The trade

Dragon scales had good defensive and magic-resistant properties, making them excellent materials for armor, and they could also be used to make items or as spellcasting materials.

Goods like these should normally fetch around forty to fifty silver coins per pound!

Wasn't twenty silver far too much of a rip-off?

The Red Dragon Whelp Gordon was even more furious. His eyes widened, and he viciously snorted a blast of hot breath, opening his mouth to roar.

Xiluo hurriedly slapped a heavy claw against his back, sending the Red Dragon Whelp stumbling.

Extremely displeased, the Red Dragon Whelp turned to glare at Xiluo.

"Xiluo! Are you looking for a real fight with me?"

"If the Dragon Mother and Lady Barbara know about this pricing and have no objection, there must be a reason for it.

"As wyrmlings, we should respect our elders' decisions."

Xiluo spoke calmly.

At his words, quite a few of the other wyrmlings looked thoughtful.

But several wyrmlings still failed to understand, and the Red Dragon Whelp said angrily,

"What do you mean, respect? My Inherited Memory tells me! As the strongest dragons!

"Red Dragon scales should cost fifty-five silver coins and twelve copper coins per pound! He wants to buy a pound for twenty silver coins?

"Does he think he's us? If he's got the guts, why doesn't he just steal them? Stupid humans! I'll show you the power of a Red Dragon!"

As Gordon spoke, his body temperature began to rise. Sparks danced across his body, and the grass beneath him began to smoke and burn. He looked ready to attack at any moment.

Barbara's expression immediately darkened at the sight.

Xiluo sighed inwardly.

Red Dragons really are muscle-brained idiots!

The humans looked rather bewildered, glancing from the Red Dragon Whelp to the Young Green Dragon beside them.

"Gordon! After everything I've said, do you still not understand?

"This price was set jointly by the Dragon Mother, Lady Barbara, and these three humans. It's somewhat different from the actual price? That's only right!

"We're young, and the Dragon Mother and Lady Barbara have sheltered and cared for us all this time.

"We've never been able to repay them, and now we finally have a chance.

"Shouldn't we be happy about that?"

Xiluo spoke again.

This time, the Red Dragon Whelp finally seemed to understand. He paused, glanced at Barbara's gloomy expression, then turned his head away with his lips pursed, breathing heavily without another word.

The price was low?

No! The Dragon Mother and Barbara were taking kickbacks!

Xiluo really is a clever little dragon! He understands the bigger picture! I was right about him!

With Xiluo laying things out and providing that explanation,

Barbara's expression gradually softened, and she nodded with some inward satisfaction.

Alicia hurriedly added,

"Xiluo is right! We've been able to grow up safely, without worrying about hunting or facing the threat of death, all thanks to the Dragon Mother and Lady Barbara! Making some insignificant contributions to them is only what we should do!"

Barbara glanced at the little female dragon and nodded again.

Although Alicia had a rather poor understanding of her own strength, she handled relations between dragons quite well!

With Xiluo and Alicia taking the lead, the other wyrmlings voiced their agreement.

The trade was finally settled.

The wyrmlings either returned to their lairs to retrieve their stockpiles or spat out the scales stored in their stomach pouches.

Soon, a layer of dragon scales lay piled before each wyrmling.

The three humans weighed them on a balance one by one, then handed out gold coins to all the dragons.

Scales from different parts of a dragon's body varied in thickness and weight.

The lighter ones might weigh only a dozen or so grams, while the heavier ones weighed several dozen.

The wyrmlings had only recently entered the wyrmling stage and had not shed many scales. Each dragon generally received between sixty silver coins and one gold coin and forty silver coins.

Because Gordon was older and, as a Red Dragon, had somewhat thicker scales, he received one gold coin and thirty-six silver coins.

Xiluo was younger and received only seventy-two silver coins.

Little White Dragon received about the same as Xiluo: seventy-three silver coins.

After receiving his silver coins, Little White Dragon quietly tapped Xiluo with his tail and told him he could give him half.

But Xiluo refused.

The other wyrmlings' excitement was plain on their faces after they received their money.

They either held it and licked it furiously or scattered it on the ground and rolled around on top of it.

Quite some time passed.

Little Black Dragon Clyde, who had kept a very low profile despite having broken Allen's leg, suddenly spoke.

"These humans should still have plenty of gold coins on them... Why don't we kill them and take those gold coins..."

His deeply sunken dragon eyes stared fixedly at the three humans, filled with murderous intent.

At these words, all three humans frowned. Rather than showing fear, they spoke calmly.

"Lady Barbara, we do indeed still have some gold coins on us, but I'm sure that with your wisdom, you understand the value of a steady, lasting income?"

"Rest assured! I've heard of the Clear River Merchant Guild, and I believe our cooperation will deepen in the future! Naturally, I wouldn't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

"Besides, the great Dragon Mother places considerable importance on working with you. How would I dare act on my own?"

Barbara responded gently, reassuring the three humans.

At the same time, she glared at Little Black Dragon Clyde, making him obediently back down.

But after hearing their conversation, the other wyrmlings

also began to have some thoughts.

Even Xiluo felt a stir of interest.

The Clear River Merchant Guild? A cooperative relationship? A steady, lasting income?

It looked like these humans would be coming to Green Forest often from now on.

But that was definitely a good thing for wyrmlings like them.

At least they could slowly earn enough gold coins through these human merchants!

With Barbara's assurance, the three humans smiled again and addressed the wyrmlings.

"Great and wise dragons! The trade in dragon scales is complete. If you wish to sell saliva and feces next, we can proceed!"

"I want to sell! Saliva! Feces! I'll sell it all!"

Abel immediately shouted and was the first to run over to the three humans.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Please take this."

As he spoke, the man dressed in silk took a glass from the backpack of one of the men beside him and handed it to Abel.

Abel took it in his claws.

He immediately spat a thick wad of phlegm into it, then kept spitting into it over and over.

Seeing this, the other dragons let out low growls and joined in.

For a while, the area was filled with the wyrmlings' coughing, hacking, and spitting.

They only stopped once the Wyrmlings' mouths and throats were dry and they truly could not spit out any more.

Then, looking excited, they handed their glasses to the humans and received their payment after the contents were weighed.

But because the unit price was low, even though the wyrmlings had spat nearly half a glass each,

they only received around a dozen silver coins.

(End of chapter)