"Fellow Daoist Li, this auction was a tremendous success. We now have the confidence to publicize the Three Treasures Floating Incense Pill's value and raise its price further. Under our previous agreement, the base price for a ten-year pill was 1.2 million. After deducting 100,000 in sales fees and the 200,000 returned to you, we split the remainder seventy-thirty, giving you 630,000. The amount above 1.2 million was split eighty-twenty, giving you another 1.84 million."
"So I receive 2.67 million?"
"Correct. Of that, 200,000 has already been paid in advance. The remaining 2.47 million will be credited to your account in two installments within three months. Please rest assured: the Money Guild started out running money houses. There will be no mistakes."
"Then what terms will apply when we auction the twenty-year pill next year?"
"We propose a starting price of 2.4 million, of which you receive 1.66 million. Anything above 2.4 million will still be split eighty-twenty. If you later produce thirty-year or sixty-year pills, we will likewise set a minimum starting price for each, deduct the fees, then split the proceeds twenty-eighty...
"But the exact base prices will have to be discussed then. The value of high-age spirit pills and wondrous medicines rises enormously; it cannot simply be added up.
"We recommend that you refine more potent pills to earn greater profits from the premium."
Even after saying this, the manager still had more to add.
"Unfortunately, auctions like these require a Core Formation elder to swear an oath on their Dao heart. We cannot arrange our own shills to drive up the price, nor can we employ other means..."
"Very well. We can settle that when the time comes."
After discussing matters with the Merchant Association's manager, Li Ling realized that the high sale price of 3.5