Gu Xuan looked at the three silk boxes Ye Haitang had pushed toward him. It had to be said that this "sincerity" was indeed sufficient. For the sparsely populated Ye Family, this was undoubtedly a massive bloodletting.
However... Gu Xuan naturally wouldn't hand over the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid so easily.
He had his own plans. If he could pull the Nine-Hearted Begonia into the clan, it would be the best possible outcome. In the future, the Sword and Bone duo would slaughter everyone on the battlefield with Ning Fengzhi's buffs and Ye Haitang as an "immortal healer," keeping their stamina at maximum. The combination of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and the Nine-Hearted Begonia would be a support duo that would strike fear into anyone's heart.
"Grandma Ye, forgive my bluntness," Gu Xuan said, his voice calm. "These three items may seem precious, but they aren't enough to move me. I won't say much about the Sun-Burning Flower; although it can raise a pill's level, pills worthy of such an upgrade are incredibly rare."
"As for the Soul Ascension Pill, to be honest, the clan has plenty of pills at this level. For me, it has essentially no value."
"This soul bone is the most practical, but a 20,000-year-old soul bone—and a left leg bone, which ranks last—is nothing special to the clan. It would just be a matter of how we distribute it."
"So, taken together, Grandma Ye should understand my meaning."
Gu Xuan didn't speak fast, but his words were quite harsh to Ye Haitang's ears. The items Gu Xuan looked down upon were truly the most precious treasures she could offer. Beside her, Zhang Jinyuan's eyes narrowed, his gaze toward Gu Xuan growing heavy.
Ye Haitang didn't know if Gu Xuan was intentionally exaggerating or if he truly felt that way. Regardless, she realized it would be difficult to get the orchid today.
After a long silence, Ye Haitang slowly spoke. "In that case, Xiao Xuan, what do you think I should offer for this to be considered an equal trade?"
She didn't claim this was her limit, instead asking with a smile.
Gu Xuan shook his head, glancing at the boxes. "To be honest, I'm not sure until I see something that moves me. I don't know if you have the ability to gather better items, but these current ones don't meet the requirement."
He paused, then said seriously, "I'm not just hiking the price. You know the effects of the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid better than anyone. Even if I don't give it to you, if any talented Support Type Soul Master in our clan consumes it, their chances of becoming a Titled Douluo in the future will multiply."
"Furthermore, if I give it to you and the Nine-Hearted Begonia is freed from its curse, your family will branch out in just a few decades. At that point, you might not just threaten the status of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, but at the very least, you will impact it. You know this better than I do."
Ye Haitang frowned. "Your logic isn't wrong, but isn't interest about mutual exchange? I can guarantee that after receiving the orchid, the Nine-Hearted Begonia will not enter the world for a hundred years. How about that?"
Gu Xuan gave a helpless laugh. "Grandma Ye, don't treat me like a fool. There isn't much difference between 'building strength' for a century and active development; it's just a difference in when the results manifest."
At this point, Ye Haitang was certain this boy was no simple character. For a teenager to see through these things—even with Ning Fengzhi's guidance—proved he wasn't easily swayed.
While she felt regret, he had at least given her a chance. As Gu Xuan said, the orchid was an Immortal Grade herb. Giving it to a compatible support master might net the clan a support-type Titled Douluo. A clan like theirs didn't lack time; it lacked top-tier talent.
Just as Ye Haitang was about to drop the matter for now, Gu Xuan spoke again. "Grandma Ye, while I can't agree to a trade of items, if you are willing to bring the Ye Family into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, I will personally hand over the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid with both hands."
Ye Haitang's expression shifted slightly. She smiled. "Xiao Xuan, if I were willing to make that choice, I wouldn't have brought these items to see you today."
Gu Xuan waved a hand. "Grandma Ye, hear my conditions first, then decide." Seeing her sit back down, Gu Xuan smiled.
"I'll be direct. I'm inviting you to join for two reasons: the strength of your Martial Soul and the orchid. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is the only clan built around support masters that sits among the Upper Three Sects. We welcome talent and have no restrictive rules; if you have a skill, we need you."
"Even if you join, as long as you are strong enough, your legacy will never be severed. In fact, we would support you. The only thing that cannot change is that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda remains the leader."
"But even so, out of nearly 5,000 Soul Masters in the clan, only about 1,000 have the Pagoda Martial Soul. Half of our core leadership consists of experts who joined from outside. Do you really think your legacy would die? With enough skill, you could easily become the 'Number One' under the Pagoda."
"Or do you lack confidence in yourself and the Nine-Hearted Begonia?"
Gu Xuan stared at her calmly. After giving her five minutes to think, he lowered his voice. "I've laid out the pros and cons. What I'm about to say next is a secret. Regardless of whether you join or not, I don't want a third person to hear this."
Beside her, Zhang Jinyuan's eyes snapped open. A threat?
But he quickly closed them again. It was a threat, but the boy had the power to back it up. After all, the boy's grandfather was the Bone Douluo. If not for that, they wouldn't be haggling here; they would have just snatched it and run.
Unfortunately, the power dynamic forced them to satisfy his demands. Two Titled Douluos backed by the world's best support could wipe out the Ye Family without breaking a sweat.
(End of Chapter)
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