Ye Shanhua said solemnly, "Junior Brother Xu, we're no strangers, so I won't beat around the bush. The highest price our Myriad Treasures Pavilion can offer is one spirit stone per talisman."
"Really!"
Xu Changshou remained calm on the surface, but towering waves surged through his heart.
One spirit stone for a single Windwalking Talisman-what did that mean?
With his current abilities, he could draw eighteen a day without consuming any spiritual energy.
At one spirit stone apiece, eighteen talismans meant eighteen spirit stones. Earning eighteen spirit stones every day-what did that mean?
Even a great Foundation Establishment cultivator probably couldn't rake in money that fast!
Of course, that was just in theory. If he drew eighteen every day, once these Windwalking Talismans flooded the market, they would surely lose their value.
In fact, if he spread the method for drawing them, these Windwalking Talismans would replace the original ones, and then they would no longer be worth so much.
The Myriad Treasures Pavilion was offering such a high price solely because rarity made things precious.
Across the entire Eastern Expanse Immortal Forest, Xu Changshou was the only person who could draw this kind of Windwalking Talisman.
If the Myriad Treasures Pavilion wanted them, it had to come to Xu Changshou. With no other source available, the price was naturally high.
Seeing how calm Xu Changshou was, Ye Shanhua's heart skipped a beat. She asked cautiously, "What do you think of that price?"
Xu Changshou thought for a moment and said, "I can't give you an answer right now. I'll have to ask that senior brother. If he's willing, then it's a deal."
Ye Shanhua asked eagerly, "When will you ask him?"
Xu Changshou said, "Tonight. I'll visit that senior brother tonight."
An idea stirred in Ye Shanhua's mind. "Can you take me along?"
"No!"
Xu Changshou shook his head and said, "That senior brother of mine doesn't want anyone to know he drew the talismans. That's why he asked me to help sell them."
"All right, then. I'm not leaving today. I'll wait for your good news."
As she spoke, Ye Shanhua plopped down on Xu Changshou's bed, then sat cross-legged.
Evening soon arrived, and Ye Shanhua actually lay down on the bed and slept fully clothed.
With a young woman beautiful enough to topple cities and kingdoms sleeping in his bed, Xu Changshou couldn't help feeling ripples stir in his heart.
Night fell.
Ye Shanhua rested with her eyes closed, while Xu Changshou slipped outside.
To keep Ye Shanhua from following him, Xu Changshou found a deserted spot and stuck an Invisibility Talisman onto himself, vanishing from sight.
Then Xu Changshou took a long detour around Green Ink Peak. Only after two hours had passed did he return to his little courtyard.
By then, Ye Shanhua had fallen asleep.
Helpless, Xu Changshou fetched a meditation cushion and sat down on the floor to meditate.
The faint fragrance unique to a young woman filled the room and drifted into Xu Changshou's nostrils, leaving him utterly unable to concentrate.
The next day.
When Xu Changshou opened his eyes, wisps of cooking smoke were already curling through the courtyard.
Ye Shanhua had gotten up and was busy preparing a spiritual meal in the kitchen.
Entering the kitchen and seeing Ye Shanhua's shapely figure as she worked, Xu Changshou felt an unfamiliar emotion rise within him.
"Junior Brother Xu, the spiritual meal is ready. Go wash your hands, then come back and eat."
"All right!"
Early morning.
The atmosphere was especially peaceful as the two ate breakfast and chatted idly.
When they were nearly finished, Ye Shanhua asked, "Junior Brother Xu, did you see that senior brother of yours yesterday? What did he say?"
Xu Changshou nodded. "At one spirit stone per talisman, my senior brother agreed to draw them. But he has one condition."
"What condition?"
"He'll only draw ten talismans a month."
Xu Changshou had decided to supply the Myriad Treasures Pavilion with only ten talismans a month after careful consideration.
Scarcity was a major reason these Windwalking Talismans could fetch such a high price.
