He Simply Offered Too Much

What Xiao Zhan and the other two discussed in the parlor was unknown to many, but less than two hours later, many people saw the two clan heads, Jia Liebi and Aobapa, storm out of the Xiao Clan's gates in a fury.

Bang~

Aobapa slammed his fist onto the table and said angrily:

"That Xiao Zhan really doesn't know what's good for him. He actually refused a partnership the two of us proposed together."

"What else can we do? Now we can only look for another opportunity." Jia Liebi inwardly despised this brainless brute and said helplessly.

The partnership Aobapa and Jia Liebi proposed was nothing more than giving up a portion of the profits from their two families' Market Districts to the Xiao Clan, hoping to use the Xiao Clan to establish a connection with the Mittel Family.

In all fairness, the terms the two of them had offered were already generous enough. If they had not been wary of the Xiao Clan's powerful martial strength, they would never have been so polite.

Yet they had not expected Xiao Zhan to refuse. Could this possibly be bad for the Xiao Clan?

Could it be that Xiao Zhan had seen through their intention to join forces and squeeze the Xiao Clan out from among the Mittel Auction House's partners?

Jia Liebi and Aobapa were both ambitious clan heads of their generation. They hoped to make their own families rule all of Wutan City within their lifetimes.

At the same time, they had an even greater vision in their hearts. That was... to step beyond Wutan City and let their families enter the ranks of the imperial capital's clans.

They had originally thought that realizing this goal would require the efforts of several generations, or even more than a dozen generations, of family members. But the arrival of the Mittel Auction House had let them see a chance to take a shortcut.

As one of the Three Great Families of the imperial capital, if... they obtained the Mittel Family's help, or even their support, wouldn't their own families' entry into the imperial capital be practically guaranteed?

However, they were also quite self-aware. Under normal circumstances, the Mittel Auction House had its own channels and could not possibly cooperate with families of their level.

But the cooperative relationship the Xiao Clan had established with the Mittel Auction House made them feel as if they had seen an opportunity.

In the eyes of the two families, the Xiao Clan was only slightly stronger than each of them individually. Since the Xiao Clan could do it, then if their two families joined forces and became stronger than the Xiao Clan, why would they not have a chance to cooperate with the Mittel Auction House?

Yet they, already blinded by greed, had not considered another possibility at all.

The possibility that the Xiao Clan's strength was extremely powerful. After all, as they saw it, if the Xiao Clan was strong enough, why would they come to a chicken coop like Wutan City to fight them for territory? Wouldn't staying in that phoenix nest of the imperial capital be better?

So the two of them had seized this excellent opportunity today, hoping to fool Xiao Zhan into reaching a cooperation agreement.

But they had not expected this fellow to be so shrewd, to be able to see through even this. Now things had become rather troublesome!

In truth, Xiao Zhan had not seen through, or rather cared about, the trap the two of them had set. He simply looked down on the so-called profits from the Market Districts.

To the Xiao Clan's current expenses, that amount was a drop in the bucket and completely meaningless.

Their current strength had not fallen from the sky.

To achieve what they had today, besides cultivating hard, they needed the aid of vast amounts of resources.

Dou Techniques and cultivation methods were still fine. What Xiao Han lacked the least was these things. The lowest grade the Xiao Clan now had was Black Rank. Mm... there were also some Yellow Rank ones used to fool the clan's youngsters.

The highest grade had already reached the level of Earth Rank Advanced.

High-level pills mainly relied on Yi Huang's occasional assistance. After all, the Xiao Clan did not have many experts now, so the demand in this area was not great.

But lower-level pills, Medicinal Herbs, weapons, and the like all had to be supplied by the Xiao Clan itself.

Fortunately, Yi Huang had originally given the Xiao Clan the insights and experiences she had from when she had been a Tier 7 Alchemist, and she would also come by from time to time to give guidance. Only because of this had the Xiao Clan been able to nurture several alchemists.

Although, due to the rush of time, these alchemists were at most Fourth Rank, they were basically enough to handle most of the consumption, and could even sell a portion externally to the Mittel Auction House.

Because of their excellent quality and fair prices, these low-level pills were highly praised, and the Xiao Clan and the Mittel Auction House achieved a win-win outcome.

As for materials, besides purchasing them from the auction house, they were either gathered by Xiao Clan members who spent years training in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, or gifted by the Amethyst Winged Lion King.

