Chapter 71: Negotiation

Hua Yan Yue, 16th.

Feiermoyaodian .

The shop, large enough to accommodate over a dozen people without feeling crowded, was bustling with customers.

Clearly, the magic potion market had become extremely prosperous, entering its “peak sales season.”

All of this was due to the anomalies outside the city.

Most people saw the anomalies beyond the city as an opportunity, and many outsiders had even come specifically to “prosper.”

After all, in normal times, hunting geopulse creatures required venturing deep into dangerous primeval forests.

Geopulse creatures rarely appeared near the forest edges close to human cities.

But now, geopulse creatures were commonplace in the forests outside Hogan City.

For many mages whose main source of income came from hunting geopulse creatures, this kind of hunting—safe, with an escape route—was nearly like picking up coins.

The increase in hunting activity had also caused an extraordinary boom in Hogan City’s magic potion market.

There were three or four clerks inside the shop, busy attending to customers.

Gao De waited a short while nearby, and as soon as one clerk became free, he immediately slipped over.

“I’d like to see Mr. Oliver. Please inform him for me,” Gao De said.

The clerk paused slightly upon hearing this, then recognized Gao De and immediately reacted, his smile turning earnest and eager.

“Please wait a moment.”

He hurried up the stairs to the second floor, then came rushing back down a short while later.

“Mr. Oliver is waiting for you upstairs. Follow me.” He warmly ushered Gao De up to the second floor.

Compared to the first floor, the upper level was much smaller, containing only a few rooms.

The clerk led Gao De to the innermost door. “This is Mr. Oliver’s VIP reception room. I’ve brought you here—you may enter yourself.”

After saying this, the clerk withdrew respectfully.

Gao De knocked on the door with a calm expression.

“Come in,” Oliver’s steady voice came from inside.

Gao De opened the door and saw Oliver seated behind a grand rosewood desk, elaborately decorated.

He was bent over, writing with a quill pen.

After entering, Gao De said nothing, patiently waiting for Oliver to finish what he was doing.

Was there truly something so urgent that he couldn’t pause to receive a guest? Clearly not.

It was merely to create psychological pressure.

If Gao De had lost patience and spoken first, he would have unconsciously felt guilty for interrupting, putting him at a disadvantage before the negotiation even began.

Gao De examined the VIP room with quiet interest.

The room’s furnishings were clearly made of extremely valuable materials—even the ornamental plants were the rare and costly Golden Thread Lotus.

But what truly stunned Gao De was the large diamond-shaped geocrystal, weighing over five kilograms, resting on the rosewood desk.

Geocrystal was one of the most precious mineral resources in this world.

It contained astonishing energy, and nearly all magical devices relied on it for power.

Such a large, regular, natural geocrystal would likely cost over a hundred gold coins, yet it was displayed here merely as decoration.

In other words, a ten-thousand-coin ornament sat right before Gao De’s eyes.

Truly extravagant.

And yet, miserly.

A hundred-gold-coin geocrystal displayed on the desk to show status.

Yet only offering two hundred gold coins for the Seda Herb Garden, which had been operated for over a decade.

Only after Gao De entered did Oliver, still bent over writing, finally set down his pen and look up—after two or three full minutes.

“What brings you here today? Have you changed your mind?”

Gao De nodded. “I’ve thought it over carefully. Joining Feiermoyaodian is indeed a rare opportunity—I’d be foolish to miss it. Even if Master Seda returns, he wouldn’t object.”

“So I accept your proposal. I’m willing to transfer the Seda Herb Garden to you.”

“Wise decision,” Oliver praised, seemingly pleased with Gao De’s compliance.

"But what?" Oliver frowned, sizing up Gao De with a gaze that sent chills down the spine, exerting an invisible pressure.

“But what?” Oliver frowned, studying Gao De with a gaze that sent chills down the spine, exerting invisible pressure.

“The price must be raised! Two hundred gold coins is far too low. Master Seda paid more than that when he bought the herb garden. If he finds out I sold it for this price, he’ll punish me.”

“Is that so?” Oliver narrowed his eyes at Gao De and smiled, revealing a look of knowing but saying nothing.

“If you say so, it does seem a bit low. If this causes you to be reprimanded by Master Seda, I’d feel guilty.”

As he spoke, Oliver rose from behind the rosewood desk, picked up the paper he had just written, and handed it to Gao De.

“Sign this contract,” he said, his face wrinkling like bark, “and I’ll add another hundred gold coins.”

Gao De’s heart stirred, but he took the contract without expression, scanning its contents swiftly.

The terms were simple enough.

Gao De was to join Feiermoyaodian and brew potions for them.

Feiermoyaodian would provide certain resources to cultivate him.

Additionally, the contract offered him a monthly base salary of ten gold coins, plus half a percent of the profit from every batch of potions he brewed and sold.

Assuming he brewed one batch of Chujizhuduyaoji daily and sold them all, he’d earn roughly twelve and a half gold coins or more per month.

Though less than the herb garden’s monthly income, it was guaranteed, with no sales worries and no need to manage herbs himself.

Of course, this assessment was based on Gao De’s current level of potioncraft.

As his potioncraft improved, the gap between this “salary” and what he could earn running the herb garden himself would widen further.

If Feiermoyaodian adjusted his compensation in line with his growing skill, the contract might be reasonable.

But the problem was—clearly, they wouldn’t.

Because the contract’s term was plainly written: “Twenty years.”

If Gao De wished to terminate early, he could—but for every year he left early, he must pay one hundred Xien gold coins in penalty.

Ten years early? That would be one thousand Xien gold coins.

Gao De frowned, voicing his dissatisfaction outright. “This contract term is too long. And the penalty fee is far too high.”

“Heh…” Oliver smiled without warmth. “Twenty years? That’s not long. By then you’ll be in your thirties, still in your prime. Why worry about twenty years?”

“Besides, this contract isn’t set in stone. If your potioncraft improves quickly, I’ll raise your compensation and renegotiate.”

A merchant’s promise, without a written contract, is worth nothing.

Gao De knew this well—he silently sneered, believing none of it.

Oliver continued speaking: “As for the penalty fee, once you become our potion master, we’ll invest considerable time and resources into your training.”

“If we don’t set a high penalty, once you grow skilled and strong, you’ll simply pay the fee and leave for another potion shop. Wouldn’t we be fools, working for others’ gain?”

“And regardless of the penalty, signing this contract puts three hundred gold coins directly into your pocket,” Oliver added, his tone heavy with implication.

Gao De fell into long silence, his face showing visible conflict, as if deep in thought.

Oliver saw this and a flicker of self-satisfaction passed through his eyes.

He was an old hand at business, having haggled countless times.

He knew perfectly well: when a buyer wore this expression, the deal was essentially done.

Sure enough, after a moment, Gao De suddenly looked up. “Then what about the other apprentices in the herb garden? Why is there only a contract for me?”

“ Feiermoyaodian doesn’t sign contracts with everyone. Only those with talent, like you, receive a formal contract,” Oliver replied coolly.

“Rest assured—I’m paying a high price for the Seda Herb Garden, so I’ll naturally keep employing its staff.”

Like the final straw on the camel’s back, hearing Oliver’s assurance, Gao De seemed to make up his mind. “Fine.”

“But I don’t currently have the land or property deeds.”

(End of Chapter)