Mutual Benefit

"Let's dispense with the pleasantries. If you have something to say, Sect Master Ning, please speak freely."

Yu Wuyi placed the finished cake on a plate and handed it to Ning Tian.

Ning Tian's eyes lit up. She eagerly took it, picked up a fork, and happily began eating.

Afraid she might find it too rich, Yu Wuyi specially placed a cup of tea beside her plate.

Ning Yunye took all of this in, and an idea formed in his mind.

"Owner Yu is indeed straightforward. Since that is the case, Yunye will speak plainly."

"I hope Wuyi All-Purpose House can acquire a Silky Tulip for the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Oh?

An interested expression appeared on Yu Wuyi's face. Though he had considered the possibility that this might be a commission from an organization—

He had not expected Ning Yunye to directly commission Wuyi All-Purpose House in the name of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Still, the end goal was the same, so it made little difference.

At the thought that he would soon max out Firefly's roleplay progress and no longer be bound by commissions, he could not help feeling happy.

But since Ning Yunye had come in person, his purpose naturally could not be so simple.

"Sect Master Ning's intentions are probably not quite so straightforward, are they?"

Ning Yunye felt rather helpless.

On one side lay the future of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; on the other, its freedom.

"Indeed."

"My main purpose in coming here this time is to discuss the terms of the commission."

"While the Silky Tulip is certainly important to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it still falls somewhat short when compared with the freedom of the entire Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Therefore, I hope to renegotiate the terms of the commission with Owner Yu."

He was quite good at twisting the issue around, Yu Wuyi thought.

What those words really meant was:

No matter how valuable the Silky Tulip was, it was ultimately only a single immortal herb. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, however, consisted of countless people throughout the entire sect. The two could not be treated as equals.

The implication was that the reward Yu Wuyi offered was disproportionate to what the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have to give up.

Yu Wuyi almost wanted to laugh.

Ning Yunye had not mentioned a single word about the kind of improvement the Silky Tulip could bring to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

If this immortal herb truly was not that important to them, then why had Ning Yunye come knocking in person?

Of the terms Yu Wuyi had proposed, the only one with any room for negotiation was probably that forty percent decision-making authority.

Even if he asked for only ten percent, the remaining conditions would not be much better than what Ning Yunye called a loss of freedom. After all, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was not his personal domain.

It could be said that the moment Ning Yunye decided to come in person, Yu Wuyi had already guessed most of his intentions.

Everything he said was merely an attempt to secure as many benefits as possible.

"Sect Master Ning should know perfectly well just how important the Silky Tulip is to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Moreover, I already told Senior Yang that my commissions merely offer clients a choice. There is no coercion involved."

"If Sect Master Ning finds these terms too difficult to accept, you are free to seek other solutions."

"But please remember the warning I gave Senior Yang."

Silence.

When the initiative was in the other party's hands, many tactics of persuasion became useless.

The other party clearly knew how important the Silky Tulip was to them and was also fully aware of the developments to come.

Ning Yunye had to admit that he was being completely controlled by this young man, who looked not even half his age.

Not only did the other party understand his thoughts perfectly, but the power he possessed also left the entire Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without the courage to defy the rule that "it must not be passed on."

At this point, he could only resort to his final measure.

If even this could not win them any concessions, then he could only take a long-term approach.

He still did not know Wuyi All-Purpose House's stance. If he made a judgment too hastily, he might drag the entire sect into an abyss.

The Silky Tulip was important, but it was not urgently needed at this very moment.

"What if I told Owner Yu that the person who will absorb the Silky Tulip is Xiaotian?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Tian, who had been wholeheartedly focused on eating, froze and looked at her father in confusion.

How did this get dragged onto me?

Ning Yunye gave her a reassuring look, then continued.

"I see that Owner Yu has a good relationship with my daughter. If so, might this earn the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect some preferential treatment?"

Interesting.

That answer truly caught Yu Wuyi by surprise, making him regard Ning Yunye more highly.

As expected of the sect master of the continent's number-one auxiliary martial soul sect—he had come up with such a compromise in such a short time.

With a wave of his hand, Yu Wuyi summoned the blue commission document into his grasp.

