The returning immortals of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect felt their hearts leaping up to their throats at the sight of Jin Sidao’s proactiveness, each of them almost unable to resist the urge of going up and slapping that little rascal to death.
What the hell are you trying to do?
Don’t you understand how ruthless Jiang He is?
You are actually believing him when he said he wants to make a deal?
Who would dare to say no if he coerced them to a one-sided deal?
After all, they had brought along many treasures on this return to their homeworld, as their legacies here required resources.
“Silence, Jin Sidao!”
“Do you have permission to speak here?”
“Sit down!”
Several immortal wills echoed in Jin Sidao’s mind. The True Immortals and Heavenly Immortals of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect appeared upset, and there were some who intended to hold Jin Sidao in confinement for centuries after returning to their sect, and would not allow him to come out unless he ascended to Heavenly Immortal.
In response, Jin Sidao shot a look at the True Immortals and Heavenly Immortals who warned him with an unhappy glare flashing in his eyes.
Mister Jiang was right.
His authority was reduced with the immortals’ return.
Even so, he did not want that.
How could he let go of Jiang He’s sugar-tit after latching on?
As for the short-sighted immortals of his own sect…
What good were their complaints, when the Golden Immortal had not said a word?
After Jin Sidao’s made this deal and raked in tremendous profits, their ancestral master would realize Jin Sidao’s value, even bestowing him enough resources to reach Heavenly Immortal in a single stride—with that, he would gain more authority as well.
With that in mind, Jin Sidao quickly added, “Mister Jiang… may I have a word in private?”
Jiang He could not help but laugh at that.
How could he not know Jin Sidao’s doggone intentions?
Still, this was what Jiang He wanted.
He must make the various sects see… that they would benefit by following him.
The pair hence stepped outside the hotel, with Jin Sidao offering Jiang He a fist-palm salute as he spoke, “Mister Jiang, would you allow me to be your representative in your deal?”
“Oh?”
Jiang He smiled. “You understand what I meant by ‘deal’?”
Jin Sidao shook his head.
“If you don’t know the specifics of the deal I have in mind, aren’t you going to worry that your sect’s Golden Immortal would kill you to vent since you are my representative?”
“I believe that following you is worth it, Mister Jiang.” Jin Sidao answered seriously.
Jiang He laughed out loud and clapped Jin Sidao’s shoulder in satisfaction, saying, “Good. I’ll leave it to you, then—reach out to the immortals of every sect, and ask to purchase as many immortal crystals as they possess.”
Jin Sidao’s eyes lit up.
Then, Jiang He added, “We’ll be sticking to the usual rate: ten thousand immortal crystals for fifteen thousand. Naturally, you would receive a commission when the deal is complete.”
Jin Sidao’s heart was pounding wildly at that, his Dao heart fluttering in excitement.
Taking a deep breath to hold back his excitement, he asked, “To tell the truth, Mister Jiang, I had actually allocated some of the additional spirit stones the last time I helped you exchange them, and embezzled a lot of profit for myself…”
“How much you earn is your own business.”
Jiang He chuckled. “Why be a middleman if you don’t earn something out of it?”
Weeping in gratitude, Jin Sidao almost dropped to a kowtow but was stopped by Jiang He. “Just do what you can.”
“Still, I’m afraid that many decisions would not be up to you now that your sect’s immortals have retuned. When that happens, I would discuss things with your Golden Immortal so that he affords you some authority.”
Jin Sidao suddenly had an impulse to dive into the flames for Jiang He.
They then returned to their seats at the hotel, and Jiang He did not mention the deal again.
An immortal could not help asking, “Brother Jiang He, you had mentioned a deal before… I wonder, what could that be about?”
“I have delegated the entire matter to Jin Sidao. He would discuss it with all of you when the time comes.”
Curious, the immortals all turned to look at Jin Sidao, who stood up and offered everyone a fist-palm salute. Smiling, he said, “Dear elders, I would visit everyone later to discuss the matter. I hope you would give me face then.
However, what statues did the immortals hold?
A mere Mahayana elite was nothing to them at all. And yet, even a blind person could tell that Jin Sidao had built strong ties with Jiang He, and they had to give him face.
Soon, the banquet was over.
The many immortals each bade farewell and flew away from Jingdu City.
Wang Hou then turned to Jiang He and smiled. “Should we have a few drinks, Jiang He?”
Shaking his head, Jiang He said, “No alcohol, just tea. Origin Fluid would do if necessary, since I might have gotten a little used to Origin Fluid and Elder Tea of Enlightenment lately. To me, plain decade-old Maotai tastes no different from two-dollar colas.”
“…”
Wang Hou felt a pain in his liver at that.
Still, once he remembered Jiang He’s usual diet, and compare that to decades-old Maotai… well, it did feel like trash.
***
Up in the clouds at the distant horizon, members of the Ten Thousand Swords were flying along on their swords.
Jin Sidao, having been called to the sect’s Golden Immortal side, was questioned directly. “Are you close with Jiang He? Even so, that man is ruthless and cruel, so try to reduce contact with him.”
“Moreover, your offering to go along with his deal is quite a foolish move. How is that different from asking a tiger for its skin?”
“Ancestral Master!”
Jin Sidao dropped to his knees on the ancestral master’s flying sword and said, “I know the kid well. Being an enemy of Jiang He would only means death, but getting on his good side means boundless profits… Among the various factions on Earth, we, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, are the weakest… but why have we developed progressively now?”
“That is because this disciple was the first to extend goodwill.”
“This disciple has also helped him buy spirit stones, earning dozens of thousands in profit within just two days. If he needs immortal crystals, we would definitely earn a truckload if the deal is successful, because I had jumped out to intercept it.”
“What?”
The Golden Immortal appeared puzzled. “The mineral veins of spirit stones on Earth had dried up a long time ago, and all the sects had more or less used up all the spirit stones they had… and yet you’re saying you earned dozens of thousands of spirit stones?”
“Thanks to my middleman’s commission!”
“…”
The Golden Immortal appeared puzzled, and asked, “But how?”
“Jiang He was buying spirit stones without limit at a ratio of 1 to 1.5. We just have to offer some of ours, and the other sects would naturally offer theirs in imitation.”
Jin Sidao smiled. “This time, Mister Jiang wishes to purchase immortal crystals at the usual 1 to 1.5 rate. I’ve managed to secure the deal, but the word of a Mahayana elite like myself would not have much authority before the immortals of various factions, which is why I have to trouble you, Ancestral Master.”
The Golden Immortal of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect appeared rather confused at that.
It took him a long while to come to his senses and say, “Wait…”
“Let me put this straight…”
“You meant to say that he is buying immortal crystals with immortal crystals?”
“As in buying 10,000 from us, at the cost of 15,000?”
“Could Mister Jiang be not right in the head?”
There must be something else going on!
