The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 954: A Bit Low

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Wu Ranze lit up, “Huge deal? Could you tell us two about it, sir?”

“Ha-ha-ha, you’re awfully slow for someone praised to be sharp, eldest young master. How else are we supposed to trade if I don’t tell you about it? Eldest young master, aren’t you being redundant?”

Zhuo Fan toyed.

Wu Ranze nodded with a smile, “Indeed, sir is right and I’ve been rude.”

“Before we get to it, I have something for you.” Zhuo Fan took out a bright crystal and a vial from his ring.

Wu Ranze started at the sight of them and asked, “Sacred stones and 11th grade pill? Sir, is this the deal you spoke of? While they’re both uncommon, there’s plenty of them between men of true worth. Our company has traded in fairly large amounts of them as well. I fear that this deal…”

“Eldest young master, you’re being slow again. I just said that I have something to show you before the real deal.”

Zhuo Fan smirked.

Wu Ranze’s cheeks reddened, not liking being prodded again and again for over minor things. His flat business smile slipped for a second as well, “Then sir…”

“Identity!”

Zhuo Fan chuckled and shook his head, “The company does not check its customers out of consideration, but I’m willing to go the extra mile for a more solid cooperation. I am an 11th grade alchemist. This is one of my pills and these sacred stones are something I got from selling some of them. I am among those men in power and have the right to deal big!”

Ugh!

Wu Ranze and the old man chuckled then bowed, “Sir, revealing your identity isn’t necessary. You’re a valued customer the moment you stepped into our company. We sincerely…”

“Oh, don’t say that.”

Zhuo Fan chuckled, “All that enter are noble guests because your guards filter them at the door. Any that passes them are bound to be important so there’s no need for screening. That, however, was not how I got here and I need to facilitate our big deal through increasing our mutual trust.”

“Wait, you didn’t go through…” Wu Ranze was stunned and baffled.

[Then how did you get here? There’s two Soul Harmony experts outside!]

Zhuo Fan read his doubts on his face, “I fought my way in, knocking them out…”

Wu Ranze flinched.

[That’s Soul Harmony Stage and two cultivators at that. How…]

“Also, your second young master passed by, so I knocked him out too. He should be having a nap at the door.” Zhuo Fan threw the last part in.

[Yes, I beat your baby brother. What are you gonna do about it?]

Zhuo Fan waited for the stiff faced Wu Ranze to react. The guy let out a long breath and bowed, “Forgive me, sir, the guards must’ve been rude to you and deserved it. I’ll be sure to look into it and deal with them. As for my brother, I ask that sir overlook his recklessness. May sir speak of the huge deal you mentioned?”

[Your flaw is your humanity.]

Seeing the unfazed gaze of Wu Ranze, Zhuo Fan chuckled.

While respect was imposed to make dealings better, it has been so enforced that morals have been thrown away.

[I told them I beat the guards and the eldest young master didn’t care. As all men of ambition would rather lose to the enemy and not because of having wretched clansmen.]

There was no harm in having some clan flunkies take the brunt as long as a huge deal was coming their way. 

Though this would take a different aspect when his brother got involved. That he was too impersonal.

Zhuo Fan was cold as well, not impersonal, since ruthlessness was also a part of one’s humanity. He might not like his little brother, but at the very least, it should’ve concerned him.  

As for those who cherished their brother, they’d be flipping out about now. There were many ways to keep a straight face, but none were perfect. 

In the other extreme, hearing your brother suffered, you might be overjoyed since you two were vying for the clan’s power. Such was humanity, good and bad, envious and passionate. 

Zhuo Fan saw none of this in Wu Ranze. He only cared about his interest and nothing else. The worst part, he was only chasing profits and wealth out of instinct, going through life with a frozen heart.

[So this is Serene Shores Trading’s wise and able?]

[Ha-ha, I’d rather not have such company. It’s too hard to control…]

Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed and he spoke, “Eldest young master is so open about it. I was standing here afraid of facing you. I didn’t even realized he was second young master before acting.”

“I understand my brother the best. He must’ve started it and incited sir. Hope you’ll forgive us.” Wu Ranze continued, “Can we now talk about the huge deal?” 

Zhuo Fan nodded and revealed a gourd, “Look at this.”

He opened it and Wu Ranze gasped, “North Sea Gel?”

“The North Sea Gel?!”

The old man cried out, “It’s northern lands’ specialty yet also a local rarity. Not even their factions’ leaders have much of it. I heard only the sea demons of the North Sea are guarding it. It’s so dangerous there that even a Sword King can die. Sir, is this what you want to trade? We’ll take everything you have, money isn’t a problem.”

The old man blurted out like a broken record, leaving the plotting Zhuo Fan to be taken aback.

[This thing’s that valuable?] 

[So that’s why the wench wanted ten million sacred stones!]

“Uhm, is this thing valuable?”

“I heard that it can heal any wound in an instant, even one made by the five lands’ divine weapons. When Invincible Sword ran amok in the northern lands, the other three lands joined to drive him back, but many have died. It’s all due to this item that the strongest survived Sundering Sword’s wounds. You have such a thing and don’t know this?” The old man gasped.

Zhuo Fan grumbled a bit and said, “I recently obtained it and I’m not familiar yet. Then, tell me a number.”

“Thirty million sacred stones!” The old man spoke first on the spot.

Zhuo Fan was shocked inside. 

[Does that mean the twenty million and the fact it was used on young Sanzi still isn’t worth its value?]

Seeing him silent, Wu Ranze thought it was from hesitation and spoke, “Fifty million!”

“Fifty?”

Zhuo Fan jumped in shock. From the sheer fact Wu Ranze, a man obsessed with profits, to call out such a number without a twitch, showed it had to be way more valuable.

[Holy hell! What the hell is this to be so expensive? It’s like sacred stones are just dull rocks to him compared to this!]

His silence was taken as dissatisfaction again and Wu Ranze sighed, “I know fifty million is very low, that even a tiny bit of North Sea Gel is invaluable, with all the lands fighting for it, but the most money we can access is fifty million.”

[I actually struck gold with this!]

[They saved my son and I just gave them double the asking price, to return the favor. But this was by no means calling it quits, not with its value. I simply robbed them of it!]

[Sigh, I never owe anyone anything and now I owe tons. I have to pay it all back.]

Zhuo Fan’s face twitched and took the gourd back, “Who said this is the item of trade? I was only asking.”

Zhuo Fan stashed it away.

The two were dumbstruck, red eyes fixed on that ring, their hearts burning with greed and anger.

[Dude, are you toying with us? Talking about some huge deal then you take that out. Here we are sincere about buying it so why not make the trade?]

[Are you mocking our addiction by saying that?]

[Or are you saying you got something better than North Sea Gel? Not happening…]

To Zhuo Fan, that was just it, he had something so huge and outrageous that it could buy the whole company…