If he drew too many and they flowed into the Cultivation World, they would inevitably undermine future prices.
By supplying only ten a month and keeping buyers hungry, he could prevent the price from falling.
Besides, everyone knew that the disciples of Green Ink Peak could barely complete their assigned talisman-drawing tasks. Drawing too many extra talismans would easily arouse suspicion.
Ten extra was believable.
That way, including his sect stipend, Xu Changshou could earn eleven spirit stones a month.
Eleven spirit stones a month was more than enough for his current needs.
Aside from his sect assignments, he only needed to draw ten more Windwalking Talismans, without drawing any other kinds.
This would also save him plenty of time for cultivation.
Xu Changshou had settled on drawing ten talismans a month for Ye Shanhua based on his own needs and what suited him in every respect.
Ye Shanhua couldn't help frowning. "Ten? That's a little few."
Xu Changshou smiled wryly. "Senior Sister Ye, to be honest, it's already very difficult for us disciples of Green Ink Peak to finish our assignments. Drawing ten extra Windwalking Talismans is already a struggle for that senior brother of mine, so..."
"All right, ten it is. But I have a condition too. I want exclusive rights to your senior brother's Windwalking Talismans."
"What do you mean?"
"These Windwalking Talismans can't be sold to anyone except our Myriad Treasures Pavilion."
Xu Changshou thought it over. Ye Shanhua wanted exclusive rights so the pavilion could be the sole seller, giving the Myriad Treasures Pavilion complete control over pricing.
He nodded and said, "Senior Sister Ye, I can agree to that on his behalf. Don't worry. Ten extra talismans a month is already my senior brother's limit. He couldn't possibly have any spare ones to sell to others."
"Then it's settled."
"It's a deal."
"Junior Brother Xu, I can go back and report now. When can I come to collect the Windwalking Talismans?"
Xu Changshou patted his Storage Bag and took out twenty Windwalking Talismans. "This is everything my senior brother has in stock. I'll give them all to you at once. From now on, come at the end of each month."
"Sure!"
Ye Shanhua nodded readily and smiled. "Twenty Windwalking Talismans come to twenty spirit stones. Including the one we tested yesterday, that's twenty-one spirit stones in total. Here you go."
"Thank you, Senior Sister!"
Xu Changshou put the twenty-one spirit stones into his Storage Bag, then said, "Senior Sister Ye, I'm nearly out of Qi Gathering Pills. Could you bring me some when you come at the end of the month?"
"See if these will do."
Ye Shanhua casually took a bottle of Qi Gathering Pills from her Storage Bag. Xu Changshou opened it for a look. The pills were round and smooth, and a fragrant medicinal aroma greeted his nose.
The Qi Gathering Pills in Ye Shanhua's bottle were actually better quality than those supplied by the sect.
"Senior Sister Ye, how much do these Qi Gathering Pills cost?"
"One spirit stone for ten pills. Not a single extra."
"Mm!"
Xu Changshou nodded inwardly.
These pills were far better than Huang Xiangui's. Although Huang Xiangui gave him two extra pills, he would rather buy Ye Shanhua's whenever they were available.
Ten of these Qi Gathering Pills contained more spiritual energy than twelve ordinary Qi Gathering Pills.
"Do you have any more? Let me have some extra."
"No. This bottle I have with me is for my own use."
"Senior Sister Ye, bring me two bottles next time."
As he spoke, Xu Changshou took out a spirit stone and handed it to Ye Shanhua.
"No need!"
Ye Shanhua declined it. "This bottle of Qi Gathering Pills is a small token of goodwill from our Myriad Treasures Pavilion, a gift for you, Junior Brother Xu. No spirit stones required. Next time, though, you'll have to pay."
"Thank you, Senior Sister Ye."
"Hehe, no need to stand on ceremony with me. I'm off."
"Goodbye, Senior Sister Ye."
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