A deal

She walked up to the counter, her gaze lingering on Lu Zhe for a moment, then extended her fair fingers and said with a light laugh:

"Young man, I'm Ya Fei, the manager of the Mittel Auction House's Wutan City branch. I hear you have a Tier 2 Magic Core?

Come along, then. Let's talk in a private chamber."

Lu Zhe turned to head inside without giving her another look, leaving Ya Fei slightly taken aback.

She was used to men deliberately showing off before her, some even eyeing her frivolously.

But this was the first young man she had met who was so calm and direct.

Her red lips curved slightly, amusement flickering in her eyes. She waved the surrounding guards away and personally led Lu Zhe into the VIP room on the second floor.

The chamber door closed, shutting out the noise outside.

Ya Fei wasted no time beating around the bush. She sat directly opposite Lu Zhe, folded her hands on the table, and smiled.

"I've examined that Tier 2 Iron-Armored Earth Dragon Magic Core. It's good quality,

with pure energy. Did you hunt it yourself, or..."

Then she changed tack. "What price did you have in mind, young man?"

Lu Zhe refused outright:

"It's not for sale."

Ya Fei froze slightly.

Lu Zhe took a neatly folded sheet of parchment from inside his clothes and pushed it toward Ya Fei.

"I'm here to discuss a partnership. I'll provide materials and Magic Cores from high-tier magical beasts, and the Mittel Auction House will provide me with funds and channels for obtaining high-tier materials.

I'll take forty percent of the profits. This Magic Core is my proof."

Ya Fei raised her delicate brows. Rather than looking at the paper, she regarded him with a faint, ambiguous smile.

"A long-term partnership?

Young man, do you know how high the Mittel Auction House sets its bar?

You're a boy without even a clan crest. How can you guarantee a steady supply?"

"That's Mittel's bar, not yours, Ya Fei.

I'm here to discuss a partnership with you, not Mittel.

A mere Tier 2 Magic Core is nothing to me. Even Tier 3 magical beasts-I can bring those in for you too."

He pointed at the parchment. "This is the list of materials I want in exchange.

As a deposit, I can provide three additional peak Tier 1 gravity-attribute Magic Cores, along with ten intact Tier 2 Hemostatic Grass plants. Those should be enough to prove my sincerity and strength."

Ya Fei picked up the parchment and scanned it.

As she read its contents, the smile in her eyes gradually faded. She gave a soft laugh.

"A Sword Embryo of High Xuan Tier or above, a Tier 3 wind-attribute Magic Core, and essence of gengjin."

Ya Fei raised her head, her gaze growing more searching. "Young man, do you know how much all these things are worth together?

Especially essence of gengjin. There might not even be more than a few pieces in the entire Jia Ma Empire. Are you sure these are what you want?

Can you afford them?"

"I'm sure."

Lu Ze nodded. He had drawn up this list after careful consideration.

Before coming to the auction house, he had already checked the system panel.

The conditions for deducing the Grass Character Sword Art from the first order to the second order were extremely demanding.

He had to bring the first-order Grass Character Sword Art to perfection, and he also needed a Sword Embryo of High Xuan Tier or above containing a trace of sword intent to serve as a vessel.

He needed a Tier 3 wind-attribute Magic Core or essence of gengjin as the core deduction material, and even a hundred deduction points.

The low-tier magical beasts around Wutan City certainly could not meet those requirements.

After settling the partnership with Ya Fei, he would need to venture deep into the Magical Beast Mountain Range to hunt high-tier magical beasts for materials.

"Young man, you have quite an appetite."

Ya Fei set down the parchment and leaned forward slightly. The neckline of her red brocade robe parted a little with the movement, revealing a breathtaking expanse of snowy white skin and a deep cleft that invited the imagination.

"But Mittel doesn't do business at a loss. You're asking for so many materials that I'm afraid you can't shoulder the price.

Why should we advance so much for you?"

