran changed the direction of his words. "However, we are not ordinary people. If Jiang Lao insists on fighting us, there is more than an eighty percent chance that you will die here. Once you die here, everything you once possessed will vanish like smoke and scatter like clouds!"
Pointing at himself, then at Gray Robe Jiang Lao across from him, Meng Haoran said gravely, "The amount of Six-Pattern Wheat we brought this time is indeed too great, and its value too high. Asking Jiang Lao to produce tens of thousands of Spirit Stones at once, you surely would be reluctant. But Jiang Lao, you have forgotten one thing. Paying is only temporary. We have a channel agreement between us—the Six-Pattern Wheat here will be supplied exclusively through your channel. Jiang Lao, you understand that, don't you?"
The aura Gray Robe Jiang Lao had unleashed slowly dissipated. Staring at Meng Haoran, he said softly, "Go on."
"Although Jiang Lao must pay us tens of thousands of Spirit Stones this time, the Spirit Stone income you earn in the future will far exceed this. As a Black Market merchant, Jiang Lao surely understands this principle!"
Meng Haoran paused slightly, then smiled. "The channel agreement came first. The Six-Pattern Wheat produced here will certainly be supplied exclusively to Jiang Lao. Batch after batch of Six-Pattern Wheat will flow from Jiang Lao's hands into the Chiyang County Black Market, and then Spirit Stones will flow back into Jiang Lao's hands one by one, doubled over. It is only a matter of time. I believe Jiang Lao understands what that means."
After pondering for a moment, Gray Robe Jiang Lao suddenly laughed. "Good boy! What eloquence! You managed to persuade me in just a few words!"
He then turned to Meng Bohai and Meng Luohai, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist Bohai, Fellow Daoist Luo, I was rash just now. Lard blinded my eyes. Here, I apologize to you both!"
After Meng Bohai and Meng Luohai exchanged glances, they too cupped their hands and said, "We do not blame Jiang Lao. The two of us were also a little too anxious!"
They exchanged several more insincere pleasantries, after which Gray Robe Jiang Lao took several Storage Bags from his robes and handed them to Meng Haoran.
"Boy, there are eighty-three thousand five hundred and thirty-six Spirit Stones in here. Count them and see whether a single one is missing," Gray Robe Jiang Lao said with a smile.
Meng Haoran swept his spiritual sense through the Storage Bags and nodded. "The Spirit Stones are exact. Not one more, not one less."
Hearing this, Gray Robe Jiang Lao placed the Six-Pattern Wheat Meng Bohai had brought into his gray Daoist robe and asked, "Fellow Daoist Bohai, when shall we make our next transaction?"
Meng Bohai said in a deep voice, "As long as Jiang Lao abides by the Black Market rules, our transactions can continue indefinitely!"
As soon as he heard this, Gray Robe Jiang Lao knew that Fellow Daoist Bohai before him was still angry over his sudden malicious intentions earlier.
Gray Robe Jiang Lao had now fully understood Meng Haoran's words, and he felt faint regret for his earlier actions.
"Fellow Daoist Bohai, rest assured. This will absolutely never happen again!"
Only then did Meng Bohai take out the map from his robes and smile. "Jiang Lao, let us choose the location for our next transaction."
Watching their conversation, Meng Haoran slowly let out a breath and secretly thought, Good thing this transaction was not ruined!
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