Chapter 424 - Arrogance to Deference

“Five hundred thousand spiritual stones…”

Even President Lin couldn’t help being shocked by Nie Li’s huge sum of money.

The business discussion had only just started… and Nie Li had already shelled out five hundred thousand spiritual stones!

To Nie Li, five hundred thousand spiritual stones was little more than a hair off nine oxen[1. Chinese version of “a drop in the ocean”.]. His Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting was producing even more as they spoke.

But to President Lin and the others, five hundred thousand spiritual stones was an enormous sum of wealth.

President Lin sized up Nie Li. Nie Li had dared to enter this Endless Wilderness alone, and had shelled out five hundred thousand spiritual stones as a deposit. It seemed that his background wasn’t that simple.

It looked like he wasn’t lying when he said he was here to recruit two hundred Sky Origin Divine Clan experts!

Two hundred experts of the Sky Origin Divine Clan. That would at least require six million spiritual stones. Even a supreme divine sect would find it hard to cough up such a sum in such a short of time.

Just what was Nie Li’s background?

Either way, President Lin was certain that Nie Li’s background wasn’t simple. So why should President Lin risk offending Nie Li over some Sky Origin Divine Clan slave? Nie Li had brought a huge demand, and the Dragonbreath Chamber was in the business of buying and selling. The fury in President Lin’s heart dissipated.

His expression changed as he laughed, “I wonder where this young master is from?”

“President Lin doesn’t need to ask such questions. Even if you knew, it wouldn’t do you any good.” Nie Li replied mysteriously.

President Lin couldn’t get a feel over Nie Li. As for investigating Nie Li’s origins, it might not be good for him to do so!

“Haha, I was just curious. Since this young master wishes to cooperate with our Dragonbreath Chamber, we definitely welcome you! Young Master said that you wish to purchase two hundred Sky Origin Divine Clan’s experts? I wonder if you’re still interested in that deal?” President Lin asked as he looked at Nie Li.

“That’ll depend on President Lin’s sincerity!” Nie Li looked at President Lin with indifference as he continued, “I’ve deposited five hundred thousand spiritual stones. I wonder how many Sky Origin Divine Clan experts President Lin can provide me with, just by using those five hundred thousand spiritual stones?”

President Lin went silent for a moment, looked at a servant at his side, and whispered something into the servant’s ears. The servant respectfully stepped down and flew off.

Nie Li didn’t bother over where that servant might be going. Instead, he turned to his Sky Origin Divine Clan youths and brought out the master-slave contract. “Your master-slave contract is here!”

The Sky Origin Divine Clan youths betrayed their feelings in their eyes. None of them were yet resigned to their fate. Even so, from this day onwards, they would become Nie Li’s slaves and lose their freedom.

“If you follow me willingly, then I, Nie Li, swear not to mistreat you. If you’re unwilling, then you may turn back. As for the spiritual stones earlier, consider them my gift to you!” Nie Li said to those Sky Origin Divine Clan youths.

The Sky Origin Divine Clan youths looked at each other. They were clearly taken aback by Nie Li’s unexpected words.

The two grown Sky Origin Divine Clan experts immediately knelt down. “Thank you, Young Master. We, the Sky Origin Divine Clan keep our promises. Once we have decided to follow, we will do our utmost. Not a single clansman would go back on our Sky Origin Divine Clan promise.”

The six youths also got down on one knee. Even though they weren’t quite resigned, their expressions were much gentler than before. After all, following Nie Li was a far better alternative than being sold to President Lin.

Right now, the Sky Origin Divine Clan was facing a crisis of life and death. The shortage of provisions had caused their numbers to plummet drastically. Basically, the only ones left to the clan were the women. The Sky Origin Divine Clan didn’t dare to sell their women because the Sky Origin Divine Clan’s master-slave contract dictated that one would have to completely obey their master’s orders. In history, any woman who’d entered the contract had reached a miserable end. And the men were few in numbers.

There was no more food in the Endless Wilderness. That meant that the clan would become weaker and weaker until it perished entirely. That was the vicious curse of the Sage Emperor.

“Rest assured, now that these six youths are in my hands, I definitely won’t mistreat them!” Nie Li said as he looked at the two Sky Origin Divine Clan experts.

“Thanks, Young Master!” The two adult Sky Origin Divine Clan experts had tears flickering in their eyes. The clansman who’d been sold off before had all been treated as slaves, pigs, or dogs. How many years had it been since someone made such a promise?

Nie Li looked at those six Sky Origin Divine Clan youths and said, “From now on, you will follow me. Give me two years of your time. After that, if you may leave if you wish. I will not obstruct you!”

Nie Li bit his right hand and dripped fresh blood onto the six master-slave contracts.

Nie Li felt his soul becoming linked to those Sky Origin Divine Clan youths. These were soul contracts. Nie Li could use them to kill those Sky Origin Divine Clan youths anytime he wanted.

Only by signing a master-slave contract could these youths leave the Endless Wilderness. But because of the power the master-slave contract held sway over them, the majority of the clansmen who entered them didn’t have good endings.

The six youths didn’t reply, but instead chose to stand behind Nie Li in silence. They were bound by the contract without the power to resist. If it came down to it, wouldn’t they still have to obey Nie Li? They could only endure in silence!

The six of them obviously didn’t believe Nie Li. However, with the master-slave contract, they were forced to obey.

Furthermore, the contract commanded absolute loyalty!

President Lin looked at Nie Li as he smiled. “This young master is indeed extremely tolerant!”

Those six Sky Origin Divine Clan youths had fallen into Nie Li’s hands and President Lin gained nothing from it. However, he was forced to let it go; he couldn’t afford to offend a client as big as Nie Li.

The bystanders couldn’t help whispering amongst themselves.

“They were at each other’s throats just a moment ago. I never imagined that this youth would be so capable! Getting President Lin to be so polite to him!”

“How could President Lin afford to not be polite? I’d also be polite to anyone who brought such big business to my door!”

A brief moment later, President Lin’s servant returned with ten Sky Origin Divine Clan clansmen behind him. Each was in their prime years with roughly 2-stage Dao of Dragon Realm cultivations.

“Ten 2-stage Dao of Dragon Realm Sky Origin Divine Clan experts. None of them are elderly, sick, or crippled. For our first transaction, I hope this young master is satisfied?” President Lin said to Nie Li with his hands slightly cupped.

Nie Li’s studied the ten Sky Origin Divine Clan members, then nodded and said with satisfaction, “Not bad! For future business transactions, I hope President Lin will take good care of me!”

“That’s for certain!” President Lin laughed.

><