Chapter 206: To Think There Was Such a Thing

Chapter 206: Chapter 206: To Think There Was Such a Thing

"One thousand Spirit Stones each per month. This is my offer. If everything goes smoothly, you won’t receive the Spirit Stones. Instead, the auction house staff will become part of the Hundred Affairs Hall."

Liu Chen continued, seemingly speaking to himself, ’Having just the four parents sign Indenture Contracts would be a bit strange. But if everyone in the auction house, from top to bottom, signs one, then it won’t seem so out of place.’

If Steward Lin doesn’t agree, the auction house will remain just that—an auction house. If it gets up and running, paying you three senior brothers a total of three thousand Spirit Stones a month won’t be a problem at all. If he does agree, then the auction house itself will have served its purpose.

"There’s one more important issue. The Hundred Affairs Hall won’t take over an auction house that hasn’t even opened."

Ren Xunchun was filled with anticipation. If members of the Ren Family could use this opportunity to become part of Purple Cloud Valley, it would be a monumental boost to his family’s development.

"It will officially open after the Grand Rite. The auction house will operate on a membership system. Ten Spirit Stones will let you participate in a single auction. A deposit of one thousand Spirit Stones makes you an official member, and only members can bid on the Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine."

As Liu Chen’s voice slowly drifted over, Yang Haichen, Ren Xunchun, and even the previously worried Xie Xichen couldn’t help but stare. If their plan only had a chance of success before, the introduction of Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine made the auction house’s explosive popularity an absolute certainty.

Only a select few would be able to afford the Spiritual Cuisine, but the number of people who would become members just for a chance to bid on it would be enormous. The sheer amount of Spirit Stones collected from these initial memberships alone would be enough to catch the attention of the Hundred Affairs Hall.

"Isn’t one thousand Spirit Stones for a membership a bit expensive?"

Xie Xichen couldn’t help but interject. ’Even if you want to cash in on the reputation of a Second Grade Spirit Chef, that amount is exorbitant.’

"The thousand Spirit Stones isn’t a fee; it’s a deposit," Liu Chen shook his head. "The more a member spends in the auction house, the higher their membership tier will rise. Each tier has a limited number of slots. Once a tier is full, only ten new slots will open up each year."

Liu Chen shook his head. A simple membership fee would be pointless. While he needed the auction house to become a valuable asset, he wouldn’t do it by tarnishing his own name. If the auction house gained a bad reputation, the Hundred Affairs Hall might refuse to take it over.

"What if the Hundred Affairs Hall doesn’t take it over?"

Xie Xichen’s eyes narrowed. "This plan would certainly make the auction house a massive success, but what if the Hundred Affairs Hall doesn’t take it over? Once the supply of Second Grade Spiritual Cuisine dries up, the auction house won’t be able to function."

"The auctions won’t run constantly. On normal days, the venue can function as a trading post. Your three families must have resources to sell, and is there any better place to do that than the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace?"

"That’s true. Not with the Great Xia Dynasty gradually descending into chaos."

After hearing Liu Chen’s explanation, Ren Xunchun nodded. ’With Loose Cultivators on the rampage, people will become more cautious about where they trade their resources. But no matter how powerful someone is, they wouldn’t dare cause trouble right under the nose of Purple Cloud Valley.’

At present, the Three Immortal Sects are still unshakable. Trading here would be perfectly safe.

"In that case, here’s to our successful cooperation."

Yang Haichen immediately raised his cup of Spirit Tea, his eyes filled with fervor. He saw the incredible opportunity this presented. The Yang Family was large, but it was impossible to know what they would face in the coming chaos. He disliked most of his relatives, but if he could move the few he cared about to the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace, with a chance to enter Purple Cloud Valley itself, their safety would be vastly improved.

"To a successful cooperation."

Once the details were settled, the group departed. Each of them could provide a maximum of four Cultivators for the auction house. This was the bottom line, and it was fair.

"So that’s the plan. If everything goes smoothly, your parents will end up serving the Hundred Affairs Hall on Purple Bamboo Peak for twenty years for nothing in return. If it doesn’t go smoothly, we’ll still get the protection of three Inner Sect senior brothers for only three thousand Spirit Stones a month. On top of that, all three of them have high potential. As long as just one of them becomes a True Disciple, the auction house will likely become part of the Hundred Affairs Hall."

After dinner, Liu Chen explained the entire plan to his two junior sisters. ’We still have to be respectful of the four parents,’ he thought. ’If they can’t accept the Indenture Contracts, we’ll have to find a workaround. Worst case, we can just say they bought Spiritual Cuisine and couldn’t pay off the debt. The principle is the same, anyway.’

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I have to discuss this with my parents."

Ye Linglong nodded. ’The plan isn’t complicated, but it does require a sacrifice of reputation. Even if my parents agree, it’s not a decision I can make for them.’ In her heart, though, she felt there was a greater than ninety percent chance they would accept.

"I also have to discuss this with my parents."

Ji Suyao hadn’t quite grasped all the details, but seeing Ye Linglong’s reaction, she understood this was more serious than their usual dealings. It was best to ask her parents for their thoughts.

"Of course. Just give me an answer before the Grand Rite ends. If your parents aren’t willing, then there’s no point in opening the auction house at all."

Liu Chen nodded. The whole plan depended on their cooperation. His original idea hadn’t involved Steward Lin or the Indenture Contracts. With these new conditions, it was anyone’s guess whether the four parents would agree.

「That night」

Ye Linglong waited anxiously in the courtyard for her parents’ decision.

"Indenture Contracts... what a novel idea." Lady Ye’s eyes narrowed as she spoke. "That senior brother of yours doesn’t seem as gentlemanly as you’ve described."

She was reminded of the methods the Young Master had used to get into Purple Cloud Valley. He had disguised himself as a Bai Family Guard and waited until the Bai Family’s heir officially became an Inner Sect Disciple. Only then did the Young Master officially take on the role of a Servant, which he used as a pretext to reveal his identity as a Spirit Chef and become part of Purple Cloud Valley.

’This plan is surprisingly similar in its ingenuity,’ she thought. ’First, you use some pretext to get people into Purple Cloud Valley. Then, with the passage of time, the initial embarrassing status—be it the Young Master’s role as a Servant or these Indenture Contracts—can be resolved. The simplest way would be a breakthrough in one’s Cultivation.’

’If the Hundred Affairs Hall is willing to play along, they would only need an excuse to make the so-called Indenture Contracts vanish. But that would only happen after they’ve already established a firm foothold within the Hall and proven they can integrate.’

"Of course he’s not gentlemanly," Ye Linglong shrugged. "That Nangong Mu who bullied me? Senior Brother refined him into a Soul Slave. Now he can’t even die if he wanted to."

Ye Linglong shrugged. The last few times she had visited her senior brother, she had seen him studying the Soul Slave that was once Nangong Mu. She had no idea what he planned to do with it. It was only because the Nangong Family was currently reeling from attacks by Loose Cultivators that the truth about Nangong Mu’s fate hadn’t been discovered.

"Oh," Lady Ye’s eyes widened slightly. "So that’s why you’ve fallen for him so hard. I had no idea."

Lady Ye couldn’t help but stare at her daughter. This was news to her. She had known that Nangong Mu died in Fire Dragon Valley, but she had no idea he had been refined into a Soul Slave and that Liu Chen kept him close by.

"So, what do you think? Senior Brother has already started the preparations."