“I am Wuyou. I had intended to send someone to invite you over several days ago, but another matter delayed me until today when I finally had the chance to meet you.” Among the group of demon men and women, a young man with crimson demonic markings between his brows, clearly the leader, clasped his fists slightly toward Han Li and spoke with a smile.
“Late-stage Void Refinement, nearing perfection!”
Han Li’s gaze swept over the group. Despite the young man seemingly concealing most of his aura with a treasure, Han Li still saw through his cultivation level with perfect clarity.
Aside from this man, whose cultivation was not weak, the others were only at the Deity Transformation stage, mostly in the early phase.
“I heard you possess a large quantity of Demon Gold. Is this true?” Han Li wasted no time, sitting down opposite the demon youth and cutting straight to the point.
“Of course it’s true. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have waited here for you,” the demon youth replied with a smile as he also took a seat.
“In that case, Fellow Daoist Wuyou, tell me how much Demon Gold you have and how you plan to sell it,” Han Li nodded and pressed further.
“There’s no rush. There’s one more thing I must remind you of first. Only if you find it acceptable can we proceed. Otherwise, you’ll have to leave the way you came,” Wuyou suddenly changed his tone, his expression turning grave.
“Speak freely. I’m no stranger to storms and waves,” Han Li replied with a light laugh.
“Good. You strike me as a straightforward person. All of you, wait outside. I’ll call you back once I’ve finished speaking with our esteemed guest.” Wuyou clapped his hands and laughed, but his expression darkened as he issued the order to the others.
The demon men and women bowed respectfully and filed out of the hall. The mustached man, who had been too nervous to move since entering, also bowed deeply before hastily retreating.
Wuyou then flicked his sleeve, releasing several pitch-black token-like demonic artifacts. They spun in the air before transforming into a dark curtain of light, sealing the two of them off from the outside world.
Han Li’s eyes flickered slightly at the sight, his expression unchanging, but inwardly, he was intrigued. The demon’s elaborate precautions suggested that what he was about to say was truly extraordinary.
“Forgive the theatrics, but the matter is of great importance, and I must be cautious,” Wuyou coughed lightly and offered an apologetic explanation.
“No matter. But now, you may speak,” Han Li replied with a faint smile.
“Naturally. The reason for my caution is that the origin of this Demon Gold is… somewhat unsavory. I can sell it to you at an extremely low price, but you must swear a Blood Oath of the Heart Demon, vowing that no matter what happens after the transaction, you will never reveal our involvement,” the demon youth said, staring intently at Han Li, enunciating each word clearly.
“So, you’re saying you’ll hand the goods over to me, and I alone will bear any consequences that follow, without implicating any of you?” Han Li’s expression remained neutral as he countered coolly.
“Haha, I knew you were a man of insight. While I say this, once the transaction is complete, as long as you don’t linger here, there shouldn’t be any real issues. My earlier words were merely a precaution,” Wuyou relaxed slightly and chuckled.
“Ah, I see. Fellow Daoist Wuyou doesn’t want me to be traced back too quickly, lest I unwittingly drag you all into trouble,” Han Li smirked.
“What you think is your own affair. I merely wish to make it clear that the origin of this Demon Gold is highly sensitive, and I cannot disclose specifics. Whether you wish to purchase it is entirely up to you,” Wuyou’s smile faded, his expression turning solemn.
“If I refuse this deal, I suppose Fellow Daoist Wuyou has no intention of letting me walk out of here so easily?” Han Li fell silent for a moment before speaking, his eyes glinting sharply.
“You overthink it. I would never harm you. I would merely use a minor technique to erase your memory of this conversation,” the demon youth replied candidly.
“Erasing memories? That is indeed a clever solution. But when it comes to spiritual consciousness, even the most profound techniques can fail. And I have no intention of letting others impose restrictions on me!” Han Li snorted coldly.
“So, you refuse the deal?” The demon youth’s tone turned icy.
“Since it’s such a bargain, why wouldn’t I take it? How much Demon Gold do you have? Name your price, and I’ll take it all,” Han Li’s expression softened as he chuckled.
“Excellent! If you’re willing to proceed, there’s no need for memory erasure. But the Heart Demon Oath is still necessary,” Wuyou visibly relaxed, his face lighting up with joy.
“The oath is no issue. But let’s discuss the deal first. If the quantity of Demon Gold you have doesn’t satisfy me, the transaction may not happen,” Han Li’s tone shifted abruptly once more.
“How does two thousand pieces sound to you?” Wuyou finally revealed his hand.
“Two thousand?!”
Even Han Li, who had braced himself, couldn’t help but change expression at the staggering number. Such a quantity nearly matched the total he had gathered from other shops in the city over the past few days. For a Void Refinement cultivator to possess so much was highly unusual.
“How much? Even if it’s all Demon Gold, if the quality is subpar, I may not take it all,” Han Li’s mind raced, but his words betrayed no hesitation.
“Rest assured! Every piece is of the highest grade—no inferior substitutes. As for the price, you need only pay this amount,” the demon youth thumped his chest confidently, extending a hand and splaying his fingers before Han Li. “This is a full third lower than market price.”
“Taking such a risk for only a third off? The price is still too high,” Han Li narrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
“What price did you have in mind?” Wuyou remained unruffled, his smile unwavering.
“Half the market price. Otherwise, I’d rather walk away,” Han Li stated firmly, as if he’d already considered this.
“Fine, half it is. As long as you swear the Heart Demon Oath, it’s no issue. But the transaction must happen quickly—no delays. How about tomorrow, same time, same place? If you’re concerned, feel free to bring backup,” the demon youth agreed readily, much to Han Li’s surprise, and immediately proposed the time and location.
Seeing the other’s urgency, Han Li was taken aback but nodded and laughed. “No problem. Tomorrow it is. As for backup… we’ll see.”
“Splendid! I’ll await you here tomorrow,” Wuyou clasped his fists, unable to hide his excitement.
“Since we’re done, I’ll take my leave. I have other matters to attend to,” Han Li stood and said coolly.
Wuyou naturally didn’t stop him. Dispelling the dark curtain, he personally escorted Han Li to the door, watching until his figure vanished before beckoning the others back inside.
“Brother, did it work?” A demon man resembling Wuyou blurted out as soon as they reentered.
“Rest easy, Third Brother. It’s done. The transaction happens tomorrow,” Wuyou replied with a smile.
“Perfect! The last of our hot potatoes are finally off our hands. Brother, do we leave Blue Waterfall City immediately after?” the man asked eagerly.
“Of course. Tiehu, did you handle all the miners? No loose ends?” Wuyou turned to a middle-aged demon man.
“Don’t worry, boss. Everyone who knew anything has been silenced—no survivors. To be safe, I even sealed the mine entrance. Even if someone miraculously survived, they couldn’t escape anytime soon,” the man answered respectfully.
“Good. Mining near Blue Waterfall City without permission already violates the taboos of several local powers. With the unexpected discovery of such rare ores, any leak would mean certain death. Our only hope is to sell quickly and flee,” Wuyou exhaled, though worry still clouded his features.
“But boss, why take the risk selling here? Why not take the ores elsewhere for better prices?” a delicate-looking demon woman asked, discontent clear in her voice.
“Hmph! Do you want to die for wealth like a bird dying for food? Carrying the ores would be suicide. Without them, the major powers might let us go. But with them? They’d hunt us to the ends of the earth. Moreover, I’ve been studying why the mine suddenly yielded so much rare ore… and uncovered even worse news,” Wuyou said grimly.
“Worse news? Brother, what could be worse than our current situation?” the demon youth asked, startled.
The others also looked puzzled.
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