Chapter 3982 — The Invitation Banquet
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Same as the last spirit herb trial: forty kinds of spirit herb seeds to a set. Copy the order exactly and give me five sets," Wei Zhao said at once.
This was something Wei Zhao had long since planned out. To get his hands on Devourheart Linglong Grass, aside from enlisting Hong Zhong and Chen Heihu to help with purchases, another option was the spirit herb seeds from the spirit herb field. Unfortunately, he was neither a member of the Pill Hall nor possessed of any reliable connections there, so relying purely on himself was plainly out of the question.
Kang Jingming, by contrast, had lately been thriving in the Pill Hall under Xu Lingchong's patronage. Word even had it that his place there was already reserved in advance—the moment affairs at the Welcome Pavilion concluded, he could join the Pill Hall straightaway. To work on him through this opportunity was nothing short of perfect.
Still, Wei Zhao could not possibly name Devourheart Linglong Grass outright. To cover his tracks, he had no choice but to demand all forty spirit herb seeds, just as in the last trial. They could serve as a reserve stock of spirit herbs in the future anyway; asking for more was no waste.
"Forty to a set, and you want five sets? Are you out of your damned mind for spirit herb seeds? You think the Pill Hall is my family's shop, that I can just take whatever I please?" Kang Jingming nearly stamped his feet in fury.
It was true enough that he had the connections to obtain spirit herb seeds, but five sets from Wei Zhao meant a full two hundred seeds—if that were discovered, the trouble would be enormous!
Kang Jingming was, after all, not an insider of the Pill Hall. Even if others accommodated him for Xu Lingchong's sake, they would never throw themselves into the fire over so small a favor.
Wei Zhao knew this was hardly realistic. Still, a deal was a deal—start high, settle low. He said at once: "Very well. I will reluctantly concede a step. Four sets."
"Impossible!" Kang Jingming refused flatly again. Wei Zhao might have appeared to retreat a step, but four sets still meant one hundred and sixty seeds—no small number, and the risk remained considerable.
Wei Zhao's expression turned cold on the spot. He gestured toward the door in dismissal: "In that case, there is nothing left to discuss. Gentlemen, take your leave. Forgive me for not seeing you out."
"Hold on—three sets. Three sets at the very most, no more than that!" Kang Jingming said hastily.
In truth, even three sets meant one hundred and twenty spirit herb seeds, still a risk that had to be taken. But the initiative now lay in Wei Zhao's hands, and he had no way out at all.
What was more, his master and patron Xu Lingchong stood right behind him—and Xu Lingchong had not come this time merely to wipe his backside. If he refused Wei Zhao's terms and thereby delayed Xu Lingchong's proper business, that would be inexcusable.
"Three sets?" Wei Zhao mused for a moment, then said: "Then I will take the cave dwelling instead. Four sets is my bottom line; otherwise there is nothing to talk about!"
"You—" Kang Jingming was about to flare up when Xu Lingchong impatiently cut him off and said to Wei Zhao: "Fine. Four sets for you. And you are never to bring this matter up again."
"No problem! But I will say this plainly up front: deliver them to me before sundown tomorrow. If you are even half a moment late or short a single seed, this agreement is void, and the Peak No. 1 cave dwelling will have nothing to do with you. Understood?" Wei Zhao said.
"It's a deal." Kang Jingming had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree. The timing was a little tight, but with Xu Lingchong stepping in, the matter would be easy enough to handle.