Chapter 207 - Bargaining

[quest: Kill Zenith Kastor.]

[Reward: Body Mind Skill Unity Technique]

’H-huh??? Oi, what the hell are you even saying.’

The system didn’t respond.

As Nex kept rambling on about his own chivalrous acts, Cale sighed. ’While I don’t mind killing her, I guess I should reject it, huh.’

Assassinating her wasn’t really that big of a deal. The aftermath, though, would be massive. The Kastors would survive the purge on the continent, grow stronger in the future, and eventually even join the side of the Sword Sovereign. One wrong move, and Cale would land on the worst wanted list there was.

’Sigh, are you high or something? What kind of quest is that?’

"...and like that, they’ve been asking for your maid to be taken as a concubine for their young lord."

Hearing this, Cale’s head snapped up, cutting off his conversation with the system.

"What?!"

Nex sighed. "Were you spacing out? I said some of the families with darkness and shadow attributes are interested in taking Miss Rexa as their disciple. They’re even offering to make her a concubine for their next clan heir. Isn’t that a good opportunity for her? She’d get stable support too."

Cale raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying my family isn’t providing her with stable support or something?"

"You know I don’t mean it like that. I’m just saying it could be a good chance to help her grow stronger. We don’t have any specific sects or organizations related to shadow attributes. It’s so rare to begin with."

Cale sighed. "Leave the techniques and all that to me. I have tons of them. Do you want some too? I can give you a few."

Nex grinned. "Oh? I didn’t know you’d become so generous these days."

Cale tossed a few scrolls onto the table and smiled. "Those are pretty much useless to me. The amount I’d get from selling them is close to nothing..."

"Tsk, you didn’t have to say it like that!"

They kept talking, until a servant came in and bowed low. "Young Lord, a few men are asking for Young Master Cale. They say they’re from a Blood Valley, the Taiyi Sect, the Li Clan, and some others."

Nex glanced at Cale. "So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean? They’ve asked to meet, so meet them I will. Hehe."

Although he didn’t show it, Nex looked a little concerned. "Hey... don’t go arguing too much if they don’t listen. You’ve got a bad habit of unknowingly provoking people."

"Is that so~" Cale said, and he left the room whistling.

But just as he reached the door, the visitors came in from the other side and pushed him back inside.

"Hm? Are you guys so desperate to meet me? I understand, though. Seeing someone like me isn’t an everyday thing." Saying that, Cale sat back down in his seat.

Two young masters, likely from two of the many names he’d heard, had entered, and they did not look happy to see him. Their guards filed in behind them and stood pressed against the wall.

"Well, well, if it isn’t the most rumored man these days." Du Xiao of the Taiyi Sect grinned and sat down.

The other, Sun Hao of the Blood Valley, took his seat without much talk and crossed his arms.

’A chatterbox and a silent guy. Quite the pair, isn’t it.’

Du Xiao looked at Cale. "I’ve heard you found one of our elder’s bodies and took the techniques and items from it. I want them back. And it isn’t just me. The sect wants them too."

It was obvious he was trying to pressure Cale with the sect’s name.

Cale interlocked his fingers and rested his head on them. "What can you offer?"

Du Xiao’s face reddened. "Y-you! You’re the one who stole something here, and you want us to offer an exchange?!"

Cale grinned. "Oh, come on, it’s a bargain. Give me something too, or are you guys so poor that your sorry asses can’t even afford to buy back your own sect’s scrolls and techniques? Haha, don’t try to fool me. I’ve seen that old man’s memories. He wasn’t out on some trip. He stole the technique and ran away from the sect, which is why you’re here to get it back."

Sun Hao’s head turned at this, thinking hard. He’d suspected as much himself. Why would a sect demand its own elder’s technique back? If it were a sect technique, the members should already know it. No, this was a secret scroll, sealed with formations, likely unopened for centuries.

Annoyed, Du Xiao tossed a bag onto the table. "Here, that’s 200,000 high-grade spiritual stones! Give it to me now."

Cale frowned and scratched his eyebrow.

Sun Hao turned to Nex. "What’s his story?"

