Chapter 257: Five Million Rich Man

The receptionist immediately softened, his face turning pale and his breathing irregular.

What a joke, this isn't really my killing intent. Am I that petty?

It's just 400,000 ling jing, right?

400,000...

Uh, it does seem like I am that petty...

"I'll get you a new receptionist right away!"

Even he convinced himself with that thought, so the receptionist couldn't stay put any longer. He jumped up abruptly, ready to bolt.

Xu Xiaoshou placed a hand on his shoulder, but the receptionist was determined to leave and twisted his body to slip away.

The young man behind him yanked back, pulling him right back with the hand that hadn't been shaken off.

Receptionist: ???

What on earth?

This guy is only at the initial stage of Yuan Ting Jing cultivation, right?

How can he restrain my You Long Huan Shen Bu? What a joke!

"Under suspicion, passive value, 1."

"No need to switch. I said I like this kind of feisty young guy," Xu Xiaoshou said with a smile.

No way, I've finally got this bargaining chip—how can I let it go?

"Come on! Let's head to the dan yao section and exchange for some stuff."

Mu Zixi followed along excitedly, hopping with joy, while the receptionist trudged behind, head down and utterly dejected.

In the distance, the little kitten hesitated for a while before giving in to its desires, drooling as it stealthily padded after them through the void.

Different sections were separated by ling arrays, unlike the miscellaneous items area right at the staircase entrance. The dan yao section had much more upscale displays.

Everything was in elegant purple stands, with various dan bottles spaced out neatly.

As soon as they entered, a rush of medicinal fragrance hit them, making everyone feel invigorated.

The place was quite crowded, with people carrying knives, swords, and some even with bloodstained clothes, showing just how popular the dan yao section was.

Seeing this, Xu Xiaoshou felt reassured.

He browsed around, quickly scanning the various dan yao. Most were tenth-grade or ninth-grade, with only one eighth-grade xian tian dan.

His "perception" ability revealed that the golden dan bottle was empty, not even half a pill inside—it was just for show.

"To prevent accidents?"

"That makes sense. For the outside world, an eighth-grade xian tian dan is already extremely rare and valuable."

Thinking this, Xu Xiaoshou turned to the receptionist: "Is the Yuan Ting Dan on the upper floors?"

"Yes."

As expected, he got the affirmative answer, but Xu Xiaoshou didn't want to go up anymore.

He had a rough idea of the prices for Lian Ling Dan and Chi Jin Dan, which let him estimate the price range for xian tian dan and Yuan Ting Dan. He asked directly: "If I want to sell you some dan yao, how do you handle it?"

"Sell?" The receptionist was startled. This troublemaker is an alchemist?

Quickly recovering, he explained: "Of course, we'd buy at fair market price. Rest assured, our Duo Jin Merchant Guild has a reputation built over years of operation, so we'd definitely..."

"Got it, got it." Xu Xiaoshou smiled and cut him off, asking straight: "How much for one Yuan Ting Dan?"

The receptionist's eyes showed a hint of disbelief. Selling Yuan Ting Dan? You're claiming to sell a seventh-grade dan yao?

You might barely pass for selling Lian Ling Dan, but a seventh-grade Yuan Ting Dan? That's top-tier stuff!

These cultivation dan yao are already in short supply, and Yuan Ting Dan is even more so.

Only our Duo Jin Merchant Guild can provide some every day, but even we struggle with stock.

This guy isn't buying—he's selling?

"Five thousand ling jing." He replied casually, already losing interest.

"Five thousand?"

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. That didn't match his expectations at all!

Lian Ling Dan here costs around a hundred ling jing, and Chi Jin Dan is a bit more, maybe two or three hundred.

But those are all hou tian dan yao. For xian tian dan yao...

That golden dan bottle with the eighth-grade xian tian dan was priced at ten thousand ling jing. How could a seventh-grade Yuan Ting Dan be so cheap?

"If you buy them for five thousand, how much do you sell one for?"

"Ten thousand."

This blunt answer made Xu Xiaoshou's eyes bulge. Double the profit?

That's ruthless!

The receptionist explained: "Dan yao isn't just about the grade—quality matters too. If you buy from random places, a bad one could kill you at a critical moment."

"Our Duo Jin Merchant Guild has our own alchemists, so the quality is guaranteed. We're not just selling dan yao—we're selling our reputation!"

Xu Xiaoshou was tempted: "If I became one of your alchemists, would I buy them at five thousand each too?"

"Of course not!"

The receptionist had figured out what Xu Xiaoshou was thinking, but he kept any sarcasm hidden and patiently explained:

"If we establish a long-term partnership, we'd buy your dan yao at market price. Plus, with that status, you could get at least an 80% discount on any item at any Duo Jin Merchant Guild branch!"

Mu Zixi was stunned. Even with her not-so-sharp mind, she could tell how much such a force valued alchemists of that level.

"80% discount?"

The receptionist looked at her and nodded with a smile: "You heard right—it's the minimum 80%."

"Hiss—"

The young girl sucked in a breath. "So this minimum—is it heading toward 100% or toward 10%?"

The receptionist showed no sign of impatience. From Xu Xiaoshou's earlier move, he had guessed these two might not be simple.

Even if they couldn't form a partnership with the guild, building a good foundation was something every businessperson should try.

"The minimum is 80%, and the maximum is free, depending on your level."

"Stop!" Xu Xiaoshou suddenly waved his hand, even he couldn't take it anymore. "What's the condition?"

The receptionist said meaningfully: "First, you need to have the corresponding level of alchemist badge recognized by the Alchemist Association..."

"Let's go!"

Xu Xiaoshou grabbed Mu Zixi and turned to leave.

Receptionist: ???

What just happened?

He asked all that... and that's it? Nothing more?

Don't you think you're missing something?

"Under suspicion, passive value, 1."

"Are the guests leaving? This way, please?"

Though he felt disdain inside, his professional demeanor kept a warm smile on his face.

Xu Xiaoshou stopped at the staircase, looked at Mu Zixi, and compared their heights. "Get me a thousand pieces of clothing in a size similar to hers!"

Receptionist: ???

What now?

He was stunned.

"I'll give you the time of one incense stick—I'm in a hurry. Just ordinary clothes will do!"

Xu Xiaoshou was a bit anxious. The clothes for A Jie didn't need to be fancy anyway—this guy wouldn't protect his clothes during fights like a normal person.

Quantity over quality!

The receptionist quickly agreed and hurried off.

Mu Zixi was confused, tilting her head up to ask: "Buying clothes for me?"

"For the baby!"

"Again with that baby—where is it?"

"Don't interrupt!"

Xu Xiaoshou waved his hand. After sending the receptionist off, he started counting on his fingers with wide eyes.

Yuan Ting Dan, market price ten thousand each.

If I can get the badge quickly, I have thirty-six from Sang Lao in the ring, nearly a hundred from Yuan Tou, and four to five hundred from Zhang Xin Xiong...

At minimum, five million ling jing!

A five-million-ling-jing tycoon???

With a thud, Xu Xiaoshou was so shocked he sat down hard on the ground.