The young woman hesitated momentarily but didn't dare to pursue her curiosity about Yongnian any further.
Before Han Cai's arrival, Lady Xiaolian had already veiled her face. As Han Cai stepped in, her eyes sparkled, greeting him with an air of graceful excitement.
"Senior Han, you've arrived sooner than expected! I thought you might take a bit longer. Ah, who might this gentleman be?" Lady Xiaolian's smile faltered as she noticed Yongnian.
"This is my trusted friend, Yongnian. He expressed interest in our transaction and wanted to join us. I trust Lady Xiaolian doesn't mind?" Han Cai responded, downplaying Yongnian's presence.
"Certainly not, please be seated!" Lady Xiaolian scrutinized Yongnian's stern face and chilly demeanor before greeting them with a warm smile.
A wave of relief washed over her. Thankfully, they hadn't plotted any ill-intended actions, or else they would have roused a formidable adversary considering the seemingly impenetrable cultivation level of Han Cai's companion. This encounter only intensified her motivation to bring Han Cai into their fold.
"Here are the items as promised. Please, examine them!" Han Cai, always one for directness, took his seat and placed the two storage rings, housing the Spirit pills, on the table.
Lady Xiaolian could barely contain her glee at this sight. She thanked Han Cai, picked up the storage rings, and examined them using her spiritual sense. Once done, she passed them on to Elder Wei.
The elder accepted the rings without a word and proceeded to inspect the items inside.
The verification process was lengthy, given the sheer volume of pills. Meanwhile, Lady Xiaolian engaged in light banter with Han Cai, subtly probing about the origins of the pills.
Han Cai artfully evaded her inquiry, steering the conversation in a different direction.
Once Elder Wei completed his assessment, he conveyed his valuation to Lady Xiaolian privately. After some contemplation, she proposed a price to Han Cai, reducing the initial valuation by a tenth.
Han Cai seemed reluctant to accept the offer, causing a ripple of anxiety in Lady Xiaolian. Determined to secure the deal, she finally agreed to increase the price by five percent.
On hearing the revised offer, Han Cai consented. Although aware that the price was somewhat underwhelming, the opportunity to offload all these pills at once was an attractive proposition.
Seeing Han Cai agree, Lady Xiaolian exhaled in relief and presented him with a storage ring filled with a modest sum of mid-grade spirit stones.
With the transaction complete and both parties content, Han Cai prepared to depart. Just then, Lady Xiaolian casually mentioned, "I heard that Senior is looking to acquire a store in Meadow City. I recently came across some information on this matter. Would Senior be interested in hearing about it?"
Han Cai nodded, indicating his interest, and turned around to listen.
At that moment, Lady Xiaolian gazed at Han Cai with a smile, her eyes shimmering with a mysterious glow.
As a master of beguiling arts, Lady Xiaolian sought to subtly influence Han Cai, planting a subconscious seed in his mind. With time, she hoped this would make him subconsciously more amenable to her.
As Han Cai locked eyes with her, he felt an overwhelming allure pulling him towards her; it was all-encompassing and challenging to resist.
A realization struck him like a bolt of lightning, 'Seduction Technique!'
Instantly, Han Cai's expression hardened into an icy glare. The sudden change startled Lady Xiaolian, and her seduction technique lost its grip.
Fearing the implications, she tried to avert her gaze, but strangely, her neck and head felt rigid; she couldn't look away or even utter a word.
'Cultivation backlash!' As the understanding dawned on her, she desperately tried to break free from Han Cai's intimidating stare.
"What have you done to Elder Xiaolian?" Elder Wei noticed something was amiss with Lady Xiaolian. His eyes sparkled coldly as he prepared to intervene.
But as he moved, Yongnian merely looked at him, and Elder Wei felt his very soul tremble. With the stark contrast in their cultivation levels, any wrong move could result in his demise.
Lady Xiaolian's expression turned into a heart-wrenching plea, silently begging Han Cai for mercy as her attempts to escape proved futile.
"Hmmph!" With a contemptuous smirk, Han Cai finally released her from his icy stare.
She immediately averted her gaze as though granted a reprieve, but not before coughing up a mouthful of blood, staining her shawl crimson.
"Elder Xiaolian, are you...?" Elder Wei's eyebrows furrowed at the sight, his glare seething with rage directed at Han Cai, yet he dared not make a move given Yongnian's intimidating presence.
"Elder Wei, don't lose your temper! Senior Han has shown leniency. I only experienced a minor Qi backlash. The small amount of blood is a mercy in itself!" Lady Xiaolian quickly reassured him, wearing a strained smile.
Hearing this, Elder Wei's countenance relaxed gradually, regaining its normal composure.
"I hadn't anticipated that Senior was such an adept practitioner of seduction techniques! My attempt was purely impulsive. Please, forgive my imprudence. However, I do have some useful information regarding how to acquire a store deed in Meadow City." As she noticed Han Cai's stern gaze hadn't softened, Lady Xiaolian quickly explained, fearing he might investigate her previous actions. Han Cai responded with a nod.
Afterwards, Lady Xiaolian retrieved a small jade bottle and ingested a medicinal pill that quickly restored her pallid complexion. She then asserted confidently, "Indeed! I personally handled that deed. It was for a merchant who had invested a significant sum but the deal fell through and he never claimed the deed."
"Has it been sold to someone else already?" Han Cai peered at Lady Xiaolian, curiosity lacing his tone. Meanwhile, he warily wondered, 'Could she be intending to use me for her unscrupulous tasks?'
After a moment of deliberation, Lady Xiaolian decided to clarify the situation, appearing sincere, "No, the deed was initially to be auctioned in Meadow City. Unfortunately, most of our merchandise was looted during transit. Our sect has identified the thieves' hideout and is now inviting cultivators to deal with them."
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We need golden tickets and power stones to help the book get more exposure.
If we reach 2000 power stones, I will release two supplementary chapters.
If we reach 1000 golden tickets, I will release five supplementary chapters.
Thank You
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