A Big Deal?

Huo Yuhao set down his pen and stared irritably at the meter-long survey questionnaire before him.

He had no idea which brain-dead higher-up had come up with something this insane.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, then turned to look at Xiao Xiao, who was still standing dumbly outside the door.

"What do you want?"

Huo Yuhao's voice broke the somewhat eerie silence in the dorm room.

Only then did Xiao Xiao swallow and snap back to her senses.

She forcibly tore her gaze away from Wang Dong's fair, slender legs, her little face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

"Well..."

Xiao Xiao composed herself and said seriously, "There's a big deal at the Spirit Medicine Pavilion that requires the young pavilion master to negotiate in person."

"Me?"

Huo Yuhao pointed at his own nose, utterly bewildered.

He asked in confusion, "Haven't you always handled this kind of thing? How am I capable of negotiating a big deal?"

Xiao Xiao nodded solemnly.

Looking at Huo Yuhao, she said earnestly, "Sister Ju Zi personally named you. She said you have to be the one to handle this."

There was no helping it.

Since it was Ju Zi's arrangement, she must have had her reasons.

Huo Yuhao rose to his feet and casually draped a coat over himself.

"Wang Dong, stay in the dorm for now."

Huo Yuhao turned to Wang Dong, who was still sitting on the bed, and casually instructed her, "I'm heading out. I might not be back tonight."

"Hmph."

Wang Dong turned her face away and gave a cold snort, showing no intention of acknowledging him.

Not only did she ignore him, she abruptly yanked up the blanket and covered herself completely, head and all.

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment.

What the hell?

Ever since she returned from Sea God Lake last night, this girl had been giving him the cold shoulder. She would not speak, and he had no idea who had offended her.

Could it be that those few irritating days every month had come early?

Girls really were fucking impossible to understand.

Huo Yuhao grumbled inwardly, then shook his head.

He had no time to worry about her little mood right now, so he directly left the dorm with Xiao Xiao.

Not long afterward.

The two of them were walking along the main road toward Shrek City.

Shops lined both sides of the street, while crowds flowed back and forth.

"Who are we doing business with this time?"

Huo Yuhao slowed his pace, looked at Xiao Xiao beside him, and asked.

"The Nine Treasure Glazed Sect."

Xiao Xiao lowered her voice, her tone carrying a trace of gravity.

As if afraid Huo Yuhao would not know, she deliberately added, "It's the sect Ning Tian from Freshman Class Nine belongs to—an ancient, enormous top-tier sect."

Huo Yuhao frowned slightly.

He did not need Xiao Xiao's reminder. His brain, enhanced through the development of his first soul skill, immediately began working at full speed, swiftly retrieving the information from the ancient texts he had read in the Shrek Outer Court Library during this time.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Sect.

If it was this sect, he truly could not think of what major business they could possibly have with the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

In his memory.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Sect was currently in a semi-reclusive state. They acted with extreme discretion, and ordinary people rarely even heard news of them.

The overwhelming majority of disciples in the sect were blood relatives bearing the family surname—in other words, direct descendants who possessed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.

As for children who failed to awaken the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul, their fates were usually drastically polarized.

If their talent and Martial Soul were good enough, they would remain in the sect for focused cultivation and become the backbone of the outer sect.

But if their Innate Soul Power was weak and their Martial Soul was nothing special...

They could only be ruthlessly sent into the outside world, forbidden from ever returning to the sect or seeing their parents again for the rest of their lives.

It was undoubtedly a cruel yet realistic law of elimination.

Huo Yuhao pondered rapidly.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a top-tier auxiliary gemstone Martial Soul. Not only was it immensely useful in group battles, it also possessed an innate, keen sensitivity toward precious and valuable items.

It could be said that every Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master was a living treasure-hunting radar.

No matter the grade of an ore or spiritual material, it was difficult for it to escape their senses.

For some reason, he found it rather amusing.

Was Ju Zi planning to hire a batch of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Masters to scour the entire continent for rare ores?

That did fit Ju Zi's resource-coordinating style.

But was it really necessary for him, the nominal young pavilion master, to personally show up over something like that?

Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

VIP reception room.

The furnishings here were exceptionally refined, and every piece of furniture gave off a faint, calming sandalwood fragrance.

Huo Yuhao pushed open the door and walked straight in.

Two tall young women were seated on the broad sofa.

One had neat, short golden hair and wore clean, elegant white clothes. Her demeanor was graceful and poised.

The other had short fiery-red hair, jade-white skin, and an exceptionally sharp, unruly bearing.

They were Ning Tian and Wu Feng from Freshman Class Nine.

When Huo Yuhao entered, Wu Feng, seated to the side with her arms crossed, immediately flashed an undisguised glint of sharpness in her eyes.

Her narrow eyes brazenly assessed the somewhat handsome young man before her.

This ordinary-looking guy was the one who had instantly defeated his opponent during practical combat class.

As a fire-attribute assault-type Soul Master, Wu Feng believed in absolute strength and head-on clashes down to her bones.

She instinctively felt some disdain for someone who relied on intangible, invisible spiritual power to win. One could even say she looked down on him somewhat.

Furthermore, his reputation was currently so prominent throughout the grade that an instinctive hostility, a desire to compare herself against him, rose within her.

Huo Yuhao ignored Wu Feng's provocative gaze.

He walked directly over and sat in the seat of honor.

"Hello, I'm Huo Yuhao."

Huo Yuhao introduced himself directly, without any unnecessary preamble.

Ning Tian smiled faintly.

Her blue eyes quietly regarded Huo Yuhao as she nodded politely.

"I've heard much about you."

Ning Tian's voice was crisp and pleasant, carrying the composure and noble grace unique to a major sect's descendant.

"We were right next to each other on the freshman theory exam rankings. You were first in the grade, and I was second."

Huo Yuhao raised his brows.

Theory exam results?

He had not paid much attention to that stupid ranking list. After the exam, he had basically tossed it all out of his mind.

But for Ning Tian, the young mistress of the Nine Treasure Glazed Sect, to specifically investigate him, it seemed she had come prepared this time.

"I see. What a coincidence."

Huo Yuhao exchanged the pleasantry, then leaned forward slightly and went straight to the point.

"I heard you want to discuss a major deal with our Spirit Medicine Pavilion?"

Ning Tian did not beat around the bush either.

As the sect's heir, she was accustomed to placing the family's interests first when weighing every gain and loss.

"That's right."

Ning Tian gently set down her teacup and said, "Your Pavilion Master wishes to purchase large quantities of various rare gemstones from our Nine Treasure Glazed Sect."

"And she hopes to establish a long-term, stable supply arrangement."

Pavilion Master? Had Ju Zi put on the identity of a Titled Douluo in public?

What did Ju Zi need so many gemstones for?

Perhaps she was preparing to manufacture high-grade Soul Tools on a large scale.

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, he continued looking at Ning Tian.

Ning Tian paused, and an exceptionally serious glint flashed through her beautiful eyes.

"And in exchange..."

"Our Nine Treasure Glazed Sect has tremendous interest in and demand for the green jade and Blue Jade Elixir Liquid sold by your pavilion."