Nex smiled. "He’s the nephew of the king. That amount is probably loose change to him."

Du Xiao narrowed his eyes, his anger clearly climbing. "Is that how it is..."

Nex glanced at Cale, and Cale winked.

Smiling, Nex winked back. "Hey, how about you give it to me? I can offer you at least 500,000 spiritual stones."

Cale nodded eagerly. "That sounds like a good idea. It’s better than 200,000, right?"

He said the last part while looking at Sun Hao, hoping he would jump in.

"300,000 spiritual stones and three artifacts," Du Xiao blurted out quickly.

Cale tsked.

Sun Hao said flatly, "800,000 and one normal-grade artifact."

Cale gave a light nod, which the others took as him only agreeing to something around that range.

Du Xiao grew even more irritated. To think this Sun Hao was trying to take his sect’s secret technique right out from under him!

He wanted to attack Cale and seize the technique on the spot, but this was their territory. Attacking Cale here would be far too foolish.

"500–" Du Xiao began, but Sun Hao cut in before he could finish.

"1 million spiritual stones and a single artifact. That’s the most I have on me right now."

Nex smiled at Cale. "I see you both want that thing desperately. So... I’m out."

Cale grinned inwardly. ’Good, this guy knows his stuff.’

As Sun Hao grew happy about the prospect of getting the Taiyi Sect’s secret technique, which could give his Blood Valley a huge advantage over them, Cale looked up at him. "Who said I’m agreeing to your price?"

The guard behind Sun Hao shouted, "You brat, you—"

Sun Hao raised a hand to stop him, then looked at Cale. "It seems that because I’m spending so much, your greed is growing, huh. Don’t try to bite off more than you can chew."

Cale sighed. "It’s a supreme-tier technique. Plenty of people would die for it, and you think a few thousand spiritual stones could buy it?" He turned to Du Xiao. "I see. That’s just how much you people value this technique of yours. It mustn’t be that strong, huh."

Of course, Cale knew it was simply a breathing technique, though a useful one. It could speed up cultivation, speed up healing, and do a lot of other things besides.

Hearing that it was a supreme-tier skill, the three men’s eyes widened a little, and they began to wonder what they should do.

Even Nex was tempted to take it for himself instead of helping Cale sell it for more. If only Cale had told him all this before these people walked in...

Sun Hao rose to his feet. "How about I give you a chance to become a disciple of the Blood Lord himself!"

Sun hao got up, "how about i give you a chance to become a disciple of the blood lord himself!"

Du Xiao let out a short, mocking laugh. "A disciple of the Blood Lord? Sun Hao, don’t you think that’s a bit too much to hand out to this man?"

"Not much at all," Sun Hao replied, not even glancing at him. "Blood Lord Ye has been looking for someone with a body like his for years, and it’s not so easy to survive being a disciple of the bloodlord."

Cale tilted his head, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Well, well, look at you guys deciding my future."

"Don’t be crude," Sun Hao said coldly.

"Crude? I’m the one being offered a leash. I think I’m allowed to be picky about the collar, and I might’ve agreed if it was a woman, but seriously... a stinky old man?"

Nex choked on his wine, covering his mouth with a hand. Du Xiao’s face flushed a deeper red.

"You’re trying to buy him off with a title?" Du Xiao snapped. "The Taiyi Sect offers its own inner disciple’s seat. Ten years of cultivation resources, a personal courtyard, access to the ancestral library. What does the Blood Valley offer that’s better than that?"

Sun Hao finally looked at him. "The Taiyi Sect offers a seat that its own elders are already quietly stealing from. You know that as well as I do."

Du Xiao’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it.

The Li Clan’s representative, who had stayed silent up to now, cleared his throat and stepped forward. "If I may, young master Cale, the Li Clan is prepared to offer something quite different. Our lineage has a hidden library of formation arts, it’s one of the kind that never leaves the family grounds. A single formation master’s understanding of spatial arrays is worth more than any technique. I’m sure you can see the value."

Cale looked at him for a long moment, then yawned loudly. "Formations? You think I don’t see your motives here... sigh, have I shown myself a bit dumb lately?"