"No problem!"
Zi Linling agreed readily. Why wouldn't she? A large sum of income just for Long'er to sniff a few stones?
Su Lie was overjoyed at Zi Linling's agreement. This way, they could price the raw stones according to different grades, thus increasing their profits.
"Thank you, Miss Zi! Here is the information on Ouyang Yude, Huang Tao, and the Alchemist Guild of Xuanyuan City. I hope it will be of some help to you!"
As Su Lie spoke, he handed a stack of documents to Zi Linling.
Zi Linling was taken aback, but she accepted them and said, "Thank you!"
Su Lie chuckled, "You're too kind, Miss Zi. Helping you is helping ourselves!"
"Oh? What do you mean?" Zi Linling asked curiously.
Su Lie gave a wry smile, "Miss Zi, you may not know, but we originally had a cooperative relationship with the Alchemist Guild. We sold their elixirs, shared profits with them, and supplied them with medicinal herbs at a low price. But this was during the time of the previous president."
"Since Ouyang Yude took over as president, the cooperation has become impossible. He insisted on lowering the price of herbs, which we supplied at seventy percent, to sixty percent. And he demanded the profit share, which was ten percent, to be increased to twenty percent."
"As a result, our cooperation ceased. Afterward, Ouyang Yude handed over the sales rights to the notorious Huang family."
"The Huang family?" Zi Linling exclaimed, "Isn't that the family of his disciple, Huang Tao?"
Su Lie replied, "Precisely! That Huang family engaged in price gouging, directly tripling the price of elixirs. This has caused immense hardship for the cultivators in Xuanyuan City."
Zi Linling frowned, "That's not right! Wouldn't this be beneficial to your Huatian Merchant House? With them hiking up prices, and your prices remaining the same, wouldn't cultivators flock to you to buy elixirs?"
Su Lie sighed, "Who wouldn't say so? Our inventory was limited, and we quickly sold out all our elixirs. We then thought of transferring elixirs from other branches."
"But Ouyang Yude, by some means unknown to us, managed to restrict the output of elixirs from the Alchemist Guilds in other cities, ensuring that their elixirs only barely met the demand of the Huatian Merchant House in their respective cities."
"This way, the supply of elixirs to our Huatian Merchant House in Xuanyuan City was cut off. We could only watch helplessly as cultivators paid triple the price at the Huang family's establishment."
Zi Linling furrowed her brows, "Don't you have any other sources for elixirs?"
Su Lie responded, "Nine out of ten alchemists in the Tianci Continent are part of the Alchemist Guild. The remaining one or two are bought out by the three great divine clans. Even if a few slip through the cracks, how many elixirs can they produce?"
"Moreover, Ouyang Yude has declared that any alchemist who privately supplies elixirs to our Huatian Merchant House in Xuanyuan City will face ostracization from the Alchemist Guild. Tell me, who would dare cooperate with us?"
Zi Linling finally understood why Su Lie was so cautious in discussing cooperation regarding elixirs. He was indeed cornered. She thought to herself that since she had already offended Ouyang Yude, she wouldn't mind offending him further.
"Does your Huatian Merchant House headquarters not intervene?" Zi Linling inquired curiously.
Su Lie replied with a wry smile, "The headquarters in Central City did send people to negotiate, but Ouyang Yude has immense backing within the Alchemist Guild headquarters, making it difficult to resolve."
Zi Linling sneered, "Difficult to resolve? President Su, have you perhaps offended someone above you?"
Su Lie's expression shifted to one of sudden realization. He finally understood why the negotiation from the headquarters had failed. Someone was deliberately obstructing them. He quickly clasped his hands towards Zi Linling and said, "Thank you, Miss Zi, for your reminder. I understand now!"
Zi Linling nodded and smiled, "President Su, you're too kind. You were simply too close to the situation to see clearly. I believe even without my reminder, you would have figured it out soon enough."
Su Lie said sincerely, "Regardless, I still want to thank you, Miss Zi. Without your reminder, even if I had figured it out, the business opportunity would have been missed."
Zi Linling put away the stack of documents and said, "Let's go and inspect the raw stones!"
Su Lie nodded, instructing Gongsun Sheng to retract the barrier, and then led Zi Linling towards the raw stone repository.
To Su Lie's astonishment, after Zi Linling walked through the repository, she managed to identify the raw stones containing treasures. Although he found it unbelievable, he still had people separate the stones that Zi Linling had picked out.
Afterward, he invited Zi Linling to stay at the Huatian Merchant House for the night, saying, "Miss Zi, please rest at the Huatian Merchant House tonight. I will arrange for someone to escort you out of the city tomorrow!"
Zi Linling shook her head and declined.
Su Lie expressed his concern, "Miss Zi, there are many people loitering outside the merchant house, seemingly looking for you. I suspect it's because you acquired many treasures at the auction, making you a target."
A cold glint flashed in Zi Linling's eyes, and she smiled, "They are merely insignificant clowns. I don't pay them any mind. Besides, they may not dare to act within Xuanyuan City."
"But, Miss Zi..."
Before Su Lie could persuade her further, Zi Linling interrupted him. "President Su, I know you mean well, but even if I avoid them today, won't they still target me at the Danwu Arena outside the city tomorrow?"
Su Lie was speechless. Indeed, the greedy would not give up until they achieved their goals, and they would never miss an opportunity to deal with Zi Linling. Furthermore, what Zi Linling said was not wrong. They might not dare to act within Xuanyuan City, as it was the territory of the Xuanyuan Dynasty.
Ultimately, Zi Linling, ignoring Su Lie's pleas, strode out of the Huatian Merchant House.
Su Lie watched Zi Linling's retreating figure, a hint of determination in his eyes. He then instructed Gongsun Sheng, who was hidden in the shadows, "Senior Gongsun, I will have to trouble you once more. Please protect Miss Zi well!"
Gongsun Sheng, from his concealed position, replied, "You flatter me, Guild Master. I shall depart immediately!" With that, the spiritual energy around him rippled.
As Zi Linling stepped out of the Huatian Merchant House, she immediately sensed over a dozen killing intents. Before she could speak, a familiar voice echoed across the sky of Xuanyuan City.
"Miss Zi is a guest of the Xuanyuan Dynasty and myself, Xuanyuan Xun. If anyone dares to lay a hand on her within Xuanyuan City, do not blame me, Xuanyuan Xun, for showing no mercy!"
Indeed, the speaker was Xuanyuan Xun, who had returned from the Tianyuan Continent. No need to ask how he arrived so quickly; cultivators above the Great God realm could tear through space.
Xuanyuan Xun's words immediately quelled the restless individuals. These people were not foolish; none of them wished to incur the wrath of Xuanyuan Xun, a half-step Divine King.
Zi Linling, facing the direction of the Xuanyuan Imperial Palace, called out loudly, "Thank you, Ninth Prince!"