These expenses were the real bulk of the cost. It was precisely to raise the vast amount of resources needed for cultivation that the vast majority of Xiao Clan members spent years running business outside, barely earning some hard-earned money.

Otherwise, what fool wouldn't want to stay home with his wife, children, and a warm bed!

So when he heard Jia Liebi and Aobapa ask for cooperation, Xiao Zhan could not help wanting to laugh.

What a joke. Do we lack that little bit of money?

Even if you gave it to me just to hear it make a sound, I'd still complain it wasn't loud enough.

But the current Xiao Zhan was in no mood to consider the affairs of those two background-clan families. He was looking in some surprise at Gu Yuan before him, whose face was full of expectation.

"Clan Head Gu, what did you say?" Xiao Zhan thought he had misheard and hurriedly asked again.

Gu Yuan smiled and said, "I hope to have my young daughter fostered in the Xiao Clan for a period of time."

My heavens!

Did this Clan Head Gu have a hole in his brain?

Just now, when he heard Gu Yuan say he had a request he hoped Xiao Zhan would agree to, Xiao Zhan had thought that The Dagger is Revealed was finally happening, and that he was about to ask for the Xiao Clan's Tou She Ancient God Jade.

As for that thing, Xiao Zhan's original thought was simply to give it away and be done with it, to spare this man from coming over again.

If you always walked by the river, how could your shoes not get wet? What if one day they really got unlucky and were caught red-handed?

From top to bottom, no one in the Xiao Clan intended to stubbornly guard such an unlucky thing to the death. Even Xiao Han had agreed.

In any case, it was only a fragment. Perhaps the other Ancient Races still held onto that tiny sliver of distant hope, but Xiao Han was very realistic. With the Xiao Clan's current scale, it was simply impossible to gather all the pieces, so it was completely useless.

They hadn't even gotten to eat the meat, yet they had ended up covered in the stink. It was not worth it!

Moreover, at least in Xiao Han's eyes, Soul Emperor's scheming was simply flawless. Back then, if not for some cheat-like figure appearing out of nowhere, that bastard Soul Emperor's plan might really have succeeded.

So what Xiao Han needed to do was wait for that Soul Race Patriarch, who planned every move with perfect precision, to successfully open the Ancient Emperor Cave Abode. Then, you take your Emperor Pill Embryo, I take our Ancient Emperor Inheritance, the process is complete, and everyone is happy!

Handing over the Ancient Emperor Jade would save trouble nicely, and with Gu Yuan's personality, he might even give some compensation. Right now, the Xiao Clan's development was just worrying over resources failing to keep up.

But who would have thought...?

I had thought everything through and was ready to give you the jade, yet in the end, you actually didn't bring it up?

And you even wanted to send a daughter to the Xiao Clan? Were you really not afraid this would be like throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone and never coming back?

Seeing Xiao Zhan's dumbstruck expression, Gu Yuan thought Xiao Zhan was not very willing.

Thinking about it, that was true. Who knew what you were trying to do by sending a daughter over?

However, Gu Yuan firmly believed in one saying—there was nothing in this world that could not be done; it was only that your strength was not strong enough, or your price was not high enough.

As for strength, Gu Yuan believed he was already strong enough. The one stronger than him had been ganged up on and killed a thousand years ago.

Now, only that shameless bastard who was about the same as him remained.

As for the price? What a joke!

Comparing wealth? I, Gu Yuan, Nine Star Dou Sheng Peak, Gu Clan Leader—who could be richer than me?

Then Gu Yuan smiled faintly and, with a calm expression, took out a Storage Ring and handed it to Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan accepted it subconsciously, and then, just by accident... he glanced inside... really, just one glance!

Then Xiao Zhan's eyes could no longer move away.

"Hiss~"

So much.

It really wasn't that I, Xiao Zhan, lacked integrity and forgot righteousness at the sight of profit.

It was just that what he gave was truly far too much!

I, Xiao Zhan, would absolutely look down on petty gains, but... this was a dragon's head!

I'd better accept it!

Wasn't it just one daughter? Even if you sent ten over, there would be no problem. My Xiao Clan could afford to raise them. Even if I, Xiao Zhan, starved to death, I would never let my dear niece suffer the slightest grievance.

"Clan Leader Gu, I agree to your request." Facing Gu Yuan's confident gaze, Xiao Zhan really wanted to refuse, but in the end, he simply could not get the words out!

Granduncle, I've brought shame upon you!