"I have to admit, Sect Master Ning truly deserves to be called 'exquisitely clever.' If that is the case, I can indeed make some adjustments to the conditions."

"First: the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect becoming a subordinate force of Wuyi All-Purpose House remains unchanged."

"Second: Wuyi All-Purpose House holds veto power over decisions made by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Revised to: Wuyi All-Purpose House holds veto power only over 'major' decisions made by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Third: Wuyi All-Purpose House holds forty percent decision-making authority over decisions concerning the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Revised to: Wuyi All-Purpose House will make no decisions concerning the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and will not proactively interfere in its affairs."

"What does Sect Master Ning think?"

Yang Zhenwei, who had been silently listening at the side, was dumbfounded, unable to understand what had happened.

Just moments ago, House Master Yu had refused to budge in the slightest. How had he become like this the moment Ning Tian was mentioned?

Ning Tian had yet to recover from her father's words when Yu Wuyi's remarks stunned her all over again.

Huh? Why did everything change the moment I was mentioned?

It was as though huge loading symbols had appeared above their heads. Neither of them had any idea what was going on.

Only Ning Yunye revealed a knowing smile.

There was no doubt that this solution benefited both sides. He had been gambling just now, betting that Yu Wuyi's thoughts aligned with his own.

Now that the other party had given this answer, it meant he had won that bet.

"House Master Yu has already made such a great concession. If I asked for more, I, Yunye, would be pushing my luck."

Yu Wuyi smiled but said nothing more, merely handing the commission document to him.

"Then, Sect Master Ning, please enter into the contract."

Yang Zhenwei had already told him about this before. Pressing his fingerprint was enough to submit the commission.

After Ning Yunye pressed down his fingerprint, Yu Wuyi took back the document and said, "Then please return in two days, Sect Master Ning. By then, I will bring the Silky Tulip here."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, House Master Yu."

With that, Ning Yunye gave Yu Wuyi a respectful nod and left with the other two.

As she left, Ning Tian looked longingly at the empty plate that had been picked clean.

The three of them arrived on the street.

Yang Zhenwei suggested, "Yunye, since it will only take two days, why don't we stay here?"

Ning Yunye nodded. They could afford to wait for just two days.

Just then, Ning Tian suddenly asked, "Dad, why did the manager suddenly change his mind when you mentioned me?"

Yang Zhenwei also looked at him curiously.

Ning Yunye had no intention of hiding it from them and said with a smile, "The reason is actually very simple."

"The reason House Master Yu changed the terms, aside from getting along well with Xiaotian, was an even more important factor."

"Your identity, Xiaotian."

Ning Tian thought hard for a moment.

"My identity... the young sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"

Ning Yunye nodded approvingly.

"Your current status is young sect master, but if your martial soul evolves into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, then you will definitely become the future sect master."

"After this matter, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will become a subordinate force of Wuyi All-Purpose House, and the connection between the two will become even closer."

"At that time, as the person with the best relationship with House Master Yu, you will inevitably have frequent contact with him."

"Coupled with the fact that he saved your life, Xiaotian, you will certainly trust many of the decisions he suggests."

"Especially when those decisions benefit the sect."

"And since you are the future sect master, compared to forty percent decision-making authority, a sect master's decision would not only be more convincing, but also carry more weight."

"So for him, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks."

Ning Yunye paused before continuing, "Now, back to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Xiaotian, as my daughter, I trust that you would never make a decision harmful to the sect."

"The Fish House Master's original condition of 40% decision-making power was an unknown. We had no idea what decisions might fall upon the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, nor whether they would be good or bad."

"But now, that 40% decision-making power has effectively fallen into your hands. At the very least, it won't lead in a bad direction."

"This way, both sides end up benefiting."

"There are also many reasons that are inconvenient to speak of, and I can't explain them all to you right now."

"For now, you only need to know that because both the Fish House Master and I had considered these things, our conversation just now went so smoothly."

How could ten-year-old Ning Tian possess such sophisticated thinking? The complicated explanation immediately left her dizzy and confused.

Ning Yunye merely smiled and said nothing more.