Lu Ze smiled faintly.

"Do you think I only managed to hunt that Tier 2 Magical Beast by relying on a mercenary team?"

Lu Ze stood and walked over to a weapon rack in the corner of the chamber, where several weapons were displayed for honored guests to test their feel.

Among them was a mid Mysterious Tier Vajra Heavy Sword, specifically intended to test the explosive power of Dou Qi.

"Can this sword withstand a Da Dou Shi's full-strength blow?"

Lu Ze pointed at the heavy sword as he asked.

"If their elemental Dou Qi isn't of an explosive type, it can certainly withstand it.

Mid Mysterious Tier weapons are exceptionally sturdy..."

Before she could finish, Lu Ze had already gripped the Yellow Tier High Rank Emerald Water Sword at his waist, without drawing it even half an inch from its sheath.

With the sheath still on, Lu Ze merely gave a light swing toward the Mysterious Tier heavy sword.

Clang!

An exceptionally clear sword cry rang out. Ya Fei's breath caught slightly, a trace of profound horror flashing through her beautiful eyes.

She watched as the half-inch-thick Mysterious Tier Vajra Heavy Sword silently split down the middle.

The cut was as smooth as a mirror.

And in the very next second.

With a crack, the heavy sword broke into two pieces and crashed down.

The surrounding air was close and still as a cicada, without even the slightest ripple of surging Dou Qi.

There was only that invisible sword intent, swift and sharp to the absolute extreme!

Through its sheath, it had cleaved that Mysterious Tier vajra steel in two.

Ya Fei's chest heaved several times before she forcibly suppressed the shock in her heart.

She was a woman who understood the times, who knew when to place a bet and when to bet aggressively.

The young man before her was either a peerless genius or a madman, but either way, he was worth investing in.

"Can we discuss a partnership now?" Lu Ze returned his sword to its sheath and sat back down.

"Of course. Here's to a pleasant partnership."

Ya Fei extended her fair hand, that captivating smile blooming on her face once again.

"Young master, I hope your supply won't disappoint me. May I ask your name?"

Lu Ze smiled faintly.

"Lu Ze. Lu as in 'road.'

Rest assured, Miss Ya Fei. I certainly won't disappoint you. Please prepare the materials as soon as possible."

Half an hour later.

Lu Ze walked out of the Mittel Auction House with a weighty Storage Ring tucked inside his clothes. It contained a magic crystal card holding thirty thousand gold coins, along with a batch of medicinal ingredients for daily cultivation and recovery.

As for the high-tier goods on the list, Ya Fei had said she would need time to gather them.

Delivery would take a month.

Standing in the shadows along the street, Lu Ze opened the panel and glanced at it.

[]Current deduction points: 25]

[Dou Techniques available for deduction: first-order beginner, Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger, first-order beginner]

Conditions for deducing the Grass Character Sword Art to level two: first-order perfection.

Two: a Sword Embryo of High Xuan Tier or above, containing sword intent.

Three: a Tier 3 wind-attribute Magic Core or essence of gengjin.

Four: deduction points ×100.

"A hundred deduction points..."

Lu Ze scratched between his brows. Killing a Tier 2 Earth Dragon had only earned him ten points, while those Tier 1 Rock Beasts had given him a pitiful one point each.

To gather a hundred points, he still needed to hunt large numbers of high-tier magical beasts, and even challenge Tier 3 magical beasts.

There was no more oil to squeeze out of the low-tier magical beasts around Wutan City.

Lu Ze lifted his head, looking toward the rolling outline of the Magical Beast Mountain Range beyond the city.

A cold glint flashed in the depths of his eyes. It was time to head to the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

According to the original story, Xiao Yi Xian should be at the Medical Clinic over in the Magical Beast Mountain Range at this point. He wondered whether he might run into her.

While he was at it, he also needed the blood of those high-tier magical beasts to ritually temper his sword and fill that damned progress bar.